Masters and Monks

Simon’s crusades were animated by the programme of reform advocated by the Cistercians and certain Parisian theologians. His context was permeated by the reformers, especially in his close connections with the abbey of Vaux-de-Cernay. Concerns about just war, the liberation of the Holy Land, ecclesiastical liberty, sexual morality, and the purgation of heresy espoused by Cistercians and schoolmen were reflected in Simon’s career. He was, however, more than a simple cipher for ecclesiastical priorities: his campaigns and government were ambiguous in their attitude towards mercenaries and complicit in the problem of usury. Nevertheless, Simon’s crusades to both Syria and the Midi demonstrated a remarkable dedication to building a Christian republic according to the vision of the reformers.