Praising a Ruler and His City, Raising Support for the Second Crusade – an Overlooked Short Text on Baldwin I Re-Examined

This article re-examines a short Latin text on Baldwin I of Jerusalem, known as the Petite chronique, through its manuscript tradition, narrative structure, and historical context. Hitherto largely overlooked, the text merits renewed attention for what it reveals about ideological and historiographical shifts after the First Crusade, especially following the fall of Edessa. Analysis of the text and its manuscript witnesses suggests that it originated as a eulogistic commemoration of Baldwin I, later expanded to sacralise Edessa and integrate it into the sacred geography of Latin Christendom. A final redaction, likely after 1144, reoriented the work towards crusade propaganda. By analysing its engagement with both Latin and local Christian traditions, the article illuminates how cities like Edessa were symbolically reinscribed into the ideological and sacred framework of the crusader world and reflects the perception of Latin settlement in mid-twelfth-century Latin textual traditions. We append an English translation with notes.