Though barbaric in their execution and though they led to the slaughter of countless thousands of individuals, including many Jews, as shown in the illumination taken from a French bible published in the thirteenth century (Figure 56), the Crusades are still nevertheless glorified by the issuance of commemorative medals such as one on the Inauguration of the Statue of Godefroy De Bouillon, now standing in the Place Royale in Brussels (figure 57). The reverse of this medal, showing an equestrian statue of Godefroy triumphantly carrying a raised flag, has the Latin inscription, translated as, “His Fatherland Established This for its Hero in the Year 1848", clearly indicating that this person, who was responsible for so many deaths, was still considered a hero at that time.

Figure 56. Crusaders Slaughtering Jews Illumination

Illumination from French bible (c. 1250), depicting Jews (identifiable by the Judenhut, the "Jew hat" men were forced to wear to distinguish them from Christians) being massacred by crusaders during the First Crusade, 1096 CE, as revenge for the death of Jesus, who looks on at the top left. (From notintheheavens.blogspot.com)

 
Figure 57. Godefroy De Bouillon, Leader of First Crusade, Medal

Laurent Joseph Hart, Belgium, 1848, Bronze struck medal, 72 mm. Ref: Forrer II, p.435; Weiss BW565 (Image: Collection of Benjamin Weiss)