volume one
volume one volume one
452 HISTORY or tue crusades. to demand a capitulation of Saladin ; but his presence revived the courage of the besieged, and changed the face of everything. He caused himself to be made commander, he widened the ditches, and repaired the fortifications ; and the inhabitants of Tvre, attacked by t^ea and land, becoming all at once invincible warriors under his orders, were able to contend with the fleets and armies of the Saracens. The old marquis of Montlerrat, the father of Conrad, who had left his peaceful states to visit the Holj Land, was present at the battle of Tiberias. Made prisoner by the Mussulmans, he languished in the prisons of Damascus, until his children might be able to deliver him or purchase his liberty. ISaladin sent for him to his army, and promised the brave Conrad to restore his father, and grant him rich possessions in Syria, if he woidd open the gates of Tyre to him. fie threatened at the same time to place the old marquis before the front rank of the Saracens, and expose him to all the ai-rov. s of the besieged. Conrad haughtily replied that he despised the gifts of infidels, and that the life of his father was k^s dear to him than the cause of the Christians. He added that nothing shoidd stop his exertions, and that if th.e Saracens were so barbarous as to sacrifice an old man w Ijo had surrendered himself tipon the word of Saladin, he should take glory from being descended from a martyr. After thi,s reply the Saracens renewed their attacks, and the Tyrians continued to defend themselves bravely. The Hospitallers, the Templars, and the bravest of the warriors that were still in Palestine, repaired to Tyre to take part in this glorious defence. Among the Franks who distinguished themselves by their valour, no one was more remarkable than a Spanish gentleman, known in history by the name of Tlw Green Kniglit. Alone, say the old chronicles, he repulsed and dispersed whole battalions of the enemy ; he fought several times in single combat, always overcoming the most intrepid of the Mussulmans, and creating in Saladin the strongest admiration for his courage and his feats of aiTQs. The city did not contain a single citizen that was not an active combatant ; the children even were so many soldiers, and the women animated the warriors by their presence and theii' applause. On board the ships, tmder the walls, battles
HISTOE,!' OF THE CRUSADE3. 453 vvere contiuuallj fouglit ; and tbe Saracens, on all occasions, asrain met witli the Christian heroes that had so often inspired them with fear. kSaladin, despairing of taking Tyre, resolved to raise the siege, and attack Tripoli ; but was not more successful in this new enterprise. AVilliam, king of Sicily, upon being informed of the disasters in Palestine, sent assistance to tlie Ohristians. Admiral Margarit, whose talents and victories liad procured for him the surname of King of the Sea and the Kew Neptune^ arrived on the coast of Syria with fifty galleys, three hundred knights, and five hundred footsoldiers. The Sicilian warriors hastened to the defence of Tripoli, and, commanded by the Green Knight, who had so eminently distinguished himself at the siege of Tyre, forced Saladin to abandon his undertaking. The city and country of Tripoli, since the death of Eayinond, had belonged to Bohemond, prince of Antioch. Saladin, exasperated by his double disappoiutment, laid waste the banks of the Orontes, and forced Bohemond to purchase a truce of eight months. The ]Mussulraans then took possession of Tortosa and some castles built on the heights of Libanus. The fortress of Carac, from which had issued the war so fatal to the Christians, defended itself during a whole year against a Mussulman army. The besieged, destitute of all succour, and a prey to every kind of evil and privation, carried resignation and bravery to perfect heroism. " Before they would surrender," says the continuator of AVilliam of Tvre, " thev sold their wives and children to the Saracens, and there remained not an animal in the castle of which they could make food." They were at length, however, forc3d to yield to Saladin ; tiie sidtan granting them their lives and their liberty, and restoring to them their wives and children, vrhom a barbarous heroism had condemned to slavery. Throughout his conqui-sts, Saladin still kept Gruy de Lusi«rnan in chains : but when he became master of Carac and the greater part of Palestine, he at lengtli set the unfortunate king of Jerusalem free, after having made him swear upon the Grospel to renounce his kingdom for ever, and to return to Europe. This promise, extorted by force, could not be regarded as binding in a war in which fanaticism set at
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HISTOE,!' OF THE CRUSADE3. 453<br />
vvere contiuuallj fouglit ; and tbe Saracens, on all occasions,<br />
asrain met witli the Christian heroes that had so often<br />
inspired them with fear.<br />
kSaladin, despairing of taking Tyre, resolved to raise the<br />
siege, and attack Tripoli ; but was not more successful in<br />
this new enterprise. AVilliam, king of Sicily, upon being<br />
informed of the disasters in Palestine, sent assistance to<br />
tlie Ohristians. Admiral Margarit, whose talents and victories<br />
liad procured for him the surname of King of the Sea<br />
and the Kew Neptune^ arrived on the coast of Syria with<br />
fifty galleys, three hundred knights, and five hundred footsoldiers.<br />
The Sicilian warriors hastened to the defence of<br />
Tripoli, and, commanded by the Green Knight, who had so<br />
eminently distinguished himself at the siege of Tyre, forced<br />
Saladin to abandon his undertaking.<br />
The city and country of Tripoli, since the death of Eayinond,<br />
had belonged to Bohemond, prince of Antioch.<br />
Saladin, exasperated by his double disappoiutment, laid<br />
waste the banks of the Orontes, and forced Bohemond to<br />
purchase a truce of eight months. The ]Mussulraans then<br />
took possession of Tortosa and some castles built on the<br />
heights of Libanus. The fortress of Carac, from which had<br />
issued the war so fatal to the Christians, defended itself<br />
during a whole year against a Mussulman army. The besieged,<br />
destitute of all succour, and a prey to every kind of<br />
evil and privation, carried resignation and bravery to perfect<br />
heroism. " Before they would surrender," says the continuator<br />
of AVilliam of Tvre, " thev sold their wives and<br />
children to the Saracens, and there remained not an animal<br />
in the castle of which they could make food." They were<br />
at length, however, forc3d to yield to Saladin ; tiie sidtan<br />
granting them their lives and their liberty, and restoring to<br />
them their wives and children, vrhom a barbarous heroism<br />
had condemned to slavery.<br />
Throughout his conqui-sts, Saladin still kept Gruy de Lusi«rnan<br />
in chains : but when he became master of Carac and<br />
the greater part of Palestine, he at lengtli set the unfortunate<br />
king of Jerusalem free, after having made him swear upon<br />
the Grospel to renounce his kingdom for ever, and to return<br />
to Europe. This promise, extorted by force, could not be<br />
regarded as binding in a war in which fanaticism set at