Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester

thumb|Shall Christ's poor be exposed to the sword, and I remain in a fort! Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester (c. 1175 – 25 June 1218), sometimes called "the Elder", was a French nobleman and knight of the early 13th century. He is widely regarded as one of the great military commanders of the Middle Ages. He took part in the Fourth Crusade and was one of the prominent figures of the Albigensian Crusade. Quotes The river was swollen by so sudden and violent a storm, that none could pass it without risking the loss of life. In the evening, the noble count, seeing that almost all the knights and the flower of the army had swum the river and gained the castle, but that the footmen and invalids had been compelled to remain on the other side, called his marshal and said, "I shall return to the army"—to which the latter replied, "How! the entire strength of the army is in the fortress, and only pilgrims are left behind; besides, the river is so high and rapid that none can cross it, not to speak of the danger there would be of the Toulousans falling on you and cutting you off!"—But the count replied, "Far be it from me to do as you advise. What! shall Christ's poor be exposed to death and the sword, and I remain in a fort! Happen what will, I commit myself to God, and will assuredly cross and share their fate!" On the word, quitting the castle, he crossed the river, returned to the footmen, and, together with a few knights, not more than four or five, remained with them several days, until the bridge was repaired for them to pass. Petrus Vallium Sarnaii, Historia Albigensis, ch. 68. Reported in Jules Michelet, History of France, tr. G. H. Smith (New York, 1882), vol. i, p. 280 A priest came to warn the count — "Your numbers are few compared with those of your opponents, among whom is the king of Aragon, an able, experienced warrior, followed by his counts, and by a large army; you are unable to cope with the king, backed by such a host." "Read this," said the count, producing a letter, from which the priest learned that the Aragonese monarch had saluted the wife of a noble of the diocese of Toulouse, with the assurance that it was for her love he had come to drive the French out of the land, with other flatteries. Having read it, the priest inquired, "What do you infer from this?" "What do I infer?" replied Montfort — "may God so aid me, as I have slight fear of a king who seeks to cross God's designs for woman's love." Guillaume de Puylaurens, ch. 21. . . . . Quid volo dicere? Sic Deus me adjuvet, quod ego regem non vereor, qui pro una venit contra Deum meretrice! Reported in Michelet, History of France (1882), vol. i, p. 283 External links Category:1210s deaths Category:People of the Crusades Category:Military leaders from France