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Historia by William of Tyre

Background and Biography
Background and Biography

Excerpts
English from Babcock and Krey (1943)

23. A great earthquake shakes the land of Antioch. Bursuq, a very powerful Turkish satrap, ravishes that land.

IN the year of the Incarnation of our Lord 1114, a great earthquake shook the whole land of Syria and utterly destroyed many cities and fortresses. It was most destructive in Cilicia, Isauria, and Coelesyria.82

In Cilicia, it overwhelmed Mamistra, with many other fortified places. It also destroyed the city of Marash with the outlying districts so that only vestiges of some remained. Towers and fortifications were shattered, and the falling of large buildings brought destruction to a great many people. The largest cities became mere heaps of stones, burial mounds for those who had been killed, sepulchres for the people crushed in their fall. The populace fled in consternation from their dwellings in the cities, dreading the downfall of the houses. They hoped to find rest under the open sky, but their slumbers were broken by fear, for in dreams they lived through the fate which in their waking hours they had dreaded.

This overwhelming catastrophe was not confined to one district alone. It extended far and wide, even to the remotest regions of the Orient.
Footnotes

82 Earthquakes were of frequent occurrence. There had been quakes in Palestine in the previous year. This more destructive quake had repercussions throughout northern Syria during the last two weeks of November, 1114.

English from Ambraseys (2009)

A huge earthquake struck part of Antiochia ... In the year from the Incarnation of the Lord 1114 an earthquake struck the whole of Syria which was so great that it destroyed many cities and countless towns, most of all around Cilicia, Isauria and Caelo-Syria. For in Cilicia it completely prostrated Mamistra and many other towns; it also threw down Maresia together with its suburbs, so that scarcely any traces remained. Towers shook and the larger buildings fell down causing countless deaths, and cities, like stone ramparts, formed great mounds, and crushing their penitent citizens entombed them. In consternation people fled their homes in the cities, fearing the ruin of their houses, and while they hoped to find rest under the open sky, they were struck with a fear which interrupted their sleep, suffering, as the watch men had feared, violent seizures in their sleep. For this was not just a great peril in one region, but a plague which spread widely, to the furthest bounds of the East. (Will. Tyr. xi. 23/i. 529–530))

English from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord one thousand one hundred and fourteen, so great an earthquake shook the whole of Syria, that many towns and fortified settlements were razed to the ground, and major damage occurred in Cilicia, Isauria and Coelesyria.

For in Cilicia the town of Mamistra was razed to the ground, together with many fortified settlements. Maresia and all its territory were also struck, to the extent that it was scarcely possible to see anything left: towers and walls were violently shaken by the shocks, and as the bigger buildings crashed to the ground, they killed a great many inhabitants. Great cities were reduced to piles of debris, which became tombs for those inhabitants who were crushed beneath them.

People fled in dismay from the towns, fearing that their homes would collapse; and while they hoped to find safety by remaining in the open, they woke from their sleep in terror, tormented in their dreams by visions of the dangers which they tried to avoid when they were awake. Nor was the disaster confined to one region, for it had spread to the most distant parts of the Orient.

Latin from Guidoboni and Comastri (2005)

Anna ab incarnatione Domini millesimo centesimo decimo quarto, tantus universam Syriam terrae motus concussit, ut multas urbes et oppida infinita dirueret funditus; maxime autem circa Ciliciam, Isauriam et Coelesyriam.

Nam in Cilicia Mamistram cum multis oppidis solo tenus prostravit; Maresiam quoque dejecit cum suburbanis suis, ita ut quorundam vix etiam exstarent vestigia: quatiebantur turres et moenia, majoribusque aedificiis periculosis ruentibus, fiebat populorum strages infinita; et civitates amplissimae quasi agger lapidum constitutae, tumulus erant oppressorum, at contritis habitatoribus vicem praestabant sepulchri.

Fugiebat plebs mente costernata habitationem urbium, domiciliorum ruinam formidantes: et dum sub dio requiem invenire sperant, timore concussi, somnis interrumpunt, oppressiones quas vigilantes timuerant, in somnis perpessi. Nec erat hoc, tam ingens, in una tantum regione, periculum: sed usque ad extremos Orientis fines, haec pestis late se diffuderat.

Other excerpts

Multiple versions of Historia exist. Three are shown and discussed below

  1. Historia in Latin

  2. An anonymous translation into Vulgar French made between 1220 and 1277 CE and variously titled History of Heraclius (Estoire d'Eracles), L'estorie de Eracles empereur et la conqueste de la terre d'Outremer, or Livre du conquest

  3. An abridged English translation of Historia made by Samuel Purchas in 1614 CE

Commentary by Ambraseys (2009) on differences between three texts (Latin, French, and English)

Ambraseys (2009) noted the following from comparing the three texts.

Three different versions of William's account are extant: a Latin text, an Old French text and the abridged English translation by the travel writer Samuel Purchas (c. 1577-1626). The Latin text is rhetorical and self-consciously literary in its style, and, therefore, may well exaggerate the earthquake's effects, although in terms of content it closely resembles the briefer and plainer Old French version. Both texts agree that the event took place on 29 June (3 Kal. July in the Latin, Feast of Sts Peter and Paul in the Old French: from the narrative context, it is clear that the year is 1170), at the first hour of the day, i.e. 6 am, and that Jabalah, Laodicea, Aleppo, Shaizar and Hama/Haman (Hamah) were seriously damaged. The Latin text adds `Emissa' (Hims). Regarding aftershocks, the Latin text claims that they lasted 'three or four months, or longer', the Old French `nearly four months'. These two texts agree that aftershocks were felt three or four times per day or night. The remarks of both texts on the effects on Palestine are obscure. The Latin text says only that 'the superiors of our province, Palestine' (Superiores tamen nostrae provinciae, Palestinae videlicet) escaped harm, whereas the Old French asserts that 'the part of Palestine which is around Jerusalem did not suffer sufficient damage to lose towns or men' (en la terre de Palestine qui est vers Jerusalem, ne corut pas cist grant damage de perdre les viles ne les genz). The latter version would indicate that any damage in Palestine was slight.

Purchas' summary translation gives `Hanuin' where the Latin and Old French texts above have Hama/Haman. While this may just be an error, either in Purchas or in the Latin text which he was using (which may well have been different from the text established in modern editions), it is noteworthy that there was a Frankish fortress just over 30 km from Baniyas called Hunain (Le Strange 1890, 418; Dussaud 1927, 25), which was within the area affected by the earthquake.

Historia in Latin

English translation from Ambraseys (2009)

In the summer of the following year, which was the seventh year of the Lord Amalric, in the month of June, there was an earthquake around Eastern parts which was greater and more violent than any which were said to have happened in the memory of men of the present century. It razed to the ground a swathe of most ancient and well-fortified cities throughout the whole Orient, burying their inhabitants in the ruins and causing the collapse of buildings so as to reduce them to grinding poverty. There was no place, even as far as the ends of the earth, where there was not the distress of familial bereavement or domestic sorrow: everywhere there was grief and death to be faced. Among the places [affected] were the greatest cities of our provinces of Syria and Phoenicia - distinguished for their antiquity through the progression of centuries, they were utterly razed. In Caelo- Syria, Antioch, the metropolis of many provinces and once the mistress of many kings, was completely flattened together with its residents; the walls, its great strong towers, which were constructions of incomparable solidity, churches, and all manner of buildings were overthrown by the shock. Even today, and with much work, vast sums of money, continual care and tireless devotion [the Antiochenes] have been unable to restore it even to a mediocre standard. In the same province those famous maritime cities, Gabul [Jabalaj and Laodicea, also fell down; and in the Mediterranean districts which are held by the enemy, Berrhoe, which is also called Halapia [Aleppo], Caesara [Shaizar], Hama, Emissa and many other [cities collapsed]; and of the dependent towns which were affected, no number can be given. And in Phoenicia, Tripolis, that noble and populous city was struck on 3 Kal July at the 1st hour of the day by such a shock that there was no escape for scarcely anyone roundabouts. The whole city became as a pile of stones, a tomb of crushed citizens, and a public sepulchre. Even Tyre, which is the much famed metropolis of the same province, had its citizenry endangered and its robust towers thrown down by a more violent earthquake. They found that, as for us, so for the enemy, with the cities half-ruined; they were open to hostile attacks. Thus while each feared the wrath of a strict judge, he feared to molest the other. For each side their own grief was enough, and as long as domestic concerns weighed on them, they put off inflicting harm on the other. Therefore there was peace, albeit briefly ...

And this revelation of divine anger did not last merely an hour, as is mostly the case, but during the [following] three or four months, or longer, this terrifying movement [of the ground] was felt three or four times or more per day or night. For every [ground] movement was mistrusted, and nowhere was safe repose to be found. But often when a man was sleeping his soul, ever watchful, would tremble with fear and suddenly shatter his repose and cause his body to shake. However the superiors of our province, Palestine, under the protection of God, escaped all these evils. (Will. Tyr. RHC xviii/971-973 Lat.).

History of Heraclius (a Vulgar French translation from the original Latin)

English from Ambraseys (2009)

In the summer following that year, in the month of June there were earthquakes [lit. "collapses"] in these parts of the land of Syria greater in size than had ever been heard of for across the entire country it struck many of the ancient cities and the fortifications of many castles. The inhabitants were buried in the ruins, so great was the number of all kinds of people buried in the ground. In the country which is called Caelo-Syria the most part of the walls and houses of the noble city of Antioch collapsed: several churches collapsed, which it was hardly possible to repair and restore to their former state. In these parts two fine coastal cities also collapsed in the earthquake, Gibel [Jabala] and Lalische [Laodicea]. Others which are in enemy territory also collapsed, viz. Halape [Aleppo], Cesaire [Shaizar] and Haman. Very large numbers of castles collapsed in the land of Phoenicia. On the day of the feast of the two glorious apostles, Peter and Paul, around the hour of Prime [c. 6 am], the ground suddenly collapsed in the city of Tripolis. So badly was the ground affected that it resembled no more than a pile of stones, and entombed all the people who were buried underneath it. There was [also] destruction in the famous city of Tyre: while not many people were killed, some great towers collapsed and were reduced to rubble. One also saw on the land there fortifications which had been breached and were damaged. It would [thus] have been an easy thing for the Turks to have conquered our cities and castles on a large scale, but such was their fear even at the wrath which had come from Our Lord that they had no facility for making war; it was the same for us Christians, as each sought to have himself shriven and to repent of his sins and await the death which was before him, giving no thought at this time to taking up arms. And this upheaval which had struck the earth was not all finished, but it went on for nearly four months: three or four times per day or night, an earthquake [crolle] was felt in a town. Everyone was in such a state of fear that it took only the slightest noise to make them believe that they were about to die. Such was the misery of the living that they were unable to mourn for the dead: while they slept they had no repose, nor did they stop trembling, and it seemed to them that their houses would collapse on them. By the grace of Our Lord, the part of Palestine which is around survived. (Will. Tyr. RHC xviii. 971-973 Old Fr.).

French from Ambraseys (2009)

History of Herclius Manuscript
Section describing the 1170 CE earthquake from a Manuscript of the History of Heraclius (Creative Commons License)


CHAPITRE XVIIIb

Du grant crolle qui avint au tens le roi Amauri.

En l'esté qui vint après de cel an meismes, el mois de juing, si granz crolles avint en ces parties de la terre de Surie que l'en n'avoit onques mès oï parler à cel tens de si grant, quar il abati partout le païs grant partie des anciennes citez et les forteresces de raeinz chastiaux; les abiteeurs escachit des ruines, si que mout fu li nombres apeticiez en la terre de toutes manières de genz. En la contrée que l'en apele Celesurie fu fondue la greindre partie des murs et des mesons de la noble citez d'Antioche ; des eglyses meismes cheirent pluseurs qui à peinne porent puis estre trefaites et mises en tel point comme eles avoient esté devant. En ces parties meismes cheirent deus bones citez seur la marine , Gibel et La- lische. Des autres qui sont enmi la terre, là endroit, fondirent : Halape, Cesaire et Haman. Des chastiaux qui einssint perillierent estoit li nombres trop granz en la terre de Fenice. Le jor de la feste as deus glorieus apostres seint Pere etseint Pol, entour eure de prime, crolia soudeinement la terre dedenz la cité de Triple. Si durement fu la terre despeciée quele ne sembloit que uns murgier de pierre -, et estoit uns granz sépulcres des pueples et de genz qui desouz estoient escachiées. En la cité de Sur qui estoit renomée citez, fu li crolles. Là n'ot mie mout grant planté de gent perilliées, mès des gregneurs tors qui en la vile fussent, cheirent jus sor mesons et seur moustiers. L'en trovoit lors par la terre assez forteresces descloses et descomfites. Lors estoit legiere chose as Turs de conquerre seur nos citez et chastiaux à grant planté , mès aus meismes avoient tel paor de cele vengence qui de Nostre Seigneur venoit que il navoient nul talant de mouvoir guerre; ausint estoit il de nos crestiens, quar chascuns pensoit à soi fere comfès et repenti de ses péchiez por atendre la mort qui leur estoit devant les euls, ne leur souvenoit à cel point de porter armes. Icele tempeste qui einsint coroit por la terre ne fu mie toute finée, quar ele dura près de qatre mois, si que trois foiz ou qatre, entre jor et nuit, sentoit l'en le crolle en une vile. Tuit estoient en tel esfroi que l'en n'oïst jà si petite noise que chascuns ne cuidast morir tantost ; tel poor avoient cels qui vivoient d'els meismes que il ne pooient entendre à plorer les morz; en dormant n avoient il point de repox, ne finoient de tressaillir, et leur sembloit que leur mesons fondoient souz aus. Par la grâce Nostre Seigneur, en la terre de Palestine qui est vers Jérusalem , ne corut pas cist granz domage de perdre les viles ne les genz.
Footnotes

b Chapitre xvi.

Latin from Ambraseys (2009)

CAPITULUM XVIII6a

Terrae motus maximus pene universmn concutit Orientem, et urbes dejicit antiquissimas. iEstate vero scquente, anno videlicet domini Amalrici septimo7a , mense Junio, tantus, tamque vehemens circa partes orientales terrœ motus factus est, quantus. qualisque memoria seculi praesentis hominum, nunquam legitur acfcidisse. Hic universi orientalis tractus urbès antiquissimas et munitissimas , funditus diruens, habita tores earum ruina involvens, aedificiorum casu contrivit, ut ad exiguam redigeret paucitatem. Non erat usque ad extremum terrae locus quem familiaris jactura, dolor domesticus non angeret : ubique luctus, ubique funebria tractabantur. Inter quas et provinciarum nostrarum, Syriae et Phœnicis, urbes quam maximas, et série seculorum antiquitate nobiles, solotenus dejecit. In Cœ- lesyria, multarum provinciarum metropolim, olimque multorum moderatricem regnorum, Antiochiam, cum populo in ea commorante, stravit funditus; mœnia, et in eorum circuitu turres validissimas, incomparabilis soliditatis opéra, ecclesias, et quaelibet aedificia tanto subvertit impetu , quod usque hodie multis laboribus , sumptibus immensis1b , continua sollicitudine , et indefesso studio vix possunt saltem ad statum mediocrem reparari. Ceciderunt in eadem provincia urbes egre- giae de maritimis quidem, Gabulum et Laodicia; de mediterraneis vero, licet ab hostibus detinerentur, Berœa2b , quae alio nomine dicitur Halapia, Caesara3b , Hamam4b, Emissâ5b, et aliae multae; municipiorum autem non erat numerus. In Phœnice6b autem, Tripolis, civitâs nobilis et populosa, tertio kalendas7b julii, tanto terrae motus impetu, circa primam dieihoram, subito concussa est, ut vix uni de omnibus, qui infra ejus ambitum reperti sunt, salutis via pateret. Facta est tota civitas quasi agger lapidum, et oppressorum civium tumulus, et sepulchrum pu- blicum. Sed et Tyri, quae est ejusdem provinciae metropolis famosissima, terrae- motus violentior8b absque tamen civium periculo, turres quasdam robustissimas, dejecit. Inveniebantur, tam apud nos, quam apud hostes oppida semiruta, insidiis9b et hostium viribus late patentia. Sed dum quisque districti judicis iram sibi metuit, alium molestare pertimescit, Sufficit cuique dolor suus, et dum quemlibet cura fatigat domestica, alii differt inferre molestias. Facta est, sed brevis, pax T hominum studio procurata, et fœdus compositum, divinorum judiciorum timoré conscriptum1c; et dum indignationem peccatis suis debitam expec- tat quisque desuper, ab his2c quae hostiliter soient3c inferri manum revocat, et impe- tus moderatur. Nec ad horam, ut plerumque solet, fuit ista ira Dei revelatio; sed tribus aut quatuor mensibus, vel etiameo ampli us, ter aut quater vel plerumque saepius, vel in die vel in nocte, sentiebatur motus ille tam formidabilis. Omnis motus jam suspectus erat, et nusquam tuta quies inveniebatur4c Sed et dormientis animus plerumque quod vigilans timuerat perhorrescens, in subitum saltum, rupta quiete, corpus agitari compellebat, Superiores tamen nostrae provinciae, Palestine videlicet, horum omnium, Domino protegente, fuerunt expertes malorum.
Footnotes

6a XVII. B. — XIX. C. E.

7a Leg. nono. Cf. Wilken, op. cit. p. 140. n. 140. Al. n'estoient.

1b Et sumptibus immensis. E.

2b Verea. A. B. C. — Nerea. E.

3b Cf. lib. XVIII, cap. xviii, p. 849.

4b Aman. B. A. C. — Hamum. F.

5b Nempe Emesa quae et Emissa dicitur in Amm. Marc. XIV, 26. Ptolem. et Steph. Byz.

6b Phœnicia. E.

7b Kalendarum. E.

8b Violenter. E.

9b Et insidiis. E.

1c Confectum. A.

2c Iis. E.

3c Solent hostiliter. E.

4c Inveniebatur quies. E.

Abridged English translation from Purchas (1614)

The year following [1169] a most terrible earthquake, utterly overthrowing strong cities, involving the inhabitants in the ruins, filling every place in the land with laments. Thus fared it with the cities of Syria and Phoenicia throwne to the ground, and Antiochia in Coelesyria was quite overthrowne; the walls, towers, churches, houses so ruined, that to this day they cannot be reduced to a meane restoration. Gabul, Laodicea, Nerea called otherwise Halapia, Caesara, Hanuin, Emissa, and many other cities in the province, townes without number, fared likewise. Tripolis was made a heape of stones, and publike sepulchres scarcely any escaping. Tyrus lost her towers. These terrors continued three or foure monthes, thrice or foure times a day. (Will. Tyr. Purchas vii).

Chronology
Date Reference Corrections Notes
1114 CE In the year from the Incarnation of the Lord 1114 an earthquake struck the whole of Syria none
Seismic Effects
  • an earthquake struck the whole of Syria which was so great that it destroyed many cities and countless towns, most of all around Cilicia, Isauria and Caelo-Syria
  • in Cilicia it completely prostrated Mamistra and many other towns
  • it also threw down Maresia together with its suburbs, so that scarcely any traces remained
  • Towers shook and the larger buildings fell down causing countless deaths, and cities, like stone ramparts, formed great mounds, and crushing their penitent citizens entombed them
  • probable human reaction to aftershocks - people fled their homes in the cities, fearing the ruin of their houses, and while they hoped to find rest under the open sky, they were struck with a fear which interrupted their sleep, suffering, as the watch men had feared, violent seizures in their sleep
Locations Sources
Sources

Online Versions and Further Reading
References

Notes
Characterization of Historia