Louis Maimbourg (1610 - 1686) was an influential French Jesuit priest and historian who had written extensively on the religious history as well as the history of the Crusades. In 1675-1676 he published Histoires des Croisades pour la Déliverance de la Terre Sainte (translated into English in 1685) which was dedicated King Louis XIV. The book has little historiographic value since Maimbourg offers little in soundness of research or depth of analysis but it is still noteworthy for his observations on various peoples, including Georgians, that combine elements from earlier writers with contemporary (17th century) perceptions. Passages such as the one cited below are noteworthy for showing the type of information shaped French and English readers' understanding/perception of Georgia.
The report of the victory which the Crusades of the West had obtained against the Sultans of Egypt and Damascus, being spread all over Asia, raised the Courage and hopes of the Christians in the East, and more particularly of the Georgians, who then were, and are at this day, the bravest among all those Nations.
These People to whom that name was given, either from their particular Veneration of St. George, upon whom they call in their Combats; or by Corruption of the word Gurges, their Country being called Gurgistan, inhabit those Regions, which extend themselves from the West to the East, between the Euxine [Black] and the Caspian Sea, the Countries which anciently were called, Colchis, Iberia, a part of Albania, and also of the great Armenia as far as Derbent.
[Georgians] were at this time [13th century] under the Obeisance of one King, who governed the whole Nation united into one Monarchy, and not divided as they are now, among many small Princes, who are not able to free themselves from paying tribute either to the Turk or Persian. They have been Christians ever since they were converted by a young Maid, a Christian Slave, in the Reign of Constantine the Great, and followed the belief and Ceremonies of the Greeks, although in some things they differ from them much, and especially in this. That they have nothing of that Aversion for the Church of Rome, which the Greeks have. They all shave the middle of their heads in form of a Crown, but with this difference among them, that the Ecclesiastics have it round, like that that of the Roman Churchmen, the other square, with great Mustaches, and a long Beard which reaches down to their very Girdle.
[Georgians] are, in the main, People well proportioned and of a good Mind, kind and obliging to Foreigners, terrible to their Enemies, great Soldiers, extremely brave, even to the very Women, who like Amazons, will go to the Wars, and fight most valiantly; and they are so taken notice off for this Valour above all other of the Eastern Christians, that the Saracens either out of Fear or respect, permit them to enter with their Colours flying like Soldiers into Jerusalem, and without paying any thing when they come to visit the Holy Sepulchre. But they have this great Blemish that they are most intolerable Drinkers, and make little account of such People as will not debauch with them, having entertained a brutish persuasion, that it is impossible for any persons to be truly valiant, who are not excessive Lovers of drinking. So that they never go to the Combat till they have well drunk; for which purpose they always carry to the field, a Bottle of Wine tied to their Girdles, and before they begin the Battle they presently and with Cheerfulness toss it off to the last drop, and then furiously charge the Enemies, being elevated with the Wine and half drunk.
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