volume one

HI5T0EY or THE CEUSADES. 321
he tad not a gtifficient number of troops to meet tte Turks.
The old warrior, who had never acknowledged the existence
of obstacles, was determined before he died to leave an example
to his son, and caused himself to be borne in a litttr at
the head of his soldiers. As they approached the besieged
citj, he was informed that the Turks had retired, whereupon
he ordered his litter to stop, raised his eves towards heaven
as if to return thanks for the flight of the Saracens, and
expired surrounded by his faithful warriors.
His mortal remains were transported to Edessa, the inhabitants
of which citT came out to meet and join the funeral
procession, which presented a most affecting spectacle. Here
were to be seen the mourning soldiers baring the coffin of
their chief; and there a whole people lamenting the loss of
their support and defender, and celebrating the last victory
of a Christian hero.
Old Josselin died deploring the fate of Edessa, about to
be governed by a weak and pusillanimous prince : for from
his childhood the son of Courtenay had been addicted to
drunkenness and debaucherv. In an asre and a countrv in
which these vices were sufficiently common, the excesses of
young Josselin had frequently scandalized the Christian
"w^uriors. As soon as he was master, he quitted the citv of
Edessa, to take up his abode at TurbesseL a delicious retreat
on the banks of the Euphrates. There, entirelv abandoned
to his vicious inclinations, he neglected the pav of his troops
and the fortifications of his forts, equally heedless of the
cares of government and the menaces of the Saracens.
Zengui had been for a length of time watching for a
favourable opportunity of surprising the citv of Edessa ; as
this conquest would not only flatter his pride and ambition,
but would render him dearer to all the disciples of Mahomet.
In order to retain Josselin in his £incied securitv, the prince
of Mossoul feigned to make war against the Saracens ; but
at the moment he was supposed to be most busiiv engaged
in an attack upon several Mussulman castles in the east of
Mesopotamia, he appeared at the head of a formidable army
before the walls of Edessa.* A great number of Cnrds and
* Kemaleddin, an Arabian historian, and William of Tyre agree as to
the priadpal drcamsianoes oi tlus sieige.