Biography of Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester 1175-1218

Les Grandes Chroniques de France. [12th September 1213]. After the barons and prelates had returned to France, the King of Aragon (age 35), the Count of Saint-Gilles (age 56), the Count of Foix, and many other barons of the land laid siege to the count in the castle of Muret. They had gathered a great host and inflicted wrongs, as they were of the country, and the count had only sixty knights, mounted sergeants, and pilgrims on foot, all unarmed, around him. After the count [Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 38)] and his people had devoutly heard mass, confessed their sins, and invoked the grace of the Holy Spirit, they came out of the castle, bold as lions, as those armed with faith and belief, and valiantly fought against their enemies. They killed the King of Aragon and about 18,000 of his people. After they had won the battle and their enemies were all killed or driven away, they found that they had only lost eight pilgrims from all their company. Never had such a victory been heard of in this world, nor such a marvelous battle where so great a miracle should be noted. This Count Simon was called in the land the 'strong count,' for his marvelous strength. For, although he was very noble in arms, he was so devout that he heard mass and his canonical hours every day; always armed, always in danger. He had entirely left and renounced his country, in service to Our Lord, on this pilgrimage, to earn God's love and the joy of Paradise.

Après ce que li baron et li prelat s'en furent retorné en France, li rois d'Arragon, li cuens de Saint Gyle, li cuens de Fois, et maint autre baron du païs assistrent le conte ou chastel de Muriaus. Grant ost et tort avoient assemblé, come cil qui du pais estoient, et li cuens n'avoit que ce et lx chevaliers, d serjanz à cheval, et pèlerins à piè, toz desarmez, entor vif. Après ce que li cuens et sa gent orent la messe oie par L;rant dévotion, et il orent leur péchiez confessez et apelée la grâce du Saint Esperit, il issirent du chastel hardi comme lyon, come cil qui estoient armé de foi et de créance, et se combatirent à leur anemis vertueusement. Le roi d'Arragon occistrent et bien xviii de sa gent. Après ce que il orent la bataille vaincue et toz leur anemis occis et chaciez, il troverent que il n'orent perdu de tote leur gent que viii pèlerins tant seulement. Si ne fu ainques oie tel victoire en cest siècle ne si merveilleuse, ne bataille où l'on deust noter si grant miracle. Icil cuens Symons estoit apelez ou pais cuens forz, pour sa mervelleuse force. Car com il fust très nobles en armes, il estoit si preuzdons que il ooit chascun jor sa messe et ses houres kanoniaus; toz jors armez, toz jors en péril. Si avoit du tôt guerpi et adossé son pais, pour le servise Nostre Seigneur, en ceste voie de pérégrination, pour deservir l'amor de Dieu et la joie de Paradis.