"Ambroise's Estoire de la Guerre Sainte is one of the most important primary sources for the Third Crusade (1189-1192). It recounts the events of the crusade from the point of view of the Anglo-Norman contingent. Its hero is King Richard the Lionheart—Ambroise being one of the earliest authors to give him this title (line 2306 and vol. 2, p. 65). This is an exciting tale of war, victory, and defeat, but although told in the same style as the epic chansons de geste it is a serious and accurate historical source. It is also one of the earliest works of history in French, holding an important place in the development of vernacular historiography."  --Helen Nicholson, The Catholic Historical Review,  91.1 (2005) 145-147.

Ambrose:  History of the Holy Land.   Edited by Merton Jerome Hubert and John La Monte.  Records of Civilization Sources and Studies, 34.  New York:  Columbia University Press, 1941.

….

-403-  RICHARD, AT ACRE, LEARNS THE PLIGHT OF JAFFA

Ye heard me tell the tale, and well

It is such tale as this to tell,

For the great good which therefrom flowed—

How the host back to Acre rode,

Grief-stricken and disconsolate

And discontented with their fate.

Now all of them supposed that they

Would seek their ships without delay.

Even Richard himself, the king—

With our own eyes we saw this thing

Take place—had taken leave of all

The Temple and the Hospital,

And viewed his galleys to make sure

They were well ordered and secure,

And on the morrow without fail,

So says the book, he was to sail

For Beirut with his retinue.

He had already sent, ⁵tis true,

Seven galleys that went on to smite

Those of the fortress, who took flight.

They had not waited there if they

Had seen more galleys come that way.

One eve the king, thus occupied,

Sat in his tent at vespertide,

⁸ Thibaut of Troyes was, according to G. Paris, one of the followers of the counts of
Champagne.

⁹ Auberi of Rheims, the commander of the" citadel of Jaffa. See above, p. 401, n. 5.
The Itmerarvum (p. 403) lists, besides the hostages mentioned here, Augustus of
London, Osbert Waldin, Henry de St. John, and others. They were all sent
as prisoners to Damascus.

-404-    CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

When, lo, a vessel swiftly driven

Came sailing into Acre haven.

And those who disembarked stayed not,
But straightaway the king they sought.
Jaffa was taken, so they told
Him, its men shut in the stronghold
Of the Toron, where they would die
If he his succor should deny,
As I have told you. The good king.
Noble in this and every thing,
Gave up the projects he had made.

Saying: "I go to bear them aid,"

And he convoked the host at once.
But the French all refused response
To this his summons, and opposed
Him, jealous folk and ill-disposed.
They would not move their feet, they said,
Nor ever follow where he led.
His rule and all rule they forswore,
And so they died. Of them no more.

RICHARD GOES TO THE RELIEF OF JAFFA

However, those who feared God's name,

From whatsoever land they came,

Templars and Hospitallers, good

Knights numerous of many a blood,

Donned armor and accouterment,

Mounted, and took the road. They went

By land to Cassarea, while

The brave king of the English isle

Went with the galleys by the sea.¹⁰

They were all armed so splendidly,

No panoplies could be more fair.

One saw the count of Leicester there,

Likewise Andrew de Chauvigny,

¹⁰Beha ed Din (p. 369) says that he brought thirty-five

-405-  CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

And also Roger de Saci ⁿ

And Jordan des Homez. This last

Knight died before the year was passed.

And also Ralph de Mauleon,¹²

Who has a lion broidered on

His banner. Ancon du Fai" ¹³ —

Many a Saracen smote he —

As well as those of Preaux, who

Were of the royal retinue, _{1 1>000}

And many another known to fame

Of whom I have not learned the name.

They went to do God's work. With these

The Pisans and the Genoese,

Who did great deeds when they were needed.

Now hear ye how affairs proceeded.

Those who to Jaffa chose to fare

By land, and thought to go straight there,

Were stopped at Caesarea, nor

Had they been there much time before n,oio

They were informed that Saladin

Guarded the roads and hemmed them in

So well that they could not go on:

This time 'twas the Assassin's son

Who came 'twixt Caesarea and

Arsur.¹⁴ Such strong winds smote the band

¹¹ Roger de Saci subsequently accompanied Berengaria home from Palestine (Las-
don, Itinerary , p. 75). His name appears on Richard's acts from 1190-98, and in 1 197

he was one of the guarantors of Richard's treaty with Flanders '(iMd«_} pp. 35-152.

¹² Ralph de Mauleon was the father of the poet Savari de Manleon (Siedschlag, p.
91). He was lord of Chatillon-sur-Saone, an important baron of Bas-Poitou (S,
Painter) .

¹³ Angon du Fai, from the Calvados. (G. Paris, p. xL) Can this be the companion of
Stephen de Longchamp mentioned above? A Bartholorney de Fa! and a William de
Fai" are mentioned as holding fiefs in the Serif ta de feodis.

¹⁴ Beha ed Din (p. 366) says that Kaimaz en Najmi had been stationed near Acre to
keep watch on the movements of the Christian forces. He reported Richard's departure
to Saladin. There is no mention of the Assassins or of any group detached to harass the
Christians.

-406-  CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

Upon the ships that were to bring

The king's companions and the king

That for three days they had to stay

'Neath Ca'iphas, and there they lay

And the king cried: "Mercy, O Lord!

Why do You hold me and retard

Me when I go upon Your quest?"

The Lord God then did manifest

His favor, sending a north wind

That took the fleet and blew behind

It. They reached Jaffa late, when day

Was done, on Friday. Saturday ¹⁵ July 3i-Aug. i

At nones would have ended the truce,

And sorrow, torture and abuse,

And death had been the certain lot

Of the defenders, had God not,

Through the king, saved them from such fate,

As briefly we shall now relate.

BRUTAL TREACHERY OF THE SARACENS

The good king with his nobles kept

Within the galleys and there slept

During the rest of Friday night;

[Saturday morn they rose, bedight]

Themselves, and did their armor on.

Hear now how the convention

Was kept, how treacherously respected,

And with what faith the Turks protected

Those of the city who had bought

Safe-conduct for themselves, they thought,

By all the gold besants which they

Had promised. They began to pay

Them, and were paying them that morn.

¹⁵ The Itinerarium (p. 405) says Saturday, the feast of St. Peter in Chains (August
i). Beha ed Bin (p. 364) says the attack took place on Friday, the eighteenth Rajab,

-407- CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

The Saracens, as each in turn

Came to them with his gold and made

His payment, cut off each one's head.¹⁸

They thought this was a noble deed,

But shame be on such swinish creed!

Already seven had been cut down

And in a ditch their bodies thrown.

When from the Toron's walls their fate

Was seen. Those who were there relate

That there was a most piteous sight

Before the tower, on Toron's height

For, certain they were doomed to die

At once, ye heard men wail and cry

In dreadful terror and dismay,

And kneel upon the ground, and pray,

Confess their fault, cry out their sin.

And those outside fought to get in

Among the thickest crowd, to try

And be among the last to die.

For all things, when death comes apace,

Ask for a little time and space.

They waited for their martyrdom,

And well may it be said, in sum,

That many tears that day were wept

Which God with pleasure did accept

Because they welled forth from distress

Of death and their hearts' deep recess,

Which now to Him they dedicated.

RICHARD HESITATES TO LAND AT JAFFA

While they thuswise their death awaited
And had no expectation save
To go in this way to their grave,
The Turks observed the port, and they

¹⁶ Beha ed Din (p. 368) says that forty-nine men left the citadel, but no more would
come out. He does not mention any slaughter and gives the impression that they were spared.

-408- CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

Could see that there the galleys lay.

Down to the shore at rapid course

They hurried, both on foot and horse,

In such great numbers that the banks

Were crowded with their serried ranks.

They carried with them shields and targes

And sent their missiles at the barges

And at the galleys of the king.

Spirited was the galloping

And charging of their cavalry.

Who flung themselves into the sea,

Shooting their arrows, to withstand

The purpose of our men to land.

The noble Richard, meseems, chose

To bring his ships together close,

To speak to all his company.

Then said he to his chivalry:

"Fair knights, what shall we do? Now mark

Ye, shall we leave or disembark?

And in what way shall we proceed?"

The question was discussed indeed,

And some of those knights who replied

As their opinion testified

That 'twas a useless thing, in short,

To try to land or take the port,

Maintaining it was clear and plain

That all the garrison were slain.

HE HEARS THAT THE CITADEL STILL RESISTS

And while they argued thus and sought

To know whether to land or not,

Behold, the king of England spied

A man who leaped into the tide

From offshore, a mass-singing priest,

Who swam straight toward the king, nor ceased

Till they had taken him aboard.

Then said he: "Fair king, if the Lord

-409-  CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

And you aid not the folk who wait
Here for you, death will be their fate."
"Good friend/³ the king replied, "how say
You? Do they live? And where are they?"
"Yes, sire, they do: before that tower

Of death." When the king heard him thus,
He stayed no longer to discuss,
But said: "God sent us here, 'tis sure,
To suffer death and to endure 3
And, since death needs must be our lot,
Shame be on him who cometh not!"

AND FORCES A LANDING ON THE BEACH

He sent the galleys closer, stripped

The armor from his legs, and leaped

Into the sea, which came waist-high,

By happy chance. So to the dry

Land he pushed boldly on in front,

Second or first, as was his wont.

Geoffrey du Bois ¹⁷ went, too, also

The king's good man, Pierre de Preaux,

And all the rest were not far back.

They came together to attack

The Turks, with whom the shore was filled.

The noble king in person killed

Them with his arbalest. His rude

And sturdy followers pursued

Them all along the strand. In dread

The Turks before him broke and fled,

Because they did not dare withstand

Him. With his sword o£ steel in hand,

He charged full tilt upon the foe

And harried them most fiercely, so

That they had no way to defend

Themselves, nor did they dare contend

¹⁷ Geoffrey du Bois, an English knight from Hampshire (Siedschlag, p. 114. no. 28).

-410-  CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

Against the stout knights that he had

With him, who smote like men gone mad

So fierce their charge and their career

That soon the waterside was clear

Of Turks. They drove them all away,

And after that they seized on stray

Barrels and wooden boards, broad planks,

Old ships and galleys from the banks.

And blocked the shore as a defense

Between them and the Saracens.

The king set knights and sergeants there

And arbalesters, who took care

To harass well the infidels.

The latter sent forth shrieks and yells

And fled, scattered and impotent.

RICHARD RECAPTURES JAFFA

Up a round stair the king now went,

Which to the Templars' house doth lead:

He was the first one to succeed

In entering the town. He found

Three thousand Saracens all round

The fort engaged in plundering

And carrying off everything.

King Richard, bravest in the world,

Soon as he topped the wall unfurled

His banners, flinging them on high

And showing them against the sky

To the Christian folk whom he relieved.

And just as soon as they perceived

Them, "Holy Sepulcher!" they cried

In unison,  they did not bide

Or stay, but took their arms and armed

Themselves.  The pagans were alarmed

When they saw how our men descended,

What Turkish corpses lay extended

On earth, whom the king's strokes laid low!

-411-  CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

No one dared wait to face his blow
But forfeited his life thereby.
And now came down our soldiery
Into the town and through the streets.
And men were wounded, noble feats
Of arms were done, men slashed and slain.
Thus were avenged the wounds and pain

Of those folk, helpless, sick, and ill,
Whom the Turks had seen fit to kill
When they had found them in the town.
And still our men kept coming down
And still kept dealing shame among
The Saracens.¹⁸ But why prolong
The tale? All those whom they could take
Within the walls, who could not make
Escape most promptly from the city,

Were killed at once and without pity.

Thus was the city freed, and shame
Was heaped upon their people's name.

SALADIN'S RETREAT

Though he had fought the whole day through,

The king sped after to pursue

The foe. He then had but three steeds.

Not even in Roncevaux were deeds

Performed, by old or youthful men,

By Christian or by Saracen,

In such a way or such a manner ;

For, when his foes perceived his banner,

They quailed before him left and right.

No place for cowards was this fight,

For God never made snow or rain

(Even when in a hurricane

¹⁸ Beha ed Din (pp, 369-71) confirms this in almost every detail, including the in-
cident of the man who swam out to tell Richard that the citadel still held out. He adds
that those within the citadel, when they saw that Richard was not landing his forces,
felt themselves abandoned and sent envoys asking terms of surrender.

-412- CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

They fall) that drove so thick and fast

But that the darts that there were cast—

And bolts from crossbows that did fill

The air—rained on us thicker still.

Now his men hastened to unfold

The news to Saladin. They told

Him how his folk were battered thus

And he, base man and infamous,

More raging than a wolf, was made

To be a-fevered and afraid.

He dared not longer wait there, hence

He gave command to strike his tents

And move pavilions to the plain.

The king, with his brave gallant train,

Kept following upon their tracks

And harrying them with fresh attacks.

Our arbalesters, too, well skilled

At shooting bolts, their horses killed.

We did so harry and pursue

Them, that two full leagues they withdrew.

The king gave his command to pitch

His tent on the same spot in which

Saladin had not dared to wait j

And there encamped Richard the Great.

A PLOT TO CAPTURE RICHARD

When that day's battle was completed

And the Turks³ forces had retreated,

Their host was mortified with shame

Because foot soldiers overcame

Them, though there were but few of us.

While the Turks' force was numerous.

But God thereto had lent His arm

That His men might not suffer harm.

Saladin gave word to convoke

His Saracens and Turkish folk

Of highest rank and dignity,

₄₁₃      CRUSADE OF RICHARD LION-HEART

And asked them: "Who made you to flee?

Was it the host of Acre then.

Returned to deal thus with my men?

And were these troops on foot or horse

Who swept down on you with such force?"

A traitor, who knew how the thing

Had happed, and who had seen the king.

Made answer: "Sire, no mount, indeed,

Had they with them, or mule or steed,

Save that the mighty king renowned

In Jaffa three war chargers found

And that is all they have, and they

Cannot have more whatever they pay.

If any dared to undertake

The deed, they very well might make

Him captive, with small trouble spent,

For he sleeps alone within his tent."

THE STENCH OF SLAUGHTER

It happened on a Saturday, Aug. I

So says the tale that I convey,

That thus the town was won and freed

Of Saracens and of their breed.

They had done deeds deliberate

That men shall evermore relate,

For they had captured Jaffa, slain

The Christians sick and racked with pain

Whom they discovered in the town.

And further, of a truth 'tis known.

They set themselves to slaughter all

The pigs inside the city wall,¹⁹

And this was an infinity.

It is a well-known verity

That they eat not the flesh of swine, …

¹⁹ Ibn Jubair (quoted in G. Le Strange, Palestine under the Moslems, p, 332)
remarked concerning Acre under the Christian rule: “It is the meeting place of Moslem
and Christian merchants of all lands. The place is full of pigs and crosses."