The Children’s Crusade (1212) – A March of Innocence, Betrayal, and Tragedy

The Children’s Crusade (1212): thousands of children and poor pilgrims marched across Europe, believing innocence could reclaim the Holy Land. What followed was hunger, storms—and betrayal at sea. Some vanished. Others were allegedly sold into slavery.
This documentary unpacks the legend and the history: Stephen of Cloyes, Nicholas of Cologne, Marseille and Genoa, the merchants’ ships, and the debate over whether they were truly “children” or the dispossessed.

In this video you’ll learn:
• Why the Children’s Crusade began and who led it
• The brutal march across France and Germany
• “Miracle at the sea” and the shipboard betrayal
• Fact vs. myth: what medieval sources really say
• The long shadow this story cast over medieval Europe

💬 Question for you: Do you think the Children’s Crusade was a literal children’s movement—or a legend built on truth?
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Chapters below ↓

00:00 Hook – A march of innocence
00:34 The call of innocence
01:40 The march begins
02:40 Betrayal at the sea
03:41 Historical debate
04:36 The legacy of the children's crusade
05:20 Conclusion & what we can learn today

#History #ChildrensCrusade #Crusades #MedievalHistory #Documentary #EpicHistory #1212