Perspective on the Children's Crusade

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Lateran III, 1179
https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum11.htm

Canon 18

Since the church of God is bound to provide like a mother for those in want, with regard to both the things which concern the support of the body and those which lead to the progress of the soul, therefore, in order that the opportunity of learning to read and progress in study is not withdrawn from poor children who cannot be helped by the support of their parents, in every cathedral church a master is to be assigned some proper benefice so that he may teach the clerics of that church and the poor scholars. Thus the needs of the teacher are to be supplied and the way to knowledge opened for learners. In other churches and monasteries too, if anything in times past has been assigned in them for this purpose, it should be restored. Let no one demand any money for a licence to teach, or under cover of some custom seek anything from teachers, or forbid anyone to teach who is suitable and has sought a licence. Whoever presumes to act against this decree is to be deprived of ecclesiastical benefice. Indeed, it seems only right that in the church of God a person should not have the fruit of his labour if through self-seeking he strives to prevent the progress of the churches by selling the licence to teach.

Lateran IV, 1215, three years after the Children's Crusade
https://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum12-2.htm#1

Canon 11

On schoolmasters for the poor

Zeal for learning and the opportunity to make progress is denied to some through lack of means. The Lateran council therefore dutifully decreed that “in each cathedral church there should be provided a suitable benefice for a master who shall instruct without charge the clerics of the cathedral church and other poor scholars, thus at once satisfying the teacher’s needs and opening up the way of knowledge to learners”. This decree, however, is very little observed in many churches. We therefore confirm it and add that not only in every cathedral church but also in other churches with sufficient resources, a suitable master elected by the chapter or by the greater and sounder part of it, shall be appointed by the prelate to teach grammar and other branches of study, as far as is possible, to the clerics of those and other churches. The metropolitan church shall have a theologian to teach scripture to priests and others and especially to instruct them in matters which are recognized as pertaining to the cure of souls. The income of one prebend shall be assigned by the chapter to each master, and as much shall be assigned by the metropolitan to the theologian. The incumbent does not by this become a canon but he receives the income of one as long as he continues to teach. If the metropolitan church finds providing for two masters a burden, let it provide for the theologian in an aforesaid way but get adequate provision made for the grammarian in another church of the city or diocese.

In other words, the Latin West at this time had a distinct problem of analphabetism, which was being remedied, but was not yet remedied.

At the same time, this was little more than a century after other popular Crusaders had run amuck. Partly in the same region, as Cologne is on the Rhine.

Therefore the Children's Crusade is perfectly credible. It kind of became to the Middle Ages what Altamont was to the Hippies. In 1312 or 1412, it would not have been credible, and a single not fully grown crusader ended on a bonfire.

St Joan of Arc, pray for us!

Hans Georg Lundahl
Paris
St. James, Apostle
25.VII.2026