ABSTRACT
The Madrid fragment represents a tradition of First Crusade history which is independent of other sources and contains some unique testimony. Focusing particularly on the battle of Antioch and its significance for the First Crusade as a whole, this chapter examines the relationship between the Occitan First Crusade tradition and other sources and assesses the extent of its historical reliability. In the Madrid fragment Herluin is Kerbogha's Job's comforter, describing the forces as they march out of Antioch. In the Madrid fragment it is clear that they form part of the Christian forces from the outset and play a part in the disposition of battle; in the GF tradition they intervene later. The Madrid fragment therefore shows several clear parallels with the GF tradition: the figure of Herluin, the allusions to Kerbogha's mother and to the rusty lance, and the close verbal parallel in the description of the Agulani.
