volume one

294 HISTOET OF THE CEUSADES.
assembled, and gave them orders for liis sepulture. After
having nominated Baldwin du Bourg as his successor, he
expired, siuToimded by his companions, who, though deeplj
grieved, endeavoured to conceal their tears, that the Saracens
might not learn the great loss the Christians had
experienced.
Baldwin lived and died in the midst of camps. During
his reign, which lasted eigliteen years, the inhabitants of
Jerusalem were annually warned of the approach of the
Saracens by the sound of the great bell ; and they scarcely
ever saw the wood of the trae cross in the sanctuary, for
this sacred relic always accompanied the armies to battle,
and its presence not unfrequently was sufB.cient to give
victory to the Christians.
During the time he occupied the throne of Jerusalem,
the only means Baldwin had of keeping up his necessary
army arose from the tenths of the produce of the cultivated
lands, some taxes upon commerce, the booty obtained from
enemies, and the ransom of prisoners. When peace lasted
some months, or war was unsuccessful, the revenues of the
state were diminished to half their usual amount, and could
not meet the most necessary expenses. The forces of the
kins^dom were scarcelv sufficient to defend it in the hour ot
danger. Baldwin could never undertake any great enterprise
except when reinforcements arrived from the West
and when pilgrims who bore arms returned to their own
country, he was often obliged to abandon an expedition
which he had begun, and sometimes found himself without
means of resistance, when exposed to the attacks of an
enemv alwavs eao:er to avensre his defeats.
The brother and successor of Godfrey was often on the
point of losing his kingdom, and only preserved it by prodigies
of valoiu". He lost several battles by his rashness
and imprudence ; but his wonderful activity always extricated
him from whatever perils he chanced to fall into.
The historians of the times bestow warm eulogies upon
the briUiant qualities of Baldwin. In the first crusade he
made himself greatly hated for liis ambitious and haughty
character ; but as soon as he had obtained what he desired
and ascended a throne, he was at least equally admired for
his generosity and clemency. "When he became king of
;