A Cathedral Crusade - Part II

[sherlock7]

" The faithful harnessed to carts laden with stones, timbers, corn and whatever else that might be needed for building a cathedral, whose towers would reach for the skies like hands created by magic, were seen in Chartres. It was in that very year, and it was happening not only here, but almost everywhere in France, and Normandy, and other parts".

Comments

[irene221b]

"to fight against pagans"

I don't think even they've considered muslims to be pagans. Maybe infidels is a better word here.

[sherlock7_r]

To the best of my knowledge, it's exactly the other way around.
Historically, "Infidel" is a Muslim word for any non-Muslim, while Christians believed that not accepting their deity meant having no god whatsoever (or having too many of them which is essentially the same). Hence "pagans"
Linguistically, the two words are about synonyms...

[irene221b]

I did some search now, and they are called "infidels" in the english documents.

Here is the original medieval document, that uses "ungodly" in the same context.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/inn3-cdesummons.html

I might be wrong, of course, but pagans looks very out of place in this context, which means I've probably never saw this usage before. It might be linguistically correct, just very unusual.

That's from Merriam-Webster, BTW.

Main Entry: in·fi·del
Pronunciation: 'in-f&-d&l, -f&-"del
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English infidele, from Middle French, from Late Latin infidelis unbelieving, from Latin, unfaithful, from in- + fidelis faithful -- more at FIDELITY
1 : one who is not a Christian or who opposes Christianity
2 a : an unbeliever with respect to a particular religion b : one who acknowledges no religious belief
3 : a disbeliever in something specified or understood
- infidel adjective

[sherlock7_r]

I would call it "a clash of sources", but unfortunately for my cause, my only source is my own intuitive perception of the word. You have clearly had the upper hand in this argument!
I plead defeated...

[_siberian_tiger]

One of the biggest cathedrals built in the modern times was finished in just 4 years IIRC.
These built long time were taking up to 150 years ...

Here is a gift for you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cathedrals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_church_towers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral

[sherlock7_r]

These built long time were taking up to 150 years ...

S- And up to 3-4 centuries, too :-)

Here is a gift for you:

S- Looks like a good one. Thanx

[_siberian_tiger]

3-4 centuries is more of a case "drop/restart" ;-).

You're welcome. Have people from Montreal contacted you yet?

[sherlock7_r]

Exactly. And that was a very typical mode of the medieval "spiritual construction industry"

Nope at all :-)