Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Sultan Al-Kamil

Kloster Allerheiligen (= "All Saints Abbey") is a former Benedictine monastery, founded by Eberhard VI. von Nellenburg in 1049. The Nellenburg family controlled the bypass of the Rheinfall waterfalls, what led to great wealth. The construction site of the monastery was consecrated by by Pope Leo IX and the works were completed already 1064. The church was dedicated to the Saviour, the Holy Cross, the Virgin Mary and All the Saints. Allerheiligen became, instead of the Reichenau Abbey, the new grave lay by the founding family, and Eberhard himself became a monk in the abbey, and died here in 1078. During the Investiture Controversy the pope loyal Burkhard von Nellenburg, Ebergard´s son and heir, conformed in 1080 all of the rights of the monastery. The monastery was subordinate to the Pope, and received the vast estate of the Nellenburg family, the free election of the abbot, and the town of Schaffhausen. Burkhard remained the monastery's Vogt, and motivated the abbot to join with some monks from the Hirsau Abbey, to reform the monastery on the model of Hirsau, that was based on Cluny During the Reformation in Switzerland, the abbey was abolished, and the church of the abbey became the second main city church in 1524. Kloster Allerheiligen is a labyrinthic complex of buildings. This building was outside the "clausura". It connected the offices of the abbot with the guest rooms. The lower part (first and second storey) including the loggia were erected in the early 13th century. There are some extraordinary carvings. A second, closer look onto the elephant. Probably created by the same artist, who carved the nearby Samson (foliage). Depicted here (pretty precise!) is probably the "Cremona elephant", a present to Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II by Sultan Al-Kamil, in 1229. Frederick used the elephant in his triumph parades. On the elephant´s back is a (wooden) castle, placed on a carpet. The "Cremona elephant" was the second elephant, that reached Europe in medieval times. The first was (more than 400 years earlier) "Abul Abbas", a present to Charlemagne from Harun al-Rashid.

Kloster Allerheiligen (= "All Saints Abbey") is a former Benedictine monastery, founded by Eberhard VI. von Nellenburg in 1049. The Nellenburg family controlled the bypass of the Rheinfall waterfalls, what led to great wealth. The construction site of the monastery was consecrated by by Pope Leo IX and the works were completed already 1064. The church was dedicated to the Saviour, the Holy Cross, the Virgin Mary and All the Saints. Allerheiligen became, instead of the Reichenau Abbey, the new grave lay by the founding family, and Eberhard himself became a monk in the abbey, and died here in 1078. During the Investiture Controversy the pope loyal Burkhard von Nellenburg, Ebergard´s son and heir, conformed in 1080 all of the rights of the monastery. The monastery was subordinate to the Pope, and received the vast estate of the Nellenburg family, the free election of the abbot, and the town of Schaffhausen. Burkhard remained the monastery's Vogt, and motivated the abbot to join with some monks from the Hirsau Abbey, to reform the monastery on the model of Hirsau, that was based on Cluny During the Reformation in Switzerland, the abbey was abolished, and the church of the abbey became the second main city church in 1524. Kloster Allerheiligen is a labyrinthic complex of buildings. This building was outside the "clausura". It connected the offices of the abbot with the guest rooms. The lower part (first and second storey) including the loggia were erected in the early 13th century. There are some extraordinary carvings. An elephant! Depicted here (pretty precise!) is probably the "Cremona elephant", a present to Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II by Sultan Al-Kamil, in 1229. Frederick used the elephant in his triumph parades. The "Cremona elephant" was the second elephant, that reached Europe in medieval times. The first was (more than 400 years earlier) "Abul Abbas", a present to Charlemagne from Harun al-Rashid.

Already Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, may have funded a church, erected over the tomb of Saint Zeno, who, following the legends, was born in Mauretania and died around 380 in Verona. The erection of the present church began in the 9th century. Soon after San Zeno´s relics were translated into the new church. At that time Charlemagne´s son Pepin (aka "Pepin of Italy") resided in Verona and a large Benedictine monastery grew all around the church. When the Magyars invaded Italy in the early 10th century, the church got severely damaged, but the relics were not harmed, as they had been taken out and were hidden. In 967, a new church was built with the patronage of Otto I. On January 3, 1117, the church was damaged by an earthquake, that ruined so many buildings in Northern Italy. The church was restored and got enlarged in 1138. The large crypt dates back to the 10th century, as it is known, that the relics of San Zeno were transferred in 921. This flight of stairs runs down to the crypt from the central nave, but the both aisles have stairs, too as the crypt is as wide as the church. The arches have interesting friezes. They were created by Adamino von San Giorgio, who left his signature. The friezes are populated with many fanciful and monstrous animals. Here is - an elephant! I did not find the elephant during my first visit to Verona, though - Verona is only about 100 kms north east of Cremona, where an elephant, known as "Cremona Elephant" is proven. The elephant had been a gift to Frederick II from Sultan Al-Kamil in 1229. The elephant was used by Frederick II in his triumph parades. It is depicted in the "Chronica Majora": annonetheelephant.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/cremona.jpg

Already Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, may have funded a church, erected over the tomb of Saint Zeno, who, following the legends, was born in Mauretania and died around 380 in Verona. The erection of the present church began in the 9th century. Soon after San Zeno´s relics were translated into the new church. At that time Charlemagne´s son Pepin (aka "Pepin of Italy") resided in Verona and a large Benedictine monastery grew all around the church. When the Magyars invaded Italy in the early 10th century, the church got severely damaged, but the relics were not harmed, as they had been taken out and were hidden. In 967, a new church was built with the patronage of Otto I. On January 3, 1117, the church was damaged by an earthquake, that ruined so many buildings in Northern Italy. The church was restored and got enlarged in 1138. The large crypt dates back to the 10th century, as it is known, that the relics of San Zeno were transferred in 921. A flight of stairs runs down to the crypt from the central nave. Both aisles have stairs, too as the crypt is as wide as the church. The arches have interesting friezes. They were created by Adamino von San Giorgio, who left his signature. The friezes are populated with many fanciful and monstrous animals. Here is - an elephant! I did not find the elephant during my first visit to Verona, though - Verona is only about 100 kms north east of Cremona, where an elephant, known as "Cremona Elephant" is proven. The elephant had been a gift to Frederick II from Sultan Al-Kamil in 1229.

The Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is a jewel of Romanesque architecture. The nave was erected within 20 years, from 1120 on, after the preceding church burnt down, with a loss of more than 1000 lifes. The choir and the transept, seen here, were erected 1185 - 1215. They are completed already in gothic style. The relics of Sainte Marie Madeleine, that had been here since around 1050, made Vezelay to a center of pilgrimage (and the starting point of the Via Lemovizensis). But in 1279 dominican monks in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume claimed to have found the "real" sarcophagus of Sainte Marie Madeleine. Unfortunately the Dominicans found the patronage by Pope Boniface VIII and Charles d'Anjou - and so Vezelay lost it´s importance. In 1559, during the Wars of Religion, Huguenots looted Vezelay und burnt the relics, that were still in Vezelay. Today there is a golden reliquary in the large, probably carolingian crypt, so obviously at least a part of the relics are still here. Prosper Mérimée and Viollet-le-Duc saved the basilica, that was a ruin in the early 19th century. When Prosper Mérimée started the renovation of the basilica in 1840, he was 26 years old. This was the first task for the young architect.. There are 99 carved capitals in the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. Only a few were so damaged, that they had to be replaced during the renovation of the church. These damaged ones can be seen in the neighbouring museum now. All other capitals are still exactly in that places, they were carved for between 1125 and 1140. There is a specific smooth carving style in Vezelay. Here once were two elephants standing trunk in trunk. A vandal destroyed the capital. Either he could not stand the harmony of the animal couple, or he just did not like elephants at all. Charlemagne´s Abul Abbas had died in 810, more than 300 years before these elephants were carved. Two elephants reached Europe a century after the capital was created. The "Cremona Elephant", a gift presented to Frederick II by Sultan Al-Kamil in 1229, and the elephant Louis IX (aka "Saint Louis") presented to Henry III. This elephant, imported to France by Louis on his return from the crusade, died in cold and wet London in 1258.

The Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine is a jewel of Romanesque architecture. The nave was erected within 20 years, from 1120 on, after the preceding church burnt down, with a loss of more than 1000 lifes. The choir and the transept, seen here, were erected 1185 - 1215. They are completed already in gothic style. The relics of Sainte Marie Madeleine, that had been here since around 1050, made Vezelay to a center of pilgrimage (and the starting point of the Via Lemovizensis). But in 1279 dominican monks in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume claimed to have found the "real" sarcophagus of Sainte Marie Madeleine. Unfortunately the Dominicans found the patronage by Pope Boniface VIII and Charles d'Anjou - and so Vezelay lost it´s importance. In 1559, during the Wars of Religion, Huguenots looted Vezelay und burnt the relics, that were still in Vezelay. Today there is a golden reliquary in the large, probably carolingian crypt, so obviously at least a part of the relics are still here. Prosper Mérimée and Viollet-le-Duc saved the basilica, that was a ruin in the early 19th century. When Prosper Mérimée started the renovation of the basilica in 1840, he was 26 years old. This was the first task for the young architect.. There are 99 carved capitals in the Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. Only a few were so damaged, that they had to be replaced during the renovation of the church. These damaged ones can be seen in the neighbouring museum now. All other capitals are still exactly in that places, they were carved for between 1125 and 1140. There is a specific smooth carving style in Vezelay. Here once were two elephants standing trunk in trunk. A vandal destroyed the capital. Either he could not stand the harmony of the animal couple, or he just did not like elephants at all. Charlemagne´s Abul Abbas had died in 810, more than 300 years before these elephants were carved. Two elephants reached Europe a century after the capital was created. The "Cremona Elephant", a gift presented to Frederick II by Sultan Al-Kamil in 1229, and the elephant Louis IX (aka "Saint Louis") presented to Henry III. This elephant, imported to France by Louis on his return from the crusade, died in cold and wet London in 1258.