Robert the Monk
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Robert was a chronicler of the First Crusade. He did not participate in the expedition, but rewrote the Gesta Francorum at the request of his abbot, who was appalled at the 'rustic' style of the Gesta.
His chronicle contains an account of Pope Urban II's speech at the Council of Clermont, which has had a great influence on how the Crusades have been portrayed over the centuries. Robert writes as though he were present at Clermont, but it must be noted that he wrote his account as late as 1116, twenty-one years after the Council. Hindsight about what actually happened on the First Crusade, as well as Robert's own theological and political perspectives, have colored Robert's account.
