The Jerusalem Cross: A Symbol of Faith for Christian Crusaders

The Crusades were religious wars between the Muslims and Christians that spanned over 250 years. The goal for the Muslims was to keep Jerusalem, while the Christians wanted to capture it in order to restore and purify it. The Jerusalem Cross, also known as the Crusader's Cross, became the main symbol for Christians during "Europe's biggest folly".
      The Cross, which consists of a large cross in the center surrounded by four small crosses in each quadrant, is a Christian symbol that represents many things. Firstly, it represents the Five Wounds of Christ, with the four small crosses defining his feet and hands, while the big cross represents Jesus' pierced heart. Secondly, it also portrays Christ and the four corners of the world, which in turn represents the spreading of Christianity throughout the world. Finally, it also alludes to Christ and the Four Evangelists , namely Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke.
    The cross was first worn as a coat of arms by French knight Godefrey de Bouillon during the First Crusade (1096-9), which resulted in the capturing in Jerusalem in 1099. De Bouillon believed that the cross symbolized Jesus and the holy land of Jerusalem, the latter being the root of Christianity. The Crusaders started wearing the Cross on their backs.
   The Crusader's cross continued to be used after the Crusades. For example, it was used on the flag of Sebasteia in the 14th century "Book of All Kingdom". Furthermore,  it was also seen on the flag of Tbilisi on the Pizzigano chart in the 14th century as well. Lastly, the cross was adopted on the flag of Georgia in 2004.

Godefrey de Bouillon

 Sources

 "Jerusalem's Cross." Wikipedia, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_cross 

 Smith, Kevin. "The History and Significance of the Jerusalem Cross." Catholic Faith Store, 2015. http://blog.catholicfaithstore.com/blog/2015/04/12/history-significance-jerusalem-cross/

Trial by Combat

When one thinks of courts and trials, one most likely thinks of the current system we have. However, that has not always been the case. In The Song of Roland, the character Ganelon is tried for his betrayal/treason against Roland and Charlemagne. His jury make their decision through a system called "trial by combat", in which the two sides (innocent or guilty) pick a person from their side and fight. The victor is the deciding side. In the end, the "prosecution" wins and Ganelon is killed.

Ganelon's death:


Trial by combat was a system of law to settle accusations in the absence of witnesses or a confession in which two parties in dispute fought in single combat; the winner of the fight was proclaimed to be right. The victor is said to win not by his own strength but because supernatural powers have intervened on the side of the right, the “judgment of God” was thought to determine the winner.

Illustration of a trial by combat:


Some aspects of trial by combat still exist today, for instance, a man in New York wants a trial by combat in a civil case: http://time.com/3989243/game-of-thrones-lawyer-trial-by-combat/


Sources:

• The Song of Roland
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_by_combat
• http://www.britannica.com/topic/ordeal-by-combat
• http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/21ganelon5-covolo.jpg
• https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Gerichtskampf_mair.jpg