History Memes

I volunteer for tribute.

My memory is a bit hazy, but I was told to study the children's crusade specifically to lead the next children's crusade. Those were my mom's exact words and intent.

Well here is the story of the Children's Crusade.

There are two conflicting accounts although both could have happened. Year of 1212 give or take.

What's agreed on is the following.

A Shepard boy claimed Jesus called him to lead a crusade. He was convincing. Enough to get an army of about 30,000. So they marched from France or Germany with 30,000 kids and a small number of adults. A lot of kids died making the trip. First casualties of the Crusade.

Only 7,000 remained once they reached a port on the Mediterranean Sea. The rest either died or went home.

This whole time 30,000 kids believed that the Mediterranean would split like the Red Sea. When it didn't the surviving 7000 lost more troops as kids went home disappointed, settled down to live in the fishing village or something else with their life's.

The crusade moved on until they found a couple ships willing to take them to Jerusalem. This is where the Children's Crusade ends. The remaining children were tricked and sold into slavery, or died in a shipwreck.

A different account says the Shepard boy went home in disgrace and died on the way home.

Total result: 30,000 kids and adults wasted their lives following a child.

There are more records of various followers making it to other cities and ports. But no report of anyone from the Children's Crusade making it to Jerusalem.