Peter the Hermit: A Tale of Enthusiasm

A biographical study follows the life and influence of Peter the Hermit, situating his preaching within medieval pilgrimage culture and the religious impulse that propelled Crusading fervor; it examines the origins and character of popular piety, his austerities and reported miracles, and how his sermons mobilized thousands into a mass march, chronologically recounting the ensuing campaign, engagements, and the eventual capture of Jerusalem, while reflecting on the social, ecclesiastical, and moral consequences of zealous enthusiasm.