volume one
volume one volume one
104 niSTOET OF THE CEUSJJ^ES. tlieir valorous efforts, and the besieged "began to offer a less animated resistance. As the Saracens received provisions and reinforcements bv the Lake Ascanius, it was resolved to cut off this last resource. A large number of boats, furnished bv the Greeks, were transported bj land, and launched into the water in the night-time. AVhen day appeared, the lake was covered with barks, each bearing the flags were displayed, and floated over fifty combatants ; the waters, and the lake and its shores resounded with the various war-cries and the noise of the trumpets and drums. At this sight the besieged were struck vrith. surprise and terror ; and the Christians renewed theii' attacks with greater success. The soldiers of Eavmond had undermined the * foundations of one of the principal towers of Nice. This tower sank down in the middle of the night, and its fall was accompanied by so frightful a noise, that both the Christians and the ^Mussulmans were aroused from their sleep, and believed that an earthquake had taken place. On the followino: dav the wife of the sultan, with two infant children, endeavoured to escape by the lake, and fell into the hands of the Christians. AVhen the news of this reached the city, it greatly increased the general consternation. After a siege of seven weeks, the Mussulmans had lost all hopes of defending Xice, and the Christians were expecting every day to be able to take it by assault, when the policy of Alexius intervened to deprive their arms of the honour of a complete conquest^ This prince, who has been compared to the bird who seeks his food in the tracks of the lion, had advanced as far as Pelecania. He had sent to the army of the Crusaders a weak detachment of Greek troops, and two generals intrusted with his confidence, less for the purpose of fighting than to negotiate, and seize an opportunity to get possession of !Xice bv stratao^em. One of these ofilcers. named Butumitus, ha\'ing got into the city, created in the inhabitants a dread of the inexorable vengeance of the Latins, and advised them to surrender to the emperor of Constantinople. His propositions were listened to, and when the Crusaders were preparing to begin a last assault, the standards of Alexius all at once appeared upon the ramparts and towers of Nice
UTSTOllY or THE CRUSADES. 105 This sight created the most lively surprise in the Christian army. The greater part of the leaders could not restrain their indignation, and the soldiers who were preparing for the assault returned to their tents trembling with rage. Their fury was increased when they found they were prohibited from entering more than ten at a time into a city which they had conquered at the price of their blood, and which contained riches which had been promised to them. In vain the Greeks alleged the treaties made with Alexius, and the services they had rendered the Latins during the siege ; the murmurs were never silenced for a moment, except by the largesses of the emperor. This prince received the greater part of the chiefs at Pelecania, where he duly praised their bravery and loaded them with presents. After having taken possession of Nice, he gained a new victory, perhaps not less flattering to his vanity ; he at length triumphed over the pride of Tancred, who took the oath of fidelity and obedience to him. JSTever- theless, he did not stifle the suspicions they had conceived of his perfidy. The liberty to which he restored the wife and children of the sultan, and the kind manner in w^hich he treated the Turkish prisoners, gave the Latins good reason to believe that he sought to conciliate the enemies of the Christians. Nothing more was necessary to renew former hatreds, and from this period war was almost declared between the Greeks and the Crusaders. A year had passed away since the Crusaders had quitted the West. After having reposed some time in the neighbourhood of Nice, they prepared to set forward on their march towards Syria and Palestine. The provinces of Asia Minor Avhich they were about to cross were still occupied by the Turks, who were animated by fanaticism and despair, and who formed less a nation than an army, always ready to fight and to pass from one place to another. In a country so long ravaged by war, the roads were scarcely to be seen, and all communication between cities was stopped. In the mountains, defiles, torrents, precipices, must constantly create impediments to the march of a numerous army ; in the plains, mostly uncultivated and barren, famine, the want of water, the burning heat of the climate, were inevitable evils. The Crusaders fancied they had conquered all their
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UTSTOllY or THE CRUSADES. 105<br />
This sight created the most lively surprise in the Christian<br />
army. The greater part of the leaders could not restrain<br />
their indignation, and the soldiers who were preparing for<br />
the assault returned to their tents trembling with rage.<br />
Their fury was increased when they found they were prohibited<br />
from entering more than ten at a time into a city<br />
which they had conquered at the price of their blood, and<br />
which contained riches which had been promised to them.<br />
In vain the Greeks alleged the treaties made with Alexius,<br />
and the services they had rendered the Latins during the<br />
siege ; the murmurs were never silenced for a moment,<br />
except by the largesses of the emperor.<br />
This prince received the greater part of the chiefs at<br />
Pelecania, where he duly praised their bravery and loaded<br />
them with presents. After having taken possession of Nice,<br />
he gained a new victory, perhaps not less flattering to his<br />
vanity ; he at length triumphed over the pride of Tancred,<br />
who took the oath of fidelity and obedience to him. JSTever-<br />
theless, he did not stifle the suspicions they had conceived of<br />
his perfidy. The liberty to which he restored the wife and<br />
children of the sultan, and the kind manner in w^hich he<br />
treated the Turkish pris<strong>one</strong>rs, gave the Latins good reason<br />
to believe that he sought to conciliate the enemies of the<br />
Christians. Nothing more was necessary to renew former<br />
hatreds, and from this period war was almost declared<br />
between the Greeks and the Crusaders.<br />
A year had passed away since the Crusaders had quitted<br />
the West. After having reposed some time in the neighbourhood<br />
of Nice, they prepared to set forward on their<br />
march towards Syria and Palestine. The provinces of Asia<br />
Minor Avhich they were about to cross were still occupied by<br />
the Turks, who were animated by fanaticism and despair,<br />
and who formed less a nation than an army, always ready to<br />
fight and to pass from <strong>one</strong> place to another. In a country<br />
so long ravaged by war, the roads were scarcely to be seen,<br />
and all communication between cities was stopped. In the<br />
mountains, defiles, torrents, precipices, must constantly<br />
create impediments to the march of a numerous army ; in<br />
the plains, mostly uncultivated and barren, famine, the want<br />
of water, the burning heat of the climate, were inevitable<br />
evils. The Crusaders fancied they had conquered all their
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