258 A HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES I 
 
 
had proposed to the Flemings. But early in February, while the pope was north
of the Loire in western France, a group of lords met at Paris, and, in the
presence of their excommunicated king, chose his brother, Hugh, count of
Vermandois, to lead them on the crusade. At the same time, lesser folk, aroused
by the preaching of Peter the Hermit, were marching north through Capetian
territories, and it was this popular movement, which is known as the Peasants'
or People's Crusade, that was responsible for the premature appearance of
bands of crusaders and pilgrims on the northern road into the Byzantine empire.10

 Peter had high credentials. He carried a letter which was said to have fallen
from heaven, and it contained a prophecy that the Christians would drive
the "infidels" from the holy places if they tried. According to another story,
the Hermit had seen Christ in a vision as. he prayed at the Holy Sepulcher,
for it was long believed that he had gone on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and
that on his return he had persuaded pope Urban to launch the crusade This
legend, related by Albert of Aix, was given wider currency by William of
Tyre. Thus it came to be believed that Peter, not Urban, initiated the crusade,
and this explanation was accepted until late in the nineteenth century, when
it finally became clear that there was no evidence to show that Peter had
any influence on the pope.'1 
 Peter, who seems to have been born in Picardy, was a small man, "short in
stature, but great in heart and eloquence." At a time when popular preaching
was unusual, he had great influence, and many followed him as he moved northward
from Berry through Capetian territory. At Etampes he enlisted Geoffrey Burel,
known as Master of the Footmen, and at Poissy he was joined by a knight named
Walter, with his nephews, Walter SansAvoir ("the Penniless"), William, Matthew,
and Simon. Reginald of Bray came from the vicinity of Liege. It was with
a considerable following that Peter arrived at Trier in April, and a few
days later he was preaching at Cologne. But the "proud Franks" became impatient,
and under the leadership of Walter Sans-Avoir started off toward Constantinople.
Albert says there were only eight knights in this band, which clearly consisted
largely of pilgrims. Walter, an outstanding knight, according to Fuicher
of Chartres, 
 10 F. Duncaif, "The Peasants' Crusade," AHR, XXVI (592!), ~~o—~53;
T. Wolff, Die Bauernkreuzzüge (Tubingen. 5895). 
 11 H. Hagenmeyer, Peter der Eremite (Leipzig, 5879). According to Anna,
Peter started on such a pilgrimage but was unable to get through Anatolia
because of the Turks. Cf. Alexiad, X, v, ~ (ed. Leib, II, 207).