rushed in with their men; while at a third part of the city, Raimond
of Toulouse effected an entrance for himself and his followers by the
help of scaling-ladders. In an instant after, the banner of the cross
floated upon the walls of Jerusalem. The crusaders, raising once more
their redoubtable war-cry, rushed on from every side, and the city was
taken. The battle raged for several hours, and the Christians gave no
quarter. Peter the Hermit, who had remained so long under the veil of
neglect, was repaid that day for all his zeal and all his suffering.
He was once more the idol of the army, but history is silent
concerning the remainder of his life.

28. Eight days after the capture of the city, the Latin chiefs
unanimously elected Godfrey of Bouillon king of Jerusalem. A new
Christian state was thus founded in Syria, consisting at first of
little more than the mere city of Jerusalem, but extending by
subsequent battles and conquests until it included the whole of
Palestine. A language resembling Norman-French was established in this
kingdom, and a code of feudal laws drawn up for its government. The
clergy also obtained their share of the conquest, Jerusalem was
created into a patriarchate, and Bethlehem into a bishopric. The
foundation of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in July, 1099, was the
consummation of the first crusade.

29. A period of fifty years succeeded, during which time many battles
were fought with the Saracens of Syria and Egypt, the result of which
was to strengthen the Latin state. No fewer than five hundred thousand
persons set out from Europe for Syria, incited by the news of the
success of the first crusade. The three centers from which the
Christian power sought to spread itself through the Mussulman
possessions were Jerusalem, Antioch, and Edessa.