Itineraria Terrae Sanctae minora III: Some Early Twelfth-Century Guides to Frankish Jerusalem

Abstract

This article presents new editions of four short guides to Jerusalem and the holy places and their environs, written around the time of the First Crusade: De Situ urbis Ierusalem, Qualiter sita est civitas Ierusalem, Hec sunt loca que habetur iuxta Hierusalem, and the five different versions of Descriptio Ierusalem. The texts are discussed within the context of an evolving tradition of Holy Land geographical descriptions and guides, which had begun in the fourth century and experienced an accelerated phase of development at the time when the Holy City returned once more to Christian hands.