[William of Tyre, book xi., gives the following account of the arrival of the Northmen in Syria:—
"The town of Bereyth was taken in the year 1111 [1110] from the incarnation of our Saviour, and on the 27th of the month of April. That same year people from the isles of the west, and principally from the western country called Norway, having heard that the faithful Christians had taken possession of the holy city of Jerusalem, resolved to repair thither and pay their devotions; and they prepared a fleet accordingly. They embarked, and being favoured by the winds, they traversed the British Sea, passed the strait of Calpe and Assos, by which the Mediterranean Sea is formed, and having coasted along its whole length, they landed at Joppa. The supreme chief of this expedition was a stout, handsome young man, brother of the king of Norway. As soon as he had disembarked at Joppa, with all his followers, they proceeded to Jerusalem, the object of their wishes and vows. The king, on being informed of the arrival of the noble prince of Norway, made all haste to meet him, received him with much kindness, conversed familiarly with him, and tried to discover if the prince would be disposed to stop some time in the kingdom with his naval force, and to consecrate to Christ the fruit of his labour by giving his aid to extend the dominion of the faithful, and by taking possession of some other towns. The Norwegians, after holding a council among themselves, replied that they were come with the express intention of employing themselves usefully in the service of Christ, and that consequently they were quite disposed to proceed, without the least delay, by sea, towards any of the maritime towns which the king was disposed to attack with his army, and would demand no other pay than the victuals necessary for their support. The king accepted these terms with the greatest ardour; and immediately assembling all the forces of his kingdom, and all the knights he could collect, he began his march to Sidon. The fleet left the port of Acre, and proceeded also to Sidon, where the land and sea forces arrived simultaneously.... The people of the fleet received presents from the king, took leave of him, and returned to their country loaded with the blessings of all Christians. The town of Sidon was taken in the year of grace 1111 [1110], and on the 19th of December."
This account of Sigurd the Crusader's expedition to the holy land, by a nearly contemporary historian, native of the country, corroborates Snorro Sturleson's account of it even in the minute details, but he makes him arrive at Joppa, instead of Acre, as the Norse account has it.]
THE TRAVELS OF RABBI BENJAMIN OF TUDELA.
A.D. 1160-1173.
HEBREW PREFACE.
This book contains the reports of Rabbi Benjamin, the son of Jonah, of blessed memory[125], of Tudela, in the kingdom of Navarre. This man travelled through many and distant countries, as related in the following account, and took down in writing in each place what he saw or what was told him by men of integrity, whose names were known in Spain. Rabbi Benjamin also mentions some of the principal men in the places he visited; and when he returned, he brought this report along with him to the country of Castile in the year 933 (A.D. 1173). The above-mentioned Rabbi Benjamin was a man of wisdom and understanding, and of much information; and after strict inquiry his words were found to be true and correct, for he was a true man.
TRAVELS OF RABBI BENJAMIN OF BLESSED MEMORY.
Thus says Rabbi Benjamin, son of Jonah, of blessed memory. I first set out from the city of Saragossa, and proceeded down the river Ebro to Tortosa. Two days' journey brought me to the ancient city of Tarragona, which contains many cyclopean and pelasgic remains[126], and similar buildings are found nowhere else in the whole kingdom of Spain. This city stands on the coast. Two days thence is Barcelona, in which place there is a congregation of wise, learned, and princely men, such as R. Shesheth, R. Shealthiel, and R. Solomon, son of R. Abraham, son of Chisdai of blessed memory. The city is handsome, though small, and is situated on the sea-shore. Its trade attracts merchants from all parts of the world: from Greece, from Pisa, Genoa, and Sicily, from Alexandria in Egypt, from Palestine and the adjacent countries.
A day's journey and a half brings you to Gerona, which city contains a small congregation of Jews. From thence it is three days to Narbonne, eminent for its university, from which the study of the law spreads over all countries. The city contains many wise and noble men, especially R. Calonymos, son of the great and noble R. Theodoros of blessed memory, a descendant of the house of David, as proved by his pedigree. This man holds landed property from the sovereigns of the country, and nobody can deprive him of it by force. There is also R. Abraham, the president of the university, R. Makhir, R. Juda, and others of much merit and learning. Altogether the number of Jews amounts to about three hundred. It is four parasangs thence to the city of Beziers, which contains a congregation of learned men, the principals of which are R. Solomon Chalaphtha and R. Joseph, son of R. Nathaniel of blessed memory.
From thence it is two days to Har Gáash, or Montpellier, a city conveniently situated for trade, being within two parasangs from the coast. You here meet with Christian and Mohammedan merchants from all parts: from Algarve (Portugal), Lombardy, the Roman empire, Egypt, Palestine, Greece, France, Spain, and England. People of all tongues meet here, chiefly in consequence of the traffic of the Genoese and Pisans. The Jews of this city are among the wisest and most esteemed of the present generation. R. Reuben, son of Theodoros, R. Nathan, son of Zacharias, R. Samuel, their rabbi, R. Shelemiah, and R. Mordecai of blessed memory, are the principal among them. Others are very rich, and benevolent towards all who apply to them for assistance. It is four parasangs hence to Lunel, a city containing also a holy congregation of Jews, who employ all their time upon the study of the law. This town is the place of residence of the celebrated rabbi R. Meshullam and his five sons (R. Joseph, R. Isaac, R. Jacob, R. Aaron, and R. Asher), all of whom are eminent scholars and rich men. The latter is an ascetic, who does not attend to any worldly business, but studies day and night, keeps fasts, and never eats meat. He possesses an extraordinary degree of knowledge of every thing relating to Talmudic learning. R. Moses, his brother-in-law, R. Samuel, the minister, R. Solomon Cohen, and the physician R. Juda, son of Thibbon, of Spanish origin, are also inhabitants of Lunel. All foreign students who resort hither to study the law, are supplied with food and raiment at the public expense during the whole time of their stay in the university. The Jews of this city, amounting to about three hundred, are wise, holy, and benevolent men, who support their poor brethren near and far. The town stands within two parasangs of the coast. It is two parasangs hence to Beaucaire, a large town, containing about four hundred Jews, and a great university under the presidency of the great rabbi, R. Abraham, son of David of blessed memory, a scholar of the first eminence in scriptural and talmudic learning. He attracts students from distant countries, who are lodged in his own house and are taught by him; he, moreover, provides them with all necessaries of life from his own means and private property, which is very considerable. R. Joseph, son of R. Menachem, R. Benbenast, R. Benjamin, R. Abraham, and R. Isaac, son of R. Moses of blessed memory of this city, are also very great scholars and wise men. It is three parasangs further to Nogres or Bourg de St. Gilles. The chief of the Jewish inhabitants, of which there are about one hundred, are R. Isaac, son of R. Jacob, R. Abraham, son of R. Juda, R. Eliasar, R. Isaac, R. Moses, and R. Jacob, son of the late rabbi R. Levi of blessed memory. This town is a place of pilgrimage[127], visited by the inhabitants of distant countries and islands. It is situated within three parasangs of the sea, on the very banks of the large river Rhone, which traverses the whole of Provence. It is the place of residence of R. Abba Mari, son of R. Isaac of blessed memory, who holds the office of steward to count Raymond.