The First World War may have been a definitively modern conflict, but it swept up its share of throwbacks. The Legion of Frontiersmen, for example, who fought in the African bush. And armored Crusader ghosts (armed with flintlock rifles!) seeking out battle in a world of machine guns and aircraft… What???
The Great War 1914-1918 Facebook page kicked this story up:
In his book, “Seven League Boots”, published in 1935, Richard Halliburton described a curious event that occurred in Tbilisi (Georgia) in 1915.
On page 162, in the chapter ‘The Last of the Crusaders’ Halliburton wrote:
“In the spring of 1915, some months after Russia’s declaration of war against Turkey, a band of twelfth-century Crusaders, covered from head to foot in rusty chain armour and carrying shields and broad-swords came riding on horseback down the main avenue of Tiflis [Tbilisi]. People’s eyes almost popped out of their heads. Obviously this was no cinema company going on location. These were Crusaders — or their ghosts.
The incredible troop clanked up to the governor’s palace. ‘Where’s the war?’ They asked. ‘We hear there’s a war’.
They had heard in April 1915 that there was a war. It had been declared in September 1914. The news took seven months to reach the last of the Crusaders…”
The warriors were Khevsurs from the historical Khevsureti region (Georgian: ხევსურეთი) of north east Georgia. Legend tells that they are descended from Crusaders who left France 800 years ago and became detached from the main army, marched through Turkey and Armenia and settled in the Greater Caucasus mountains in Georgia.
Though the legend is not widely supported by some historians it is curious that Khevsur chain armor is in the French style and the letters A.M.D. – Ave Mater Dei, the motto of the Crusaders – is carved on their shields, and Crusader crosses adorn the handles of their broadswords and are embroidered on their garments.
The pure European origin of Khevsurs is not supported by most modern scholars. However, Crusaders are mentioned in several manuscripts of the time as participants of several battles against the Muslims in Georgia (100 “Frankish” Crusaders participated in King David’s army in the Battle of Didgori), and some did pass through Georgia after the fall of the Holy Land.
The origin of the Khevsurs remains one of the most curious legends of the Caucasus and it is perhaps more romantic to believe that the warriors who rode in full armor down the main avenue in Tbilisi in 1915 really were the ‘last of the crusaders’.
If that’s not a Robert E. Howard story come to life I don’t know what is. Weird stuff. This trips so many triggers for me: I instinctively respond to Highland cultures; something about the spirit of mountain peoples resonates in my soul. And bright, vivid threads of historical continuity give me a thrill of frisson that is more addicting than smack. I absolutely love it.
deuce says
Cool! I’d vaguely heard about these guys years ago on the old REH Forum (Painbrush, maybe?). Robert E. Howard alluded to Francis X. Gordon being in that very region before WWI. Pulp scholar makes some speculations about that here:
http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Borak.pdf
One has to wonder if the Khevsurs figure into Lamb’s novel, RUSUDAN, which Donald M. Grant refuses to publish. The novel takes place during the Crusades in Georgia. I may ask Howard Andrew Jones about it. The incident also makes ERB’s novel, TARZAN, LORD OF THE JUNGLE, a bit more plausible. That whole episide is certainly romantic in the old sense. I hope the Khevsurs didn’t have to face Maxim guns. Maybe they lopped a few Turkish heads and rode back to their mountain fastnesses.
I have a problem with this: “The pure European origin of Khevsurs is not supported by most modern scholars.”
Would these be the same scholars/anthropologists whose theories, promulgated for the last 50-60 years, are now being blown out of the water by genomics? I’m not saying the Khevsur ARE decended from European Crusaders, simply that it’s certainly possible and I’ve seen too many ideologically-driven theories put forth in the last 50 years to just take their word for it. Genomic testing is advanced enough now to determine if the Khevsurs have Western European fathers in their lineage.
JimC says
I KNEW this would catch your eye, Deuce. The key word in the statement is “pure.” Well, duh. No bloodline remains “pure” for centuries. Doesn’t obviate the plausibility of Frankish heritage there. And we increasingly find that legend has a core of truth. Troy being the salient example.
Matthew says
A lot of Christian Lebanese made the claim that they are Phoenician not Arab. While they probably are mostly Arab, a small percentage of their DNA does seem to come from a preceding group of people. So it might be somewhat true.
deuce says
‘The key word in the statement is “pure.” ‘
Yep. Total straw-man argument. That’s what pissed me off. Even the legend itself doesn’t state the Crusaders brought their own women with them.
On a somewhat related note… Genomic studies were recently done on the Ossetians in the Caucasus. The Ossetians are Iranic-speakers and believed to be descended from the Alans (some of whom ultimately ended up in North Africa with the Vandals; what a trek!). In turn, it’s believed that the Alans were descended from either the Scythians or Cimmerians.
The studies found that the maternal DNA displayed typical Indo-European markers found as far apart as the Punjab and Ireland. However, there was relatively little paternal Y-dna typical of Indo-Europeans. It’s believed that the Alans, in fighting so hard against the Huns and others, had lost a large proportion of their men. They then adopted non-Indo-Europeans from the Caucasus into their tribe. They made sure the outlanders assimilated and, in the process, preserved their their culture and language to the present day.
Mothers to be proud of.
Craig Rullman says
The allure of the mountain cultures never fails to fascinate. My own obsession with the Basques resonates. Though bloodlines mix, it is the language aspect that intrigues. Euskadi, without a relative in Europe, speaks to their tenacity and resistance down through the ages.
deuce says
I’ve been a fan of the Basques since childhood. Finding out that REH linked them (wrongly, it seems) to the Picts just strengthened that. I recommend Kurlansky’s A BASQUE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. Magellan’s first mate, the one who actually brought the ship to port, was a Basque.
A buddy of mine was a Basque, surnamed Ulibarri. An incredible singer and he looked just about like I envisioned Bran Mak Morn.
Rav says
Jim, check out John Ringo’s novel “Kildar”. I’m wondering it were inspired by this story. Celts/Viking remnant of the Varangian Guard in modern Georgia mountains rather than Crusaders. The book is a battleaxe of mind-candy.
Rick Schwertfeger says
Fascinating. Caused my to google these folks. Found out much that I had no idea about. Will keep reading.
Black Tyrone says
belongs in Ripley’s Believe It or not!
I suggest an asian eastern influence on the cited Georgian Armor. We know ancient peoples and more recent peoples { Europeans included, are results of mass historical migration and blending} More recent history tells us Seljuks,Ottomans,Mongols and Tartars and more, ebbed and flowed through the area of Georgia and more.
Suggest viewing Richard Caton Woodville’s “Charge of the 21st lancers at Omdurman” Caton Woodville a realistic style painter during The “Widow Makers “reign, {Could not resist the K reference} shows an Eastern Cuirassier. Note the shield.
Georgia through the ages has resolutely stood among eastern influences but some assimilation would be expected.
Though fun I agree, the whimsical sometimes gets the best of us.
Best Black Tyrone.
JimC says
Excellent comment, Black Tyrone. You probably have the right of it. Would be interesting to see what genomic studies have to say. I am fascinated by the extraordinary width and breadth of exchange in the old world — vast trade networks and the mass migration/blending to which you refer.
Black Tyrone says
Thanks Jim Besides just life.. Liberal Arts education the best
Keith West says
Fascinting. I’m definitely going to have to read more about this. Thanks for the post.
JimC says
You bet. I love sharing these discoveries with the like-minded and like-souled.
john roberts says
The presence of mail armor is hardly evidence of “Crusader” ancestry. It’s been in use in Europe, Asia and North Africa for more than 2000 years.Victorian historians did not know this. Remember how other Victorians took the straight Tuareg and Nilotic straight broadswords as evidence of “Crusader” or “Frankish” influence, when in fct straight swords were the rule in the Middle East and North Africa until relatively recent times. Note that the mail coifs in the pictures are attached to small, semi-conical skullcaps. This fashion was unknown in Western Europe, but quite common in the East. Fascinating people, but not “Crusader descendants.”
JimC says
Excellent points — especially re: straight swords. The curved scimitar wasn’t the only type from the East. All fascinating, in any case.
deuce says
I certainly wasn’t saying that the mail (or the swords) “proved” anything. I simply said that an outright dismissal was jumping the gun. The piece quoted was engaging in a blatant strawman argument. DNA tests would settle this.
I don’t go jumping to conclusions. I never considered the Nilotic or Tuareg swords “proof” of medieval European contact. I argued several times with members of the Old REH Forum that, no, the Tuareg (and Kabyles) were very, very likely NOT to have Crusader, Vandal or even Roman blood. Subsequent DNA testing proved me right. 😀
The Caucasus Mountains are proverbial for sheltering cultural/linguistic relics and tag-ends. Thus, as I said, we shouldn’t jump the gun, stop trying to figure out what type of mail they’re wearing from photos and wait for DNA evidence. We now have ways to settle these debates.
Hillbilly Nick says
Wow! I would like to see how this shakes out! As a related note, I’ve been watching testing of chainmail and other weapons/armor of the era on YouTube. Skallgrim and another pair of gentlemen who’s channel name is in Norse and I can’t recall the beginning but it ends in Thrand. Anyway, chainmail is TOUGH! Not only resistant to slashing as you would expect but it stops stabbings as well. There are a number of how to videos on making mail, hmmm……….
JimC says
Mail backed up with padding could stop an arrow, too. Tough stuff for sure.
Hillbilly Nick says
Bet it would stop some shrapnel also. I surely wouldn’t want to take on some crazy guy in mail with a sword and shield in a trench!
JimC says
Exhibit A:
Hillbilly Nick says
Nicely done! Both mail and comment!
peter says
i think it was to block elektro magnetic waves like micro waves
peter says
these were the last of the tartarian empire they had free atmospheric energy like that of Nicola Tesla