volume one

866 nisTOEY OF the crusades.
attacks of the Crusaders. !N"otliing could, however, damp
the braverv and ardour of the Christian army, which penetrated
on several sides into the gardens. From the heights
of the little towers, from the interior of the wall enclosures,
and from the bosoms of the bushv trees, clouds of arrows
and javelins were showered upon them. Every step taken
by the Christians in these covered places was marked by a
combat in which they could scarcely see their enemy. The
infidels, however, attacked without intermission, were, in the
end, obHged to abandon the positions they had occupied and
fortified. The king of Jerusalem marched first at the head
of his army and the knights of St. Jolni and of the Temple
after the Christians of the East, advanced the Erench Crusaders,
commanded by Louis YII. ; whilst the emperor of
Grermany, who had got together the poor remains of his
army, formed the body of reserve, to protect the besiegers
from the surprises of the enemy.
The king of Jerusalem pursued the Mussulmans with
ardour ; his soldiers rushing vrith. him into the midst of the
enemy's ranks, comparing their leader to David, who, according
to Josephus, had conquered a king of Damascus. The
Saracens, after an obstinate resistance, united on the banks
of the river which flows under its walls, to drive away with
arrows and stones the crowd of Christians brought thither
bv faticrue and heat. The warriors commanded bv Baldwin
endeavoured several times to break through the army of the
Mussulmans, but always met with an invincible resistance.
It was then the emperor of Germany signahzed his bravery
by a deed of arms worthy of the heroes of the first crusade.
Followed by a small number of his people, he passed through
the Erench army, whom the difficulties of the situation
almost prevented from fighting, and took his place in the
vanguai'd of the Crusaders. Nothing could resist the impetuosity
of his attack, all who opposed him falling beneath
his arm ;
when a Saracen of gigantic stature, and completely
clothed in armour, advanced to meet him, and defy him to
the combat. The emperor at once accepted the challenge,
and flew to meet the Mussulman warrior. At the sight of
this singular combat, the two armies remained motionless,
waiting in fear, till one of the champions had defeated the
other, to re-commence the battle. The Saracen warrior was
;