Mother of Mercy, Is This the End of Thomas?

Abstract This paper examines how crusade epic can transform even the most notorious villain into a hero. It traces the posthumous transformation of Thomas of Marle, reputedly one of the greatest villains of the twelfth century. It then draws a comparison with some other infamous characters: Raimbaut Creton, another though less prominent First Crusader; Robert of Bellême, who did not go on crusade and whose evil reputation equalled Thomas’s; Guido Trosellus, who did go on crusade but ran away and lost his reputation; and Renaud of Châtillon who was transformed into an unlikely martyr of the Third Crusade. The paper concludes that depiction as a crusade hero in a fictional universe, whether or not deserved, was sufficient to transform posthumous reputation in response to audience and commissioner horizon of expectation.