Ambroise facts for kids
Ambroise, sometimes called Ambroise of Normandy, was a Norman poet and writer who lived around the year 1190. He wrote about the Third Crusade, a major religious war. His most famous work is called L'Estoire de la guerre sainte, which means The History of the Holy War. This long poem, written in rhyming Old French, tells the story of King Richard the Lionheart and his adventures as a crusader.
For a long time, historians didn't know much about Ambroise's poem. It was only found in one special old book, called a manuscript, kept in the Vatican Library. A historian named Gaston Paris was the first to realize how important this poem was for understanding the Third Crusade.
Contents
Ambroise: An Eyewitness of the Crusade
Ambroise traveled with King Richard I during the Third Crusade. He wasn't a soldier, but likely a court minstrel, someone who entertained with music and stories. Because he was there, he could write about what he saw and heard.
What Ambroise Saw
Ambroise wrote about many important events. He was present when King Richard was in Messina, on the island of Cyprus, and during the long Siege of Acre. He also described the battles that happened after Acre was captured.
His Accurate Notes
Ambroise was surprisingly good at keeping track of dates. Even though he finished his poem around 1195, it seems he wrote down notes during his journey. This means his poem is based on what he experienced firsthand. He tells his story in a lively way that makes you want to keep reading.
Ambroise's Viewpoint
It's important to remember that Ambroise was not completely neutral. He really admired King Richard and was against anyone who opposed him. This included the Saracens (the Muslim people he fought against), the French, and other rivals of King Richard. For example, he didn't like the "Polein" group, who supported Conrad of Montferrat instead of Guy of Lusignan. Because of this, his work is more like a biography of King Richard than a full history of the entire Crusade. Still, his poem is a very important original source for learning about what happened between 1190 and 1192 in the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The Itinerarium Regis Ricardi
There's another old book called the Itinerarium Regis Ricardi, which is a Latin story about the same events. For a while, people thought Ambroise's poem was based on this Latin book. But now, historians believe that the Latin book actually used Ambroise's poem as one of its main sources.
See also
