Richard of Holy Trinity
Itinerary of Richard I and others to
the Holy Land
(formerly ascribed to Geoffrey de Vinsauf)
translated byA Classical ScholarandA
Gentleman Well-Read in Medieval HistoryIn
parentheses Publications
Medieval Latin Series
Cambridge,
Ontario 2001
(excerpts: from Acre to battle of Arsuf)
Book 2
Chapter XLI. How, while the fleet of King Richard was sailing
towards Acre, a very large Saracen ship bore in sight, and how the king
immediately attacked it, and took it.
Having concluded these
operations, the king gave his attention to the immediate crossing of the
sea, and when they had placed the baggage on
board, a favourable
wind blowing, the fleet set sail from the shore; and the queens moved forward
in company with the king in person. The king has left in Cyprus brave and
diligent men to secure a supply of necessary provisions hereafter; viz.
wheat, corn, and barley; meat and live stock of various kinds, which abound
in that island.
By this time a report
was spread that Acre was on the point of being taken, and when the king
heard it, he sighed deeply and said, "May God defer the taking of Acre
till I come, after it has been so long besieged, and therefore the triumph
will be the more glorious with the assistance of God." Then getting
ready with all speed, he went on board one of his largest and swiftest
galleys, at Famagusta; and as was his wont, he moved forward in advance,
impatient of delay, while the other ships followed in his wake as quickly
as they could, and well prepared, for there is no power that might not
justly have dreaded their hostility. As they ploughed across the sea, the
holy land of Jerusalem was descried for the first time, the fort called
Margat being the first spot that met the eye; afterwards Tortuosa, situated
on the sea-shore; then Tripolis, Nephyn, and Bocion. And soon after
appeared the lofty tower of Gibelath. Lastly, on this side of Sidon,
opposite Baruth, there bore in sight a vessel filled with Saracens, chosen
from all the Pagan empire, and destined by Saladin for the assistance of
the besieged in Acre. They were not able to obtain a speedy entrance into
the port, because of the Christian army that menaced them, and so were
waiting a favourable moment for entering the port by surprise. The king,
observing the ship, called Peter des Barres, commander of one of his galleys,
and ordered him to row quickly, and inquire who commanded the vessel. And
when they answered that it belonged to the king of France, the king in
his eager haste approached it; but it had no mark of being French, neither
did it bear any Christian symbol or standard; and on looking at it near,
the king began to wonder at its immense size and compact make, for it was
crowned with three tall masts, and its sides were marked with streaks
of red and yellow, and it was well furnished in all manner of equipments,
so that nothing could exceed them, and it was abundantly supplied with
all kinds of provisions. One of those on board said, that while at Baruth,
he saw the vessel laden with all these things; viz. one hundred camel-loads
of arms, slings, bows, darts, and arrows: it had also on board seven Saracen
admirals, and eighty chosen Turks, besides a quantity of all kinds of provisions,
exceeding computation. They had also on board a large quantity of Greek
fire, in bottles, and two hundred most deadly serpents for the destruction
of the Christians. Others were therefore sent to obtain more exact information
who they were, and when, instead of their former answer, they replied that
they were Genoese, bound for Tyre, our men began to doubt the truth at
this change of reply; one of our galleymen persisted that they were Saracens,
and on the king's questioning him, he said, "I give you leave to cut off
my head, or hang me on a tree, if I do not prove these men to be Saracens.
Now let a galley be sent quickly after them, for they are making away,
and let no kind of salute be given them by us, and in this way we
shall have certain proof what their ntention is, and how far they are to
be believed." At the king's command, therefore, a galley was sent at full
speed after them. and on reaching their ship, and rowing by its side without
giving a salute, they began to throw darts and arrows at our men.
On seeing this, the king
ordered the ship to be attacked forthwith, and after casting a shower of
darts against each other, the ship relaxed in its speed, for the wind carried
it but slowly along. Though our galleymen rowed repeatedly round the ship,
to scrutinize the vessel, they could find no point of attack: it appeared
so solid and so compact, and of such strong materials; and it was defended
by a guard of warriors, who kept throwing darts at them. Our men, therefore,
relished not the darts, nor the great height of the ship, for it was enough
to strive against a foe on equal ground, whereas a dart thrown from above
always tells upon those below, since its iron point falls downwards.
Hence, their ardour relaxed, but the spirit of the king increased, and
he exclaimed aloud, "Will you allow the ship to get away untouched and
uninjured? Shame upon you! are you grown cowards from sloth, after so many
triumphs? The whole world knows that you engaged in the service of the
Cross, and you will have to undergo the severest punishment, if you permit
an enemy to escape while he lives, and is thrown in your way." Our men,
therefore, making a virtue of necessity, plunged eagerly into the water
under the ship's side, and bound the rudder with ropes to turn and retard
its progress, and some, catching hold of the cables, leapt on board the
ship. The Turks receiving them manfully, cut them to pieces as they came
on board, and lopping off the head of this one, and the hands of that,
and the arms of another, cast their bodies into the sea. Our men seeing
this, and glowing with anger, gained fresh courage from the thirst for
vengeance, and crossing over the bulwarks of the vessel, attacked the Turks
in a body with great fierceness,who, though giving way a little, made an
obstinate resistance.
The Turks gathering boldness
from despair, used all their efforts to repel those who threatened them,
cutting off the arms, hands, and even heads of our men; but they, after
a mighty struggle, drove the Turks back as far as the prow of the
ship, while from the interior others rushed upon our men in a body, preparing
to die bravely or repel the foe; they were the choice youth of the Turks,
fitted for war, and suitably armed. The battle lasted a long time, and
many fell on both sides; but at last, the Turks, pressing boldly on our
men, drove them back, though they resisted with all their might, and forced
them from the ship. Upon which our men retired to their galleys, and surrounding
the vessel on all sides, tried to find a more easy mode of attacking it.
The king seeing the danger his men were in, and that while the ship was
uninjured it would not be easy to take the Turks with the arms and provisions
therein, commanded that each of the galleys should attack the ship with
its spur, i.e. its iron beak. Then the galleys drawing back, were borne
by rapid strokes of the oar against the ship's sides to pierce them, and
thus the vessel was instantly broken, and becoming pervious to the waves,
began to sink. When the Turks saw it, they leapt into the sea to die, and
our men killed some of them and drowned the rest. The king kept thirty-five
alive, namely, the admirals and men who were skilled in making machines,
but the rest perished, the arms were abandoned, and the serpents sunk and
scattered about by the waves of the sea.
If that ship had arrived
safely at the siege of Acre, the Christians would never have taken the
city; but by the care of God it was converted into the destruction of the
infidels, and the aid of the Christians, who hoped in Him, by means of
King Richard, who by His help prospered in war. The Saracens saw from a
distance on the heights what had happened, and sorrowfully carried the
news to Saladin, who, on hearing it, seized and plucked out his beard in
anger and fury, and afterwards broke out into these words with a sigh,
"O God! have I lost Acre, and my dear and chosen soldiers, in whom I had
so much confidence? I am overwhelmed by so bitter a loss." When they
who saw it told the tidings to the Saracenic army, there arose long and
loud wailings, and bitter lamentations for their misfortune, and they cut
off the tresses of their hair, and rent their garments, and cursed the
hour and the fate of the stars, by which they had come to Syria. For in
the above-mentioned ship they had lost all their choice youth, in whom
they trusted.
Book III
Chapter I. Of the arrival of King Richard at Acre.
Thus, after his success
by sea, King Richard hastened with joy and alacrity, and with all his suite,
towards Acre, whither his eager wishes carried him; and the next night,
with the aid of a prosperous gale, the fleet anchored off Tyre. In the
morning they weighed anchor, and hoisted sail, and soon afterwards passed
Candalion, of which we have before spoken; and going by Casella Ymbrici,
the high tower of Acre came in sight, and then, by little and little, the
other fortifications of the city. Around it the besiegers lay in countless
multitudes, chosen from every nation throughout Christendom and under the
face of heaven, and well fitted for the labours and fatigues of war; for
the city had now been besieged a long time, and had been afflicted by constant
toil and tribulation, by the pressure of famine, and every kind of adversity,
as we have before described. Moreover, beyond the besiegers, was seen the
Turkish army, not in a compact body, but covering the mountains and valleys,
hills and plains, with tents, the colours of whose various forms were reflected
by the sun. They saw, also the pavilion of Saladin, and his brother Safahadin's
tent, and that of Kahadin, the mainstay of Paganism; he was watching the
parts to seaward, and planning constant and vigorous attacks upon the Christians.
King Richard beheld and computed all their army; and when he arrived in
port, the king of France and a whole army of natives, and the princes,
chiefs, and nobles, came forth to meet him and welcome him, with joy and
exultation, for they had eagerly longed for his arrival.
Chapter II. Of the joy, songs, and processions which took place on account
of King Richard's arrival.
On the Saturday before
the festival of the blessed apostle Barnabas, in the Pentecost week, King
Richard landed at Acre with his retinue, and the earth was shaken by the
acclamations of the exulting Christians. The people testified their joy
by shouts of welcome and the clang of trumpets; the day was kept as a jubilee,
and universal gladness reigned around, on account of the arrival of the
king, long wished for by all nations. The Turks, on the other hand, were
terrified and cast down by his coming, for they perceived that all egress
and return would be at an end, in consequence of the multitude of the kingÕs
galleys. The two kings conducted each other from the port, and paid one
another the most obsequious attention. Then King Richard retired to the
tent previously prepared for him, and forthwith entered in to arrangements
about the siege; for it was his most anxious care to find out by what means,
artifice, and machines, they could capture the city without loss of time.
No pen can sufficiently describe the joy of the people on the kingÕs
arrival, nor tongue detail it; the very calmness of the night was thought
to smile upon them with a purer air; the trumpets clanged, horns sounded,
and the shrill intonations of the pipe, and the deeper notes of the timbrel
and harp, struck upon the ear; and soothing symphonies were heard like
various voices blended in one; and there was not a man who did not, after
his own fashion, indulge in joy and praise; either singing popular ballads
to testify the gladness of his heart, or reciting
the deeds of the ancients, stimulating by their example the spirit
of the moderns. Some drank wine from costly cups, to the health of the
singers; while others mixing together, high and low, passed the night in
constant dances. And their joy was heightened by the subjugation of the
island of Cyprus by King Richard; a place so useful and necessary to them,
and one which would be of the utmost service to the army. As a further
proof of the exultation of their hearts, and to illumine the darkness of
the night, wax torches and flaming lights sparkled in profusion, so that
night seemed to be usurped by the brightness of day, and the Turks thought
the whole valley was on fire.
Chapter III. How the Pisans gave themselves up to King Richard, and
how the Turks challenged us to battle.
The Pisans, admiring
the glory and magnificence of King Richard, came before him and did him
homage, and took the oath of allegiance that they submitted voluntarily
to his authority and service. But the cunning Turks envied the honour paid
him, and some of them, either to feign the assumption of fresh boldness
on his arrival, or to provoke a speedy encounter, one Sunday morning exposed
themselves to attack outside our camp, wandering up and down as if
for the sake of exercise, and throwing their darts at random; and at times
they seemed to threaten to cross the itch in numbers, and annoyed our men,
irritating them to a contest unceasingly.
Chapter IV. Of the gifts of the two kings to their needy soldiers, and
of the sickness of King Richard.
By the conjunction of
the retinues of the two kings, an immense army of Christians was formed:
with the king of France, who had arrived on the
octaves of Easter, there
came the count of Flanders, the count of St. Paul, William de Garlande,
William des Barres, Drogo dÕAmiens, William de
Mirle, and the count
of Perche; and with them also came the marquis, of whom we have before
spoken, and who aspired to be king of Jerusalem. But why should we enumerate
them singly? There was not a man of influence or renown in France who came
not, then or afterwards, to the siege of Acre. And on the following day
of Pentecost, King Richard arrived with an army, the flower of war, and
upon learning that the king of France had gained the good-will and favour
of all, by giving to each of his soldiers three aurei a month, not
to be outdone or equalled in generosity, he proclaimed by mouth of herald,
that whosoever was in his service, no matter of what nation, should receive
four statute aurei a month for his pay. By these means, his generosity
was extolled by all, for he outshone every one else in merit and favours,
as he outdid them in gifts and magnificence. "When, " exclaimed they, "will
the first attack take place, by a man whom we have expected so long and
anxiously? A man, by far the first of kings, and the most skilled in war
throughout Christendom? Now let the will of God be done, for the hope of
all rests on King Richard." But after some days' sojourn, the king was
afflicted with a severe illness, to which the
common people gave the
name of Arnoldia, which is produced by change of climate working on the
constitution. But for all that, he caused petrariae and mangonels to be
raised, and a fort in front of the city gates; and spared no pains to expedite
the construction of machines.
Chapter V. How, while King Richard was sick, the king of France assaulted
Acre vigorously; and how the Turks, upon Saladin attacking our tenches
without, made a vigorous resistance, and set the kingÕs machines
on fire, upon which the king fell sick.
The king of France,
not liking the delay in commencing the attack, sent word to King Richard,
that a favourable opportunity now offered itself; and he also warned, by
voice of herald, the army to prepare for an assault. But King Richard had
signified his inability hitherto to attend to his duty, both on account
of indisposition, and because his men were not yet come; though he hoped
that they would arrive in the next fleet of ships, and would bring with
them materials for the construction of machines. The king of France not
thinking fit to desist, on that account, from his purpose, commanded an
assault to be proclaimed, by voice of herald, throughout the army. Therefore,
on the Monday after the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist,
the king of France, having erected his machines, gave orders to his men
to arm. Then might have been seen a countless multitude of armed men, worthily
equipped; and so many coats of scale armour, gleaming helmets, and noble
chargers: with petitions and banners of various workmanship, and soldiers
of tried valour and courage, as never had been seen before. Having placed
men to defend the trenches against the threatened attack of Saladin from
without, the army approached the walls of the city, and commenced a most
vigorous assault, by casting darts and stones from arbalests and machines,
without ceasing. When the Turks who were shut up in the city saw this,
they raised a tumultuous clamour, and shouted to the skies; so that it
resembled the crash in the air caused by thunder and lightning; for some
had this sole duty--to beat basins and platters; to strike timbrels; and
by other means, to make signal to Saladin and the army without; in order
that they might come to their succour, according to agreement.
And when the Turks from
without saw and heard this, they gathered in a body; and collecting every
material within their reach to fill up the ditch, they essayed to cross
over, and attack our men, but failed in effecting their object. For Godfrey
of Lusignan, a man of the most approved valour, opposed them, and drove
them back from the barricades, which they had already seized upon, above
our men; and he slew ten of them with an axe he carried in his hand, in
a most glorious manner; and none be smote escaped; nay, he took some alive;
for such was his courage and activity, that no one since the time of those
famous soldiers, Roland and Oliver, could lay claim to such distinction,
from the mouth of all, as himself. Our men regained the barricades but
with much labour and difficulty; for the Turks kept pouring in, and by
their obstinate persistence, made the issue a long time doubtful. So severe
and insupportable was the struggle, and so horrible the clamour of the
conflict, that the men who were making the assault on the city, and were
intent on filling up the trenches, were forced to retire, and give up the
attempt, for they were not able to carry on the assault, and at the same
time defend their camp from the Turks without.
And many of the French
perished by the darts cast from the arbalests, the throwing of stones,
and the pouring on them of Greek fire; and there was great mourning and
lamentation amongst the people. Oh! with what earnestness had we expected
the arrival of the kings! How fallen were our hopes! They had come, and
we profited not; nay, we suffered a severer loss than usual, and those
we expected came to no purpose. Our men of France having laid aside their
arms, the Turks began to revile them shamefully; and reproached them with
not being able to accomplish what they had begun; moreover, they threw
Greek fire on the machines and other warlike instruments of the king of
France, which had been made with such care, and destroyed them. Whence
the king of France, overcome by fury and anger, sunk into a state of languid
sickness, from sorrow, it was said; and, from confusion and discouragement,
mounted not on horseback.
Chapter VI. How, in consequence of the illness of the two kings, the
army was closely pressed; and how they were comforted by the arrival of
the Nectars.
Thus the army pined
away from excessive grief and discouragement at the sickness of the two
kings; for they had not a chief or leader to fight the battles of the Lord.
To add to the public grief, the count of Flanders died immaturely. The
arrival of the Nectars (? Esneckars) in some measure consoled the army,
amidst the distress which these circumstances occasioned. There came, after
a tranquil voyage, very many bishops and princes, each accompanied by his
own retinue, to the aid of the Christians, those names were, the bishop
of Eneverria, Roger de Toony, and many brothers and kinsmen surnamed de
Cornebu; Robert de Newbury, Jordan de Humez, the chamberlain of Tancarville,
Robert, earl of Leicester; Gerard de Talebor, Radulph Taisson; also the
knights named of Torole; the viscount of Castle Dim, Bertram de Verdun,
Roger de Hardencort, and the knights of Praels; Garin fitz Gerold, and
those of Mara, Henry fitz Nicholas; Ernald de Magnaville, the Stutevilles,
William Martel, William Maler, William Bloez, Godard de Loreora, Roger
de Satya, Andrew de Chavenguy, Hugo le Brun, Geoffrey do Rancona, Radulph
de Mauleon, William des Rocques, Geoffrey de Lancelles; Hugh de Fierte,
who was in Cyprus when it was taken, and afterwards came to Acre. The two
kings were sick, but the Lord reserved them to succour the Christians,
and to recover the city.
Chapter VII. How the petrariae of the two kings, and those of the army
of the faithful, attacked the tower Maledictum, and shook down and
destroyed a great part of the wall.
The king of France first
recovered from his sickness, and turned his attention to the construction
of machines and petrariae, suitable for attacks,
and which he determined
to ply night and day, and he had one of superior quality, to which they
gave the name of 'Bad Neighbour.' The Turks also
had one they called 'Bad Kinsman,' which by its violent casts, often
broke 'Bad Neighbour' in pieces; but the king of France rebuilt it, until
by constant blows, he broke down part of the principal city wall, and shook
the tower Maledictum. On one side, the petraria of the duke of Burgundy
plied; on the other, that of the Templars did severe execution; while that
of the Hospitallers never ceased to cast terror amongst the Turks. Besides
these, there was one petraria, erected at the common expense, which they
were in the habit of calling the 'petraria of God.' Near it, there constantly
preached a priest, a man of great probity, who collected money to restore
it at their joint expense, and to hire persons to bring stones for casting.
By means of this engine, a part of the wall of the tower Maledictum was
at length shaken down, for about two poles' length.
The count of Flanders had a very choice petraria of large size, which
after his death, King Richard possessed; besides a smaller one, equally
good. These two were plied incessantly, close by a gate the Turks used
to frequent, until part of the tower was knocked down. In addition to these
two, King Richard had constructed two others of choice workmanship and
material, which would strike a place at an incalculable distance. He had
also built one put together
very compactly, which
the people called 'Berefred,' with steps to mount it, fitting most tightly
to it; covered with raw hides and ropes, and having layers of most solid
wood, not to be destroyed by any blows, nor open to injury from the pouring
thereon of Greek fire, or any other material. He also prepared two mangonels,
one of which was of such violence and rapidity, that what it hurled, reached
the inner rows of the city marketplace. These engines were plied day and
night, and it is well known that a stone sent from one of them killed twelve
men with its blow; the stone was afterwards carried to Saladin for inspection;
and King Richard had brought it from Messina, which city he had taken.
Such stones and flinty pieces of rock, of the smoothest kind, nothing could
withstand; but they either shattered in pieces the object they struck,
or ground it to powder. The king was confined to his bed by a severe attack
of fever, which discouraged him; for he saw the Turks constantly challenging
our men, and pressing on them importunately, and he was prevented by sickness
from meeting them, and he was more tormented by the importunate attack
of the Turks than by the severity of the fever that scorched him.
Chapter VIII. How the Turks burnt with Greek fire all the machines and
the cat and cercleia belonging to the king of France, when assaulting the
city.
The city of Acre, from
its strong position, and its being defended by the choicest men of the
Turks, appeared difficult to be taken by assault. The French had hitherto
spent their labour in vain in constructing machines and engines for breaking
down the walls, with the greatest care; for whatever they erected, at a
great expense, the Turks destroyed with Greek fire or some devouring conflagration.
Amongst other machines and engines which the king of France had erected
for breaking down the walls, he had prepared one, with great labour, to
be used for sealing it, which they called 'a cat;' because like a cat it
crept up and adhered to the wall.
He had also another, made
of strong hurdle twigs, put together most compactly, which they used to
call a 'cercleia,' and under its covering of hides the king of Franco used
to sit, and employ himself in throwing darts from a sling; he would thus
watch the approach of the Turks, above on the walls, by the battlements,
and then bit them unawares. But it happened one day that the French were
eagerly pressing forward to apply their cat to the walls, when, behold!
the Turks let down upon it a heap of the driest wood, and threw upon it
a quantity of Greek fire, as well as upon the hurdle they had constructed
with such toil, and then aimed a petraria in that direction, and all having
forthwith caught fire, they broke them in pieces by the blows from their
petraria. Upon this, the king of France was enraged beyond measure, and
began to curse all those who were under his command; and rated them shamefully
for not exacting condign vengeance of the Saracens, who had done them such
injuries. In the heat of his passion, and when the day was drawing in,
he published an edict, by voice of herald, that an assault should be made
upon the city on the morrow.
Chapter IX. How, while the French army were undermining the city walk,
the Christians within the trenches vigorously repelled the Turks, who had
fiercely attacked them from without.
In the morning, therefore,
all armed themselves, and some of the bravest soldiers chosen from the
whole army were posted at the trenches towards the exterior, against the
repeated annoyances and sudden attacks of the Saracens; for Saladin had
vaunted that on that day he would cross the trenches in force, and prove
his valour in humbling to the dust the army of the Christians. But he kept
not his word, and came not; though his army, under the command of Kahadin,
his vizier, came in a body to the trenches and attempted to cross them;
but the French were not slow to resist, and endeavoured to drive them off.
The slaughter on both sides was great; and the Turks dismounting, advanced
on foot with greater ease, and having joined battle, fought most obstinately
with swords, hand to hand, and with poignards and two-edged axes, and some
of them used clubs bristling with very sharp teeth. Their strokes on the
one hand, and cries on the other, were terrific, and many were slain
on both sides. The Turks pressed on, and the Christians drove them back;
the one the most obstinate, the others the most valiant of men; but they
effected this with so much the more difficulty, as the numbers of the Turks
who pushed on was the greater, and both melted with twofold heat, as it
was now summer. Those who directed their attacks against the city tried
by every means in their power to batter down or undermine the walls, or
else to surmount them with scaling-ladders. The Turks who were shut up
in the city, dreading the spirit of our men, hoisted a signal to the Turks
of Saladin's army without, and intimated to them, either to make an attack,
for the purpose of removing the French from the walls, or to give them
instant succour. The Turks from without pressed on obstinately, when Kahadin
learnt this, and driving our men back with all their might, violently filled
the ditch; but the Christians, notwithstanding, resisted, and opposed their
attacks, so that by GodÕs aid our men stood as an impenetrable wall,
and the enemy was repulsed.
Meanwhile, the men employed
by the king of France to undermine the wall, advanced so far as to remove
the foundations, and they filled the space thus dug out with logs of wood,
and set them on fire; these ignited the piles of wood forming the foundations
of the wall, which sunk down gradually, with a slight inclination, and
without falling altogether. A large number of Christians hastened to that
part, in order to enter and drive back the Turkish army. 0! how many banners
might then be seen there, and piles of wood, of different shapes, and on
the other hand the Turks throwing Greek fire; on the one side were the
French applying ladders to the wall, that was but partially thrown down,
and trying to cross over; whilst the Turks were also mounting with ladders
on the other side to defend the breach which had been made in it.
Chapter X. How Alberic Clements was slain by the Turks whilst scaling
the walls.
There happened a wonderful
event, not to be passed over in silence. There was a man of renown for
his tried valour and excellence, named Alberic Clements, who, when he saw
the French toiling to very little purpose, exerted his strength in the
vehemence of his ardour, exclaiming, 'This day I will perish, or,
if it please God, I will enter into the city of Acre." With these words,
he boldly mounted the ladder; and as he reached the top of the wall, the
Turks fell on him from all sides and killed him. The French were on the
point of following him, but were overwhelmed by the pressure of numbers
which the ladder could not hold; and some were bruised to death, and others
dragged out much injured. The Turks shouted with the greatest joy and applause
when they saw the accident, for it was a very severe misfortune. They surrounded
and overcame Alberic Clements, who was left alone on the top of the wall,
and pierced him with innumerable wounds. He thus verified what he had before
said, that he would die a martyr if he was unable to render his friends
assistance by entering Acre. The French were much discouraged by his loss,
and ceasing the assault, gave themselves up to lamentation and mourning
on account of his death, for he was a man of rank and influence and great
valour.
Chapter XI. How the French from without undermine the tower Maledictum,while
the Turks from within carry on a countermine.
Not long after, the
French miners, by their perseverance, undermined the tower Maledictum,
and supported it by placing beams of wood underneath. The Turks also, digging
in the same direction, had reached the same part of the foundations; on
which they entered into a mutual treaty of peace, that the Turks should
depart uninjured; and some of the Christians whom they held captive, were
by agreement, in like manner, set at liberty.
On discovering this, the Turks were very much chagrined, and
stopped up the passages by which they had gone out.
Chapter XII. How King Richard, though still sick, assaulted the city
with his men, slew many by a sling with his own hand, and threw down one
of the towers by means of his miners and petrariae
King Richard was not
yet fully recovered from his sickness; nevertheless, anxious for action,
and strenuously intent upon taking the city, he made arrangements that
his men should assault the city, in the hope that under Divine Providence
he should succeed. For this purpose, he caused to be made a hurdle, commonly
called a circleia, put together firmly with a complication of interweaving,
and made with the most subtle workmanship. This the king intended to be
used for crossing over the trench outside the city. Under it he placed
his most experienced arbalesters, and he caused himself to be carried thither
on a silken bed, to honour the Saracens with his presence, and animate
his men to fight; and from it, by using his arbalest, in which he was skilled,
he slew many with darts and arrows. His sappers also carried a mine under
the tower, at which a petraria was directed; and having made a breach,
they filled it with logs of wood, and set them on fire; when, by the addition
of frequent blows from the petraria, the tower fell suddenly to the ground
with a crash.
Chapter XIII. How the Turks vigorously repelled King Richard's men who
were assaulting the city, and how King Richard slew with his arbalest one
who had on the armour of Alberic Clements.
Perceiving, therefore,
how difficult success was, that he had a most warlike enemy to contend
with, and that there was need of all his strength for the attack, the king
thought it best to make the minds of his younger soldiers by rewards, rather
than to urge them by severe orders; for whom will not the love of gain
draw on? He therefore ordered the herald to proclaim a reward of two aurei,
afterwards
three, and then four, to whoever should overthrow a petraria from the walls;
and for each stone displaced from the wall, be promised a reward of four
aurei. Then you might see the young men bound forward, and soldiers
of great valour press on emulously to draw stones from the wall, as eager
for glory as for gain, and persisting in their efforts amidst the darts
of the enemy. Very many of them failed in their undertaking, while others
were driven back by fear of death; for the Turks from above vigorously
repelled them, and neither shields nor arms availed to protect them. The
height of the wall was very great, as well as its thickness; but the men
of valour, overcoming all difficulties, extracted very many stones from
the solid wall; and when the Turks rushed upon them in a body, and tried
to cast them down, they strove to repel them, but,
having forgot their
arms, they exposed themselves to the darts, in an almost unarmed condition.
One of the Turks, vaunting in the armour of the aforesaid Alberic Clements,
which he had put on, was shewing himself, to the annoyance of our men,
on the highest part of the wall, in a boastful manner; but King Richard
inflicted on him a deadly wound, piercing him through the heart with a
cast of his arbalest, the Turks, grieving at his fall ran together in crowds
to avenge his death, and to assuage the bitterness of their grief by the
fierceness of their onslaught, They boldly exposed themselves, as if they
feared not that the darts and missiles would strike them, and repelled
and pressed on our men like madmen, --never were there braver warriors
of any creed on earth; and the memory of their actions excites at once
our respect and astonishment. In the hottest of the combat, however close
the armour fitted, or whether the coat of mail was twofold, it availed
little to resist the darts from their arbalests Nevertheless, the Turks
kept mining from within, so that our men were obliged to retreat; and the
enemy raised a loud shout, as if they had gained their purpose.
Chapter XIV. How our esquires and the Pisans boldly scaled the tower,
which had been shaken, for the purpose of entering the city; and how the
rks repelled them with spirit, both with arms and Greek fire.
At last the aforesaid
tower was thrown down by the constant blows of our petrarae and the pulling
away of stones; and when King Richard's men had ceased from undermining,
and the assaults were discontinued, our esquires eager for praise and victory,
and fitted and equipped for war, armed themselves. Among them were the
retainers of the earl of Leicester, and those of Andrew de Cavegin and
Hugo Brun; there also came, most nobly arrayed. the bishop of Salisbury,
and very many others. It was about tierce, i.e. the hour of dinner,
when the men of valour and the most excellent esquires, prepared to attack
the aforesaid tower, and forthwith boldly mounted it. The sentinels of
the Turks on seeing them began to shout, and the whole city, being roused,
took up arms with all haste, and ran to oppose them; and the Turks pressed
in dense numbers upon the squires, who were nimbly making their way. While
our men tried to enter the city, and the Turks to drive them back, they
met in a body and fought hand to hand on both sides, right hand met right
hand, and swords flashed against swords; some seized hold of each other,
others struck each other, --some were driven back, and others fell. Our
men were few in numbers; the multitude of the Turks increased constantly,
and by throwing Greek fire, they forced our men, who could not withstand
it, to retire and descend from the tower; some of them were killed by the
enemy and afterwards burnt to ashes by this destructive conflagration.
Then the Pisans, either thirsting for praise or revenge, mounted the tower
in full force; but the Turks again attacked them like madmen, and although
the Pisans made a bold resistance, they were compelled to retire and abandon
the tower. For there never was seen any thing like that race of Turks for
efficiency in war. The capture of the city would, however, have been accomplished
on that day, had the battle been fought with the whole combined army, and
on a prudent plan; but the greater part of the army was at dinner at the
time, and the attempt was a presumptuous one, and therefore did not succeed.
Chapter XV. A commendation of the Turks in the city, who sent Mestoc
and Caracois in despair to our kings, in order to obtain a respite until
they should consult Saladin, but they returned fruitlessly.
What can we say of this
race of unbelievers who thus defended their city? They must be admired
for their valour in war, and were the honour of their whole nation; and
had they been of the right faith, they would not have had their superiors
as men throughout the world. Yet they dreaded our men, not without
reason, for they saw the choicest soldiers from the ranks of all Christendom
come to destroy them; their walls in part broken down, in part shattered,
the greater portion of their army mutilated, some killed, and others weakened
by their wounds. There were still remaining in the city 6,000 Turks, with
Mestoc and Caracois, their chiefs, but they despaired of succour. They
perceived that the Christian army was very much dejected at the death of
Alberic Clements, and their sons and kinsmen, who had fallen in battle,
and that they were determined either to die bravely or gain the mastery
over the Turks, and that they thought a middle course dishonourable. Under
these circumstances, by common counsel and assent, the besieged begged
a truce in order to inform Saladin of their condition, and to ascertain
how far he would afford them security according to the manner of barbarous
nations, by either sending them speedy help, or giving them leave to depart
from the city with honour. To obtain this object, two of the most noble
of the Saracens and of Paganism, Mestoc and Caracois, came to our kings
with the promise that if Saladin did not send them speedy assistance, they
would give up the city, on the condition that all the besieged Turks should
be permitted to depart in freedom, with their arms and property, and go
whithersoever they liked. And on the king of France and nearly all the
French giving their assent to this condition at the conference, King Richard
absolutely refused his, and said, it was not to be consented to, that after
so long and laborious a siege, they should enter a deserted city only.
On his pleasure being known, Caracois and Mestoc returned to the city without
effecting their object. And Saladin, when he learnt that ambassadors had
been sent by the besieged, commanded them to persevere and defend their
city with as much courage as that which they had hitherto shewn, promising
that most ample assistance should soon come to them without a doubt; for
he declared to the ambassadors who waited upon him, that he would certainly
persevere, and as he was expecting a large body of soldiers from Babylon,
they would soon come in ships and galleys; for he had given orders to Muleina
to be with him, without fail, in eight days; and if they did not come according
to
agreement, he promised,
with an oath, to procure for them as honourable a peace as he could from
the Christians, and the liberty to depart. On hearing these things, the
ambassadors returned to the city, and, repeating the promises of Saladin,
persuaded the townsmen to resist, while they looked forward with anxiety
for the promised assistance.
Chapter XVI. How, while our men were courageously assaulting the city,
some of the Turks in despair escaped out of it.
Meanwhile, the petrarae
of the Christians never ceased, day and night, to shake the walls; and
when the Turks saw this, they were smitten with wonder, astonishment, terror,
and confusion; and many, yielding to their fears, threw themselves down
from the walls by night, and without waiting for the promised aid, very
many sought, with supplications, the sacrament of baptism and Christianity.
There was little doubt, and with good reason as to their merits, that they
presumptuously asked the boon more from the pressure of urgent fear than
from any divine inspiration; but there are different steps by which men
arrive at salvation. It was now well known to Saladin, by means of messengers,
who passed backwards and forwards, that to persevere any longer in defending
the city, was dangerous, as it could not be kept from the Christians.
Chapter XVII. How the besieged entered into treaty with the Christians
by the advice of Saladin.
Saladin, perceiving
the danger of delay, at length determined to yield to the entreaties of
the besieged: he was, moreover, persuaded by his
admirals, and satraps,
and his influential courtiers, who had many friends and kinsmen amongst
the besieged. The latter alleged also, that he was bound to them by his
promise made on the Mahometan law, that he would procure for them an honourable
capitulation at the last moment, lest, perchance, made prisoners at discretion,
they should be exterminated or put to an ignominious death, and thus the
law of Mahomet, which had been strictly observed by their ancestors, be
effaced by its dependence on him; and nevertheless, very much would be
derogated from his name and excellence if the worshippers of Mahomet should
fall into the hands of the Christians. They also begged to remind Saladin
of the fact, that they, a chosen race of Turks, in obedience to his commands,
had been cooped up in the city, and withstood a siege for so long a time;
they reminded him too that they had not seen their wives and children for
three years, during which period the siege had lasted; and they said, it
would be better to surrender the city, than that people of such merit should
be destroyed. The princes persuading the sultan to this effect, that their
latter condition might not be worse than their former one; he assented
to their making peace on the best terms they could, and they drew up a
statement of what appeared to them the most proper terms of treaty. On
the messengers bringing back the resolution of Saladin and his satraps,
the besieged were filled with great joy; and forthwith, the principal men
of the city went to the kings, and through their interpreters, offered
to surrender unconditionally the city of Acre, the Cross, and two hundred
and fifty noble Christian captives; and when they perceived this did not
satisfy them, they offered two thousand noble Christian captives, and five
hundred of inferior rank, whom Saladin would bring together from all parts
of his kingdom, if they would let the Turks depart from their city, with
their shirts only, leaving behind them their arms and property; and, as
a ransom for themselves, they would give two hundred thousand Saracenic
talents. As security for the performance of these conditions, they offered
to deliver up, as hostages, all the men of noble or high rank in the city.
After the two kings had considered with the wisest of the chiefs, the opinion
of all was for accepting the offer, and consenting to the conditions; that
on taking the oath for security, and subscribing the terms of peace, they
might quit the city,
without carrying any
thing with them, having first given up the hostages.
Chapter XVIII. How, on giving hostages for the delivery of the Cross,
money, and captives within a month, the Turks marched out of the city and
the Christians entered it; and how the two kings divided every thing equally
between them.
Thus, on the Friday
after the Translation of St. Benedict, the principal and noblest of the
admirals were given and received as hostages, and the space of one month
fixed for the delivery of the Cross, and the collecting together of the
captives. And when it was rumoured abroad that the city was to be given
up, the common people, in their folly, were inflamed with fury, but the
wiser portion rejoiced at gaining so profitably, and without danger, what
they had been so long a time unable to obtain. Then was it proclaimed and
prohibited, by voice of herald, that any one should molest the Turks by
word or deed, or provoke them by abuse, or that missiles should any longer
be cast for the destruction of the walls or of the Turks who might be seen
on the battlements. And when the day came that the Turks, so renowned for
their courage and valour, most active in the exercise of war, and famous
for their magnificence, appeared on the walls
ready to leave the city,
the Christians went forth to look at them, and were struck with admiration
when they remembered the deeds they had done. They were also astonished
at the cheerful countenances of those who were thus driven almost penniless
from their city, --their demeanour unchanged by adversity; and those who
but now had been compelled by extreme necessity to own themselves conquered,
and betake themselves to supplication, bore no marks of care, as they came
forth, nor any signs of dejection at the loss of all they possessed-- not
even in the firmness of their countenances, for they seemed to be conquerors
by their courageous bearing; but the form of superstitious idolatry, and
the miserable error of sinfulness, throw a stain upon their warlike glories.
At last, when all the urks had departed, the Christians, with the two kings
at their head, entered the city without opposition, through the open gates,
with dances, and joy, and loud vociferations, glorifying God, and giving
Him thanks, because He had magnified His mercy to them, and had visited
them, and
redeemed His people.
Then the banners, and various standards of the two kings, were raised on
the walls and towers, and the city was equally divided between them. They
also made a proportionate division of the arms and provisions they found;
and the whole number of captives, being reckoned, was divided by lot. The
noble Caracois, and a large number, fell to the lot of the king of France;
and King Richard had for his portion Mestoc and the remainder. Moreover,
the king of France had for his share the noble palace of the Templars,
with all its appurtenances; and King Richard had the royal palace, to which
he sent the queens, with their damsels and handmaids; thus each obtained
his portion in peace. The army was distributed through the city, and after
the protracted contest of so long a siege, gave themselves indulgence,
and refreshed themselves with the rest they needed. The night following
our entrance, Saladin, through fear of us, retired from the place in which
he was posted, and occupied a most distant mountain.
Chapter XIX. How vilely and shamefully the Turks, when in possession
of the city, had treated our sacred things.
From the day on which
the Saracens first got possession of the city of Acre, to that on which
it was restored, was a space of four years. It was restored, as has been
said, on the morrow of St. Benedict. The state of the churches within the
city was not beheld without horror, and it is not without grief that we
relate the unseemly things that had been perpetrated within them. For who
could behold, without tears, the countenances of the holy images of the
crucifixion of the Son of God, and of many saints, defiled or disfigured
in one way or another? Who would not shudder at the horrible sight of altars
overthrown, and crucifixes cast to the earth, and beaten in contempt by
that insulting and impious nation, the Turks, and their own Mahometan rites
exhibited in holy places Ñ all the relics of man's redemption and
the Christian religion effaced, and the corruption of the Mahometan superstition
introduced?
Chapter XX. Of the quarrel between the two kings on account of the Marquis
and King Guy, and of their reconciliation.
After this a great discord
arose between the two kings, on account of the aforesaid marquis whom the
king of France favoured, and to whom he had determined to give his share
of all that fell to his lot, present or future, in the Holy Land. But King
Richard, who compassionated the distress of King Guy, would not consent
to this grant, for he thought that all and every thing belonged to Guy.
On this point the kings were at variance for some time; until, by the mediation
of the chiefs and leaders of the people, they were reconciled, on the condition
that, as the marquis was heir by marriage to the throne, he should have
the government of Tyre, i.e. Tyre, Sidon, and Baruth, with the title
of count, as a recompense for the assistance he had given during the siege,
and that Godfrey of Lusignan should be count of Joppa, i.e.
Joppa
and Askalon, as a recompense for his services, being brother to King Guy.
And if King Guy died first, the marquis should receive his crown, although
he had married in so unlawful a manner the heiress to the throne, as we
have before said; but that if the
marquis and his wife
should happen to die while King Richard was in those parts, it should be
left to him to dispose of the kingdom at his pleasure. On these conditions,
the disputants were one and all pacified.
Chapter XXI. How, after the city was restored, the king of France amidst
the wonder, disapproval, and execrations of all, prepared to return home.
Affairs being in this
position, at the end of the month of July, within which the Turks had promised
to restore the holy cross, and receive back their hostages, a rumour spread
amongst the army, that the king of France, on whom the hope of the people
rested, intended to return home, and was making active preparations for
his journey. Oh how wicked and how insulting a proceeding, while as yet
so much work remained on hand, to wish to go away, when his duty was to
rule so large a multitude of people, and when his presence was so necessary
to encourage the Christians to so pious a work, and to provide for the
progress of so arduous an undertaking! O why did he come so long a way,
with so much toil, if he intended to return almost immediately! O wonderful
performance of his vow, by merely entering the Holy Land, and contending
against the Turks with such small triumph! But why need we say more? The
king of France alleged sickness as the cause of his return; and said that
he had performed his vow as far as he was able; most of all, because he
was well and sound when he took up the cross with King Henry between Trie
and Gisors. But in making this assertion, he produced no one by whose evidence
it could
be confirmed. It must
not be denied, at the same time, that the king of France expended much
labour and money in the Holy Land for the assaulting of the city, and that
he afforded aid and assistance to very many, and that by the influence
of his presence, he procured the more speedy execution and consummation
of so great a work in the capture of the city, as the most powerful of
Christian kings. and of the highest dignity, should have done: whence,
by how much the greater in valour and surpassing in excellence, by so much
the more he was held bound to recover a land so cast down and destitute
of aid, against which the heathen had come to pollute it; for, according
to St. Gregory, when gifts are increased, the reasons for them increase
also, and to whom much is given, of the same much will be required. But
when the inflexible determination of the king of France to return became
known to all, and his refusal to yield to the murmurs of his men, or their
supplications to remain, the French would have renounced their subjection
to him, if it could have been done, and
would have loathed his
dominion; and they imprecated on him every kind of adversity and misfortune
that could fall to the lot of man in this life. But for all that, the king
of France hastened his voyage as much as possible, and left in his stead
the duke of Burgundy, with a large number of men. Moreover, he begged King
Richard to supply him with two galleys, and the king readily gave him two
of his best: how ungrateful he was for this service, was afterwards seen.
Chapter XXII. How the king of France swore to King Richard that he would
observe peace towards his subjects and his territories until the latter
returned home.
King Richard was of
opinion that the king of France should enter into a covenant for the preservation
of their mutual security; for they, like their fathers, regarded each other
with mistrust, under the veil of friendship, which even in the following
generation never expelled fear. King Richard was therefore anxious with
this uneasy feeling, and required an oath from the king of France to keep
his faith not to do injury to his men or territory knowingly or purposely,
while h, King Richard, remained in a foreign land; but if on any occasion
any thing that should appear reprehensible went unpunished, King Richard
on his return should have forty days' notice before the king of France
should proceed to obtain redress. The king of France took the oath which
was required faithfully to observe all these conditions, and gave the duke
of Burgundy and Count Henry as hostages, and five or more others, whose
names are lost. How faithfully he stood to his covenant and oath is very
well known to all the world; for he had no sooner reached his own country,
than he set it in commotion and threw Normandy into confusion. What need
we say more? The king of France, having taken leave, retired from his army
at Acre, and instead of blessings, he received wishes of misfortune and
execrations from all.
Chapter XXIII. How, on the king of France retiring with his hostages
and the Marquis to Tyre, the duke of Burgundy and many others of the French
remained with King Richard.
On St. Peter's day the
king of France embarked and sailed for Tyre, but he left the greater part
of his army with King Richard; and with him he took that infamous marquis
and Caracois and the other hostages that had fallen to his lot; and he
reckoned that he would receive for their ransom a hundred thousand aurei
or more, which would support his army till Easter. But on the term
expiring for ransoming the hostages, the Turks paid no attention to it,
and most of them perished: for it was very evident that they would not
give an egg or a farthing to release them: and by their means nothing at
all was gained, nor any portion of provisions found in the city; which
caused the French to remember the more frequently that they received no
other remuneration from the king of France. On this account there arose
frequent wrangling and murmuring amongst them, until King Richard, at the
request of the duke of Burgundy, lent him, over and above his hostages,
five thousand marks of silver to support his men.
Book IV.
Chapter I. How King Richard bestows gifts on his soldiers, and repairs
the walls of Acre.
King Richard, therefore,
perceiving that the consummation of the business and the progress of affairs,
together with the labour and expense, devolved upon him chiefly, made most
ample largesses of gold and silver to the French and to all the others
of every nation, by means of which they might abundantly recruit themselves
and redeem what they had put in pledge. On the king of France returning
home with haste as aforesaid, King Richard turned his attention to the
repair of the walls to a greater height and perfection than before they
were thrown down; and he himself walked about, exhorting the workmen and
masons, as if his whole intention was to strive for the recovery of God's
inheritance.
Chapter II. How Saladin stood not to his covenant for restoring our
Lord's cross, and paying the money; and neglected his men, who were hostages.
He therefore awaited
the term which had been agreed upon between the Turks and himself as aforesaid,
and turned his attention to the packing up of the petraria¾ and
mangonels for transportation. For when the time had expired which had been
fixed by the Turks for the restoration of the cross and the ransom of the
hostages, after waiting three weeks, according to the conditions, to see
if Saladin would stand to his word and covenant, the king looked upon him
as a transgressor, as Saladin appeared to have no care about it; and perhaps
this was by the dispensation of God, that something more advantageous might
be obtained. But the Saracens asked further time to fulfil their promise
and make search for the cross. Then you might hear the Christians inquiring
for news, and when the cross was coming? but God was unwilling that it
should be restored for those by whom it was promised, but preferred rather
that they should perish. One would exclaim, ÒThe cross is coming!Ó
another, that he had seen it in the Saracen army; but each speaker was
deceived, for Saladin had not taken any steps to restore the cross; nay,
he neglected the hostages who were bound for it, for he hoped, by means
of it, to obtain much more advantageous terms. Meanwhile, he sent constant
presents and messengers to King Richard to gain delay by artful and deceptive
words, though he fulfilled none of his promises, but tried to keep the
kingÕs mind in suspense by crafty and ambiguous messages.
Chapter III. How the king of England sent twice to Tyre, before he could
obtain the hostages of Saladin from the Marquis, and how he himself refused
to return.
In the meantime messages
were sent to Tyre to command the marquis to return to the army, and bring
with him the hostages which had been committed to his charge, in order
to get the ransom for them, --viz., the share of the payment which belonged
to the king of France. With the message were sent the bishop of Salisbury,
Earl Robert, and Peter de Pratellis, a very eminent soldier. To these three
messengers the marquis answered indignantly, that he dared not venture
into King Richard's presence: moreover, he boasted that if the true cross
was ever recovered, he was to receive the half of it for the king of France;
and that until this was accomplished he would not resign the hostages.
On ascertaining the obstinate determination of the marquis, the messengers
tried to prevail upon him with soft speeches, offering to leave one of
themselves as an hostage to secure his safe journey to and from King Richard;
but they did not succeed in persuading him, --nay, he refused with an oath
to come. They therefore returned unsuccessful and empty handed, and excited
the king's anger by telling him the whole matter. At his request the duke
of Burgundy, Drogo dÕAmiens, and Robert de Quincey, were sent on
a second embassy to request the said marquis to come with them to the army,
as his presence seemed necessary to the progress of the business, especially
as he aspired to the kingdom, the acquisition of which he was preventing;
and that he should grant those who were bringing provisions a free passage
from Tyre, for (according to his former conduct) he had hitherto hindered
them; and on their arrival at Tyre, they set forth their zeal in behalf
of King Richard, and urged him to come to their aid in Syria, the dominion
of which he aspired to obtain. But he replied arrogantly, protesting that
he would not come, but would maintain the government of his own city. When
they answered each of his assertions, by contrary arguments, the matter
was with difficulty brought to this point,that the messengers should
take back with them
the Saracen hostages to King Richard; but they could, by no method or persuasion,
prevail on the marquis to turn from his obstinate and wicked intentions.
Chapter IV. How the hostages of Saladin were slain by our men.
When it became clearly
evident to King Richard that a longer period had elapsed than had been
fixed, and that Saladin was obdurate, and would not give himself trouble
to ransom the hostages, he called together a council of the chiefs of the
people, by whom it was resolved that the hostages should all be hanged,
except a few nobles of the higher class, who might ransom themselves, or
be exchanged for some Christian captives. King Richard, aspiring to destroy
the Turks root and branch, and to punish their wanton arrogance, as well
as to abolish the law of Mahomet, and to vindicate the Christian religion,
on the Friday after the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ordered
2,700 of the Turkish hostages to be led forth from the city., and hanged;
his soldiers marched forward with delight to fulfil his commands, and to
retaliate, with the assent of the Divine Grace, by taking revenge upon
those who had destroyed so many of the Christians with missiles from bows
and arbalests.
Chapter V. How King Richard ordered his army to move by land and by
sea towards Ascalon.
When evening approached,
it was proclaimed by mouth of herald, that the army should march on the
morrow, and cross the river of Acre in
the name of the Lord,
--the dispenser of all good things-- in order that they should proceed
to Askalon and conquer the maritime districts. It was
also ordered that the
ships should take on board, for the army, ten days' provisions, viz., biscuits,
meal, meat, and wine, and whatever else appeared necessary. The sailors
were strictly enjoined to keep sailing along shore, with the barges and
smacks, which carried the provisions as well as armed men; and thus the
forces advanced in two divisions, one by sea the other by land; for otherwise
it was not possible to keep possession of the country so completely occupied
by the Turks.
Chapter VI. How many of our chiefs had died in a year and a half at
the siege of Acre.
It must be known, that
during the two winters and one summer, and up to the middle of the autumn,
when the Turks were hanged, as they deserved to be in the sight of God
and man, in return for the destruction of our churches and slaughter of
our men, many of the Christians who were engaged in the siege of Acre at
a great sacrifice had died. The multitude of those who perished in so great
an army appears to exceed computation; but the sum total of the chiefs,
as a certain writer has estimated it, omitting the others which he says
he has no means of reckoning, is as follows: We lost in the army
six archbishops and patriarchs, twelve bishops, forty counts, and
five hundred men of noble rank; also a vast number of priests, clergy,
and others, which cannot be accurately counted.
Chapter VII. How King Richard compelled the French to quit Acre and
how he fixed his own tent outside the city.
After the Turks were
hanged, King Richard, having recovered his health, went out from the city
with all his retinue, and ordered his tents to be pitched in the plain
outside, and compelled all his soldiers, who were not willing, to quit
the city; thus the army took up their quarters on the aforesaid plain,
to be ready for setting out on its March; of the French some be allured
by soft words, others by entreaties, and many by money, to leave the place,
and some be forced out violently. King Richard thereupon appointed a large
number of guards to lodge about his pavilion in their tents and awnings,
for his protection, as the Turks were making constant irruptions, and all
day coming up and rushing out on them unawares, and it was the king's custom
to be the first to go forth to attack and punish them, as far as the divine
favour would allow him.
Chapter VIII. How the count of Hungary and the king's marshal, having
put the Turks to flight who had attacked our men, were captured by them.
It happened one day
that our camp was put into commotion by the Turks, who were attacking our
men, as was their custom, and making a disturbance. Our men immediately
ran to arms, the king and his cavalry went forth, and also the count of
Hungary, and very many Hungarians with him, who, having put the Turks to
flight, pursued them further than they ought to have done: for some of
our men, although they behaved themselves most nobly, were taken captive
on the spot and disgracefully treated. The count of Hungary, a man of tried
valour and renown, was taken prisoner by the Turks and carried off, as
well as a man of Poitou, named Hugh, King Richard's marshal. The king fought
recklessly, careless of his own person, and strove with all his might to
rescue Hugh, his
marshal; but he was
hurried away too rapidly and carried off. Oh how uncertain is the fate
of war! Those who were but now victors are often vanquished, and the vanquished
becomes as suddenly victor; it was fated for those who had put the enemy
to flight to perish themselves, for the pursuers were now captured by the
pursued, and that which was ascribed to their glory now proved their folly,
and the deed of valour became the cause of danger. In short, the Turks
were not loaded with armour like our men; but from their light movements
distressed us so much the more severely, for they were for the most part
unarmed, carrying only a bow, or a mace, bristling with sharp teeth, a
scimitar, a light spear with an iron head, and a dagger suspended lightly;
and when put to flight with greater force, they fled away on horseback
with the utmost rapidity, for they have not their equals for agility throughout
the world; for it is their custom to turn if they see their pursuers stop;
--like the fly, which, if you drive it away, will go, but when you cease,
it will return; as long as you pursue, it
will fly, but it reappears
the moment you desist; so likewise the Turks, when you desist from the
pursuit they will pursue you; if you attack them, they will fly away: so
when the king put them to flight, they fled without stopping; when he was
disposed to return, they threatened from the rear, sometimes not with impunity,
and sometimes to the injury of our men.
Chapter IX. How our army, being abandoned to pleasures, could scarcely
be forced to quit the city and cross the river of Acre, while the Turks
infested them on all sides.
King Richard was resting
in his tents, waiting for the army to come out of the city, but they came
out slowly and peevishly, as if they did it against their will; and the
numbers of the army did not increase, but the city was crowded with an
immense multitude. The whole army, including those who were yet in the
city, was computed at 300,000 men. The people were too much given up to
sloth and luxury, for the city was filled with pleasures, viz. Ñ
the choicest wines and fairest damsels, and the men became dissolute by
indulging in them; so that the city was defiled by the luxury of the sons
of folly and the gluttony of its inhabitants, who made wiser faces blush
at their shamelessness; and, in order to blot out this contamination, it
was ordained by the council that no woman should quit the city or go with
the army, except the washerwomen, on foot, who would not be a burthen to
them, nor an occasion for sin. Therefore, on the
morning of the aforementioned
day, the soldiers armed themselves, and were arranged in becoming order.
The king was in the rear of the army to check the Turks, who threatened
annoyance; but the duty was a slight one. From the time that impious race
saw our army in motion, they poured down from the mountains in scattered
bands, like rushing waters, and dispersed themselves in numbers of twenty
or thirty, to find out the best opportunity of harassing us. For they were
exceedingly grieved at the deaths of their parents and kinsmen, whose slaughtered
bodies they saw strewn about as aforesaid: and they therefore pressed upon
our army continuously, and harassed it as much as they could. But, with
the assistance of the Divine Grace, the Turks succeeded not as they wished;
for our army passed over the river of Acre unhurt, and again pitched their
tents on the other side the stream until on Friday, being the vigil of
St. Bartholomew, they were all assembled together; and on the following
Monday, two years had elapsed since the Christians first laid siege to
Acre.
Chapter X. How our army, departing from the city in battle array, boldly
repulsed the Turks, who attacked them in force: the standard is here described.
On the morrow, therefore,
of St. Bartholomew, being Sunday, the army was drawn up, early in the morning,
to advance along the sea-coast, in the name of the Lord. Oh! what fine
soldiers they were! You might there see a chosen company of virtuous and
brave youth, whose equals it would have been difficult to meet with, bright
armour and pennons, with their glittering emblazonry; banners of various
forms; lances, with gleaming points; shining helmets, and coats of mail:
an army well regulated in the camp, and terrible to the foe! King Richard
commanded the van, and kept the foremost guard. The Normans defended the
standard, which we do not consider it irrelevant here to describe. It was
formed of a long beam, like the mast of a ship; made of most solid ceiled
work, on four wheels; put together with joints, bound with iron, and to
all appearance no sword or axe could cut, or fire injure it. A chosen body
of soldiers were generally appointed to guard it, especially in a combat
on the plains, lest, by any hostile attack, it should be broken or thrown
down; for if it fell by any
accident, the army would
be dispersed and put into confusion. For they are dismayed when it does
not appear, and think that their general must be overcome by faint-heartedness
when they do not see his standard flying; for no people have strength to
resist the enemy if their chief is in alarm from the fall of his standard;
but whilst it remains erect they have a certain refuge. Near it the weak
are strengthened; the wounded soldiers, even those of rank and celebrity,
who fall in the battle, are carried to it, and it is called 'Standard,'
from its standing a most compact signal to the army. It is very properly
drawn on wheels, for it is advanced when the enemy yields, and drawn back
if they press on, according to the state of the battle. It was surrounded
by the Normans and English.
The duke of Burgundy and
the French brought up the rear, and by their tardy movements and long delay
incurred severe loss. The army marched along the sea-shore, which was on
its right, and the Turks watched its movements from the heights on the
left. On a sudden the clouds grew dark, and the sky was troubled, when
the army arrived at some narrow roads impassable for the provision-waggons;
here, owing to the narrowness of the way, the order of march was thrown
into confusion, and they advanced in extended line, and without discipline.
The Saracens, observing this, poured down suddenly on the pack-horses and
loaded waggons, slew both horses and men in a moment, and plundered a great
deal of the baggage, boldly charging and dispersing those who opposed them
as far as the sea-shore. Then there took place a fierce and obstinate conflict:
each fought for his life. Here a Turk cut off the right hand of Everard,
one of the bishop of Salisbury's men, as he held his sword; the man, without
changing countenance in the least, with his left hand boldly took the sword,
and closing with the Turks, who were pressing on him, defended himself
courageously from them all. By this time the rear was put into great confusion,
and John Fitz-Luke, alarmed at this mishap, put spurs to his horse, and
went to tell King Richard, who was ignorant of what had taken place. On
hearing it, he rode at full gallop to their assistance, cutting down the
Turks, right and left, like lightning, with his sword. And quickly, as
of yore the Philistines fled from Maccabeus, so were the Turks now routed,
and so did they fly from the face of King Richard, and make for the mountains;
but some of them remained amongst us, having lost their heads. In that
conflict one of the French, William de Bartis, who had been at variance
with King Richard from some old grudge, by his extraordinary good conduct
was reconciled and restored to the king's former favour. The sultan was
not far off with the whole strength of his army, but owing to the aforesaid
repulse, the Turks, despairing of success, refrained from attacking our
men any more, but watched them from the heights. Our troops, being restored
to order, proceeded on their march as far as a river which they by chance
met with, and cisterns, the excellence of which being ascertained, they
pitched their tents, and rested there on a spacious plain, where they had
seen that Saladin had fixed his camp before, and they
judged that he had a
very large army by the extent of the trodden ground. On the first day there
our army fared thus, and by GodÕs providence they
were warned to be more
cautious, after having experienced how much loss they might escape if properly
on their guard another time.
Chapter XI. How our army arrived at Cayphas from the river of Acre.
Saladin and the Turks,
always on the watch to do us harm, had seized upon some passes between
the rugged mountains, by which our army was to proceed; and they intended
to kill, seize, or disperse us as we issued forth in an extended line;
but when our army had advanced cautiously from the aforesaid river, and
by slow march, as far as Cayphas, they pitched their tents there, and waited
for the mass of the army who were following. They posted themselves between
the town of Cayphas and the sea, and remained there two days, looking into
and arranging their baggage, and they threw away what they thought they
could dispense with, only retaining what was absolutely necessary, for
the common soldiers marched on foot, and were much distressed by the weight
of their baggage and provisions; so that in the aforesaid battle they suffered
much from fatigue and thirst.
Chapter XII. How our army kept along the maritime parts, where they
were wounded by the underwood, and met with wild beasts; and how they left
Cayphas by way of Capernaum, and reached the passes.
On a Wednesday, which
was the third day after stopping at Cayphas, the army moved forward in
order, the Templars leading the van, and the Hospitallers closing the rear,
both of whom by their high bearing gave evidence of great valour. That
day the army moved forward with more than wonted caution, and stopped after
a long march, impeded by the thickets and the tall and luxuriant herbage,
which struck them in the face, especially the foot-soldiers. In these maritime
parts there were also numbers of beasts of the forest, who leapt up between
their feet from the long grass and thick copses, and many were caught,
not by design, but coming in their way by chance. When the king had proceeded
as far as Capernaum, which the Saracens had razed to the ground, he dismounted,
and took some food, the army, meanwhile, waiting; those who chose took
food, and immediately after proceeded on their march to the house called
'of the narrow ways,' because the road there becomes narrow; there they
halted and pitched their tents. It was the custom of the army each night
before lying down to
rest, to depute some one to stand in the middle of the camp, and cry out
with a loud voice, 'Help! help! for the holy sepulchre!'
The rest of the army
took it up, and repeated the words; and stretching their hands to heaven,
amid a profusion of tears, prayed for the mercy and
assistance of God in
the cause. Then the herald himself repeated the words in a loud voice,
'Help! help! for the holy sepulchre!' and every one repeated it after him
a second time, and so likewise a third time, with contrition of heart and
abundant weeping. For who would not weep at such a moment, when the very
mention of its having been done would extract tears from the auditors?
The army appeared to be much refreshed by crying out in this fashion.
Chapter XIII. How the tarrentes [tarantulas] afflicted our people with
their venomous stings.
As each night came round,
a sort of reptile attacked us, commonly called tarrentes, which
creep on the ground, and have most venomous stings. As the day comes on,
they are harmless; but on the approach of night, they used their stings
most pertinaciously, and those they stung were instantly swelled with the
venom, and tortured with pain. The more noble and wealthy of those who
were attacked applied theriacal ointment on the stings, and the antidote
proved efficacious to remove the pain. At last, the more observant, perceiving
that the reptiles were frightened away by loud sounds, raised a great noise
at their approach by beating and clashing their helmets and shields together;
also by beating against their seats, poles, casks, flagons, basins, platters,
caldrons, and whatever household ware they could lay hands on to make a
sufficient sound; and by these sounds they drove away the reptiles. The
army remained two
days at the abovementioned station, where there was plenty of
room for their camp, and waited there until the ships arrived which they
were expecting; namely, barges and galleys, laden with provisions, of which
they were in need; for these vessels were sailing in connection with the
army along the shore, and carried their provisions an board.
Chapter XIV. How our men marched from the house of the narrow ways to
Merla, and thence to C¾sarea and the Dead River. The Turks attacking
them, were defeated.
The army advanced, using
all precaution against the Turks, who kept on their flank, to a town called
Merla, where the king had spent one of the previous nights: there he had
determined that he would lead the van himself the next day, on account
of the obstacles in the way, and because the Templars kept guard in the
rear; for the Turks continually threatened them in a body on the flank.
On that day the king, putting spurs to his horse, charged them furiously,
and would have reaped great glory, had it not been for the backwardness
of some, which retarded his success; for, when King Richard pursued the
Turks to a distance, some of his men suddenly halted, for which they were
rebuked in the evening. If the king's companions had followed up their
pursuit of the Turks, they would have gained a splendid victory; for the
king drove all before him.
The army had a very difficult
march along the sea-shore on account of the great heat; for it was summer
time, and they marched a long day's journey. Many of them, overcome by
the fatigue of the march, dropped down dead, and were buried where they
died; but the king, from compassion, caused many to be transported in galleys
and ships, when they were overcome by the fatigue of the march or sickness,
or any other cause, to their destination. The army, after accomplishing
its march with much difficulty, arrived that day at aesarea. The Turks
had been there before them, and broken down part of the towers and
walls, and destroyed the city as much as possible; but on the approach
of our army they fled. There the army pitched their tents, and passed the
night by the side of a river close to the city, called the river of Crocodiles,
because the crocodiles once devoured two soldiers while bathing therein.
The circuit of the city of Caesarea is very great, and the buildings are
of wonderful workmanship. Our Saviour with his disciples often visited
it, and worked miracles there. It was here the king had charged his ships
to meet the army. Meanwhile the king caused it to be proclaimed by voice
of herald in the city of Acre, that those who had remained behind from
slothfulness should embark on board the ships which he had sent, and come
to the army, for the love of God, and to promote the success of the
Christian cause, and to perform their vow of pilgrimage more fully. In
obedience to his mandate, many came to Caesarea with the fleet, which was
amply laden with provisions; and be arranged that the ships should advance
from that place in attendance on the army. A large number of ships here
came together, and when the king had divided the army into squadrons, they
set out one day about nine o'clock, at a slow pace, on account of the Turks,
who continually harassed them when they left their stations, and, coming
up to them as close as they dared, caused them all the molestation and
annoyance in their power. They troubled us more than usual on this day,
but by the help of God we escaped unhurt, having cut off the head of one
of their admirals, a man of the greatest courage, and renowned for his
valour: he was said to have such strength that no one could throw him from
his horse, or even dare to attack him; and he carried a lance heavier than
two of ours, to which he gave the name of aias estog. The Turks
were overcome with grief and lamentation at his
fall, so that they cut
off their horsesÕ tails, and, had they been permitted, would have
carried off the corpse of their chief. After that the army arrived at a
river called the Dead River, which the Saracens had previously covered
over, in order that, not being seen, our men might endanger their lives
by falling into it; but by the providence of God they were preserved from
danger, and, the river having been uncovered, our men drank thereof, and
passed the night there.
Chapter XV. How on quitting the Dead River, our army, before they arrived
at the Salt River, were much harassed by the Turks, who slew many of our
men, and horses.
On the third day the
army advanced slowly from the Dead River, through a country of a most desolate
character, and destitute of every thing; for they were compelled to march
through a mountainous country, because they were unable to go by the sea-side,
which was choked up by the luxuriant growth of the grass; and the army
on its march kept itself in closer companies than usual. The Templars on
that day had charge of the rear, and they lost so many horses by the attacks
of the Turks that they were almost reduced to despair. The count of St.
Paul also lost many horses; for he himself opposed the Turks with great
valour, when they attacked and made incursions against us; so that by his
exertions the rest got off in safety, and thus he earned the thanks and
favour of the whole army. On that day the king was wounded in the side
by a dart while he was driving the Turks; but this slight hurt only incited
him to attack them more vehemently; for the smarting of the wound made
him more eager for vengeance, and during the whole of the day he fought
against them and drove them back. The Turks, on the other hand, obstinately
annoyed our men, and, keeping by the side of our army, did them all the
injury they could, by throwing darts and arrows, which flew like hail.
Alas! how many horses fell transfixed with darts! how many died afterwards
of the wounds which they received! There was such a stream of darts and
arrows, that you could not find four feet of ground, where the army passed,
free from them. This terrible tempest continued all day, until at night-fall
the Turks returned to their tents and dwellings.
Our people also stopped
near what was called the Salt River, and passed the night there: they arrived
there on the Tuesday after the festival of St. Giles, and tarried there
two days. Here there was a great throng on account of the horses who died
from their wounds; for the people were so eager to purchase the horse-flesh,
that they even had recourse to blows. The king, on hearing this, proclaimed
by herald that he would give a live horse to whoever would distribute his
dead one to the best men in his service who needed it; and thus they ate
horse-flesh as if it was venison, and they reckoned it most savoury, for
hunger served in the place of seasoning.
Chapter XVI. How our army marched from the Salt River, through the forest
of Assur, in safety, to the river Rochetailie.
On the third day, about
nine oÕclock, our army marched in battle array from the Salt River;
for there was a rumour that the Turks were lying in ambush for them in
the forest of Assur, and that they intended to set the wood on fire to
prevent our troops from crossing it. But our men, advancing in order, passed
the place where the ambuscade was said to be, unmolested; and on quitting
the wood, they came to a large plain that ran along it, and there they
pitched their tents, near the river commonly called Rochetailie. Here they
sent spies to reconnoitre, who brought back news that the Turks were awaiting
their approach in countless numbers; for their multitudes covered the whole
face of the earth around, and were estimated at 300,000 men, while the
Christians were only 100,000 strong. The Christian army arrived at the
river Rochetailie on the Thursday before the Nativity of the blessed Virgin
Mary, and tarried there until the morrow.
Chapter XVII. How our army, on advancing from the river Rochetailie
towards Assur, prepared for battle with the Turks, whom they had vowed
to attack on that day with all their might.
On the Saturday, the
eve of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary, at earliest dawn, our men
armed themselves with great care to receive the Turks, who were known to
have preceded their march, and whose insolence nothing but a battle could
check. The enemy had ranged themselves in order, drawing gradually nearer
and nearer; and our men also took the utmost care to place themselves in
as good order as possible. King Richard, who was most experienced in military
affairs, arranged the army in squadrons, and directed who should march
in front, and who in the rear. He divided the army into twelve companies,
and these again into five divisions, marshalled according as the men ranked
in military discipline; and none could be found more warlike, if they had
only had confidence in God, who is the giver of all good things. On that
day, the Templars formed the first rank, and after them came in due order
the
Bretons and men of Anjou; then followed King Guy, with the men of Poictou;
and in the fourth line were the Normans and English, who had the care of
the royal standard; and last of all, marched the Hospitallers: this nine
was composed of chosen warriors, divided into companies. They kept together
so closely, that an apple, if thrown, would not have fallen to the ground,
without touching a man or a horse; and the army stretched from the army
of the Saracens to the sea-shore. There you might have seen their most
appropriate distinctions,standards, and ensigns of various forms, and hardy
soldiers, fresh, and full of spirits, and well fitted for war. There was
the earl of Leicester, Hugh de Gurnay, William de Borriz, Walkin de Ferrars,
Roger de Toony, James d'Avennes, Robert count of Druell, the bishop of
Beauvais, and William des Barres his brother, William de Garlande, Drogo
de Mirle, and many of his kinsmen. Henry count of
Champagne kept guard
on the mountain's side, maintaining a constant look-out on the flank: the
foot-soldiers, bowmen and arbalesters, were on the outside, and the rear
of the army was closed by the pack-horses and waggons, which carried provisions
and other things, and journeyed along between the army and the sea, to
avoid an attack from the enemy. This was the order of the army, as it advanced
gradually, to prevent separation; for the less close the line of battle,
the less effective was it for resistance. King Richard and the duke of
Burgundy, with a chosen retinue of warriors, rode up and down, narrowly
watching the position and manner of the Turks, to correct any thing in
their own troops, if they saw occasion; for they had need, at that moment,
of the utmost circumspection.
Chapter XVIII. How our armies were much harassed by the Turks, who attacked
them incessantly on all sides, and especially in the rear, wounding and
cutting them down; and our men would have yielded under the weight of the
battle in despair, had not the grace of God assisted them, when they were
just on the point of giving way.
It was now nearly nine
o'clock, when there appeared a large body of the Turks, 10,000 strong,
coming down upon us at full charge, and throwing darts and arrows, as fast
as they could, while they mingled their voices in one horrible yell. There
followed after them an infernal race of men, of black colour, and bearing
a suitable appellation, expressive of their blackness. With them also were
the Saracens, who live in the desert, called Bedouins: they are a savage
race of men, blacker than soot; they fight on foot, and carry a bow, quiver,
and round shield, and are a light and active race. These men dauntlessly
attacked our army. Beyond them might be seen the well-arranged phalanxes
of the Turks, with ensigns fixed to their lances, and standards and banners
of separate distinctions. Their army was divided into troops, and the troops
into companies; and their numbers seemed to exceed twenty thousand. They
came on with irresistible charge, on horses swifter than eagles, and urged
on like lightning to attack our men; and as they advanced, they raised
a cloud of dust, so that the sky was darkened. In front came certain of
their admirals, as it was their duty, with clarions and trumpets; some
had horns, others had pipes and timbrels,
tongs, cymbals, and
other instruments, producing a horrible noise and clamour. The earth vibrated
from the loud and discordant sounds, so that the crash of thunder could
not be heard amidst the tumultuous noise of horns and trumpets. They did
this to excite their spirit and courage, for the more violent the clamour
became, the more bold were they for the fray.
Thus the impious Turks
threatened us both on the side towards the sea and from the side of the
land; and for the space of two miles, not so much earth as could be taken
up in oneÕs hand could be seen, on account of the hostile Turks
who covered it. Oh! how obstinately they pressed on, and continued their
stubborn attacks, so that our men suffered severe loss of their horses,
which were killed by their darts and arrows! Oh! how useful to us on that
day were our arbalesters and bowmen, who closed the extremities of the
lines, and did their best to repel the obstinate Turks. The enemy came
rushing down, like a torrent, to the attack; and many of our arbalesters,
unable to sustain the weight of their terrible and calamitous charge, threw
away their arms, and fearing lest they should be shut out, took refuge,
In crowds, behind the dense lines of the army; yielding, through fear of
death, to sufferings which they could not support. Those whom shame forbade
to yield, or the hope of an immortal crown sustained, were animated with
greater boldness and courage to persevere in the contest, and fought with
indefatigable valour face to face against the Turks, whilst they at the
same time receded step by step, and so secured their retreat. The whole
of that day, on account of the Turks pressing them closely from behind,
they faced about and went on skirmishing, rather than proceeding on their
march. Oh! how great was the strait they were in on that day! how great
was their tribulation! when some were affected with fears, and no one had
such confidence or spirit as not to wish, at that moment, he had finished
his pilgrimage, and had returned home instead of standing with trembling
heart the chances of a doubtful battle. In truth, our people, so few in
number, were hemmed in by the multitudes of the Saracens, that they had
no means of escape, if they tried; neither did they seem to have valour
sufficient to withstand so many foes, --nay, they were shut in, like a
flock of sheep in the jaws of wolves, with nothing but the sky above, and
the enemy all around them. O Lord God! what feelings agitated that weak
flock of Christ! straitened by such a perplexity; whom the enemy pressed
with such unabating vigour, as if they would pass them through a sieve.
What army was ever assailed
by so mighty a force? There you might have seen our troopers, having lost
their chargers, marching on foot with the footmen, or casting missiles
from arbalests, or arrows from bows, against the enemy, and repelling their
attacks in the best manner they were able. The Turks, skilled in the bow,
pressed unceasingly upon them: it rained darts; the air was filled with
the shower of arrows, and the brightness of the sun was obscured by the
multitude of missiles, as if it had been darkened by a fall of winter's
hail or snow. Our horses were pierced by the darts and arrows, which were
so numerous that the whole face of the earth around was covered with them,
and if any one wished to gather them up, he might take twenty of them in
his hand at a time. The Turks pressed with such boldness that they nearly
crushed the Hospitallers; on which the latter sent word to King Richard
that they could not sustain the violence of the enemyÕs attack,
unless he would allow their knights to advance at full charge against them.
This the king dissuaded them from doing, but advised them to keep in a
close body; they therefore persevered and kept together, though scarcely
able to breathe for the pressure.
By these means they were
able to proceed on their way, though the heat happened to be very great
on that day; so that they laboured under two disadvantages,--the hot weather
and the attacks of the enemy. These approved martyrs of Christ sweated
in the contest; and he who could have seen them closed up in a narrow space,
so patient under the heat and toil of the day and the attacks of the enemy,
who exhorted each other to destroy the Christians,
could not doubt in his
mind that it augured ill to our success from their straitened and perilous
position, hemmed in, as they were, by so large a multitude; for the enemy
thundered at their backs as if with mallets, so that having no room to
use their bows, they fought hand to hand with swords, lances, and clubs;
and the blows of the Turks, echoing from their metal armour, resounded
as if they had been struck upon an anvil. They were now tormented with
the heat, and no rest was allowed them. The battle fell heavily on the
extreme line of the Hospitallers; the more so, as they were unable to resist,
but moved forward with patience under their wounds, returning not even
a word for the blows which fell upon them, and advancing on their way,
because they were not able to bear the weight of the contest. Then they
pressed on for safety upon the centre of the army which was in front of
them, to avoid the fury of the enemy, who harassed them in the rear.
Was it wonderful that
no one could withstand so continuous an attack, when he could not even
return one blow to the
numbers who pressed
on him? The strength of all Paganism had gathered together from Damascus
and Persia, from the Mediterranean to the East;
there was not left in
the uttermost recesses of the earth one man of fame or power, one nation
of valour, or one bold soldier, whom the Sultan had not
summoned to his aid,
either by entreaty, by money, or by authority, to crush the Christian race;
for he presumed to hope he could blot them from the face of the earth;
but his hopes were vain, for their numbers were sufficient, through the
assistance of God, to effect their purpose. The flower of the chosen youth
and soldiers of Christendom had indeed assembled together and were united
in one body, like ears of corn on their stalks, from every region of the
earth; and if they had been utterly crushed and destroyed, there is no
doubt that there were none left to make resistance.
Chapter XIX. The battle continued, and the wonderful victory of the
Christians.
A cloud of dust obscured
the air as our men marched on and, in addition to the beat, they had an
enemy pressing them in the rear, insolent, and rendered obstinate by the
instigation of the devil. Still the Christians proved good men, and, secure
in their unconquerable spirit, kept constantly advancing, while the Turks
threatened them without ceasing in the rear; but their blows fell harmless
upon the defensive armour, and this caused the Turks to slacken in courage
at the failure of their attempts, and they began to murmur in whispers
of disappointment, crying out in their rage, "that our people were of iron,
and would yield to no blow." Then the Turks, about twenty thousand strong,
rushed again upon our men pell mell, annoying them in every possible manner;
when, as if almost overcome by their savage fury, brother Garnier
de Napes, one of the Hospitallers, suddenly exclaimed, with a loud voice,
"O excellent St. George! will you leave us to be thus put to confusion?
The whole of Christendom is now on the point of perishing, because it fears
to return a blow against this impious race."
Upon this, the master
of the Hospitallers went to the king, and said to him, "My lord the king,
we are violently pressed by the enemy, and are in danger of eternal infamy,
as if we did not dare to return their blows; we are each of us losing our
horses one after another, and why should we bear with them any further?"
To whom the king replied, "Good master, it is you who must sustain their
attack; no one can be everywhere at once." On the master returning, the
Turks again made a fierce attack on them from the rear, and there was not
a prince or count amongst them but blushed with shame, and they said to
each other, 'Why do we not charge them at full gallop? Alas! alas! we shall
forever deserve to be called cowards, a thing which never happened to us
before,
for never has such a
disgrace befallen so great an army even from the unbelievers. Unless we
defend ourselves by immediately charging the enemy, we shall gain everlasting
scandal, and so much the greater the longer we delay to fight." O, how
blind is human fate! On what slippery points it stands! Alas, on how uncertain
wheels doth it advance, and with what ambiguous success doth it unfold
the course of human things! A countless multitude of the Turks would have
perished, if the aforesaid attempt had been orderly conducted; but to punish
us for our sins, as it is believed, the potter's wheel produces a paltry
vessel instead of the grand design which he had conceived. For while they
were treating of this point, and had come to the same decision about charging
the enemy, two knights, who were impatient of delay, put every thing in
confusion. It had been resolved by common consent that the sounding of
six trumpets in three
different parts of the
army should be a signal for a charge, viz., two in front, two in the rear,
and two in the middle, to distinguish the sounds from those of the Saracens,
and to mark the distance of each. If these orders had been attended to,
the Turks would have been utterly discomfited; but from the too great haste
of the aforesaid knights, the success of the affair was marred. They rushed
at full gallop upon the Turks, and each of them prostrated his man by piercing
him with his lance. One of them was the marshal of the Hospitallers, the
other was Baldwin de Carreo, a good and brave man, and the companion of
King Richard, who had brought him in his retinue. When the other Christians
observed these two rushing forward, and heard them calling, with a clear
voice, on St. George for aid, they charged the Turks in a body with all
their strength; then the Hospitallers, who had been distressed all day
by their close array,
following the two soldiers,
charged the enemy in troops, so that the van of the army became the rear
from their position in the attack, and the Hospitallers, who had been the
last, were the first to charge. The count of Champagne also burst forward
with his chosen company, and James d'Avennes with his kinsmen, and also
Robert count of Dreux, the bishop of Beauvais, and his brother, as well
as the earl of Leicester, who made a fierce charge on the left towards
the sea. Why need we name each? Those who were in the first line of the
rear made a united and furious charge; after them the men of Poictou, the
Bretons, and the men of Anjou, rushed swiftly onward, and then came the
rest of the army in a body: each troop shewed its valour, and boldly closed
with the Turks, transfixing them with their lances, and casting them to
the ground. The sky grew black with the dust which was raised in the confusion
of that encounter.
The Turks, who had purposely
dismounted from their horses in order to take better aim at our men with
their darts and arrows, were slain on all sides in that charge, for on
being prostrated by the horse-soldiers they were beheaded by the foot-men.
King Richard, on seeing his army in motion and in encounter
with the Turks, flew
rapidly on his horse at full speed through the Hospitallers who had led
the charge, and to whom he was bringing assistance with all his retinue,and
broke into the Turkish infantry, who were astonished at his blows and those
of his men, and gave way to the right and to the left. Then might be seen
numbers prostrated on the ground, horses without their riders in crowds,
the wounded lamenting with groans their hard fate, and others drawing their
last breath, weltering in their gore, and many lay headless, whilst their
lifeless forms were trodden under foot both by friend and foe. Oh how different
are the
speculations of those
who meditate amidst the columns of the cloister from the fearful exercise
of war! There the king, the fierce, the extraordinary
king, cut down the Turks
in every direction, and none could escape the force of his arm, for wherever
he turned, brandishing his sword, he carved
a wide path for himself:
and as he advanced and gave repeated strokes with his sword, cutting them
down like a reaper with his sickle, the rest, warned by the sight of the
dying, gave him more ample space, for the corpses of the dead Turks which
lay on the face of the earth extended over half a mile. In fine, the Turks
were cut down, the saddles emptied of their riders, and the dust which
was raised by the conflict of the combatants, proved very hurtful to our
men, for on becoming fatigued from slaying so many, when they were retiring
to take fresh air,they could not recognize each other on account of the
thick dust, and struck their blows indiscriminately to the right and to
the left; so that, unable to distinguish friend from foe, they took their
own men for enemies, and cut them down without mercy.
Thus the Christians pressed
hard upon the Turks, the latter gave way before them: but for a long time
the battle was doubtful; they still exchanged blows, and either party strove
for the victory: on both sides were seen some retreating, covered with
wounds, while others fell slain to the ground. Oh, how many banners and
standards of various forms,and pennons and many-coloured ensigns, might
then be seen torn and fallen to the earth; swords of proved steel, and
latices made of cane with iron heads, Turkish bows, and maces bristling
with sharp teeth, darts and arrows, covering the ground, and missiles enough
to load twenty waggons or more! There lay the headless trunks of the Turks
who had perished, whilst others retained their courage for a time until
our men increased in strength, when some of them concealed themselves in
the copses, some climbed up trees, and, being shot with arrows, fell with
fearful groan to the earth; others, abandoning their horses, betook themselves
by slippery foot-paths to the seaside, and tumbled headlong into the waves
from the precipitous cliffs that were five poles in height. The rest of
the enemy were repulsed in so wonderful a manner, that for the space of
two miles nothing could be seen but fugitives, although they had before
been so obstinate and fierce, and puffed up with pride: but by God's grace
their pride was humbled, and they continued still to fly; for when our
men ceased the pursuit, fear alone added wings to their feet.
Our army had been ranged
in divisions when they attacked the Turks; the Normans and English also,
who had the care of the standard, came up slowly towards the troops which
were fighting with the Turks, --for it was very difficult to disperse the
enemy's strength, and they stopped at a short distance therefrom,
that all might have a rallying point. On the conclusion of the slaughter,
our men paused; but the fugitives, to the number of twenty thousand, when
they saw this, immediately recovering their courage, and armed with maces,
charged the hindmost of those who were retiring, and rescued some from
our men who had just struck them down. Oh, how dreadfully were our men
then pressed! for the darts and arrows, thrown at them as they were falling
back, broke the heads, arms, and other limbs of our horsemen, so that they
bent, stunned, to their saddle-bows; but having quickly regained their
spirits and resumed their strength, and thirsting for vengeance with greater
eagerness, like a lioness when her whelps are stolen, they charged the
enemy, and broke through them like a net. Then you might have seen the
horses with their saddles displaced; and the Turks, who had but just now
fled, returning, and pressing upon our people with the utmost fury; every
cast of their darts would have told, had our men kept marching, and not
stood still in a compact immovable body. The commander of the Turks was
an admiral, by name Tekedmus, a kinsman of the sultan, having a banner
with a remarkable device; namely, that of a pair of breeches carved thereon,
a symbol well known to his men. He was a most cruel persecutor, and a persevering
enemy of the Christians; and he had under his command seven hundred chosen
Turks of great valour, of the household troops of Saladin, each of whose
companies bore a yellow banner with pennons of a different colour. These
men, coming at full charge, with clamour and haughty bearing, attacked
our men who were turning off from them towards the standard, cutting at
them, and piercing them severely, so that even the firmness of our chiefs
wavered under the weight of the pressure; yet our men remained immovable,
compelled to repel force by force, and the conflict grew thicker, the blows
were redoubled, and the battle raged fiercer than before: the one side
laboured to crush, the other to repel; both exerted their strength, and
although our men were by far the fewest in numbers, they made havoc of
great multitudes of the enemy; and that portion of the army which thus
toiled in the battle could not return to the standard with ease, on account
of the immense mass which pressed upon them so severely; for thus hemmed
in they began to flag in courage, and but few dared to renew the attack
of the enemy.
In truth, the Turks were
furious in the assault, and greatly distressed our men, whose blood poured
forth in a stream beneath their blows. On perceiving them reel and give
way, William de Barris, a renowned knight, breaking through the ranks,
charged the Turks with his men; and such was the vigour of the onset that
some fell by the edge of his sword, while others only saved themselves
by rapid flight. For all that, the king, mounted on a bay Cyprian steed,
which had not its match, bounded forward in the direction of the mountains,
and scattered those he met on all sides; for the enemy fled from his sword
and gave way, while helmets tottered beneath it, and sparks flew forth
from its strokes. So great was the fury of his onset, and so many and deadly
his blows, that day, in his conflict with the Turks, that in a short space
of time the enemy were all scattered, and allowed our army to proceed;
and thus our men, having suffered somewhat, at last returned to the standard,
and proceeded in their march as far as Arsur, and there they pitched their
tents outside its walls. While they were thus engaged, a large body of
the Turks made an attack on the extreme rear of our army. On hearing the
noise of the assailants, King Richard, encouraging his men to battle, rushed
at full speed, with only fifteen companions, against the Turks, crying
out, with a loud voice,"Aid us, O God! and the Holy Sepulchre!" and this
he exclaimed a second and a third time; and when our men heard it, they
made haste to follow him, and attacked, routed, and put them to flight;
pursuing them as far as Arsur, whence they had first come out, cutting
them down and subduing them. Many of the Turks fell there also. The king
returned thence, from
the slaughter of the fugitives, to his camp; and the men, overcome with
the fatigues and exertions of the day, rested quietly that night. Whoever
was greedy of gain, and wished to plunder the booty, returned to the place
of battle, and loaded himself to his heart's desire; and those who returned
from thence reported that they had counted thirty-two Turkish chiefs who
were found slain on that day, and whom they supposed to be men of great
influence and power, from the splendour of their armour and the costliness
of their apparel. The Turks also made search for them to carry them away,
as being of the most importance; and besides these the Turks carried off
seven thousand mangled bodies of those who were next in rank, besides of
the wounded, who went off in straggling parties; and when their strength
failed, lay about the fields and died. But by the protection of God we
did not lose a tenth, nor a hundredth part so many as fell in the Turkish
army. Oh the disasters of that day! Oh the trials of the warriors! for
the tribulations of the just are many. Oh mournful calamity and bitter
distress! How great must have been the blackness of our sins to require
so fiery an ordeal to purify it! for if we had striven to overcome this
urgent necessity by pious long-suffering, and without a murmur, the sense
of our obligations would have been deeper.
Chapter XX. How the admirable knight James dÕAvennes was slain
in the second encounter.
But we had to mourn
greatly the loss of James d'Avennes, who was overpowered by the numbers
of the Turks; for he was thrown by a
grievous fall of his
horse, while bravely fighting; and the Turks, gathering round him, after
much labour, put him to death. But before breathing his
last, he slew fifteen
of the Turks, according to the report of those who were sent to bring his
body to the camp, and who found so many Turkish
soldiers lying dead
around him. There were also found dead along with him three of his kinsmen,
to whom some of our men did not give the. assistance which they ought;
but, shame to say, deserted them in their struggle against the attack of
the Turks, on which account the count of Dreux and others who were present
obtained the infamy and detestation which they deserved. Alas for the manifold
calamities of war! How loud were the groans and sighs of our soldiers on
that night for the absence of James d'Avennes, the excellent soldier and
renowned warrior! for they augured his fall, as they did not see him and
his kinsmen with the rest, and the whole army was afflicted by his irreparable
loss. On the Saturday before the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
aforesaid battle was fought; and on the Sunday following, it was decreed
that a search should be made for the body, in order that it might be buried.
Therefore, the Hospitallers and knights of the Temple armed themselves,
and took with them many of the Turcopoli and others, and, on arriving on
the field of battle, they made anxious search, and at last found the body,
its face covered with clotted blood, so that it was difficult of recognition
until it was washed with water, for it was dyed in gore and swollen with
wounds, and very unlike his former self. Thus, having decently wrapped
up the body, they bore it back to Arsur, whence a great multitude of the
soldiers came forth to meet it; and all lamented the death of so great
a man, for they called to mind his prowess, bounty, and the many virtues
that adorned him, and King Richard and King Guy assisted at his funeral,
where a solemn mass was celebrated, with large offerings, in the church
of our Lady the Queen of Heaven, whose nativity it was. After the mass,
the funeral rites were solemnly performed, and the nobles, taking his body
in their arms, buried it in a grave, erecting a mound thereon; and there
was great wailing, weeping, and lamentation for his death. When the obsequies
were ended, the clergy solemnly performed the service for the day, being
that of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Chapter XXI. Of the rout of the Turks, who first turned their backs
and then fled, and how they left all their baggage about the fields a prey
to the Christians.
Now the emirs and nobles
of the Saracens, to whom Saladin had given great territories and riches,
had been induced, by his deceitful words and high-flown language, to believe,
that on that day, with the aid of Mahomet, he would utterly extirpate the
Christians; but the oracle of Mahomet deceived them, and their insolent
boasting was repressed. For according to the report of those who saw it,
you might trace the flight of the Turks through the mountains, on the day
of battle, by the booty that was thrown aside, the dead horses and camels
lying along the way, as they had fallen, and laden with heavy baggage;
for the Turkish bowmen had fled from the face of the Christians, and retreated
with all that was left them; and on the day of battle, the more anxiously
they hastened their
flight, the more surely
they failed, and perished, leaving behind them an immense quantity of spoil.
Such was the vigour of our men's last attack, that if the enemy had remained
a little longer, and had not taken to flight, they would never again have
been in fighting order, and the land would have been left for the Christians
to occupy.
Chapter XXII. Saladin reproaches and derides his men, who excuse themselves
by praising King Richard and his troops, beyond all they had ever seen.
The sultan, hearing
that his choice troops, in whom he had placed so much confidence, were
routed in this manner by the Christians, was filled
with anger and excitement;
and calling together his admirals, he said to them, "Are these the deeds
of my brave troops, once so boastful, and whom I have so loaded with gifts?
Lo! the Christians traverse the whole country at their pleasure, for there
is no one to oppose them: Where now are all their vaunts, those swords
and spears with which they threatened to do such execution? where is that
prowess which they promised to put forth against the Christians, to overthrow
them utterly? They have fought the battle which they desired, but where
is the victory they promised? They are degenerated from those noble ancestors
who performed such exploits against the Christians, and whose memory will
endure for ever. It is a disgrace to our nation, the most warlike in the
world, thus to become as nothing in comparison with their glorious ancestors."
The admirals held down
their heads at these words; but one of them, named Sanscuns, of Aleppo,
returned this answer: "Most sacred Sultan, saving your majesty, this charge
is unjust, for we fought with all our strength against the Franks, and
did our best to destroy them: we met their fiercest attacks, but it was
of no avail; they are armed in impenetrable armour which no weapon can
pierce, so that all our blows fell as it were upon a rock of flint. And,
further,
there is one among their
number superior to any man we have ever seen: he always charges before
the rest, slaying and destroying our men: he is the
first in every enterprise,
and is a most brave and excellent soldier; no one can resist him or escape
out of his hands: they call him Melech Ric.Such a
king as he seems born
to command the whole earth: what then could we do more against so formidable,
an enemy?"
Chapter XXIII. How Saladin destroyed all the fortresses except Jerusalem,
Crach, and Darum.
Saladin, in the heat
of his indignation, called to him his brother Saphadin. "It is my wish,"
said he, "to try what reliance can be placed on my men in this extremity:
go and destroy without delay the walls of Ascalon and Guadres, but deliver
Darum into the custody of my people, to insure safety to those who pass
that way. But destroy also Galatia, Blancheward, Joppa, the castles of
Plans, Maen, St. George, Ramula, Belmont, Toron, the castle of Ernald,
Beauverie, and Mirabel: destroy, in short, all the mountain fortresses;
spare neither city, castle, nor fort, except Crach and Jerusalem." Saphadin
obeyed these commands, and destroyed all these fortresses without delay
Chapter XXIV. The Turks with 15,000 men attack our men on the river
Arsur, but without success.
Meanwhile, a powerful
Saracen prince, named Caysac, urged Saladin to send scouts into the plains
of Ramula to reconnoitre the movements of the Franks. "For I hope, ' added
he, "if I have stanch troops, to be able to cut off the greater part of
them, and to draw them into the narrow passes, that few of them shall be
able to escape us." By his advice, Saladin ordered thirty of his principal
admirals, each at the head of five hundred men, to occupy the banks of
the river Arsur. Here, therefore, they kept guard, to prevent the Franks
from passing. On Monday, the morrow of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin,
and the third day after the battle before mentioned, King Richard marched
with his army to the Arsur. The Templars were in the rear, and marched
with much order and circumspection, to guard against sudden attacks of
the enemy; but they reached the river without opposition. The Turks now,
having kept close in their ambuscade, when the Christians came up, assailed
the foremost of them with their javelins and arrows, but failing of success,
retreated, and our men encamped that night on the Arsur. In the morning
our infantry, who could hardly maintain the march, advanced with the quarter-masters
to Joppa, which
they found so entirely
dismantled, that the army could not find lodgings in it. They therefore
encamped in an olive-garden on the left side of the town, about three weeks
after they left Acre.
Chapter XXV. How our ships brought us provisions from Acre to Joppa.
The army remained outside
the walls of Joppa, and refreshed themselves with abundance of fruits,
figs, grapes, pomegranates, and
citrons, produced by
the country round: when lo! the fleet of King Richard, with other vessels,
which accompanied the army and went to and fro
between Joppa and Acre,
brought us necessaries, much to the annoyance of the Turks, because they
could not prevent them.