Pope Urban II speech reflect much more clearly what later authors thought Urban II should have said to launch the First Crusade than what Urban II actually did say. As a better means of evaluating Urban's true motives in calling for a crusade to the Holy Lands, there are four extant letters written by Pope Urban himself: one to the Flemish (dated December 1095); one to the Bolognese (dated September 1096); one to Vallombrosa (dated October 1096); and one to the counts of Catalonia (dated either 1089 or 1096–1099). However, whereas the three former letters were concerned with rallying popular support for the
Simon II of Clermont-Nesle Simon II of Clermont-Nesle Simon II of Clermont-Nesle (born after 1250 – died 22 December 1312 or c. February 1313), Peer of France and bishop of Noyon (1297–1301) and Bishop-count of Beauvais (1301–c. 1312). Simon was one of few bishops that supported King Philip IV "the fair" of France against Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235–1303), to strengthen the monarchy and make the Church support the state's finances in the time of war, while the Pope demanded the privilege of exemption from tax, in spite of extreme wealth, and proclaimed that the Pope is above every king in authority, but the