Crusader - By Horse to Jerusalem

Mind Body & Soul Ezine Book Review: Crusader -  By Horse to Jerusalem by Tim Severin.

This is the story of the author’s journey that follows that of Duke Godfrey in the eleventh century from his castle at Chateau Bouillon, home of the heavy Ardennes horse that was so conveniently available to the crusaders. The road travelled was the old Roman road, but over some extremely difficult terrains, 2,500 miles in all to Jerusalem. 

The author describes his experiences with Sarah his companion, with the horses that took them on that long journey, the people they met, and the many difficulties they had. At each place, we are given the story of Duke Godfrey and his entourage and what they described happened in that place. 

This travel book could have been achieved by vehicle, and it angered me to hear of the hardships placed upon the poor horses. The author’s uncompromising decisions about the horses and their welfare on such a trip made difficult reading. Why he chose to use horses when vehicles are so readily available was not explained. His wish not to replace them when they were stressed, uncomfortable and unwell, shocked me. There was no reason to travel by horse, except for the attention seeking he managed along the way but it was at huge cost to the horses. Times have changed and though they used horses during the crusades, fortunately now we have ways of transport that do not cause pain to animals. 

Review by Wendy Stokes.