Hi, I was hoping that someone would be able to tell me what it was like for a deserter of the First Crusade when has returned home to the West? Particularly if there are records or any non elite members of society... or perhaps any information on William the Carpenter and other minor characters?

by henlochickennugget13
wowbuggertheinfinite

In Western Europe there are very few specific records on non-elite members of society during the 11th and 12th centuries, even members of the lower elite such as knights are very rarely mentioned apart from a few lines in a chronicle, or a legal document.

With that being said Crusaders who had abandoned the First Crusade before it reached Jerusalem were typically convinced to go on another Crusade to atone for deserting the Crusade. Indeed many members of the Crusade of 1101, such as Stephen the Count of Blois were deserters of the First Crusade. Stephen had deserted the First Crusade alongside William the Carpenter in July 1098. Stephen was pressured into re-joining the crusade by Saint Adela, who was his wife.

Hugh the Count of Vermandois was the son of King Henry I of France, he was also a relative of William. Hugh had deserted the first crusade and he went on the Crusade of 1101 alongside Stephen where they both died.

William the Carpenter was the Viscount of Melun, and distantly related to the French royal family, so we have some information about him. William deserted the crusade on two occasions, the first desertion happened in January 1098, when he deserted alongside Peter the Hermit. They were captured by Tancred and brought back to the Crusade soon after his desertion. The only punishment he seems to have received was Bohemond of Antioch publicly insulting him.

William's second desertion happened in July 1098 when he deserted alongside Stephen. During this desertion they met Emperor Alexios I on the road, and they convinced him that the Crusade was hopeless.

Despite these desertions William seems to continue functioning as a normal member of society, he joined the Crusade of 1101. Williams name was on a petition to King Baldwin in 1101, and he took part in the siege of Ascalon in 1102.

Peter the Hermit who had briefly deserted alongside William also retained some level of prominence. Peter became Prior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was a very prominent church, that had many relics associated with the death of Jesus.