ABSTRACT
The crusades inspired numerous writers, and the idea of the departing crusader and the perils faced by his wife and family at home, as well as the uncertainty about what he would find on his return after a long absence, was particularly popular, since it offered a tempting mix of chivalry and romanticism, combined with noble service and sacrifice. Plots abound and for many months there is no news of the absent crusader, but in due course a knight, Sir Kenneth Hay, arrives at the castle to carry out Sir Rupert's business. As a further variation on the theme, there are a number of stories about crusader ghosts. The events are depicted in a pageant performed before the king that includes a ghostly apparition of the murdered crusader and takes place in the Great Hall decorated with tapestries of scenes from the Third Crusade.
