RELIGION, EDUCATION, FINE ARTS. 



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early mention is made of it by either profane 

 or ecclesiastical writers. In the twelfth cen- 

 tury it reappears as the central subject of the 

 prophecies of Merlin and the object of the ad- 

 venturous quest of the Knights of the Round 

 Table. It was also mixed up, by romance, 

 with the struggles in Spain between Moors and 

 Christians, and with the foundation of the 

 Order of Templars in Palestine. 



Peter the Hermit was the apostle of the 

 first crusade, and was born in the diocese of 

 Amiens, France, about the middle of the 

 eleventh century. After engaging in several 

 pursuits he became a hermit, and in 1093 un- 



dertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where the 

 oppression he witnessed and experienced deter- 

 mined him to arouse the people of Christendom 

 to undertake a war for the liberation of the holy 

 1 sepulcher. The first host of crusaders was led 

 by Peter in person, and was unsuccessful. He 

 was associated with the expedition under God- 

 frey of Bouillon. While the crusaders were be- 

 sieged in Antioch, he deserted, but was captured 

 and brought back. On the conquest of Jeru- 

 salem he preached a sermon to the crusaders on 

 the Mount of Olives. After this he returned 

 to Europe and founded the Abbey of Neuf- 

 moustier, near Huy, where he died in 1115. 



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