Antioch 1098 AD - Bohemond and Firuz

Antioch fortifications
Source: wikimedia commons

Early autumn 1097 - Crusaders army enter northern Syria and arriving at one of the great cities of the Orient, the fortified metropolis of Antioch. Yaghi-Siyan, Seljuk governor of Antioch well informed by his spies try to protect his city be expelling Christians from city:

"Yagi-Siyan, a man famous for his big hairy ears and thick, grey beard did his outmost to keep the enemy out [of Antioch]. But he knew any of the local Christians may be persuaded to let the Franks [Crusaders] in. When he heard about approach of the Franks he was not sure how the Christian people of the city would react. So he send all the Muslim outside the city walls to dig trenches, and the next day, he send the Christian by themselves to do the same task. When they are ready to return home at the end of the day, he refused to let them in" Source: THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS, History Channel

How wool influence British economy

Women sheering sheep for wool fleece.
Source: wikimedia commons

10 million wool fleeces yearly were exported from England in beginning of 14th century ... that's a lot - and make England the world biggest wool producer in those time. But is not only quantity but also quality:

English farmers had developed breeds of sheep that produced fleeces of varying weight and quality, some of which were among the best in Europe. Source: History's big numbers, interviews by Charlotte Hodgman, BBC History Magazine 2/2014

Increasing demands from continental trade center  - Ypres, Ghent, Bruges (all nowadays in Belgium) - requires also good organisation.  Key role plays here monasteries which not only kept theirs own herds but also contracted flocks from peasants leaving in surrounding villages. To make it happen new occupancy like woolman or woolmongers where created. Especially in this area specialized are Cisterian monasteries  - it was integral to the order economy - sheep not only provided wool, which could be used to make clothing and blankets for the community, or else sold, but were important for the manufacture of butter and cheese. 

Holy Lance

Bishop Ademar of Le Puy holding Holy Lance
in St. Peter Church, Antioch
Source: wikimedia commons

June 15th,1098 - Peter Bartholomew, French peasant crusader discover Holy Lance in besieged by Muslim city of Antioch, in Church of St. Peter. At least he claimed it but for sure gave faith to Crusaders Knights that they can go outside city walls and defeat Muslim army.

Holy Lance was acclaimed as spear that pierced Jesus side on the cross. It was believed that lance were kept in Jerusalem, however after Romans destroyed city was lost.

The spiritual leader of crusaders bishop Le Puy was skeptical (as one Holy Lance was already kept in Hagia Sophia) but as army morale was raised he hide his hesitation. When he died couple days later he was buried in the very the same place where Holy Lance  had been found.

Chultuns - How ancient Maya collect water during rain season

El Castillo (pyramid of Kukulcán) in Chichén Itzá
Source: wikimedia commons

Yucatan peninsula, nowadays Mexico, is fertile land however disadvantaged by a shortage of running water (rivers) or lakes.

"Soil here is fuel, natural resources abundant. It's look like ideal place for human habitation. Except for one thing ... the Puuc region has no water sources ... no rivers, lake, streams, creeks." Source: Quest for the Lost Maya. PBS/National Geographic documentary

How ancient Maya overcome it? Well, they need to find a way to collect rainwater during 6 months of wet season. They use natural limestone bedrock to dug flat bottle shape cistern called chultun. This name is a combination of two Maya language words - chulub (rainwater) and tun (stone)[2]

Laser scan model of Kiuic chultun.
Source: Quest for the Lost Maya. 
PBS/National Geographic documentary

The first description of chultuns was done in XVI century by bishop Diego de Landa in his book Relación de las cosas de Yucatán[2]. These water chambers were carved from soft limestone, then covered inside by limestone stucco to keep water in the side[3]. The required capacity of chultuns was investigated in Quest of Lost Maya documentary:

[In Kiuic] the Maya engineering the patio rooftops and plazas to capture every last drop of rain water. Than drain to eight chultuns (...). The entire hilltop function as giant rain barrel. So how many people would that ingenious water tank support. Chultuns have average capacity of about 10 000 gallons. They calculate that typical family of six consumes 27 gallons a day. So single chultuns could have support seven families through 3 rainless months. 
Source: Quest for the Lost Maya. PBS/National Geographic documentary

Chultuns when became unused (e.g. water found a way outside) they are used also as food storage or garbage collector. Sometimes even burial place[4].

Maya chultuns construction was inspired by natural cenotes, natural pits that exists also on Yucatan peninsula.

Primary sources:
[1] Quest for the Lost Maya. PBS/National Geographic documentary
[2] Chultun Ancient Maya Storage Systems - and perhaps more
[3] Chultun article on islc.net.
[4] The Chaa Creek Chultun is another indication of Maya existence at Chaa Creek Nature Reserve

Secondary sources:
[5] Kaxil Kiuic: Helen Moyers Biocultural reserve 

Videos:
[6] Quest for the Lost Maya. PBS/National Geographic documentary

West come to East

Western dukes of First Crusade,
 from left Godfrey de Bouillon,
Bohemond I of Tarent, 
Raymond IV de Toulouse,
Tancred of Hauteville
Source: wikimedia commons

1097 AD - 2 years after the famous sermon was given by Pope Urban II in Council of Clermont call for Crusades - western knights arrive at Constantinople gates. Between them there four noble dukes: 

• Godfrey de Bouillon - second son of the count of Boulogne, with blood lineage back to Charlemagne. Born around 1060 AD in Boulogne-sur-Mer . Describe by medieval chronicler William of Tyre as taller than 'the average man ... strong beyond compare, with solidly built limbs and stalwart chest, [with] pleasing features  [and] beard and hair of medium blond'.
• Bohemond of Tarent, son of famous Robert Guiscard (the Astute), Duke of Apulia and Calabria
• Raymond IV of Toulouse - count of Toulouse, duke of Narbonne and margrave of Narbonne.
• Tancred of Hauteville, grandson of Robert Guiscard so also the nephew of Bohemond.

About this blog.

I am generally interested in history, especially in medieval and renaissance periods. I like reading books, articles and internet posts related to these areas and would like to share on my blog some facts that I found interesting.

I would like to enhance found information using other sources and encourage blog visitors for further exploration. I do believe that knowing history helping us to understand the present time.

English is not my mother tongue so excuse me for any grammar mistakes - correction advice is however highly welcome - will help me improve my English.

My plan is to publish at least one post every Sunday - will see how it goes ...