Jórsalanám in Latin [Crusader Song] - De Expugnātiōne Hierūsalēm | The Skaldic Bard

Here’s my translation into Latin (and my performance) of my most popular song, Jórsalanám, this time in mediaeval Latin. The song details the events of the Siege of Jerusalem in 1099. The Crusaders won the siege and instituted the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

As a Catholic and given the preeminence of Latin at the time of the siege, I felt that it had to exist in my glorious liturgical language. It was good fun translating from Old Norse to Latin; they’re more similar than one would give them credit for upon first glance!

The name, Jórsalanám, literally means "The Taking of Jerusalem". The Latin name is De Expugnātiōne Hierūsalēm.

The epic picture is called "Kingdom of Heaven" by Sergey Sezonov.

Many thanks also to Louis J for his comments on the translation.

My intention is exclusively to teach history and languages through song. I do not condone, endorse or seek to glorify violence.

Hope you enjoy. Please leave a comment, like and subscribe if you enjoyed it!

Disclaimer: My aim with this channel is exclusively to help bring history to life. No more, no less!

Lyrics:
Abhinc quattuor annōs iūrāvimus.
Gladiōs nostrōs promisimus.
Omnes nos crucesignāvimus.
Ad Hierūsalēm īmus!

Sȳria madet sanguine Christianorum.
Antiochīa in manū Christi.
Praetervehimur Accram et Bēthlēēm,
Hierūsalēm exspectat!

Urbs ēmergit ex horizonte.
Crucesignātī, semper porrō!
Circumdate mūrōs urbis,
obsidēte portās!

Raimundus et Francī tenent
Sion et Portam Stephani.
Godefridus ad Portam Herodis pergit,
Tancredus ex Bēthlēēm.

Nunc pugnāmus Saracēnōs.
Interfecti in terra iacent.
Non refert utrum revertāmur necne,
pugnāmus prō cruce!

Defectus spei in cordibus bellātōrum.
Terra sicca et aspera erat.
Virīs in lōrīcīs summa aestāte
dēsertum mortem affert.

Ifticarus Dux invocat
exercitum aegyptium.
Mīlia virōrum ab austro veniunt,
ignāvissimī fūgērunt.

Ademarius appāruit Petrō.
Vocāvit in peregrīnātiōnem.
Ad Montem Olivarum
discalceātī iimus.

Inimīcitiae cessērunt ōrātiōnibus.
Chrīstiānī in gratiam redierunt.
Spiritus caelestis super nōs vēnit,
Porrō, in campōs caeli!

Peregre ad auxilium nostrum
vēnit exercitus Anglorum
cum bellātōribus Genuae.
Adferunt petram et lignum.

Trīduum pugnae trucis trānsīvit.
In mūrīs septentriōnālibus
catapultae saxa iaciēbant,
et dēstrūximus castellum.

Godefridus et virī Lotharii
percurrerunt Portam Herodis.
Cēpērunt arcem et ēiēcērunt
Saracēnōs de urbe.

Godefridus ēlēctus in regem;
corōnam Jesu non cupiēbat.
Ita nōminātus est Advocātus
Sāncti Sepulchri.

Dēfendimus urbem ab aegyptiīs,
ipsō Lavendaliō Vezīrō.
Godefridus prōgrediuntur
et Rōbertus Flandrensis.

Decem mīlia crucesignātōrum
māne gladiōs ēdūcunt
in campīs Ascalōnis.
Vīsus hostium malus est.

Tunc Christiani impetum fēcērunt
arcubus et gladīis sub cruce.
Saracēnī pavidī sunt et
ēiectī sunt de terrā.

Complēvimus vōtum nostrum.
Campānae iterum tinniunt
in Sepulchrō Sānctō Dominī.
Sōlī Deō glōria!


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