volume one

460 liisTony of the ceusades.
troops that fled, but lie met tlie ^lussulman cavalry in full
career, that crushed evervthing in their passage. The re-
sen-e was broken at the first shock ; they returned several
times to the charge, but ^vithout being able tp stand against
the impetuosity of the Saracen horsemen. On all sides,
victory was escaping from the hands of the Crusaders,
terror pervaded the whole Christian army, and disorder and
confusion reisrued everywhere. TThilst the left wlug' was
put to flight, and the body of reserve was makmg vam
efibrts to check the Mussulmans, the right wing and the
centre were attacked not only by the princes of Aleppo,
Mossoul, and Sandjar, with Teki-eddin Omar, but by tlie
garrison of Ptolemais, which issued frora the city in order
of battle.
The Saracens made a most hon-ible slaughter ; every part
of the Christian army was broken and put to flight, and
ntter destruction threatened them if then* camp should fall
into the hands of the enemy. The conquerors proceeded at
once to the attack of the iutrenchments, but the height of
the walls, the depth of the ditches, and the bravery of
Geoflrey de Liisignan and Jacques d'Avesnes,* stopped the
Mussubnan cavalry, and preserved the last asylum of the
Christian army.
During the contest, Saladin appears to have been everywhere
at once : after having re-established the battle in his
right wing, he returned to the centre, and thence passed to
the left. Ten times he crossed the lines of the Christians,
and himself directed every charsre of his cavalry. The battle
lasted duriug the whole day ; in the evening, still many
combats were kept np around the camp of the Christians,
and night aloue brought repose to the two annies. As the
Mussulmans and Christians had by turns been victors, the
loss was equal on both sides. The Crusaders had to deplore
the death of several of their leaders ; the grand master of
the Templars, covered with wounds, was made prisoner on
the field of battle, and led to the camp of the infidels. The
emirs reproached him with ha\'ing taken up arms against
Saladin, who had generously broken his chains after the
* Our author before mentions Gerard d'Avesnes as left in charge of
the camp ; but T am not sufficiently certain there were not two of tha
name to alter the text.
—
Trans.