The life and unreal dream of Philippe de Mézières: His Crusade project against the Turks

Philippe de Mézières was an old knight who participated a few Crusades, an experienced diplomat, a good writer and a passionate Crusade theorist. The old knight, who spent a significant part of his life in the East and witnessed many historical events, cloistered in 1380 at Celestine Monastery, after terminated his political career. For him this event was not the end, it was the beginning. Even tough he had left his sword, he girded on his pen instead. He had behind many writings and ideals from 25 years of monastic life. His supreme ideal was to see that Christians were once again dominating the Holy Land. He believed that the only thing that would make this dream a reality was the order of chivalry, which he strived to create since his young age. He took another step in his work Songe du vieil pèlerin, which he presented to Charles VI in 1389. Philippe de Mézières who had added a Crusade project at the end of his work, he planned a Crusade in which all Catholics would participate. Allegedly, if these instructions followed by the king and the Christians, the Holy Land which was under control of the Turks, will be recovered. And if the order of chivalry, which he considered in every details, will constituted, the bright times the Crusaders lived in the East would no longer remained in memories. In 14th century, in Europe, Crusader theorists such as Pierre Dubois, Marino Sanudo Torsello, Guillaume d'Adam and major Medieval Literary names such as Petrarca, Geoffrey Chaucer, Eustache Deschamps they had to coexist in the midst of unending wars, epidemics, and schisms. Philippe de Mézières, who described himself as an "Old Pilgrim" in his works, managed to write his name on both lists with his life, ideas and works. Keywords: Philippe de Mézières, Crusade Project, Holy Land, Ottoman Empire, Mamelukes