were
beginning to move down towards the coast. He rode out to a neighbouring hill at
the head of his men to watch the distant procession.
As soon as he was back at Jaffa Richard
again sought a truce that would leave him free to go home. Henry of Champagne
sent Saladin an arrogant message announcing that he was now heir to the kingdom
of Jerusalem and that it all should be given to him. Richard’s ambassadors, who
came to Jerusalem three days later, were more conciliatory. Richard recommended
his nephew to Saladin’s good graces and urged a friendly arrangement. With the
approval of his council, Saladin agreed to treat Henry as a son, to allow Latin
priests in the Holy Places, and to cede the coast of Palestine to the
Christians, provided only that Ascalon was dismantled. Richard refused to
consider the dismantling of Ascalon, even when Saladin offered Lydda in
exchange. While the argument was still being carried on by messengers going to
and fro, Richard moved to Acre, planning to sail away even if the treaty was
not yet signed. His scheme was to march suddenly on Beirut and seize it and
embark there for Europe.
His absence gave Saladin an opportunity.
Early on 27 July he took his army out from Jerusalem and arrived that evening
before Jaffa, and at once began the assault of the city. After three days of
bombardment his sappers made a breach and the Saracen army poured in. The defence
was heroic but vain. The garrison was forced to capitulate on the understanding
that their lives would be spared. The negotiations were conducted for the
Christians by the new Patriarch, who happened to be in the city. Saladin’s
troops were now out of hand. Kurds and Turks rushed through the streets seeking
plunder and slaughtering the citizens who tried to defend their houses. So
Saladin advised the garrison to shut itself in the citadel till he could
restore order.
1192: Richard’s last Victory
A swift message had brought news of the
attack on Jaffa to Richard as soon as Saladin approached the walls. He at once
set out to its rescue, going himself by sea, with Pisan and Genoese help, and
sending his army by land. Contrary winds held him up off the point of Carmel,
and his army, reluctant to arrive at Jaffa before him, delayed on the road to
Caesarea. On the 31st, when Saladin had pacified his troops sufficiently to
allow him to evacuate forty-nine of the knights of the garrison, with their
wives and baggage, from the citadel through the town, Richard’s fleet of fifty
galleys sailed into sight. The garrison at once resumed the battle and in a
desperate charge almost drove the disorganized Moslems from the town. Richard,
not knowing what was happening, hesitated to land till a priest swam out to
tell him that the citadel was untaken. He beached his ships at the foot of the
citadel and waded ashore at the head of his men. The garrison in despair had
already sent new envoys to treat With Saladin, who was talking with them in his
tent when Richard launched his attack. The Saracens, many of them still
scattered about the streets, were taken by surprise. The ferocity of Richard’s
onslaught, himself fighting furiously in the fore, combined with another attack
from the garrison, drove them into headlong flight. A secretary came to Saladin’s
tent and whispered to him of the rout. As he tried to detain his visitors with
pleasant conversation, the torrent of Moslem fugitives revealed the truth. The
Sultan was obliged to order the retreat. He was able to remain in his camp
himself, with a handful of cavalry, but his main army fled to Assir, five miles
inland, before it reassembled its ranks. Richard had recaptured Jaffa with some
eighty knights and four hundred bowmen, and perhaps two thousand Italian
marines. His whole force had only three horses.
The very next morning Saladin sent his
chamberlain, Abu-Bakr, to resume the peace talks. He found Richard joking with
some captive emirs, both about Saladin’s swift capture of Jaffa and about
beginning to move down towards the coast. He rode out to a neighbouring hill at
the head of his men to watch the distant procession.
As soon as he was back at Jaffa Richard
again sought a truce that would leave him free to go home. Henry of Champagne
sent Saladin an arrogant message announcing that he was now heir to the kingdom
of Jerusalem and that it all should be given to him. Richard’s ambassadors, who
came to Jerusalem three days later, were more conciliatory. Richard recommended
his nephew to Saladin’s good graces and urged a friendly arrangement. With the
approval of his council, Saladin agreed to treat Henry as a son, to allow Latin
priests in the Holy Places, and to cede the coast of Palestine to the
Christians, provided only that Ascalon was dismantled. Richard refused to
consider the dismantling of Ascalon, even when Saladin offered Lydda in
exchange. While the argument was still being carried on by messengers going to
and fro, Richard moved to Acre, planning to sail away even if the treaty was
not yet signed. His scheme was to march suddenly on Beirut and seize it and
embark there for Europe.
His absence gave Saladin an opportunity.
Early on 27 July he took his army out from Jerusalem and arrived that evening
before Jaffa, and at once began the assault of the city. After three days of
bombardment his sappers made a breach and the Saracen army poured in. The defence
was heroic but vain. The garrison was forced to capitulate on the understanding
that their lives would be spared. The negotiations were conducted for the
Christians by the new Patriarch, who happened to be in the city. Saladin’s
troops were now out of hand. Kurds and Turks rushed through the streets seeking
plunder and slaughtering the citizens who tried to defend their houses. So
Saladin advised the garrison to shut itself in the citadel till he could
restore order.
1192: Richard’s last Victory
A swift message had brought news of the
attack on Jaffa to Richard as soon as Saladin approached the walls. He at once
set out to its rescue, going himself by sea, with Pisan and Genoese help, and
sending his army by land. Contrary winds held him up off the point of Carmel,
and his army, reluctant to arrive at Jaffa before him, delayed on the road to
Caesarea. On the 31st, when Saladin had pacified his troops sufficiently to
allow him to evacuate forty-nine of the knights of the garrison, with their
wives and baggage, from the citadel through the town, Richard’s fleet of fifty
galleys sailed into sight. The garrison at once resumed the battle and in a
desperate charge almost drove the disorganized Moslems from the town. Richard,
not knowing what was happening, hesitated to land till a priest swam out to
tell him that the citadel was untaken. He beached his ships at the foot of the
citadel and waded ashore at the head of his men. The garrison in despair had
already sent new envoys to treat With Saladin, who was talking with them in his
tent when Richard launched his attack. The Saracens, many of them still
scattered about the streets, were taken by surprise. The ferocity of Richard’s
onslaught, himself fighting furiously in the fore, combined with another attack
from the garrison, drove them into headlong flight. A secretary came to Saladin’s
tent and whispered to him of the rout. As he tried to detain his visitors with
pleasant conversation, the torrent of Moslem fugitives revealed the truth. The
Sultan was obliged to order the retreat. He was able to remain in his camp
himself, with a handful of cavalry, but his main army fled to Assir, five miles
inland, before it reassembled its ranks. Richard had recaptured Jaffa with some
eighty knights and four hundred bowmen, and perhaps two thousand Italian
marines. His whole force had only three horses.
The very next morning Saladin sent his
chamberlain, Abu-Bakr, to resume the peace talks. He found Richard joking with
some captive emirs, both about Saladin’s swift capture of Jaffa and about
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