Saint Bernard preaching the second crusade in Vézelay in 1146.
Also see this LibGuide on Bernard of Clairvaux
Recommended brief reference sources on Bernard and the Crusades:
Wikipedia on Bernard (and Crusades)
Bernard of Clairvaux: Christian History magazine
The Crusades: Christian History magazine, issue 40
Introduction to Medieval Theology (2nd ed.) by 
The Cambridge Companion to the Literature of the Crusades by 
Monastic Sermons by
Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon, France. He joined the fifteen-year-old monastery of Cîteaux in 1113. In 1115 he became the founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey, whence his name, Bernard of Clairvaux. Saint Bernard was a gifted and prolific writer of theological treatises, Scriptural commentaries, letters, and many sermons. The sermons in the collection published here, styled Sermones de diversis (Sermons about Various Topics),lack the specific point of departure that characterizes his other sermons. That is, whereas the sermons on the Song of Songs are a verse-by-verse commentary on that biblical book and his Sermons for the Year follow the liturgical calendar, this collection of sermons deals with his various pastoral concerns. Since Scripture is always Bernard's point of departure and inspiration, the sermons often read like a Scripture study, but what comes through equally is the voice of an understanding spiritual father who is a masterful student of Scripture, biblical language, and the needs of his monks.
1,000 full-text, peer-reviewed articles on "The Crusades" from Luther's Library catalog
NOTE: Hundreds more articles may be available on Bernard that are not full-text online, but available from our library or via Interlibrary loan. Simply use the online catalog as follows: If you are looking for books/articles written BY Bernard you should search our online catalog or databases for his name as an AUTHOR (Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 1091-1153). If you want to find resources ABOUT Bernard or his theology, search for Subjects related to him ("Theology Middle Ages", or "Crusades" , for example).
Here's a link to Books on Bernard and his theology available at Luther Sem; hundreds of others available by interlibrary loan in Minnesota (Minitex). Books on the Crusades available at Luther Sem Library
Also consult the following databases for helpful articles or abstracts on Bernard (both JSTOR and Open Access Theological Library have hundreds of book chapters or articles on Bernard : JSTOR link; OADTL link (includes several dissertations)
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