The Life of Saladin

By Beha ed-Din
 Antioch Gate
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Birmingham, United Kingdom

Published by Antioch Gate 2007

2007

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T H E IJI17E
 COYI'OSEIJ 1;Y I ' H E L E . I R S E 1 )

1hlA~1,GIZANL, KI\DI
. .
O F T H E hlOSLEhlS,
BEHI\ E D - I I ~ Ai3U
N *;L-MEHASAN Y~~SUF,
leN K h ~ , i ITIN
, l ' ~ i > l i \ l .(;~.NERALLY ICNOWN BY THE SURSA.\IE OF I i i ~S H R ~ O ~ I ) ,

. . ol;
1iln1 THE P o R . r r r l a l l Crrv or ALEI'PO.

n I ' r F l ' l ' i l e I ' E ~ ~ l I S S 1 Lll.

0~

e b e (Rbalif) Gommanber of tbe Oaitbtul.

&ldl, ('lob hrar hts prdgrra. i l t h , i b : ~ r bI t i t i t O.:r~bise far his rrstiltg~pl.irr .in> nS?)1
 CONTENTS.

CH'iPTER
Preface
Introcluction

81KTH OF S A L ~ HE D ~ L ) ? X ,H I S GOOD C)UALITIES, H I S CIHAKACI'EK,

9 S D N A T U R A L DISPOSITION.

J . \Vhat I have ol,s?rved of Sal911 cd-Din's attachment to

the principles of religion, and his respect for ever)- part
of the holy law . 5
11. His love of justice . 14
111. Some instances of his generosity . . 18
IV. His valour and intrepidity-may God hallow his so~t1! . 20
V. Of his 7eal in lighting in God's causc . . 23
VI. Of his patience, and of his trust in the mercy of God . 27
VII. Instances of his kindness and tolerance . 33
VIII. Hi. care to he polite i8

1N WHICH .\ICE SET FORTH '1IIE CII.1NGES OF FORTUNE EXPEI<I-

ENCED BY T H E SULTAS, AND THE FIIBSOKY OF HIS CON-
QUESTS.

1. His first campaign in Egypt, in which lie sen-cd under

his uncle, Asad ed-!)in (Shirl;i~h) . 46
11. Second evpeditioli into lrgypt, ralled the, event of el-
liibein , 49
111. Asad ed-1)in's third expedition into Egypt, 311d conquest
of that conntry 5'
iv CONTENTS. COSTENTS.
~ ~ ~~
~ - - ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~
-
- ~ - -

LHAPTI;I< i'iirl. PAGE

CHAIITBII
I\:. Death of Asad ed-Din. T h e chief authority XXXV. Account of the battle of Hattin, an auspicious day
dcuoli~esupon the Sultau (Sal9h ed-Din) . 55 for the faithful . . 110

V. The expedition of the Franks against Damictta, XXXVI. Taking of the Holy City (el-Kuds esh-Sherif) . 118
which may God preserve 1 . . j6 xXXVII. His attempt on Tyre . . 120
YI. Kelates 11oiv 11e met his father 59 xXXVIII. Destruction of the fleet . IZI
VI1. Ileath of el-'Adid . . 61 XXXIX. H e lays siege to I<aukah . . 132
V I I I . First expedition underta1;cn 11). tlie Sultan out of XL. H e enters the lands of the upper sea-coast, and
Egypt . 62 takes Laodicea, Jehela, and other cities . . 125
IX. Death of Nejm ed-IlFn (.%)-fib), the Sultan's father . 63 XLI. Capture of Jebela and Laodicea . . 129
X. Death of Nilr ed-Din T\Iahmfid, son of Zenghi- XLII. Capture of SahyOn . . rgo
may the mercy of God be upon him ! . . 6; XLIII. Capture of Bekhs . . 132
XI. Treachery of el-l<cnz at i\swhn in tlie year 570 XLIV. Capture of Burzia . . 133
(A.D. 1174-1175) . 65 XLV. Capture of Dcrbesik . . 135
XII. The Franks attack the defences of A1ex;lndria- XLVI. Capture of BaghrSs . . I 36
may God protect it ! . h6 XLVII. Capture of Shfed . . 138
XIII. The Sultaii goes into Syl-ia and takes possession of XLVIII. Capture of Kaukab . '39
Damascus . 67 XI,IX. T h e Sultan nlarches against ShalcPf Arnim. This
XIV. Seif e d ~ D i nseuds his brother 'Izz ed-Din to oppose expedition immediately preceded thc events at
the Sultan . 70 Acre . . I41
X\?. Seif ecl-Din himself sets out against the Sultan . 71 L. T h e Franks collect their troops to march upon Acre 143
X\-I. Defeat sustained at Kamla , 75 LI. The skirmish in which .\ibek el-Akhrcsh testified
X\-11. The Sultan riturns into S y ~ i a 77 (for the faith) . I44
XYIII. Death of el-?bIelel; es-Shleli. 'Izz ed-llin enters L I I . A second skirmish, in which a number of Moslem
Aleppo . 79 foot-soldiers earn martyrdom . . I45
XIX. 'Izz cd-Din exchanges (i\leppoj for the territory of LIII. The Sultan makes all speed to reach Acre. His
his brother, 'ImBd ed-DFn Zenghi . So motive . I47
XX. The Sultan returns from Egypt .
XXI. The Sultan appears (once more) before J1os1.1l
.
.
S1
83
LIV. Another skirmish . . 148
LV. The Lord of Sliakrf is made prisoner. Cause of his
XXII. T h e action taken by Shah-.\rinen, Prince of KhclSt 84 arrest . 150
X S I I I . Tlie Sultan returns to Syria , . S6 LVI. T h e war at Acre . I54
XXIV. Espcdition to '.\in J31Gt 88 LVII. T h e Moslems break through to Acre I57
XNV. H e undertakes an expedition against el-ICerak . 9r LVIII. The arlny withdraws to Tcll el-'.4iSil?ya . . I59
S X C I . IIe gives the city of Aleppo to his lirolher, el-hlelek LIX. Battle hetween the Arabs and the enemy . . 161
el-'f del . . 9' LX. T h e great battle of Acre . . 162
XXVII. Our deputation arriies at the Sultan's Court . . c)q LXI. W e receive tidings concerning the King of the
XXVIII. The Sultan's second expedition against el-Kerak . r,j Germans . . 170
XXIX. The Sultan's second expedition against Illosul . 98 LXII. Skirmish on the sands by the river-hank at Acre . 172
XXX. Death of Slia11-.i\rmen, Prince of I<hel&t . . 100 LXIII. Death of Doctor 'Aisa 173
S X X I . The people of Mosul make peace \\,it11 tlie Sultan . roz LXIV. Surrender of esh-Shakif . . I74
XXXII. T h e Sultan returns to S y i a . . 103 LXV. An anecdote . . I75
X S X I I I . El-Melek el-$del goes into ligypt, and el-Melel; LXVI. Arrival of the Khalifs ambassador . . I75
er-Ziher returns to Aleppo . . 104 LXVII. Of the good fortune granted to el-Melek ez-Zpher,
XXXIV. The Sultan makes for an expedition the Sultan's son . 178
a ~ a i i i s tel-Icerak . . ru8
VI COSTEI\'TS. CONTESTS. vil
~ -- -~ ~-
i.A<.L
CHAPTPR I)A(;E ctII\I.TEII

LXVIII. Arrival of 'Imad ed-Din Zenghi, Prince of Sinjar, XCIXAccount of the child .
344
and of several other chieftains . . 180 C. The Sultan removes to the hill of elL'Ay2dfya .
24j
LXIX. Arrival of the Moslem fleet at Acre . 181 CI. T h e city is reduced to the direst straits . .
2-17
LXX. Tidings of the King of the Germans . 182 CII. .4rrival of the King of Englancl . .
24s
LXXI. Contents of a letter received fr0111the Armenian CIII. A h,Ioslem vessel sun1;-third sign of the approach-
Catholicos . 185 ing fall of the city . 249
LXXII. The troops march towards the frontier to meet the CIV. A huge moving toner is set on fire . . 2jO
King of the Germans . . 181) CV. Various occurrences . .
3jl

LXXIII. Account of the King of the Germans continued . 191 CVI. T h e Marquis (Conrad of illontferrat) takes flight
LXXIV. T h e battle fought by el-'f del . I93 to Tyre . . 354
LXXV. Arrival of Count Henry . . 197 CVII. Arrival of the latest contingents for thc Moslem
LXXVI. A letter is received from Constantinople- may God army . .
3j4
grant us the conquest of that city! . . 198 CVIII. T h e Franks send an a~nbassadorto the Sultan .
256
LXXVII. Burning of the enemy's mangonels . . . 203 CIX. The besiegers make a furious attack on the city,
LXXVIII. Stratagem, by means of which a large ship from and reduce it to the last extrenlity . . rjS
Iieirfit succeeded in making her way into the CX. The city is reduced to the last extremity, and the
harbour . . 204 garrison open negotiations with tlie Franks . 261
LXXIX. Account of 'Aisa the swimmer . . 205 CXI. W e receive letters from the tit)- . , 264
LXXX. Firing of the nlangonels . . 206 CXII. Treaty conclu~ledby the besiegecl, by n-hich their
LXXXI. Account of the nlovements of the Icing of the lives are preserved . 266
Germans continued. Stratagem employed by CXIII. The enemy takes possession of Acre . .367
the Marquis . . 207 CXIi'. An encounter takes place during the interval . 269
LXXXII. Ships arrive from Egypt , zog CXV. .krrival of 1b11 M r i k ifro~nAcre) . .270
LXXXIII. T h e l'mnks besiege the Fly-tower . . 210 CXVI. hIassacre of the Moslems in Acre-may (;ad have
. -- -< 7-
LXXXIV. Junction between the Gernlans and the enemy's mercy upon them !
arniy , . 213 CXV11. The enemy march upon Ascalon, along the shore
. "iJ
LXXXV. The ram ancl other machines of mar are burnt . 215 of the Western Sea .
LXXXVI. Adventure of Mo'ezz ed-llin . 219 CXI'III. A.fight takes place . . 385
LXXXVII. 'ImLd ed-Din requests leave to depart . . 222 CXIX. The enemy sends to comlnunicate with us that
LXXXVIII. The enemy leave their camp and go as far as the same day . . . 287
spring head . . 223 CXX. El-Melek el-';{del's interview with the King of
L S X X I X . Fight at the ambush . 229 England . . 288
XC. The return of the army after the Holy W a r . 232 CXXI. T h e battle of ArsOf, \\vhich was a blow to all
.
XCI. The Sultan relieves the garrison of the city 233
Moslem hearts . .-S9
XCII. Several ships belonging to the enemy are cap- CXXII. The Sultan sets out for Ranlla . . 300
tured . . 235
CXXIII. Arrival of an ambassador from the hlarquis .
303
XCIII. Death of the son of the King of the Germans . 236 CXXIV. El-Melek el-',&del visits Jerusalem . . 305
XCIV. Asad ed-Din's expedition . 237 CXXV. Intelligence received from the outpost stationed
XCV. Other events in this year . . 238 before Acre-account of t h e doings of some
XCVI. Arrival of 5loslem troops and of the King of Arab thieves \%rhoused to get into the enemy's
France . . 240 camp . . . . job
XCVII. A strange occurrence of good omen . . 241 CXXVI. El-Melek el-'Adel sends a message to the King of
S C V I I I . Account of the Ring of England . . 242 England . .
307
 .. .
v111 COSTENTS.
- -~ - - - ~- ~~

CRAVrBK 1, \G*;
CIIAFTFR
CXXVIl. SllirkGh ibn Bakhel, the Icurd, makes his escape CLIX. The Franks send their ambassador once tnorr to
fro111 Acre, where he was kept a prisoner 309 negotiate a peace .
CXNVIII. El-Melek el-'Adel sends me on a mission to the CLX. T h e Frank ambassador returns for the third time .
Su:tan, sttended hy several Emirs . . 310 CLX1. The a~nbassadorreturns .
CXXlX. X messenger takes el-'fdel's answer to the King of CLXI1. T h e Sultan's espeditiot~ .
England's proposal . . 312 CLXIII. Siege of Jafff
CSXX. l'he Franks come out from Jaffa . . 313 CI.XIV. Capture of Jaffa ; events in that city .
CXXXI. Death of el.hielek el-hlozaffer 'raki ed-Din . 314 CLXV. How the citadel remained in the enemy's hands .
CXXXII. despatcb arrives froin Eaghdad . . . 315 CLXVI. Fresh negotiations concerning peace
CXXXIII. The Lord of Sidon comes on an embassy from CLX\'II. (New) forces arrive .
the hlarqnis . . 317 CLXVIII. Arrival of el-Melek el-MansC~r,son of Taki ed-DEn
CXXXIV. Ambush rvhere AiySz el-A'fehr0ni testifies (for the CLXIX. The Sultan gocs to Ramla .
faith) . . 318 CLXX. The King agrees to give u p .4scalon
CXXXV. El-hlelek's interview with the Icing qf England . 370 CI.XXI. l'eace is concluded .
CXXXVI. The Icing of England's message to the Sultan . 321 CLXXII. Demolitio~lof Ascalon .
CXXXVII. The Lord of Sidon is received by the Sultan . 321 CLXXIII. Iieturn of the hloslem a1-111iesto their homes .
CXXXVllI. An ambassador arrives from the King of England 322 CI.XXlV. Arrival of an ambassador from Baghdad .
CXXXIX. A council is held as to whether it will be better to CLXXV. El-hlelekcz-ZRher sets out on his return to his own
'
trcat \\.it11 the King of England or the Marquis 323 dominions, but the Sultan is anxious about him
CXL. T h e Sultan encamps on Tell el-Jerer . 325 CLXXVI. T h e Sultan leavcs Jerusalcm
CXLI. Departure of el-hlelek e l - ' h e 1 . . 328 CLXXVII. T h e Sultan returns to Danlascus .
CXLII. Ileparture of the JIarquis's aml~assador . 329 CLXXVI I I. Arrival of el-hlelek el-'Adel
CXLIII. Seif ed-Din el-3lesht5b recob.ers his freedom . 330 CLSXIX. T h e Sultan goes out to meet the HAj .
CXLIV. Keturn of the anibassador fro111(the Lord of) Tyre 332 CLXXX. T h e Sultan's illness .
CXLV. Assassination of the Marquis . 332 CLXXSI. El-Afdal receives the oaths of allegiance .
CXL\'I. Conclusion of the business of el-JIelek el-blansilr, CLXXXII. Death of the Sultan-may God have mercy upon
and what happened to him . 333 him, and sanctify hi5 sou1 ! .
CXLVII. Arrival of the Greek ambassador . . 334
CXLVIII. El-hlclek el-'.&del and the country beyoi~d the
Euphrates 335
CXLIS. The Franks seize ed-UPri~n . 337
CL. T h e Franks march upon hIejdel YAba . 337
CLI. Skirmish in (on the outskirts of) Tyre . . 338
CLII. Arrival of 3Ioslem troops to take part in the IIoly
XX'ar 339
CLlII. The enemy makes p~eparationsto advance against
Jerusalem . 340
CLIV. The enemy halts at Deit-NOha . . 341
CLV. The caravan from Egypt is captured . . 342
CLVI. Recall of el-Melek el-Afdnl . 347
CLVII. The enemy withdraw into their own territory;
cause of their retreat . . 347
CLVIII. Count Henry sends an amhassador 353
 PREFACE

THEpresent volume closes the series of translations issued

hlAPS, ETC. by the Palestine Pilgrims' T e x t Society, and I a m glad t o
take this opportunity of conveying the thanks of the
Committee t o those gentlemen who have so kindly and
PALESTISE,
1187, SHOJVISG LATINF I E F S ,!2ndoJi/aofi readily given their assistance in translating, annotating,
G-~TTLEFICLUOF H.~TTIS - - po<v I II 2 and editing the works. Without the cordial assistance
I N THE MIDDLEAGES,AF'I'ER
SI-K1n :\&H GEOGRAPHERS :, r44 of those gentlemen it would not have been possible t o
PI.ANO F ACRE(A.D. 1291) , 310
carry out the original programme of the Society, and place
I'I..%INOF ACREnn-n V r c r s r ~ \ - within the reach of English readers the more important
. zj6
of the records which the early and medizval pilgrims have
left of their pilgrimages t o Jerusalem and the IIoly Land.
T h e Committee and the Society are also deeply indebted
t o the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, who has done so
much t o further the interests of the worlc.
 THE author of the Life of Sal9h ed-Din (Saladin), Abd
el--Mehisan Yilsuf ihn-R2fi ibn-Temim el-Xsadi, is better
known by his surname, Bcha ed-Din (Bohadit~),'lustre of
religion.' H e was brought up by his maternal uncles, the
Heni Sheddad, whence h e is often called Ibn Sheddad,
and h c bccame a legist of the ShLfite sect, a noted tradi-
tionist, and the Khdi of Aleppo. R e was born on March 5 ,
1145, a t Mosul, and there learnt the K u d n under the
celebrated h6j.z (traditionist) Xbil Bekr Yahpa Ibn
S ' a d t ~ nof Cordova. Towards the end of I 170 he went t o
Baghdad and acted a s assistant master in the Nizamiya
College.' In I 174 he returned to hlosul and bccame pro-
fessor in the college founded by Kemal ed-Din A b i ~ el-Fadl
Muhammad.
In r188 B e h i ed-Din made the pilgrimage t o Mecca,
and afterwards that to Jerusalem and Hebron. H e then
went t o Damascus, and whilst he was staying there Saldh
ed-Din, who had heard of his arrival, sent for him. He
visited the Sultan, who was then besieging Kaukab, and
was offcred, but refused, the chief professorship a t the
College of Menhzil el-Izz at Old Cairo, Afterwards, when
the Sultan was encamped on the plain before Hisn el-
Akrad (Castle of the Kurds), he paid him another visit,
 xiv I N T X O D UCTION.
- ~ - -~ ~
- --- - - ~~~
and on this occasion presented him with a book on the
rnerit of waging war against the infidels. Later he entered
the service of SalLh ed-Din, and was appointed Kiia'z' eZ-
Ashay (KLdi of the Army), and kiikiln (magistrate with
full executive power) of Jerusalem. H e accompanied
S a l i h ed-Din during his later campaigns, and, on the
Sultan's death, went t o Aleppo t o establish harmony
amongst his sons. Ez-Zfiher, the Prince of Aleppo, sent
him t o his brother el-Aziz, who ruled a t Cairo, and on his
return made him K2di of Aleppo.
BehA ed-Din was also adminstrator of the Wakfs, Vizir,
and privy counsellor t o ez-ZAher. H e reorganized the
colleges a t Aleppo, and provided them with good teachers ;
and, out of the ihtn (State revenue) granted to him, he
founded a college and mosque near the Irak Gate, opposite
the College of Nfir ed-Din. Close t o the college hc also
founded a school for teaching the 'Traditions' of the
Prophet. When ez-ZLher died he was succeeded by his
son el-Melek el-Aziz A b u el-Muzaffer Muhammad, who,
being still a child, remained under the care of the eunuch
S h i b i b ed-Din A b i ~Said Toghrul, an Armenian by birth,
who acted as his atnheg (guardian) and administered the
Principality under B e h l cd-Din.
T h e fame of BehL ed-Din attracted many visitors t o
Aleppo, and legists especially were always warmly wel-
comed. I n his old age the learned Kadi taught the
'Traditions' in his own house, to which h e had added a
sheltered alcove where h e sat winter and surnmcr. After
the Friday prayers people wcnt to his house t o hear him
repeat the 'Traditions,' and t o enjoy his conversation,
which was agreeable, and chiefly turned on literature.
I b n Khallilian gives a touching picture of his failing-
strength in his later years. A s he frequently had a bad
cough he rarely left his alcove, and in winter he always
IN rRODUCTIOS YI.
- - - - -
had beside him a large brasier of charcoal. H e constantly
wore a coat lined with furs of BortLs (north of the
Caspian) and a number of tunics, and sat on a very soft
cushion placed on a pile of carpets. Old age had made
him ' a s weak a s a little bird just hatched,' and his legs
' had so little flesh on them that they were like thin sticks.'
I t was with the greatest pain and difficulty that he was
able t o move in order t o say his prayers. Except in the
height of summer he never prayed in the mosque, and
even then, when with extreme difficulty he stood up t o
pray, he was always ready t o fall.
In November, 1231, a t the advanced age of eighty-six,
he was sent t o Egypt to bring back the daughter of
el-Melek el-Kfimil, who had been betrothed t o cl-Aziz.
H e returned in June, 1232, t o find that Toghrul had been
dismissed, and that el-Aziz had taken the management of
affairs into his own hands. A younger generation had
grown up, and RehL ed-Din was no longer consulted on
clucstions of state. T h e old KAdi gradually became so
feeble t h a t h e could not rccognise his friends, and, on
November 8, 1234, he died, in his ninetieth year, leaving
his house as a Khangrik (monastery) t o the Sfifis.
S a l i h 'ed-Din (Saladin) was the son of Ayfib, and
grandson of ShLdi, a RawAdiya Kurd of thegreat Had2niya
tribe. H e was thus of K u r d descent. Several of his
bravest warriors and most trusted counsellors werc Kurds,
and during his reign, and that of his brother el-'tfdel,
Kurds ruled in Armenia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine,
E::ypt, and Arabia. .
Sh2di lived near Tovin, apparently a t the villagc of
AjdSnakln, where Ayitb is said t o have been born. After
the birth of his two sons, Ayfib and Shirkhh, hc left the
Armenian plateau, and proceeded first to Baghdad and
then t o Tekrit, where he settled, and afterwards died.
 XVI IMTKODCCTIOS. wbii
~- -- 1%-TRODUCTION.
~
~~ - ~ - -
-~-- -~~~-
-.---p - - - -.- --
His sons entered the service of MujAhid ed-Din BihrGz, a
the Editor ; all other notes are by Lieut.-Colonel Conder,
Greek slave, who governed the province of Irak for the
Seljitk Sultan hIasild, and had been granted Tekrit as an R.E., who has very kindly revised all the proofs, and thrown
light on many doubtful points.
appanage. Bihrilz appointed Ayfib Governor of Tekrit,
T h e biographical notices in the notes are principally
and here Sal2h ed-Din was born. T h e action of ilyilb
in assisting Zenghi t o cross t h e Tigris, when he was from Ibn Khallili2n's Biographical Dictionary, translated
marching on Baghdad, greatly displeased Bihrfiz, and by Baron RlacGucki11 dc Slane for the Oriental Transla-
some time afterwards the two brothers were expelled from tion Fund. C. W. W.
the city. They a t once entered the service of Zenghi,
then Lord of Mosul, and, on the capture of Ba'albeli,
Ayitb was appointed Governor of that place.
Aftcr the murder of Zenghi, Ayfib was attacked by the
Seljitk, nlujir ed-Din Xbek, xvho then ruled a t Damascus,
and not receiving a n y support from Mosul, surrendered,
and became one of the chief Emirs of Damascus. On
Zenghi's death Shirkilh entered the service of his sot],
Nitr cd-Din, then Lord of Aleppo, who lriade him com-
mander of the army, and gave him Emessa and other cities
a s an appanage. % \he'n Nilr cd-Din took Damascus h e
attached Ayitb and S a l i h ed-Din t o his person, and the
latter remained in attendance, learning much from his
over-lord, until he accompanied his uncle, ShtrkOh, 011 his
first expedition t o Egypt. T h e further history of Salrih
ed-Din is fully related by his biographer, and the accom-
panying genealogical tables will explain the relationship
of the most important personages mentioned in the
narrative.
T h e translation, originally made from the French edition
published in the ' Recueil des histor. d. Croisades, auteurs
Arabes, iii., 1-393,' has been carefully revised and compared
with the edition of Schultens by Lieut.-Colonel Condrr,
R.E., and in several passages, especially those relating to
the death of Salah ed-Din, the rendering has been very
materially altered. T h e notes with the initial W are by
 No. I.

l sad
ed-nfn ~ d i r k f i h(d. 1169),
Nejm ed-Din Ayitb (d. 1173),
Governor of Tekrlt and Ba'albek. conquered Egypt ior Nar ed-Din.
I
NBsir ed-Llfn hluiammad (d. I IS^),
Lord of Emessa.
I
Asad ed-Din Shlrkilh 11. (d. 1240))
l

Lord of Emcssa.
1 Z
r
12
I Nitr cd-nevldt ShRIianshBh l &
Ydsuf, Sal311 ed-Din, Shems ed DO& 'I'urin Shah,
Sultan of Egypt, Syria, etc.
(b. r137 ; d. 1193).
conquered Yemen, and was
Governor of Damascus
(d. 1118). 2
3
See No. 111 (d. 1180). I
l
I
IzZ ed-Din
Lord of
Farrukh Shah,
Ha'albek and
Taki ed-hin Omar,
1.ord of H i m a t i
Governor of Da~nascus
(d. 1191). l
-

El-MeleC e l - i d c l
See Aro. ZII.
1
Tij el-Malrlk Kilri Scif el.Irlim.
(b. 1163; d. 1183).
I
1
(d. 1182).
El-Melek el-Amjad Bahrain Shah,
I
NLsir ed-llin,
I I

El~b'IoizzIsmail, Lord of Ba'albek 1,ord of H21nat

Lord of Yemen. (d. 1231). (d. 12z1j. 1
Ayfib had two daughters: Sitt esh-Sham, m. ( I ) LflJin, ( 2 ) her cousin Nasir ed-Dln hluhammad; and Sitt Raltla, m. (I) Sand 1
erl-Din NIasnd, (2) Muzafir ed-l)ln l<CikulCiri.

No. 11.
SULTANYBsur S A L ~ EFD-Diu
I
(b. 1137; d. 1193).
-
- -
I P
-

~ l - ~ e l eel-Afdal,
; ~ l - h l e l e kei-A~iz, El-MelckI e~-ZPher, E l Alelek1 cz-Zafir
Lord of l )amascus Sultan of Egypt Lord OF Aleppo (b. ~ 1 7 3 d.
; 1230).
(b. 1171; d. 1225). (b. 1172 : d. 1198). (b. 1173; d . 1216).
l l
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i
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I- ~~

l
El-Melek cl-A)Tansilr, El-Mclek cl-Aziz, El-Melck es-Silih,
Sultan of Egypt. Lord of Aleppo Lord of 'Ain 'Tih
(b. 1214; d. 1236). (b. 1 2 0 3 ; d. 12j3).

No. 111.
E T . - ~ ~ E LEL-.&L,
EK
Governor of Egypt, Aleppo, etc.,
Later Sultan of Egypt, Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, ctc.
(h. 1145; cl. 1218).
l

~l-h1elck'el-l<~n1i1,El-Melek :l-hloaz~cm, El-Fiiz

l 1
El-Ashraf, l
El-Auhad,
Sultan of Egypt Lord of I)amascus. (d.12 19). Lord of Mesopotamia Lord of Arniellia
(b. 1180; d. 1238.)
l (b. 1 182 ; d. 1237). (d. 1212).
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\VIHAT BEFELL SGLTAN U ~ S U F
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PREFACE.
I n t h e name of God, the inerciful, the compassionate !
6 4
I
PriarsE bc t o God, w t ~ ohas given us Islam, who has led us
t o a faith s o exalted, a n d who, in His mercy, has granted
us our Prophet (Muhammad) t o intercede for us. Praise
be to Him, who has ordered the lives of past generations
for the instruction of thinking men, and has aliowed the
viciss;tudes of this life t o be a sure proof of the instability
of all created things. By this means H e desires t o prevent
the favourite of fortune from suffering himself to be led
astray by prosperity, and to preserve from despair the man
who has become a piaythirig in the liands of adversity.
I bqar ~vitnessthat there is but one God, and there is
nonelike Him. This is a faith which heals souls perishing
with thirst (for the truth). I also testify thaL Muhammad
is IIis servant and messenger, he who has opened t h e
doors of right living t o those who use the keys of submis-
sion and' resignation. May God shed blessings uncnding
upon hirn and his family, as long as this world endures.
Lct us pass t o our subject, and write of that I'rince strorig
t o aid (cL-.?lel[?k.@-:Vdsr), who re-established t l ~ odoctrine of
the true faith, struck t o earth the worshippers of the Cross,
L
q TT'fI.1 T B E F E L L S C L T . I S 1-c-JCF.
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IT'HAT B E F E L L SLrLTA.V Y U S C F . 3
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and raised the standard of justice and benevolence; he be of indisputable authority. Although this be but a part
\vho was the prosperity (SnZdh) of the ~vorldand of the of the whole, a iittle gathered from much, this part will be
faith (ed-Din),the Sultan of Isl2m and of the b'Ioslems, the
sufficient t o enable all t o judge of the rest, just a s after the
warrior who delivered the Holy City from the hands of the
appearance of damn the rays of light announce the ap-
polytheists, the servant i((/iiltiziiz) of the two Sanctuaries
proach of the suil.
(Mecca and Jerusalem), Abu el-RIozaffer Yi~suf,son of I have called this work ' W h a t befell Sultan Y k u f , ' atld
Ayitb, and grandson of Shsdhi. AIay God shed on his tomb
have divided it into two parts. T h e first deals with his birth
the dew of His approval, and allolv hirn t o taste, in the and youth, his noble character, his sweet disposition, and
abodc of mercy, all the sweetness of the faith. Having those natura! qualities which so distinguished him, and
seen the goodly days of the reign of our Lord the Sultan,
which are so acceptable in the sight of God's law. I n the
it was possible for me t o believe certain traditions of the second part I shall describe, in chronological order, the
men of olden time that are commonly considered im- vicissitudes of his life, his ~vars,and his conquests, t o the
probable and fictitious, and to accept as true, anecdotes hour of his death. May God have mercy on him !
of noble and benevolent men. I was able t o credit what I pray that God may preserve me from the errors to
is told us of the lives of brave ~varriors, because I had which tongue and pen are liable, and hinder my spirit from
witnessed the noble deeds of certain XIemli~ks,deeds of taking a path wherein my foot must stumble. God nil1
which the truth has been called in question. With my suffice me : H e i s the best of all guardians.
own eyes I had seen mcn who fought in God's cause dis-
play a hardihood in the midst of danger which would
surpass belief. I myself had seen w n d e r f u l deeds which
heart and brain could hardly conceive ; actions so mar-
vellous that the tongue mould be powerless t o picture them,
and the hand to describc them on paper. Nevertheless,
these deeds are of such a nature that he who knows them
cannot keep them concealed, a n d he who has witnessed
thern feels compelled t o pass on to others a narrative of the
wanders he has seen.
Over\vhelmed by the favours of S a l i h ed-Din, honoured
by his frieridship and attached t o his scrvice, I felt obliged,
both by gratitude and duty, t o relate t o the world all that
I linew and all that I had learnt of his noble character and
'
his heroic. actions. Hut I have thought it right t o confine
myself t o those things which I have seen wit11 nly own
eyes, and t o such information frotn others as appeared to.

HII:TI~I OF SAL^ ED-Dirs, 111s Goou QUALITIP-C;,
,\sn N a ~ u i i D. ~I S ~P ~ S I T T O N .
C~IAR,%CTI:R,
I LEhl:K frorn the lips of certain persons worthy of cre-
dence, \v110 had made inquiries concerning the date of the
birth of S a l i h ed-Din, i r ~order to construct the horoscope
o f this prince according t o the rules of astrology, that he
was born in the course of the year 532 (.\.D. I I 37-1 138), in
the citadel of Tekrit, where his father, Ayfib, son of
Shridhi, discharged his duties as Governor. AyCtb was an
honourable, generous, and good man. I-Ie was born a t
Dovin.' Circun~stances afterwards obliged him t o leave
Tekrit,%nd he bctook hinisclf t o Mosul, taking his son
with him. Here he remained until his son had grown
up. AyGb and his brother, .%sad ed-Din Shirkilh, were
held in high esteem by the Atabeg Zenghi (Prince of
;\losul). Procceding afterwards into Syria, A y i ~ bobtained
the government of B'albek, and dwelt for some time in that
place. His son, who had accompanied him, entered upon
his first service under his direction. Brought u p in his
Dovin (To-Jilz, Arn~enianDcii7rj near Erivan in Tmns-Caucasia.
Tek~it,the ancient Birzhiz, is situated on the right bank of
the Tigris, between Rlosul and Baghdad. The events to wl-hich our
;luthor here alludes are rclated by lb11 el-A\thirin his ' History of the
Atabegs of Rlosul.'
5
~- _ TI'R..IT IIT<T."ZLL S C L T A S Y Q S C F .
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father's bosom. and rlourished on the lofty principles which
his father set before him, he soon showed signs of the good
fortune which was always to accompany him, and gave
evidence of a spirit born t o command. El-nfelek el-'Adel
Nfir ed-Din Mahmfid, son of Zenghi, bestowed upon him
advancement, and, as a rllarlc of his confidence and high
esteem, attached him t o his service, and admitted him t o the
number of his friends. T h c higher Salah ed-Din rose in
degree, the more apparent became qualities which entitled
him to a still more exalted rank. This state of things
HIS
continued until his uncle, Asad ed-Din Shirki~h,started
upon the Egyptian expedition. Later, in a more suitabic
place, we will give a detailed account of this expedition,
with all particulars.
WHAT I H A V E OXSEI:VI:D O F S A L ~ ~L U
~ -~UI~ K ' S ATTACH-
M E N T T O T H R PKINCII'LES OF RELIGION, 4 S U H I S
RESPEC'C F O R E\'Ll:Y P,1I<T O F THE H O L l - LAW.
I N our collection of authentic traditions stands the follo\v-
ing saying of the Holy Prophet : ' IslSm is built upon five
coiurnrss: confessiorl of the unity of God, the regular per-
formance of prayer, payment of the tenth (tithe) in charity,
the fast of the month Ramaddn, and pilgrimage to the
Holy House of God (Mecca).'
Saldh ed-Din-may God be merciful t o him!-truly
believed in the doctrines of the faith, and often recited
Prayers in praise of God. H e had accepted the dogmas
religion upon demonstrable proofs, the result of his
v.rith the most learned doctors and the most
eminent j u r i s c o n ~ u l t ~ . I n these arguments he acquired

liilowledge that enabled him to speak to the purpose when
a discussion took place in his presence, although hc did
not employ the technical language of the lawyers. These
conversations confirmed him in a true faith, which remained
undisturbed by any doubt, and, in his case, prevented the
arrow of speculation from overshootiilg the mark, and
striking a t last on doubt and infidelity.
T h e learned doctor ICotb ed-Din1 en-Nisabfiri' had com-
posed an exposition of Isl2m (nkfda)for the benefit of this
prince, containing all that was necessary for him to know.
As hc was much pleased with this treatise, he made his
younger sons lcarn it by heart, so that good doctrine
might be established in their so~ilsfrom their tendcrest
years. I have myself seen him take this book and read
it aloud t o his children, after they had committed its
contents t o memory.
A s t o prayer, he was always regular in his attendance a t
the public service (on Fridays), and he said one day that
for several years he had never failed in this duty. When
he was ill, h e used t o send for the I m i m alone, and forcing
himself t o keep on his feet, mould recite the Friday
Abu el \Za'ali 3Ias'ild Ibn hluhammad, surnamed Icotb ed-Din,
' pivot of the faith,' was born in the district of L2i;-iz(rplii-. H e studied
lab\, a t Nishapilr and Merv, and was a professor in the college founded
by N i ~ red-Din at Aleppo. H e preparcd for SalAh ed-Din an akfdn,
or exposition of Islam, which contained all necessary information on
religious matters. H e died at Dainascus in ;!.D. 1183 (Ibn Khallikan,
111. 351).-\$~.
Nisniiz2v (A'ish,r$rii-) was, according to tradition, founded by
S h a h p t r (Sapor) ; and, under the Sassanians, one of the three holiest
fire-temples stood near it. Under the Moslems it contained a large
Arab element, and became the capital and most important town of
KhorasAn. Its gardcns and fruits \!,ere famous, and it was called
the ' Little 1lam;lscus.' \[any students were attracted by its col-
leges, which had a high reputation. It was the birthplace of Omar
Khayy9m, the celebrated astronomcr-poct of Persia, \rho died in
A.I). 1raj.-W.
1fJHAT D E T E L I , SULT.1h- YCrSC'F. 7
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prayers.~ He recited the usual prayers regularly, and, if
he woke during the night, said a prayer. If he did not
wake, he used to pray before the morning prayer. As
long as consciousness lasted, he never failed t o say his
I saw him perform this duty regularly during
his last illness, and he discontinued it o111y during the
three days in which his mind was wandering. When he
travelling, he used t o get down from his horse at the
appointed hours2 to pray.
Let us speak of his tenth in charity. T h e sum of money
he left a t his death was not 1arge.enough t o be submitted
to this t a x ; his private charities had absorbed everything.
H e who had possessed such abundant wealth left in his
treasury, when he died, but seven-and-forty NBsri dirhems,
and a single Tyrian gold piece.3 H e left neither goods,
nor house, nor real estate, neither garden, nor village, nor
cultivated land, nor a;ly other species of property.
Let us pass t o the fast of the month RamadSn. Several
Attendance at the F'ridal- prayers (S(zln'/ ~ ~ l - j z ~ n z is
~ i zregarded
) by
Moslems as a f i v z duty, that is, as one comm;mded from God in the
KurPn. T h e prayers take the place of the ordinary mid-day serrice,
and differ from it only in the omission of four rrzrl.'~zs,and the
addition of a l<hz,thiz, or sermon, preached by the h'hdtib, who is
generally the li~idiil. T h e usual prayers, recited by S a l i h ed-Din,
were the five daily services, and perhaps also the threc voluntary
services. T h e prayer during the night was probably a service of two
ra@as. Each service consists of a certain nuinber of obligatory and
voluntary ruk'as; it may b e said in public or in private, but when said
in a mosque it must be preceded by the nrrEi2, or call to prayers, a n d
the z;l.d*za, a repetition of the a z h , concluding with the words ' Prayer
has commenced.' Thc is an act of worship, consisting of the
recitation of verses from the Kurbn, sentences of praise offered to
God, and acts of ritual, including the prostrations.-\V.
lrhe appointed haul-s are ( I ) fiom dawn to sunrise ; iz) when the
has begun to decline ; (3) midmay bet\veen 2 and 4 ; (4) a few
minutes after sunset ; and ( 5 ) when tlie night has closed in.-\$:.
The Tyrian iiinnv (Greck il~i~irriotr) was so called because it was
struck at Tyre. T h e N:rsri rfii,hcrtz (Greek d ~ ~ z ~ h i wasi i e )a silver coin,
inscribed with the n:ime of el-hfelek en-NAsr SalAh e d - l ) h .

of these fasts remained t o be fulfilled, as he had not
observed them in consequence of his frequent illnesses.
It was the duty of el-KBdi el-Fadell to keep an account of
the number of these days. T h e prince-may God have
mercy on him !-was in the last year of his life, and was
dwelling at Jerusalem, when he began to make reparation
for the fasts he had omitted. H c then fasted for a period
esceeding the ordinary month, for lie had still a fast of
two RarnadSns to keep, which he had been prevented from
observing by constant disorders of t h e body, and the con-
tinual cares of the lloly War. Fasting did not suit his
health ; but thus, by the inspiration of God, he undertooli
to repair his omissions during that year. I t fell to me t o
kccp account of the days, for the I G d i was absent. I t
was useless [or his physician to disapprove of what he was
doing. T h e prince would not listen t o him, and said, ' I
d o not know what may happen.' I t seems as though God
had inspired Salrih ed-Din t o save his responsibility b y
paying his debt, and so he continued to fast until the days
were wholly accomplished.
Let us now speak of the pilgrimage. H e always in-
tended t o perform it, and, above all, in the last year of
his life. H e had made up h i s mind, and given orders
for the necessary preparations t o be made. W e had
collected provisions for the journey, and all was ready
for the start, when he decided to postpone the pilgrimage
till the following ).ear on account of u7ant of time and
Abu 'Ali Abd er-12ahin1 el-Lakhrni el-'.%skalani, generally known
as el-KAdi el-FAdel, ' t h e talented 1<8di,' was vizir of S a l j h ed-Din, by
\\-horn h e \\.as treated with the highest favour. H e 11ns surnamed
el-Misri, because he lived in I~:gypt, and el-Beisani because his fathei-
was 1<9di of Dei.~iin. H e was famous as a letter-~vriter,a n d n-as also
a poct. Born a t Ascalon (.\.D. 1135'1, he died in Egypt (AD. I Z O O ~ ,
after 11:iving been vizir to SalAh ed-IXn, cl-5Ielck cl-'Aziz. and el-Ilelek
el-l,fansi~r(111n lihallikan, ii. I I I).-!\'.
JVHA 7' B E F E L L S C L T / l X YL:SUI". Y
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lack of money sufficient for one of his high rank. Hut
~~d decreed as H c did decree. W h a t I have related on
that subject is a thing known t o all t h e world.
SalAh ed-Din was very fond of hearing the Kuratl read,
and he used t o argue with the Irn2m. This man had
to be master o f all knowledge connected with the t e x t
of the Kui-an, and t o know the book by heart. When
the prince passed thc night in the alcove' (of his tent),
he used t o charge the man on guard t o read him two,
three, or four sections.VWhen he gave public audiences,
he would have from one t o twenty verses, and sometimes
more, read by men accustomed t o d o so. O n e day he
p s s e d a little boy who was reading the ICuran very \\,ell
at his father's side, and was so pleased that he had the
boy called, and gave him some of the food set aside for
his own special use. Also he granted t o him and his
father part of thc produce of a certain field. His heart
was humble, and full of colnpassion ; tears came readily
into his eyes. When he was listening to the reading
of the KurSn, his heart melted, and tears generally
flowed down his cheeks. H e was very fond of listening
to the recital of traditions3 when the narrator could trace
each tradition that he related t o its source, and when he
was learned in such lore. If one of the doctors visitcd
the court, he received hirn personally, and made those
of his sons who happened to be present as well as the
The word ~EC>;I,
I , ferld&ed 'alcove,' usually signifies ' a tower.' Here
Itappears to. mean a small Toam, lluilt of wood, which contained a
bed, and opened into thc tent.
' The tekt of the I<ur.in is .divided into thirty sections ( j 2 k or
'Vinr),so that a pious Inan. takillg one section a day, can recitc the
Kur3.n in the month of Ramadan.
The T1-aditions ( ~ ~ f i contaill
t k ) the record of all that Muhammad
did and said. Theg filmman important part of lIoslem tlieolo#y, and
a Place second only to thc Kur2n.-l\..
10 II'HAT B E F E L L SLrL1.IS 1 G S C F
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memli~kson duty, listen to the traditions recited. H e
would order all those who were present t o be seatccJ
during the narration, a s a sign of respect. If any of tllc
doctors of traditionary lore were such characters as do
not frequcnt the gates of Sultans, and are unwilling t o
present themselves in such places, Saldh ed-Din ivould go
himself t o seek them out and listen to them. When he
was at Alexandria, he often visited HSfiz el-IsfahSni,l and
learnt from him a great number of traditions. H e himself
was fond of reading traditions, so he used to make me
come into his private chamber, and there, surrounded b y
books of traditions which he had had collected, hc would
begin t o r e a d ; and whenever he came to a tradition
containing a n instructive passage, he was so touched that
the tears came into his eyes.
H e showed the greatest zeal in his observance of the
precepts of religion, openly maintailling his belief in the
resurrection of the bodies of the just in Parddise, and of
the wicked in Hell. H e believed steadfastly in all the
teaching of the Divine Law, accepting its doctrines with
an open heart. H c detested philosophers, heretics.'
materialists, and all adversaries of orthodos religion. H e
even ordered his son el-Melel; ez-Zaher, Prince of Aleppo-
Inay God exalt his supportersy!-to pnt t o death a young
man named Suhraverdi." H e had been accused of not
This Hifiz el-Isfah9ni does not appear to be ot11cra.isc known.-\V.
1
2 T h e Arahic tent has eC.11'zc'~~lLii~i ' t h e Separatists'].
(,lf/~'fiieila.
This word, in scholastic theology, is applied to a sect \v110 rejected
the idea of eternal attributes, saying that eternity was the formal
attribute of the esscnre of God. T h e Xiu'attilites were the free-
thinkers of Isl3m, and were regarded by the orthodos as heretics,
ancl tainted vith atheism.
3 Xbu el-Futilh Yaliya Ibn Habash CS-Suhrarerdi was born at
Szthric?,~,riC,a v~ilage in Persian Irak, and was one of the most
learned nlen of his axe. H e had studied at l l a r i g h a in ;\rerbijan,
ancl was said by some to be a fire-\r.orshipper izeniiih), and by others
Il.EIAT L ' E F L L L SC12Tz1N YC'SL:.:F. I I
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recognising the ordinances of the law, and of paying no
regard t o the doctrirlcs of the faith. Ez-Z$her,l having
sent this man to prison, reported what had passed t o his
father, and a t SalSh ed-Din's command had him executed,
and his body hung upon a cross for several days.
Having perfect trust in God, he looked upon IIim as
his great support, a n d turned ever t o Him. I will give
an instance of this which I myself witnessed. T h e
Franks- may God confound them !-had pitched their
camp a t Heit-Nfiba,' a place situated about a day's journey
from Jerusalem. T h e Sultan occupied this city, after
Ilaving surrounded the cnemy with out-posts, and sent out
men t o spy and watch all their movements. H e received
constant news of the Franks, and of their fixed determina-
tion to come up to the Holy City and lay siege t o it. A s
this struck great terror among the Moslems, he callcd his
emirs together, informed them of the calamity which
threatened the faithful, and submitted t o them whether it
was right t o remain in the city. T h e y appeared, one and
all, of good courage, but their real sentitnents were very
different from those which they expressed. They declared
unanimously that the Sultan's presence in Jerusalem would
be of n o advantage, and might, indeed, endanger IslSm ;
that they themselves woulcl remain there, while he went
out with a body of men to surround the Franks, as had
~p~ -~ p - ~ ~
to be an infidel and acqu:rintcd with magic. H e was really a very
advanced Silfi, and so an abomination to SalAh ed-Din. H e was
in the castle at .qleppo. in .\.D. I 191, at the early age of
thirt~-eight.(Ibn KhallikSn, iv. I 53).-l\-.
Ab8 e!-Fath (;hrizi A~CILIansi~rel-hIelek ez-Z8her (;hiith c d - D i n
Was fond of learning and generous to poets. H e was resolute. animated
by a lofty spirit, skilled in the administration of affairs, anrl intent on
the diffusion of justice. H c was born in I 173, made Governor of
'leppo in 1187, and died in ,216 ( I h n Ichallikan, ii. +i3).-\V.
Beif ili7iba, called bv the ranks Eetenoble, 12 n ~ i l e sPi\\'. of
Jerusalem, immediately N . of .ijalon, at the foot of the mountains.
IZ IT-IIAT BEFELL SCI>T.AS I'CSGP.
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been done a t Acre. A t the head of this army, he was to
keep t h e enemy narrowly hemmed in, and cut off their
supplies of provisions ; rneantvhile, they mould hold the
city and repel attacks. T h e council having broken up,
t h e Sultan forthwith determined to hold the city, k n o w
ing full well that otherwise no one would remain there.
After the emirs had left to return t o their houses, a
messenger came from them t o t h e Sultan t o inform him
that they would not rernain in Jerusalem, unless he left
a t their head either his brother el-Melelc el-':%del, or one
of his own sons. H e felt that this communication meant
that they did not intend t o remain in the city, and
his heart was sorely oppressed, and h e knew not what t o
decide. On this same night, n~hichwas t h e eve of Friday,
I u7as on duty in his chamber, having t o stay there from
evening until dawn. I t was in the rainy season, and with
us two there was no third but God. W e made plans, and
discussed t h e consequences of each plan ; but a t last I grew
concerned for him, seeing him s o overrvhelmed with despair,
and I began to fear for his health. S o I begged him to lie
down on his bed, and sleep a little if possible. I I e replied :
' Y o u must be sleepy, too,' then he rose (to withdraw).
Passing into m y house, I busied myself with some pri-date
affairs until dawn, n.llen the summons t o prayer sounded.
A s I usuaily said the morning-prayer with him, I went into
his chamber, where I found him washing. ' I have not
slept a single moment,' he said. I replied that I knew it.
' H o w ?' he asked. I answered, ' Because I have not slept
myself, not having had the time.' CVe then said our
prayers, after which we sat down t o what we had to do.
A t last I said : ' I have an idea that, I believe, is a good
one, please God !' ' W h a t is it ?' he asked. I replied :
' Support is from God, turn t o H i m and trust in His good-
ness, and you will he delivered out of this afflictim.'
A n d what shall we d o ?' he inqilired. I answered :
l To-day is Friday ; your Highness rvil! perform a cere-
monial ablution before going this afternouri to t h e Alisa ;
you will say your prayer as usual in the holy place1 of t h e
prophet's night journey. You will charge a confidential
~ e r v a n t o give alms in'secret ; then you mill say a prayer
of two rak'a after the a z i n and before the i k h q 2 and
whilst you remain prostrate, you will call upon God for
help. IVe have a credible tradition on this subject. Your
Highness mill say within yourself: O h God! a l l earthly
frrealzs that 1 haus E I I L ~ J U Jfor
~ ~ ~the
, defe~irzof u i ~ Z ~ i onozu
e,
fail me. Theve rer~rnilisfor ~rieno ~ L . S O Z L I . C L ~hut to seek
sr,pport Liz Thee, to put I I ~ ~ Ji ~E iThy ( ~ h12;id, m 1 1 : to tlZust
myself to I'ZIJJgood~zcss. Ujolz Thse nlolie cl,) 1' ri?uirt, ;r/zou
avt the hest of gz~at.iLial~s. Rest assured that God is too
generous t o reject your appeal.' H e did exactly as I had
advised, and I prayed by'his side a s usual. LVhilst he said
the two rak'a between the az9n and the ik&ma,his body
prostrate, I saw the tears fall on t o his grizzling beard, and
then o n to the prayer-carpet; but I did not hear what
he had said. HcCorc we had reached the end of t h e d a y a
dispatch arrived in \r*l~ich'Izz cd-Din Jurdik,hwho was
then in cotnmand of the advanced guard, informed us that
a great disturbance reigned amongst the F r a n k s ; that
their men had this d a y mounted their horses and be-
The Prophet is traditionally supposed to have ascended fro111 the
Cave in the Sndhr'rh, or holy ' r o c k ' in the Icubhet cs-Sakhrah. T h e
word Aksa stands for the.~vlioleenclosul-e nf the Harani esh-Sherif.
T h e az&, or 'call to prayer,' is givcii by t!ie l l u e i z i n at the time of
public prayer. \ v l ~ e nthe prayers are said in a mosque they coinmence
with the iitiinzn, a repetition of the a z i n , wit11 the :lddition of the words,
has commenced.' F o r Y ~ ~ L Zsee , p. 7.-\K
'IZZ ed-Din Jurclik \\.as a fieedn~an<,E N i ~ red-llin, \\.ha accom-
panied ShirkCih to Egypt. H e a n d S d i h ed-L)in killed Sh2war, the
2'" Of the Fatimite i<lialif of Eg!.pt ; a n d l ~ IV:IS e :~fter\vardsone of
balfih-ed- Ijin's emirr.-\i-.
14 lI..H.1 T BL'FELI, SL'LTil :V 1IL:SUP.
-
taken thcmsrlves to the plain;l that they had halted
there until noon, and then all a t once returned t o their
camp. Early on Saturday a second dispatch arrived ~ i t h
the same news. During the day a spy came in and reported
that discord was rampant amongst the Franks, the lting
of France having declared that they must absolutely lay
siege t o Jerusalem, whilst the king of England and his
supporters were unwilling t o risk t h e Christian cause by
throwing their troops into a mountainous country, where
their water-supply would be entirely cut off, for the Sultan
had destroyed all the u~ellsround the city. Also that their
chiefs had gone out (from the camp) to hold a couricil in
their usual manner, for it is their custom, when it is a
question of urar, t o take counsel together on horseback.
,qlso that they had agreed t o refer the point t o the con-
sideration of ten pcrsons whom they had chosen from
amongst themselves, and t o abide by their decision. On
Monday morning a messenger came t o announce that the
enemy had struck their camp, and were marching towards
R a n ~ l a . ~This was an instance of the Sultan's great trust
in God. I myself was a witness of it.
CHAPTER 11.
HIS 1.OVE 01,' JUSTICE. ,
AIIU Bt~<l<'~-God be gracious t o him !-records that the
Holy Prophet said : ' A just governor is the shadow of God
upon earth. He who serves God faithfully himself and for
others, God will place under the shadow of His throne on
The plain of Ajalan.
See 11. 295.
j The tjrst Khalifa, or successor of AIuhammad
IVNA?' I1EFIiI.L S U L T A N 1'L'Sl'I-'. '5
/_--~
no other byill remain except that shadow;
that day
b u t he who seeks to deceive God in matters which concern
himself or Other men, God \vill deprive of all hope on the
day of resurrection. T o the just governor, for the good
work he has done d a y by day, H e will assign a reward
equal to that of sixty true-hearted men who each havc
for their own salvation.' O u r Sultan-may the
mercy of God rest upon him!-was just, merciful, com-
passionate, and ready t o aid the weak against the strong.
E~~~~hfouday and Thursday he sat in public t o ad-
minister justice, and on these occasions. jyrisconsults,
kjdis, and men learned in the law were present. Every
one who had a grievance was admitted-great and small,
aged women and feeble men. H e sat thus, not only when
he was in the city, but even when he was travelling; and
he always received with^ his own hand the petitions that
were presented to him, and did his utmost t o put an end
to every form of oppression that was reported. Every day
he made a packet of these documents, and opened the
doors of justice (to the complainants) ; he never sent away
those who came t o complain of their wrongs or t o demand
redress. Every day, either during the daytime or in the
night. he spent an hour with his secretary, and urrote on
each petition, in the terms which God suggested t o him, an
answer to its prayer.
Wh'enever a petitioner applied t o him, he would stop t o
listeris to-receive his complaint, and t o inquire into the
of the matter. . I myself saw a man of Damascus,
named Ibn-Zoheir, deliver a complaint against Talci
ed-D% the Sultan's n e p k e ~ rdemanding
, justice. Although
Ta'ki ed-Dfn was high in the affection and esteem of his
the Sultan would not snare him in a rnatter where
justice was a t stalte, and caused him t o appear before the
tribunal.
16 TI'HAT B E F E L L SCLTrllY 1CSL.I;.
- ~ -
p~~
Here is an anecdote still more remarkable than thc forc-
going, which liltewise shows his great sense of justice. I
was one day presiding in the tribunal in the Holy City of
Jerusalem, \\hen I saw a finc old man enter mho usually
went by the name of 'Omar el-Khel9li. H e was a merchant
and native of I(hel%!.l This man placed in my hands a
certified memorandum, and begged me t o read its contents.
I asked him who was his adversary, and he replied : ' My
affair is with the Sultan ; this is the seat of justice, and I
have heard that here you make no distinction of persons.'
' LL7hy,' I said, ' d o you bring a suit against him ?' H e
replied : ' I had a mernlitk named Sonkor el-.Khel;ifi, who
remained in my possession until his death. A t that time
he had several large sums of moncy in hand, all of which
belonged t o me. I I e died, leaving these sums: the Sultan
took possession of them, and I lay claim to them a s m y
property.' I then asked him why he hacl delayed so long
before making his claim, and he replied : ' Orlc docs not
forfeit one's rights by delaying to claim them, and here I
have a certified document proving that tlie slave remained
in my possession until his death.' I took the paper, and
having read it through, saw it contained a description of
Sonkor cl-Kheldfi, with a note that his master had bought
him of such an one, a merchant of Xrjis11"in Armenia), on
a certain d a y of a certain month in a certain year ; I found
also that the memlGk had remained in his master's
possession until a certain ycar, when he had escaped by
flight, and that tlie witnesses named in the document had
never understood that the man had ceased t o be the
dk/z/,rt, on the shore of Lake Van. See p. 84.
'i
A j i ~ j l ,tlie Byzantine A n e x , was taken by the Seljilks in 1071,
and by n prince of the house of SalAh ed-l)in in 1207. It \\.as on the
north shore of Lake Van, and was submerged by a sliddell rise of t h e
waters of tile lake ;~lioutfifty >:ears ago.-\l7.
I V H A T U B F E L I , SCLTALV Y U S U F . 17
_ - - - -- _- . . .p-
--
p
property of his master in atly manner whatever. T h e
instrument was in legal form - nothing was wanting.
Wondering very much a t this affair, I said t o the man : ' I t
is not meet t o adjudge a claim in the absence of the party
sued ; I will infor~nthe Sultan, and will let you l;now \\?hat
he says in this matter.' T h e man appreciated m y remark,
and withdrew. On the same day, having occasion t o pre-
sent myself before the Sultan, I acquainted him with the
business. H e thought the claim utterly absurd, and asked
if I had examined the written document. I replied that it
had been taken t o Damascus, and laid before the k i d i
therc, who had examined it officially, and appended a
certificate to that effect, which was witnessed b y the signa-
tures of various well-known persons. ' V e r y well,' he
cried, 'we will let the man appear, and I will dcfcnd myself
against him, and conform t o all the regulations prcscribed
by law.' Some time afterwards, sitting with him in private,
I told him that this man came constantly t o speak t o me,
and that it was absolutely ncccssary to give him a hearing.
H e replied : 'Appoint a n attorney t o act in my name, and
then receive the depositions of witnesses ; d o not open the
document until the man appears here.' I did according to
his command, then, when the plaintiff appeared, the Sultan
ordered him t o draw near and t o be seated in front of him.
I was by the side of the prince. We then left the couch on
which he was sitting, and placing himself by the side of
the m'an, called upon him t o state his case. H e accord-
ingly set forth his claiin in the rnanncr related above, and
the Sultan replied in these words : ' This S o ~ l k o rwas a
memlfik of mine ; he never ceased to be my property till
the time when I gave him his freedom ; he is dcad, and his
heirs have entered upon the inheritance he left.' Then the
man answered and said : ' I hold in my hand an instru-
ment that will prove the truth of what I state. Please t o
2
IS I V H , I f B E F E L L SCLT.:,\ I'L-.SLI,.
- P- - P
open it, that its contents may be known.' I opencd the
document, and found that it bore out the statements of the
complainant. T h e Sultan, having informed himself of thc
date of the paper, replied : ' I h a r c ivitnesses t o provc that
a t the said date Sonkor was in my possession atid a t
Cairo; the year previous I had bought him with eight
others, and he remained in m y possession till he received
his freedom.' H e then sunlmoned several of his chief
military officers, who bore witncss that the facts were in
accordancc with the statements of the Sultan, and declared
that tile date he had given was exact. T h e plaintiff was
confounded, and I said to the Sultan : ' My iortl ! the man
has done this only that he may obtain mercy a t m y lord's
hands, being in your presence ; and it will not be mect t o
let hiin depart disappointed.' ' A h !' said the Sultan,
' that is quite another matter.' H e then ordcrcd a robe of
honour t o be given to thc man, and a sum of money, of
which I have forgotten the amount, but which was ampie
to cover his expenses. Observe the rare and admirable
qualities shown by the Sultan in this matter, his conde-
scension, his subrnissiorl to the regulations prescribed by
law, the putting aside of his pride, and the generosity he
displayed at a time when he might justly have inflictcd a
punishment.
C H A P T E R 111.
SOblE INSTANCES OF H I S GEKEROSITY.
O U R Holy I'rophet 'says : ' When the generous man
stumbles, God takes him by the hand.' Among our
traditions (IIadith) are several which relate t o generosity.
This quality of the Sultan's character-may God hallow
his soul!-is too well known t o need setting forth in
l v I f A ' L 1:L;I;FLL SULT,I.Y YCSUF. I0
- ~ - - ~ ~ ~
~ ~
--
Nevertheless, I
writin,,U and too paterit t o require notice.
will just allude t o it, a n d mention that hc who Ilacl pos-
sessed such abundance of riches, left in his treasury, at his
death, but forty-seven Nri7ri dirhems, and one Tyrian gold
piece, the weight of "hicl? I d o not know. Yet he had
given away whole provinces. iVhen he took the city of
~ ~ i dhc, bestowed
l it upon the son of Kara ArsI;in,%vho
had asked him far it. I was present 011 one occasion a t
Jerusalem, when he received a great number of deputa-
tions, just as he was departing for Damascus, and had
not sufficient money in the treasury t o make presents t o
the delegates. I continually rcminded him of this, until
at last he sold one of his farms t o the public treasury (he&
eZ-&l), in order that he rnight distribute the price of it
among thcm. This was done with our help, and in the
end there remained not a.single dirhem. I-Ie gave just as
liberally when he was it1 straits as when he \ \ a s in thc
enjoyment of plenty. His treasurers were always careful
to conceal from him certain suins of money, as a provision
for unforeseen contingencies ; for they knew that if he saw
them he would spend them at once. I once heard him
say, in the course of conversation about one of the tradi-
tions: ' I t may be that there is someone in the'world who
esteems money of as little value as the dust of the earth.'
H e was apparently alluding to himself. H c always gave
more than they expected t o those who asked. I never
heard' him s a y : \\re have already givcn t o him.' f I e
made numerous presknts ; t o thosc \v110 had already re-
ceived gifts he gave again, and with a s much pleasure as
he had not given them anything before. H e
Diarbefir. seep. SS,
was S & red-Din hlahmitd Jebu, the Ortokid prince of fZi.s?r
( i 1 6 7 - ~ r ~ 5I3e
) . was the son of 1:akhl. ed-I)in I<ara .-Zrsl.in, and
great-grandson of SokmBn, son of Ortoli.-\\'.
2-2
?o IT'HAT B E F E L L SZ:LT,II~'I-USCF.
always acted with great generosity, giving more on a
second occasion than the recipient had obtained before.
This was so well known that ~ c o p l cwere always trying to
make opportunities for getting money from him. I nevcr
once heard him say : ' I have already given t o you several
times; how often shall I have t o give t o you again?' Most
of the replies t o these requests were written at my dicta-
tion, and sometimes with my own hand. I was often
ashamed a t the greed shown b y those who asked; but I
never hesitated t o approach the Sultan in their behalf,
knowing how generous and kind-hearted he was. No one
ever entered his service without receiving from him such gifts
as rendered it unnecessary for him ever t o court another's
generosity. T o enumerate his gifts, and t o describe their
varied forms, mould be a task irr>possible to fulfil in a n y
satisfactory way. I n a conversation on this subject, I
once heard the chief of the DivSn declare : ' W e kept an
account of the number of horses h e gave away in the
plain of Acrc alone, and it mounted u p t o ten thousand."
Those mho have ~vitncssed thc multitude of his gifts \\rill
thinlc but little of this. Great God, Thou it was ~ v h odidst
inspire his generosity, Thou, the most generous among
the generous! Shower upon him T h y mercy and T h y
favour, oh, Thou most merciful of those who show
mercy !
CHAI'TER IV.
l i i h \ h L O U R A h D 1hTKEPILlITX'-RlA\ GOD TTAT,T.O\Y
1115 S O L L !
THEHoly Prophet is reported t o have said: 'God loves
bravery, even (if displayed) only in killing a serpent.' T h e
i l e gave horses to the horsemen of hia arnly who had lost t h c i ~
own.
i V H A I ' B E F E L L S C L T A S I'CSCF. 2L
p p p - --
/_--W
sultan bravest among the brave; he was distinguishet1
by his encrgy of soul, his vigour of charactcr, and his
intrepidity. I have seen him take up his position im-
m e d i a t e l ~in front of a large body of Franks, who a c r e
every moment bein? increased and relieved, and the sight
(of this danger) only strengthened his courage and nerve.
One evening there came u p more than seventy of the
enemy's ships ; it took me the whole of the time between
the 'Asr prayer1 and the prayer a t sunset to count then1 ;
but their appearance only served t o inspirit him anew.
On another occasion, a t the commencement of the rainy
season, he gave leave t o his troops, and remained himself,
attended by very few men, in the face of a strong force of
the enemy. On the day when pcace was concluded,
Bdlibn, son of R2rizSn,' one of the chief princes of the
coast, was seated before the Sultan, and I inquired of him
what was the number of their troops. I received this
answer through the interpreter : ' When the Lord of
Sidon' (another of their chiefs, and one of the most in-
telligent among them) ' a n d I left T y r e t o join our army
(at the siege of Acre), and when we sighted them from
the top of the hill, we tried t o guess as nearly a s we
could the number of those engaged. T h e Lord of Sidon
said there were five hundred thousand ; I said six hundred
thousand.' I then asked him how many they had lost,
and he replied : ' Nearly a hundred thousand on the field
battle; but God alone knows the number of those who
have died from sickness, or who have been drowned.' And
Of all this multitude but a very small number ever
returned t o their native land.
' According to tradition, the :A.:>- prayers can be said from the time
when the shadow of a persol, i s the length of his own stature, till the
"" assumes a yellow appearance. T h e .lf~~y/rri6 prayers commence
a few moments after sunset.
Balian 1. of Ibelin (I7e6lirrh);on the coast.

When we were close upon the enemy, the Sultati insisted
on making a reconnaissance round their army oncc or
twice every day. In the height of the fighting he used
t o pass between the two lines of battle, accompanied by a
young page, who led his horse. H e ~vouldmake his way
in front of his own troops from the right wing t o the lcft,
intent 012 the marshalling of his battalions, calling them
up t o the front, and stationing them in positions which
he deemed advantageous to command the enemy or t o
approach them. On one occasion, whilst standing between
the two armies, he ordered that some traditions should
be read t o him. I t is a fact. I told hi111 that traditions
cnuld be read in all important places, but that there was
110 instance of its having been done between two armies.
I added that if his Highness would like such a thing
told of him, it would be fine. H e listened to this. A
volume was brought, and someonc who was present, and
had studied the book, read to him from it. Meanwhile, me
remained on horseback, soxrletiines walking up and down,
sometimes standing still, but all the while on the ground
between the two armies.
I never heard him cxprcss any anxiety as t o the numbers
or force of the enemy. Whilst occupied with his own
thoughts and with the affairs of government, he would
listen t o all sorts of plans, and discuss their (probable)
results without any excitement, and without losing his
composure. When the bloslern army was routed in t h e
great battle in the plain of Acre, and even the troops in
the centre had taken to flight afcer throwing away their
drums and standards, he maintained the position he had
takcn up, having only a handful of mcn t o support him.
A t last he managed t o reach some rising ground, and there
rallied his men. His reproaches made them so deeply
ashamed that they returned with him to the fight. T h e
II'HAT B E T E L L SCLTAiV 1 U S U I ; - 0
-3
victory eventually lay with the Rlosiems, and thc enemy
had more than seven thousand men killed, both horse
and foot. T h e Sultan continued t o fight, but at last, seeing
the strength of the enemy and the weakness of the
Moslems, he listened t o the proposals of hi3 adversaries,
and consented t o a truce T h e fact was, that they were
much exhausted, and had suffcred greater loss than
we. But they expected the arrival of reinforcements,
uhile we had none t o hope for. T h u s it was for out
advantage to conclude an armistice. This was recog-
nised when Fate revealed what she -had in hcr bosom
for us. A t this period the Sultan was very frequently ill,
and suffered terrible pain ; but he, nevertheless, kept the
field throughout. Each army could see the fires of the
other; we heard the sound of their bells1 (Nakils), and
they heard our call t o prayer. This state of things lasted
for some time, and all ended for the best. May God hallow
the soul of this prince and shed light upon his tomb !
CFIAPTER V.
OF HIS ZEAL I N FI(;I~I'TIN(; I N GOD'S C.\USE.
GOD*LI\ZIGHT'I said (Kurdn xxix. 69): ' Those who fight
strenuously for U s we will surely guide in Our way, for,
verily, God is with those who d o wcll.' There are
numerous texts in the Book exhorting us t o fight for the
faith. And, of a truth, the Sultan entertained an ardent
Passion. for the H o l y t v a r ; his mind was always filled with
it. Therefore 6ne might sweay, in absolute security and
I The N~2kzlsis a thin oblong piece of wood, which is beaten by a
flexible rod. It, is still used by the Christians in ~ n a n yplaces in
Turkey to summon the people 10 worship.-W.
 '
4 II'NAT BEITELL SL;L1'A4,V l.~CSGf;.
--
p p - ~ p ~ ~ ~ p -
without risk of perjury, that from the time when he first
issued forth to fight the infidel, he spent not a single piece
of gold or silver except for the carrying o n of the H o l y
War1 or for distribution atnong his troops. W i t h him to
wage war in God's name was a veritable passion ; his
mhole heart was filled with it, and he gave body and soul
to the cause. H e spoke of nothing else; all his thougllts
mere of instruments of war ; his soldiers monopolised every
idea. H e showed all deference to those who talked of the
Holy W a r and who encouraged the people t o take part in
it. H i s desire t o fight in God's cause forced him to leave
his family, his children, his native land, the place of his
abode, a n d all else in his land. Leaving all these earthly
enjoyments, he contentccl himself with dwelling beneath
the shadow of a tent, shaken t o the right hand a n d t o the
left b y t h e breath of every wind. One night, wllen he was
in the plain of Acrc, it happened, in a very high wind, that
his tent fell upon hirn, and had he not been in the alcove,"
he would have lost his life. But this tended only t o
increase his passion, to strengthen his purpose, a n d con-
firm his resolution. Anyone anxious t o ingratiate himsclf
with the Sultan had only to encourage him in his passion
for thc H o l y W a r a n d t o narrate to him stories connected
with it. Therefore, a nur~lberof treatises upon this subject
were composed for his use, and I myself wrote a work, on
his account, or] the Holy War, a n d t h e rules and prccepts
t o be observed therein. I incorporated in this work all the
verses of the 1iur;in bearing upon the subject, all the tradi-
tions which refer to it, arid an explanation of all the rare
words. H i s Highness valued this treatise so highly, that
' T h e / i h i ~ i , or i-eligious wnr with unbelie~crs,is an incumbent
religious duty, established in the Icurin, and in the 1.1-aditions as a
Ilivine institution.---Hughes. ' Dictionary af Isl<tm.'
Sec p. 9
-
~ ~
he taught thc ~vllule of its contents to his son, cl-Xlclck
.-l.Afdel.
Whilst on this st~bjcct,I will relate \chat I heard told.
the month of % U cl-li'ada, in the year SS4 (December,
I I ~ s - J a n u a r y11%)):
, he took the fortresq of Kaukab,l and
gave his troops permission t o return home immediatcly.
~ ] - M e l e kel-'Adel" set out upon his return to E g y p t a t the
head of the contingent furnished b y that country, and his
brother, the Sultan, accompanied him as far as Jerusalem,
so that he might bid him good-bye in that city, and be
present a t ' t h e Feast of Sacrificc.'" IVe travelled with
him. After having attended the prayers a t this festival,
he conceived the idea of going t o A s c a i o ~ with
- ~
~ the
Egyptian troops, and, after parting with them, of returning
by the coast road, so as t o inspect the coast lands as far as
Acre, and restore order as he pnsscd. \VC tried to malie
him give u p this project, reprcsccnting that after the depar-
ture of the troops he would have but a very small number
of men with him, whilst the Franks were assemblcd a t
Tyre, and t h a t he mould thus be running great risk. T h c
f i u k l i 6 c z . ~ ~ i w , at:cl\,oir, bf 111ilc.j S. of 'Iibcrias : a [ortress of
the Knigl~ts'Hospitallera, built in 11s..
~ ~; ) ~ i ~~e!- JleleL ~ cl-:.idel
h ~ Seif~ed- l)in
~ \v;%.;
~ i~roiller
d
of Salih ed-l)in, alld \vent with him, under his uncle Shild;i111, 10
Egypt. Under Sal:llr cd-Din he n;ls 1-icero)- of Ezypt, Gorel.nor of
hleppo, ( I r8?-1 rS6\, of I<erak, :uncl of other In 12uo h e
deposed el-llansilr, the grandson of Sal:ili ed-liin, and nlarle lli~nsclf
waste; of Egypt. In 1203 lie obt~iined possesion 01 hleppo rind
Syria and, later, of llesoljot;tnii:i, lilielnt (130j-1208:1,and Yemen
(1215-1z16). H e ivas born at 1)amascus in 1145, and dicd near the
town in 1218, aQer dividing his great enlpire amongst his Sons
(Ihn Khallikan, iii. 2351-- X%?.
T h e ' I d ; r ' ~ I - ~ afeast
f i ~ , of s;rcrifice.',kno\vn in Turkey and Egypl
Bairdli2, is celellmted on tile tenth clay of %U el-Ilijja, the last
of the Rloslell~yens. It was instituted by Alr~hammad in the
year of the Ilijl-n,and is the grcnt central festi'ial of 1sl:lln.
The sacrifice fom;s part of the rites of the pilyrilr~ageto llecca.-\l'.
 26 IT'IIAT BEI'EL.1. SCT1,14 S 1 GSCI'
-
~ ~ ~

Sultan paid no attention t o our remonstranccu, but pro-

~ ~ i t Ihsee
, that your FIigl~nessis not content with drivin::
ceedcd t o Ascalon, where he took leave of his brother and
the enemies of God from one particular place, but that yo;!
the Egyptian army. W e departed with him to the coast,
would purify thc whole earth fro111 the presence of the
being a t that time on duty about his person, and took the
infidel. Will you now allow me t o tell you what wa.s
road towards Acre T h e rain fell, the sea was tossed t o
passing through my own mind ?' H e commanded me t o
and fro, and the -,,azws Z J ~ Y Clike ~ ~ Z O Z L T Z ~ U as the
~?ZS , Most
do so, and I describcd t o him the feelings I had experienced.
High has said ( ~ nthe K u r i n , xi. 44). This was !he
Then I a d d e d : ' T h e intention of your Highness is excel-
first time that I had ever seen the sea, and 5uch was
lent indeed. Embark your troops, and let them depart ;
the impression it made upon me that if anyone had said,
but you, who are the pillar and the bulwark of Islim, must
' G o but one mile upon the sca, and I will make you not thus espose yourself and risk your life.' H e replied :
master of the world,' I should have refused t o go. I <What, I ask you, is the most glorious of deaths?' ' T o
looked upon those who go t o sea t o earn a few pieces of die,' I answered, ' in the way of God.' 'Thcn,' he replied,
gold or silver as mad, and I endorsed the opinion of tlie
c I strive for the door of the most glorious of deaths.'
doctors who havc declared that one cannot accept the
What noble sentiments! l-IOWpurc, how brave, how full
evidence of a man ~ v h ois travelling on the ocean. Such of courage was his soul ! Great God ! Thou knotvest he
were the thoughts that came into my mind a t the sight of
lavished his strcngth in defencc of T h y Faith, and that he
the terrinle restlessness of the sea and the size of its wavcs.
did all t o deserve T h y mercy. Then be merciful unto
While I gave myself up t o these reflections, the Sultan
him, Thou who art merciful ahove all othcrs !
turned t o me and said: '\\'ould you like me to tell you
something ?' ' Very much,' I replied. ' Lf'ell,' he said,
' when by God's help not a Frank is left on this coast,
I mean to divide my territories, and t o charge ( m y C H A P T E R VI.
successors) with my last commands ; then, having taken
leave of them, I will sail on this sea t o its islands in OF HIS PATTI:SCE, ATiU O F IIIS '1'I<US1' IS T H E MERCY
pursuit of them, until thcrc shall not reniain upon the face O F GOD.
of this earth one unbeliever in God, or I will die in the
GOD A L ~ ~ I G Ehas
I T ~said
; :' T o those \\-h0 then fought
attempt.' These words made all tlic deeper impression
Strenuously (to maintain the cause of God), arid were
upon me because they were so utterly opposecl t o what I
patient, vcrily, t h y Lord after that will bc forgiving and
mysclf had just been feeling, and I said : ' M y lord, there
merciful' (Kur3n. xvi. 111). I have seen our Sultan, in
is no man in this world braver than you, nor any man more
the +in of Acre, in great suffering from a sickness that
firmly resolved t o maintain the true Faith.' W h y d o you had come upon him ; an eruption of pustules appeared
say that ?' lie said. I answered : ' A s t o bravery, I sec
all over his body, from his waist t o his linees, and this
that your Highness is not infected with the dread which
Prevented him from sitting up. H e was obliged to sit
the sea inspires in others ; and as t o your zeal for the true
leaning on one side when he was in his tent, and he could
 38 il.Iii12' G E T E L L .SC:LTdlY Y C S C F .
~- -- -p
not sit a t table. Therefore he had a11 the dishes which
had been prepared for him distributed among the pcople
who were there. I n spite of that, h e repaired t o his war-
tent close t o the enemy. After having drawn up his army,
in order of battle, on the right wing, on the left, and in
the centre, he remained on horseback from early morning
until after mid-day prayer,] engaged in surveying the
battalions, and again from the third hour of the aftcrrioon
until sunset. During the ~vholetime he borc most patiently
the great pain caused by the throbbing of the tumours. I
was astounded a t this, but he kept on saying, ' T h e pain
leaves me when I am on horseback, and only returns when
I dismount.' W h a t a proof of God's favour !
Whilst we were a t cl-I<harrOba,"fter the Silltan had
been obliged t o leave Tell cl-Hajl (the hill of partridges)
on account of illness, the Franks received news of his
departure, and sallied (from their camp) in the hope of
striking a blow a t thc Moslems. It was the d a y on which
they usually took their horses t o the watering-place. They
marched on as far as the wells (eZ-Ahiir), which lay a day's
journey away, and a t the foot of Tcll (el-Hajl). T h e Sultan
sent his baggage back in the direction of Nazareth, and
allowed 'Imsd ed-Din," Lord of Sinjir, t o accompany it,
for this prince also was ill. T h e Sultan himself maintained
his position. T h e next day, seeing t h a t the enemy were
' l ' h e mid-day prayer, .>iz/~itt:-,?//hi-, is said when tlic sun h:li
begun to decline.-W.
i;/r<l//-dbrc
or IGn1~;1ii6~r
(' carob-trees ' j \\:as appareiltly on:the road
from Nazareth at the mouth of li',ic+ ~ri-~llelrk.Tell cl-iiiq2 seems
to b e near the Gii el-'ili/liZ noticed later (p. r76), about 10 ~rlilesjhT.
of KharrOba, and 2 or 3 mile5 E . of Acre.
3 'JmLd ed-Din, ion of Iiotb ed-IXn, Lord of Slosul. \\-as made
Lord of Siiqw, the ancient Sii<ym?r, by 11is uncle, the celci>rated
Nfir ed-llin, about rr70, and d i d there in I 197. f I e wai in posscs-
sion of.4leppu when it was t:lh-en 12) Saiih ed-Din.--1V.
TI'HdT l3l?FELI, SCLTAiV I-I-SCl.' ? ()
~ -~-
marching upon us, he mounted his horse, sick a s hc was,
and dre\v up his men t o await the attack. T o el-3Ielel;
el.~Adel he gave the command of the right wing; t o (his
nephew) Taki ed-Din1 he entrusted the left ; and he placed
his sons, el-Melck ez-Ziher and el-Melek el-ilfdal;' in the
H e himself took up a position threatening thc
enemy's rear. Directly he came clown from the hill, a
Frank was brought u p who had just been made prisoner,
and, as the unhappy man refused t o embrace IslLrn, he
had him beheaded in his presence. T h e enemy continued
their march to the river head, and, a s they advanced, the
Sultan made a flank niovement so as t o get in their rear,
and cut them off from their camp. From time t o time he
halted to dismount, and rest under the shadow of a piece
of cloth that was held over his head. Although the heat
of the sun was excessive, he would not suiier a tent t o b r
pitched, for fear that thc enemy might learn that he was
ill. T h e Franks, having reached the river head," halted,
and the Sultan took up a commanding position on rising
ground opposite t o them. When d a y was closing, he
ordered his men t o return to the posts they had a t first
AbO S'aid 'Omar el-Melek el-4luzaffer Taki ed-Din, was son of
ShShanshBIi, the elder brothel- of SalBh ed-1)in. H e was brave, and
successful in war, and p:lrticularly distinguished hitnsclf at the battle
of Hattin. H c was Lord of Ha~~z'it (Hamath, non. H , i ~ ~ l i r hViceroy
),
Of Egypt (1183), and Governor of hIesopotamia. H e died ( r r q r )
whilst besieging ,lfni~iar~~r<ril (now i l f ~ l a ~ g c r done
) , of the anciet,t
iities of Arnlenia (Ibn Khallik:~n,ii. jgr).-\V.
el-Hasan 'Ali 'el-hfelel; el-Afdal NClr ed-Ilin \ \ a s the eldest
of Sal211 ed-l)in. 1Vhen his father diecl ( 1 1 9 3 ) he took posses-
sion of Damascus, but was driven out hy his brother (el-Ilelek el-'.lziz.
who had seized Esypt;, ancl his uncle, el-nielek el-'.idel. On lris
brother's death I r 198) he became Attabix, ' guarclian ' to his nephew,
el-Melek el-LiansClr ; but when el-'.\del tool; possession of Egypt, lie
wa"iven Sumcisit (Samosata), where he clied in 1 2 2 j , agecl j4 peals
(Ibn Khailikan, ii. j g j ) . - \ ~ .
T h e Bclos River, S. of ~ i c r e .
 30 r1711.1 T TIEFELL SL-LZ'A.V Y I I S l i F .
~ ---- . - - -
occupied, and to remain all night under arms. I I e himself
withdre~\:to the rear with us, n ~ h owere on duty, and had
his tcnt pitched on the s u m n ~ i tof the hill. His physician
and I ~);issedthe night in ministeri~igt o him. His sleep,
1~~11ich
was often broken, lasted till daybreak. A t the sound
of the trumpet iic rnounted his horse, and drew up his
troops with a view of surrounding the enemy. Their army
then conlmenced t o retire, towards the camp, from the west
bank of the river, and the Jloslems pressed close upon them
during the whole of t h a t day. T h e Sultan sent forward
those of his sons who were xith him, putting his trust (in
God)-namely, el-nlelek el-r?fdal and el-3Iclek ez-%$her.
One aftcr another he sent all the members of his suite t o
the fight, until a t last he had no one with him but his
physician, myself, the inspector of military stores a n d
equipment, and the young pages who bore the banners
and standards-not a soul beside. Anyone seeing these
standards from afar would have thought that a great
number of people were drawn up beneath them. T h e
enemy continued their march in spite of their losses. Every
time a man was killed, they buried him a t once, and they
carried off their wounded so that no one might know the
cxtent of their loss. W e watched every movement of their
retreat, and perceived t h a t they were sorely harassed before
they reached the bridge1 and made a stand. Each timc
tlley halted the Xoslems drew off, for as s:,on as the Franks
ivrrned line, and stood shoulder t o shoiilder, they were
able t o resist all attacks with vigour and effect. Until the
evening, and a s long a s his troops were engaged with the
enemy, the Sultan kept the saddle. H e gave orders that
this night should be passed like the last. W e again took
up our former positions, and occupied them until morning.
This day our troops bcgan t o annoy the enemy as they
The bridge over the Ilelus, $; miles S.E. of Acre, north of D$&.
TC'H.1T B E F E L L S C L T 1 2 Y C S L F . 31
- -
~ ~ ~ - -
had done on the previous day, and f.lrced them t o c o n t i r l ~ ~ e
their much 1:araiictl by fighting, and the loss of
men, On nearing the camp, they received reinforcements
that enabled then1 to reach it in safety.
&
\h'at patience nre here see displayed ! what self-control
this man exerted, trusting the mercy of God ! 0 God, it
,, Thou who didst arouse in him this patience and this
trust ! D o not refuse him his reward, Thou who art 111erciful
.-
above ail !
I was present on the day when he received the news of
the death of his son Ism'ail, a young man just in the flower
of his youth. I I e read the contents of the letter, but said
nothing about it to anyone. W e learnt the loss he had
sustained throug!l another channel. His face had given
no sign whilst he read the despatch, but ive had seen the
tears in his eyes.
One night, ~ v h i l ~we
t mere uncicr the malls of Safcd,l a
fortified city t o which he \\as laying siege, 1 heard him
say: ' W e will not sleep t o - n ~ g h tuntil they have planted
five mangonels,' and a t each mangonel lie stationed work-
men sufficient t o put it together. W e spent the night with
him most pleasantly, enjoying a charming conversation,
whilst all the time messengers kept arriving, one aftcr
another, to report the progress made in the construction of
these,engines. By morning the work was finished, and
nothing remained but t o lay the ' Khanizir." Throughout
' %fed, in Upper (;&lee, above the Sea of Galilee; a forlress of
the Knights1 Hospitallers. It was considered impregnable.
This ,word, the blural of k'/roi/zir, ' pig,: apparently applies to
Some part of the mangonel- the lever. .
hlaugonel ' was a
generic term applied to all the smaller tnachines for throwing darts
(quarrels) or stones. These machines :kcte:I by means of a great
fastened to tlie short arm of a le\,er, which,bei~>g
let fall, rai>cd
the end of the long ~ r t nwith a great velocity. Other parts of the
) winding thc rope attached to the
mangonel were the wheel ( L ~ b d for

33 II-If-lT lIBI.'Ei,L SL'LI,l.\ 1.L:SCI.'.
the night, which was ~ C I -long,
y the cold and the rain weru
grievous.
I \bras prescnt when he received the news of the death
of his nephew, Talii ed-Din. \VC were encamped a t thc
time with a detachment of light cavalry in the neighbour-
hood of Ramleh, opposite t o the Franks. Their troops
were stationed at Yazilr,' and so near to us that they
could have rcached us by a short gallop. H e summoned
cl-XIclek el-'.%del, 'ilirn ed-Din S u l c i m h Ihn Jinder,
SLbck ed-Din Ibn ed-Daya, and 'Izz ed-Din Ibm cl-
Rlokadclcm : then he commanded all the people in his tent
t o witlldrarv a bow-shot off. H e then drew out the letter
and read it, weeping so much that those who were present
wept :vith him, without knowing the cause of his sorrow.
Then, his voice chol;cd with tears, he announced t o them
that Taki ed-Din was dead. His lamcntations,'and those
of all around, had commenced afresh when I recovered
my presence of mind, and uttered these words: ' A s k
God's forgiveness for allowing yourselves thus t o give
- mounting on horseback ; afterwards, when he dismounted,
w a y ; bchold where you are, and in what you are engaged.
Cease your weeping, and turn your thoughts t o something
eise.' T h e Sultan replied by bcgging forgiveness of God
again and again. He then enjoined us t o say nothing
on this subject t o any person. Thec, having called for
a little rosc-water, h e bathed his eyes, and ordered a meal
to be served, of which we werc all t o partake. No one
knew anythiiig of what had occurred until the enemy had
\vithdralvn in the direction of Jaffa, W e subsequently
retired again to Na!rGn,? where we had left our baggage.
- - -- -~ -~~~
-P--
loria end of tlic lever to raise the weight ; the pulley (fi~.R,-n)
which the rope passed ; and the trigger ( f i < f l r ) for releasing thc long
end of t11c levcr. It has been proposed to read j6,n!izir, the popular
for111 of rcjzitjij,, ' chains,' for khiz?nf,:ir.-\V.
Yflrz2r is 3+ miles S.E. of Jaffa, S nliles N.\{:. of Kamleh.
~\;rfrlin,now L'afr~ir~, g miles S.E. of Ramleli, on the Jerusalellr
road, c.~lledby the Franks 'Toron of the Knights.'
1171f4T. B E F E L L S G L T A S Y U S U F . 33
- ~
T h e Sultan was tenderly attached t o his young children,
yet he deliberately left them, and was content t o lead a
hard, painful life, although it was in his power t o act
otherwise. H e trusted in God to maintain the war against
the infidels. Great God ! he forsook all t o please Thee !
oil, deign t o grant him T h y grace and T h y mercy!
C H A P T E R VII.
IXSTANCES O F HIS IiINDSESS ;\XD TOLLK.4SCE.
GOD MOST HIGH has said : ' And as for those who pardon
men, God loves the k i n d ' (ICurAn iii. 128). Our Sultan
was most indulgent t o all who were a t fault, and very
rarely did he show anger. I was on duty, in the presence,
at Merj 'Ayf1n1 some time before the Franlcs attacked
Acre-may God enable us to conquer it ! I t was his
custom t o ride out each day a t the hour appointed for
he had dinner served, and atc with all his suite. Then
he retired t o a specially-reserved tent, where he took a
siesta. On awaking, he used to say his prayers, and
remain alone with me for some time. H e then read some
passages from a collection of traditions, or a treatise on
law. With my assistance he even read a work by Soleim
er;RQei,Z wherein the doctor epitomises the four component
Me@ 'Aydpa, Lmeado~%. of springs.' A lain g miles X.W. of
Banias; E. of Shakif Arniin (Delfort).
' Abfi el-Fath Soleim er-likzi was born at Rai (Rhey,ancient Rilizgcze),
n,ear Tehran, the birthplace of Harfin er-Rashid, and one of the great
'
through
c!tles of the SeljOk sovereigns. H e was noted for his learning and
piety, and, besides works on AIoslem law, wrote an explanation of
Pbacure terms in the traditions. H e settled at Tyre, and was drowned
In the Red Sea whilst returning from the pilgrimage (1o55), when he
was Over 80 years of age (Ibn Kballikail, i. 584j.-W.
3
34 II'HAT BEFEI,L S C L T d S Y U S C F .
sections of the science of jurisprudence. O n e day, having
returned a t the usual hour, he presided a t the meal which
he had ordered t c be prepared, and was about to retire
when he was informed that the hour of prayer was a t
hand. H e returned t o his scat, saying : ' \Ye will say
the prayer, and lie down afterwards.' Then he entered
into conversation, although he looked very weary. H e
had already dismissed all those who were not on duty.
Shortly afterwards an old memlak, for whom he enter-
tained great esteem, entered the tent, a n d presented a
petition on behalf of the volunteers who were fighting for
the faith. T h e Sultan replied : ' I a m tired ; let me have
it later.' Instead of obeying, the man opened thc petition
for the Sultan t o read, holding it so close t o him that
it almost touched his face. H i s master, seeing the name
which stood a t the head of the petition, remarked t h a t
this man was justly entitled t o a favourable hearing. T h e
memlitk said : ' Then let my master write his approval
on the petition.' T h e Sultan answered : 'There is no
inkstand here.' T h e prince was sitting just at the entrance
to the tent, which was a large one. N o one, therefore,
could pass in, but me could see the inkstand inside. ' I t
is there, within the tent,' replied the memlfik, as though
requesting his master to fetch the inkstand himself. T h e
Su1.tan turned, and, seeing the objcct he sought, cried :
' By God ! he i;right.' Then, leaning upon his left arm,
he stretched out his right, reached the inkstand, and put
it in front of him. Whilst he was notifying his approval
on the petition, I remarked t o him : ' God said t o His
Holy Prophet : Tlzoz~art o f a p r a ~ z dnature (Kursn lxviii. 4),
and I cannot but think your Highness is possessed of the
same nature as the Prophet.' H e answered : ' I t is not
worth speaking o f ; I have satisfied a petitioner, and that
''9I'
is ample reward.' If such a thing had occurred t o the
W H A T B E F E L L SL7LTA~VY U S U F . 3;
------ -
--
of cornmon folk, it would have angered him. Where
is there another man who would answer one under his
authority with such gentleness ? Here, indeed, were kind-
.,,, and gentleness carried to their utmost limits, and
wastes not of those who ab weld (KurZn
ix. 1 2 1 ) .
~t sometimes happened that the cushion on which h e
was seated would be trampled under foot, so great was the
of suppliants presenting their petitions; but he was
never disturbed by it. O n e day, when I was on duty, the
mule I rode started off, terrified a t some camels, and he
forced me against the Sultan with such violence that I
hurt his thigh ; but he only smiled-may God be merciful
to him ! On another occasion-on a rainy, windy day-I
rode into Jerusalem before him on m y mule, and it was so
muddy that, as she splashed along, the mud was spattered
even over him, and his clothes were quite spoilt. But h e
only laughed, and seeing that I wanted t o get behind him,
he would not suffer me t o do so.
The people who came t o implore his help or to complain
to him of injustice sometimes addressed him in the most
unseemly manner, but he always listened smiling, and
attended t o their requests. Here is an instance, the like
of which it would be difficult t o find on record : T h e
brother of the king of the Franks1 was marching on Jaffa,
for our, troops had withdrawn from the vicinity of the
and returned t o en-Natrfin. From this place t o
bobably Henry of Chalnpagne is here intended. He marched
from Acre to relieve Jaffi in 1192. He married Isabel, half-sister of
wife of King Guy, and was in this sense his brother. He had,
been then made icing of Jerusalem, Guy of Lusignan having
been given Cyprus. Icing Richard had left Jaffa when Salih ed-Din
attacked it> but returned from Haifa by sea, and, landing .Iugust I,
defeated Salih ed-Din's forces outside the ~valls. Henry of
,cbnpagne arrived later. See chap. clxvi., Pal-t 11.
3-2

36 W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A S YGSUF.
- - p - - - - --
Jaffa is two long or three ordinary marches for an army.'
T h e Sultan ordered his troops to .march in the direction of
Czesarea, hoping t o fall in with reinforcements expected by
the Franks, and to take any advantage possible. T h e
Franks in Jaffa had notice of this manceuvre, and the
king of England, who was there with a largc force,
embarked the greater portion of it, and sent it by sea to
Czssarea, fearing lest some mischance should befall the
reinforcements. H e himself remained at Jaffa, knowing
that the Sultan and his army had withdrawn. When the
Sultan reached the neighbourhood of Czsarea, he found
that the reinforcements had entered that place and were
safc, so that he could do nothing. H e therefore resumed
his march the same evening just as night began to close
in, pushed on until daybreak, and appeared unexpectedly
before Jaffa. T h e king of England was encamped outside
the walls of the city, and had only seventeen knights with
him and about three hundred foot-soldiers. At the first
alarm this accursed man mounted his horse, for he was
brave and fearless, and possessed excellent judgment in all
military matters. Instead of retiring into the city, he
maintained his position in face of the Moslem troops (who
surrounded him on all sides except towards the sea), and
drew up his own men in order of battle. T h e Sultan,
anxious t o make the most of the opportunity, gave the
order to charge; but one of the emirs,? a Kurd by birth,
addressed him at that moment with the greatest rudeness,
in anger a t the smallness of his share of booty. T h e
Sultan turned his rein and hastened away like a man in
Latrdn is only 20 miles from Jaffa, but as Salah ed-Dl'n advanced
to the 'Auja to intercept Henry of Champagne, his total march, from
Latriin to Jaffa, was 30 miles. Boha ed-Dfn seems to reckon 10 miles
a long march.
This was el-Jen8h. See p. 375.
WHAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F . 37
-~ -~
ye---
--p-p ~~
wrath, for he saw very clearly that his troops wduld do
no good that day. Leaving them there, hc ordered the
tent which had been pitched for him t o be struck, and his
were withdrawn from their position. They felt
that the Sultan that same day would crucify a
great number. His son, el-Melek ez-ZAher, to!d me that
he was so afraid on this occasion that he did not darc to
into his father's sight, although he had charged the
enemy and pushed forward until he had received the
countermanding order. T h e Sultan, hc said, continued
his retreat, and did not halt until he reached YAzilr,l
having been marching almost the whole of the day. Here
a small tent was pitched for him, in which he rested. T h e
troops also encamped in the places where they had halted
before, and bivouacked under slight shelter,"^ is usual in
such cases. There was not one of the emirs but trembled
for himself, expecting t o suffer a severe punishment or
reprimand at the hands of the Sultan. T h e prince added :
' I had not the courage to enter his tent until he called for
me. When I went in, I saw that he had just received a
quantity of fruit that had been sent to him from Damascus.
" Send for the emirs," he said, " let them come and taste."
These words removed my anxiety, and I went to summon
the emirs. They entered trembling, but hc received them
with smiles and so graciously that they were reassured and
set at their ease. And when they left his presence thcy
Rere i-eady to march as though nothing had happened.
what true gentleness' of heart! There is nothing like it
in these days, and the history of former kings does not
afford us.any similar instance.
He oniy retreated ji miles.
plural from Sa.ioiini, !a cloth,'
Se(;~~~~lliuiliitlt,
3s W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN I'USUF.
C H A P T E R VIII.
HIS CARE TO BE POLITE.
THEHoly Prophet said : ' I have been sent t o make mani-
fest in all their beauty the noble qualities of the soul.'
When any man gave his hand t o the Prophet he clasped
it until the other withdrew it. A n d so, too, our Sultan
was very noble of heart ; his face expressed kindliness, his
modesty was great, and his politeness perfect. No visitor
ever came t o him without being given t o eat, and receiving
what he desired. H e greeted everyone,even infidels, politely.
F o r instance, after the conclusion of peace in the month of
Sham21, in the year ;S8 (October t o November, A.D. I 'g",
he left Jerusalem t o journey to Damascus, and whilst h e
was on his way he saw the Prince of Antioch, who had
come up unexpectedly, and was standing a t the entrance
of his tent. This prince had come t o ask something from
him, and the Sultan gave him back el-'Amk,l which terri-
tory h e had acquired in the year 584 (A.D. 1188-118g), a t
the time of the conquest of the coast-lands. So, too, I was
present a t Nazareth when the Sultan received the visit of
the Lord of Sidon ; h e showed him every mark of respect,
treated him with honour, and admitted him t o his o\vn
table. H e even proposed t o him that he should embrace
lsl$m, set before him some of t h e beautie? of our religion,
and urged him t o adopt it.
H e always gave a kind reception t o sheikhs, t o all
learned and gifted men, and t o t h e various influential
The great plain of eZ.'Asi~kwas known in ancient times as the
I'lain of Antioch. It lies N.E. of the city, and is the widening out of
the valley of the Kara S u . ;lIt wasithe scene of .4urelian1s victory over
Zenobia (.\.D. ?73), and within its 1imits:is the Lake of Antioch.-\v.!
W H A T B L F E L L SULTAIZ' Y U S C F . 39
persons who came t o see him. H e enjoined us t o present
to him every notable sheikh passing through the camp, so
that he might exercise his generosity. In the year 584
(*.D. I 188-1189) there came a man, who united t o great
learning the practices of a S0fi.l H e was an important
personage, whose father was Lord of TBriz.2 H e had re-
nounced his father's rank t o give himself up t o study and
the practice of good :vorks. H e had just performed the
$grimage ( H i j ) and visited Jerusalem ; then, having in-
spected that city, and having seen there works of the
Sultan, he conceived the wish t o see him. H e arrived in
the camp, and entered my tent unannounced. I made
haste t o bid him rvelcome, and asked what motive had
brought him thither. H e answered that the sight of the
wonderful and beautiful works of the Sultan had inspired
him with the desire t o see him. I reported this t o the
Sultan the same night, and he ordered the man t o be pre-
sented t o him. H e learnt from his lips a tradition concern-
ing the Prophet, and listened t o a discourse pronounced by
his visitor, who exhorted him t o practice good works.
This man passed the night with me in my tent, and after
morning prayer took his leave. I remarked t o him that
it would be very unseemly to depart without bidding the
A SCfi is a man who professes the mystic principles of the
, Stfiism. The principal occupation of a SQfi,whilst in
T ~ s a w d z l for
the body, is meditation on the Unity of God, the remembrance of
God's names, and progressive advancement in the journey of life, SG
as to attain unification \+.ith God. Human life is likened to a journey,
and the seeker after God to a traveller. The first stage of the
'traveller' is 'service,"that is, to serve God as the first step towards a
?ledge' of Him. The last stage is death, which is regarded a s
extinction,' or total absorption into the Deity. The great object of
the mystic is to lose his own identity. Having effected this, per-
fectiOn-isattained.-Hughes, L DictionaYy of IslPm.'
z T d d x , 0, Tcdriz, the modern T6z6d-il,the capital of Azerhijan in
.; Persia.-lv.
40 W H A T B E F E L L S C L T A S YZ-SGF.
- --
Sultan farewell, but he would not yield t o my remon-
strances, and carried out his original purpose. ' I have
accomplished m y desire,' said he, 'with regard t o the
prince; my only object in coming here was to visit
and see him ;' and he departed forthwith. Some days
afterwards the Sultan inquired after him, and I told him
what had occurred. I I e was much vexed that I had not
informed him of the visitor's departure. ' M'hat !' cried he,
' a m I t o receive the visit of a man like that and let him
depart with no experience of my liberality ?' I ~ I eexpressed
such strong disapproval of my conduct, that I wrote t o
hlohi ed-Din,l Klidi of Damascus, charging him t o seek the
man out and give him a letter I enclosed, which was written
with my own hand. I n this note I informed the holy man
of the Sultan's displeasure on learning that h e had left
without seeing him again, and I begged him, in the name
of our friendship, t o return. H e arrived when I was least
thinking of him, and I conducted him a t once t o the
Sultan, who received him graciously, kept him for several
days, and sent him away laden with gifts-a robe of
honour, a suitable riding-aninial, and a great number of
garments for distribution amongst the members of his
family, and his disciples and neighbours. H e gave him
also xnoney for the expenses of his journey. Ever after-
wards the man displayed the keenest gratitude t o the
Sultan, and offered u p the most sincere prayers for the
preservation of his life.
I was present one d a y when a F r a n k prisoner was
Abil el-hlalli Muhammad Mohi ed-Din, generally known as Ibn
ez-Zaki, was a descendant of the Khalif Othman, and a member.of the
tribe of the Koreish. He was well versed in law, literature, and the
sciences, and was highly esteemed by Saldh ed-Din. H e was selected
to pronounce the Khutba at the first Friday prayer after the capture
of Jerusalem. H e died in 1202. His father, surnamed Zaki ed-Din,
was also Kddi of Damascus (Ibn Khallikan, ii. 6;3).--\V.
IJ7HAT B E F E L L SCLTAA\' 1 rSC'I'. 41
p
+
-
brought before him. This man was in s ~ c ah state o f ex-
citement that his terror was vis~blein cvery feature. T h e
interpreter asked him the cause of his fear, and God put
the following answer in the mouth of the unfortunate
fellow : c Before I saw his face I was greatly afraid, but
now that I a m in the presence (of the prince) and can see
him, I am certain that he will d o m e no harm.' T h e
Sultan, moved by these :;ords, gave him his life, and sent
him away free.
I was attending the prince on one of the expeditions he
used t o make on the Aanhs of the enemy, when one of the
scouts brought up a woman, rending her garments, weep-
ing and beating her breast without ceasing. ' This woman,'
the soldier said, ' c a m e out from among the Franks, and
asked t o be taken t o the Sultan; so I brought her here.'
The Sultan asked her, through his interpreter, what was
the matter, and she replied : ' S o m e 3loslcm thieves got
into my tent last night and carried off my child, a little
girl. All night long I have never ceased begging for help,
and our princes advised me to appeal t o the !<in!: of the
Moslems. :'He is very merciful," they said. " \.Ve will allow
YOU t o go out t o seek him and ask for your daughter."
Therefore they permitted me t o pass through the lines, and
in you lies my only hope of finding my child.' T h e Sultan
was moved by her distress ; tears came into his eyes, and,
acting from the generosity of his heart, he sent a messenger
the market-place of the camp, t o seek her little one
and bring her away, after repaying her purchaser thc price
he had given. It, was edrly molning when her case was
heard, and in less than an hour the horseman returned,
bearing the little girl on h ~ sshoulder. A s soon a s the
mother caught sight of her, she threw her3elf 011 the
ground, rolling her face in the dust, and \beeping so
that it drew tears from all who saw her. She

47 TI'IfAT B E F E L L SULTAiV Y U S U F .
raised her eyes to heaven, and uttered words which we did
not understand. IVe gave her back her daughter, and she
was mounted to return to the enemy's army.
The Sultan was very averse to the infliction of corporal
punishment on his servants, even when they cheated him
beyond endurance. On one occasion two purses filled with
Egyptian gold-pieces had been lodged in the treasury ;
these were stolen, and two purses full of copper coins left
in their place. All he did was to dismiss the people em-
ployed in that department from his service.
I n the year 583 (AD. 1187). a t the battle of Hattin-a
famous day's fight of which, please God, we shall speak in
its proper place-Prince Arnay (Renaud de Chatillon),
Lord cif el-Kerak,l and the king of the Franks of the sea-
coast, were both taken prisoners, and the Sultan com-
manded them to be brought before him. This accursed
Arn3f was a great infidel, and a very strong man. On one
occasion, when there was a truce between the Moslen~sand
the Franks, he treacherously attacked and carried off a
caravan that passed through his territory, c o m i ~ ~from
g them a sum of money for the expenses of his journey.
Egypt. H e seized these people, put them to torture, and
put some of them in grain-pits ( m e t a m f ~ and
) , imprioned
some in narrow cells. When they objected that there was
a truce between the two peoples, he replied: 'Ask your
IZt'naud de Chatillon came to Palestine in 1r48 with I.ouisVII. of
France. H e became ruler of Antioch next year, having married Con-
stance, the heiress of Bohemuncl I]., and \vidow of Rayrnond of Poitou.
H e was taken prisoner by 4lanuel Comoenoj at Malmistra, November
23, I 160, and by Ntir ed-Din,on August 17, I 163. H e remained prisoner
fourteen ycars at hlewpo, and on his release married the widow of
Humphrey of Toron, and so acquired the great fief of Oultre Jourdan,
including the castles of Kerak and ShGbek (l,lontreal), commanding
the H i j :Road :to Mecca. H e was a bitter enemy of the hIoslems,
and marclled on kledina in I 182-I183, escaping with difficulty back
to Kerali. He seized a hloslein caravan from Mecca, near ShGbek, in
1187, during a truce with Salah ed-Din.-See ' Jacques d e Vitry,' p. 99.
IYHAf B E F E L L SCLTAN YUSGF. 43
Muhammad t o deliver you.' The Sultan, to whom these
words were reported, took an oath to slay the infidel with
his own hand, if God should ever place him in his power.
l-he day of the battle of Hattin God delivered this man
into the hands of the Sultan, and he resolved at once to
slay him, that he might fulfil his oath. H e commanded
him to be brought before him, together with the king.
The latter complained of thirst, and the Sultan ordered a
cup of sherbet to be given him. T h e king, having drunk
some of it, handed the cup to Arnit, whereupon the Sultan
said to the interpreter : ' S a y to the king, " I t is you who givc
illm drink, but I give him neither t o drink nor to eat." ' By
these words he wished it to be understood that honour for-
bade him t o harm any man who had tasted his hospitality.
H e then struck him on the neck1 with his own hand, to
fulfil the vow he had made. After this, when he had taken
Acre, he delivered all the prisoners, to the number of about
four thousand, from their wretched durance, and sent them
back to their own country and their homes, giving each of
This is what I have been told by many persons, for I was
not present myself when it took place.
The Sultan was of a sociable disposition, of a sweet
temper, and delightful to talk with. H e was well
acquainted with the pedigrees of the old Arabs, and with
the dktails of their batrles ; he knew all their adventures ;
he had the pedigrees of their horses at his fingers' ends,
and was master of all curious and strange lore. Thus in
with him people always heard things which
could never have learned from others. In company,
he Put everyone at their ease. H e comforted those who
were in trouble, questioned those mho were ill on the nature
Of their malady, on the treatnlent they had adopted, on
H e was then beheaded by the slaves. See p. 11 j.
44 W H A T B E F E L L SUL?'AN Y L ' S l i F . IVHAT B E F E L L S C L T A N Y G S C F . 45
- - -

their diet, and on the changes they experienced in their have grown old in his service. But what I have given \\rill
system. H e insisted strictly upon due seemliness in con- convince an intelligent reader of the grandeur and purity
versation, never suffering anyone to be spoken of escept f, the prince's character and feelings.
with respect; he would talk with none but persons of good NOW,having brought t o a close the first part of my
conversation, lest his ears should be offended ; having his work, I will pass to the second, in which I shall treat of
tongue under perfect control, he never gave may to abusive the changes of fortune experienced by the Sultan, and of
language; he could also control his pen, and never made his battles and conquests. May God hallow his soul and
use of cutting words in writing to a n90slem. H e was the light of His mercy upon his tomb !
most strict in the fulfilment of his promises.
When an orphan was brought before him, he always
exclaimed: 'May the mercy of God be upon thc two
(parents) who have left this child behind them !' Then he
would lavish comfort upon him, and allow him the same
emoluments that his father had enjoyed. If the orphan
had an experienced and trustworthy person amongst his
relations he tvould charge him with the care of the boy ;
if not, he would deduct, from the father's cmoluments,
sufficient for the orphan's maintenance, and then place hirn
with some person who superintended his education and
bringing-up. H e never saw an old man without showing
him the kindest marks of respect and good-will, and making
him some present. And all these noble qualities remained
undimmed in his heart until God recalled him to Himself,
and removed him t o the throne of His mercy, to the
abode of His grace.
This is but a meagre sketch of his lofty disposition and
of his noble character. My aim has been to be concise,
and t o avoid prolixity lest I should weary my readers. I
have mentioned nothing that I have not witnessed, adding
thereto information obtained from credible authorities
which I have myself tested. What I have here told is b u t
a part of that which I was able to observe ~vhilstin the
Sultan's service, and is little indeed in coniparison with all
that could be told by his life-long friends, and those who

PART I1
Is \T'HICII ARE SET FORTH THE CHASGES OF FORTUNE
EXPERIENCEDBY T H E SULTAN,
AND T H E HISTORY
OF HIS CONQUESTS.
C H A P T E R I.
EIIS FIRST CAMPAIGN I N DGYPT, IS \T'IiICII HE SERVED
UNDER H I S UXCLE, XSAD E D - D ~ N (SH~RK'OII).
A CERTAIX man, named ed-Dargh3m, rebelled against
ShAwer,l Vizier of the Egyptians, with the view of
depriving him of the viziership. ShSwer collected a great
number of men t o oppose him, but could not overcome
him, even with the support of this army. H e was driven
out of Cairo by his adversary, and his eldest son, Tai,
perished in the revolution. D a r g h i m then assumed the
.4bi1 ShujB Shbver eh-S'Bdi, the Arab Governor of Upper Egypt,
killed the vizier of el-'Adid the Fatimite Khalif of Egypt, and took
possession of the vizierate. H e was driven from office by i1bC1
el-Ashbsl Dargh?tm, the prefect of the palace, and fled for protection
to NClr ed-Din, the Lord of Syria. I I e returned to Egypt with Shirkoh
and his troops, and in the battle that ensued, Darghlm was killed
(1164). ShSmer then became vizier, but on the occasion of Shirkith's
third expedition to Egypt, he x a s killed (1168) by SalLh ed-Din and
'Izz ed-Din Jurdik (Ibn Khallikan, i. 608).-\XT.
W H A T B E F E L L SC'LT.4,V YGSCF. 47
-- - - ~-. .
...
-p pp
-~ ~-
--v
viziership. I t was the custom when anyone successfuily '
raised the standard of revolt against a vizier (of the
~ ~ t i m ikhalifs)
te t o submit to the victor, and establish him
with full authority in the office for which he had fought.
Indeed, the whole power of the government lay in the
vizier's army, and the vizier had the title of Sultan. They
(the Khalifs) tool< care not t o look into matters too
clcsely, and had followed this policy from the first es-
tablishment of their dominion. ShAwer, thus defeated
and driven from Cairo, set out a t once for Syria, and
presenting himself a t the court of Nor ed-Din,' ~ b nZenghi,
asked for troops to fight his enemies. Ndr cd-Din or6 -red
Asad ed-Din2 t o proceed t o the strong city of hlisr,3 nd
when there t o maintain the rights of the m a n who h
asked his assistance, and to inquire into the condition ant'
T Abb el-KLsim Mahmild el-hIelek el-'Adel Nitr ed-IlCn was son of
I m l d ed-Din Zenghi. On the death of his father ( I 1-16) he took pr~s-
session of Aleppo, vhilst his l>rother occupied Llosul. 111 I be
took Damascus, Hamath, Baalbek, and Alernbij ; and by 1164 he had
gained possession of Hirim, 'rlzlz, and Klniis. In 1173 he took
Mar'ash and Behcsne. H e sent Shirkfill and Salih ed-Din to Egypt
three times, and his name was struck on coins and pronounced in the
KAuMa (Friday sermon) in Egypt when SalLh ed-Din was his Viceroy
in that country. H e was an enlightened prince, and rvas respected
by both Christians ancl Moslcms. H e died in 1171, aged 56 (Ibo
Khallikan, iii. j @ ) . - ~ .
Abael-HPrith Shirkoh el-3Ielek cl-3Iausi~r.1sad ed-Din was uncle
Sal% ed-Din. H e was sent to Egypt by N i ~ recl-llin in I 163-11/34,
;and returned to Datnascus.in 1164 after defeating I)arghbm, and
ShPwer to the vizierate. In 1167 he again went to J.:gypt,
and fought the celebrated battle of ~Z-h'~Eb~i?z. H e entered Egypt for
the third time in 1168, and, when Shbwer was killed, hecame v i ~ i e rto
'lie
d-'Adid. H e died at Cairo in I 169, and was succeeded by
ed-Dfn, who had accompanied him ip all his expeditions (Ihn
Khallikan, i. 626).-W.
0' J ~ ~ J Yas, it is usually pronounced, is used both of old
Cairo;and Of Egypt generally. lllirv d-Jlf~chriiwihprobably refers to
- c,
.'.
48 1VHAT B E F E L L S U L T A X YCiSUF.
-- . . pp -. p p -- p
. - ~
resources of the country. This took place in the year 558
(AD. 1163). Asad ed-Din a t once commenced prepara-
tions for the campaign, and when h e set out for Egypt,
took his nephew (Salah ed-Din) with him. T h e latter
went against his inclination, but his uncle required him t o
command the army and assist him with advice. T h e y
arrived at SIisr, with ShSwer, on the second day of the
month Jomada 11. (May S) of the above year. Their
arrival caused a great sensation, and struck terror into
the inhabitants. Shswer, supported (by Asad ed-Din),
triumphed over his rival, and was re-established in office.
(Asad cd-Din) enforced the acceptance of a treaty on his own
terms, and, having re-established (Shimer's) authority, and
collected exact information a s t o the condition and resources
of the country, set out on his return (to Syria). T h e hope
of making himself nlaster of Egypt had taken root in his
heart, for he saw that it was a land wanting in men (worthy
of the name), and that the direction of public affairs was
left t o chance and imbecile management. H e commenccd
his march t o Syria on the 7th of Zu el-Hijja of the above
year (November 6, 1164). H e had come t o no decision,
and settled no question without first consulting SalLh
ed-Dill, so much did he think of the felicity and good
fortune that seemed t o follow him, and so highly did he
esteem his ncphew's good judgment and the success that
attended all his undertakings. O n his return t o Syria, he
gave himself up t o making his plans and meditating on the
means he might employ t o justify his visiting Egypt again.
His thoughts were entirely occupied with this project, and
until the year 562 (A.D. 1166) h e continued t o discuss it,
and t o lay the ground-work of his plans, with (his
sovereign: el-Melek el-'Adel Kilr ed-Dfn ibn Zenghi.
LI'H'IT U E F E L L S C L T A S I L S C I ; . 49
CHAPTER 11.
SECOND EXPEDITIO~1XTO EGYPT, CALLED TI-IE EVEXT
OF EL-BAI~EIN.~
ASAD ED-DINused very often t o spealc publicly about
his plans with regard t o Egypt. Shawee heard of them,
and, fearing lest the country should fall into the hands
of the Turks,%nd knowing full well that Asad eq'-Din
would most certainly invade the land and take possesa'm
of it, he wrote to the Franks and made an agreemen,
with them. By this treaty they undertook t o enter Egypt,
r In January, 1167, Silr ed-Din sent Asad ed-Din Shirkfih a second
time to Egypt, with orders to take possession of the country. Shiwer,
the vizier of the Khalif, hearing of NGr ed-Llin's preparations, con-
cluded a treaty with Amalric (Amauryj, King of Jerusalem, under
. ''
which the Franlcs were to assist the Khalif with an army. Shirkith
marched by the GVcin'i el-Ghaziil; and, whilst crossing the desert, was
caught in a violent storm. H e lost many men, and, after abandoning
baggage and provisions, his army arrived in a crippled state before
AtfirI, on the right bank of the Nile above Cairo. The Franks, whose
policy it was to lengthen the war, remained near Cairo, and gave
Shfrkfih's men lime to recruit. At last they attacked Shirkilh, and
forced his entrenchments, but did not follow up their victory. Shfrkiih
commenced his retreat to Syria, but, suddenly retracing his steps, fell
upon the combined force of Franks and Egyptians whilst it was
at e2-6iidein, near TCrtz, about six miles south of Cairo.
He gained a complete victory-often referrecl to after>varclsas the
, 8
Iday,' or 'event,' of el-Bibein-and all Egypt fell into his hands. IIe
afterwards evacuated the country in consequence of a treaty with the
Franks ; but.in the following year (1168) he retui-ned and permanently
Occupied
- Egypt.
The omission of any mention of the battle in this chapter is remark-
able. Possibly the author was unwilling to' enlarge upon a victory in
which his hero only played a subordinate part.--W.
Nfir ed-llin's father, Illlid ed-Din Zenghi was one of the IllOSt
, ,. emi?ent
emirs under the Seljflk Turks ; and Nilr ed-Din was regarded
., a Turk by the Arabs in Egypt.-W.

50 W H A T BEFELL SULTAN Y U S U F .
which was placed in their hands without reserve, and
t o give every assistance t o t h e vizier, who would thus be
enabled t o crush his enemies, a n d relieve himself of all
apprehension. Asad ed-Din and Niir ed-Din became very
anxious when they heard this news, for they were afraid
that if the infidels once occupied Misr, they would take
possession of the whole country. Asad ed-Din began his
preparations for a campaign ; Nfir ed-Din furnished him
with troops, and constrained Salfih ed-Din, against his wish,
to accompany his uncle. T h e y commenced their march
on the 12th of the month Rabi'a I., in thc year 562
(January 6, A.D. 1167), and entercd Egyptian territory
a t the very same time a s the Franks. ShAwer and all the
Egyptians with him joined the Franks t o give battle t o
Asad ed-Din. Many skirmishes and battles took place
between the two armies; then the Franks and Asad ed-
Din both left Egypt. W h a t decided the Franks t o leave
was the news that Nfir ed-Din had invaded their territory
at the head of his forces, and taken El-h1uneitera.l Fearing
for their possessions (in Syria), they left Egypt. Asad ed-
Din made up his mind t o return on account of the small-
ness of his army compared with the combined forces of the
Franks and Egyptians, and on account of the fatigues they
had undergone, a n d the dangers they had encountered.
H e did not retire until he had treated with thc Franks for
thc evacuation of the country. I t was towards the end of
the (iLIoslem) year that he started for Syria. His ardent
desire t o make himself master of Egypt was now
strengthened by the fear that the Franks would occupy
that country. H e knew that they had informed them-
selves, a s he had done, of the condition of Egypt, and were
as conversant as he was with all that related to it. H e
waited, therefore, in Syria, full of unrest, his mind torn by
cl-rlluncidera, ' t h e little watch-tower.' See p. 51, n, z.
LVH4T RCTBI.I, SULTA,V Y C S U F 5l
-- - /---- --
ambition, confident that Fate was leading him towards
something (the possession of E g ~ i p t )which was reserved
for another.'
C H A P T E R 111.
ASAD E U - D ~ Z ' ST E I R D EXPEDITION I X T O EGYPT, ,'LSD
CONQULST O F THAT C O U S T R Y .
I N the month of Rejeb (April-May, A.D. 1167)~after A s 4
ed-Din had departed (for Egypt), Niir ed-Din took the
of el-hfuneitera, and demolished the fortress of
Ak&fin the Berripa.l I n the month of Ramadsn (June-
July), he met his brother Icotb ed-Dln3 (Prince of illosul),
and Zein ed-Din' (Prince of Arbela) a t I-Iamah,5 with a
view of invading the enemy's territory. Having pcne-
trated into the regions occupied b y the Franks, they
In 1167 King Amaury of Jerusalem a a s allied with the Fatimite
Khalif of Egypt ; but, after his marriage with hlaria, grand-niece of
Manuel Comnenos, he agreed with the Greqk Emperor to attempt
the conquest of Egypt. T h e Knights Hospitallers assisted, but the
Templars refused to break the treaty with Egypt. Bilbeis was taken,
November 3, 1167, but King Anlaury retreated on hearing that NBr
ed-Bin had again sent Shirlcilh to Egypt with a large force.
' The Berriyn, L outer land,' or ' desert,' was a term applied to the
region between Damascus a n d Emesa. eL~Mz~weitertc near Tripoli,
according to Yakfit, was a fortress in Syria. Akdf is not known.
Kotb,ed-Din Maudild, el-'Araj, 'the Iame,'son of Zenghi, succeeded
his brother, Seif ed-Dln GhAzi, as Lord of hZosul in 1149, and died in
-L170. He is noted as having imprisoned his vizicr, the celebrated
Jemal ed-Din /Ihn I<hallikan, iii. 45Si.-W
* Z e i n . e d - ~ l n'Ali Kuchuk was a Turkoman who had gained posses-
of A r b e h (now Erbfl, about 52 niilcs from hlosul on the road to
.Baghdad) and other t o ~ n sin that part of the country. H e retained
Arbela, and gave the other towns lie had taken to thc sons of Kotb
ed-Din, the Lord of hlosul. Zein ed-Din was remarkable for his great
Mrength and Courage (Ihn I<hnlliknn, ii. 53;).-W.
.? Ha7nah, the ancient NGz~~~zI/1, in the Orontes valley.
4-2
52 W H A T G E F E L L SULTAK YCSCP.
- L pp -- p -
demolished the castle of Hanin,l in the month of Shaxvdl
(July-August) of the same year. In the month of Zu
el-'Kada (August-September), Asad ed-Din rcturned from
Egypt. T h e cause of this (the third expedition into Egypt)
was the action of the Franks, whom may God confound !
They assembled their footmen and horsemen, and marched
on Egypt, thus breaking all the promises they had made
t o the Egyptians a n d Asad ed-Din when they agrecd t o
the treaty of peace; and this they did in the hope of
obtaining possession of Egypt. O n receiving this news,
N i ~ red-Din and Asad ed-Din felt that they could no
longer remain inactive, and they began to organize a fresh
expedition t o that country. K i ~ red-Din contributed hls
share in money and men, but he did not take part in it
personally, being afraid that the Franks would invade his
o ~ v ndominions, and also because he had just received from
Jlosul news of a most important event-the death of Zein
ed-Din 'Ali,? the son of Rektikin, who had died in the
month of Zu el-Hijja, in the year 563 (September-October,
A.D. I IGS). This chief had granted t o the Atabeg K o t b
ed-Din3 all the strongholds h e possessed, with the cxcep-
tion of Arbela," city which the i2tabeg Zenghi had
bestowed upon him. Therefore, N i ~ red-Din turned his
ambition in this direction, and allowed the army to depart
(for Egypt). Asad ed-Dln, for his part, contributed to the
strength of the army by his own presence, by supplies of
money, and by taking with him his brothers, the people of
his household, and the men whom he kept as retainers.
Hi;i~bz,in Upper Galilee, 9 miles S.W. of BLnlas.
See p. 5 I.
3 Kotb ed-Din (see p. 5 1) was A t n b e ~
or 'guardian' to a son of one
of the Selji~kSultans.
4 Arbela (Eubii) gave its name to the battle in which Darius was
defeated by -4lexanrler. It is norv a Turkish military post, and an
important road-centre.-W.
- J v H A T B E F E L L SC'LT.4 \- Y U S U F . 51
Y
~h~ Sultan (Saldh ed-Din) said to m e one d a y : ' O f all
'men, I was the one who least wished t o accompany the
and it was not of m y own accord that I went
with my uncle.' Such is the meaning of the words of the
blost High : ' Pe~adnerzturethat ye hate a thing while it zs
good for you ' (Kurdn ii. 2 1 3 ) . Whcn Sh2wer learnt that
the Franks were marching upon E g y p t with the purposc
(we have set forth), he sent t o aslc Asad ed-Din for im-
mediate assistance. Asad ed-Din set out in a" haste, and
arrived a t Misr in the course of the month of qabi'a I.,
564 (December, I 168-January, 1169). I n the r n ~ ~ of
t h
Moharrem (October) of this year, N h r ed-Din obtained
possession of the fortress of J'aberl from Ibn Milek, whom
he had taken prisoner, in exchange for Serfij,"he Bib
Biza'a,3and El-Melfiha. I n the same month died Yariik, a
chief whose namc is preserved in that of the village of el-
Y a r h k i ~ a . ~When the Franks learnt that Asad ed-Din
had come into Egypt, they made a treaty with the govern-
ment of that country, turned back, and were obliged t o
desist. Asad ed-Din remained there, and was visited fre-
quently by Shiwer. This minister had promised t o In-
demnify him for the expenses of the expedition, but he
K a W J ' a b e r , or Dz~sav(ancient Dausaria), on the left bank of the
Euphrates, N. of Rahha, and about I mile from the river. It was
faken by the Seliiik Sultan Melik Shah. Zenehi, the founder of the
Zenghid ~ y n a s bof Mosul, was' murdered by his eunuchs whilst
I besieging it.-W.
-
S e ~ ~ Z / ;the Serug of Gen. xi. zo, lies between Harr2n and the
Euphrates.
. .
or Bap, is about ao miles from Aleppo, on the road to
MembiJ. In a mosque on the hill above it are shown the tombs of
?Ie6iHakil (Ezekiel) and 'Ahjl, a brother of the Khalif 'hli.
IS about a mile further on, and is apparently on an ancient site.-W'.
' EbYayhk&a was a large quarter lying outside Aleppo, in which
y a r One ~ ~of the Turkoman Emirs of NOr ed-Din, built a palace and
$, 'lived.
54 W H A T BEFELL SULTAS I'l,'.Si.:F.
.~
~
~- ~ ~~~~
gave him nothing. Then the cla~vsof the Liun o f t h e Faith
(Asad ed-Din) fastened themselves upon Egypt. H e knew
that if the Franks found a favourable opportunity, they
would take possession of the country; he felt that constant
expeditions t o drive them out would be unwise ; he saw
clearly that ShLwer was playing, now with him, now with
the Franks; and he was convinced that, so long a s the
vizier remained, h e would be unable to possess himself of
Egypt. H e therefore resolved t o have him arrested on
one of his visits. For all except Asad ed-Din used t o
visit Sh&wer, and d o him homage, but Shhwer himself paid
visits to flsad ed-Din. O n these occasions he used t o come
on horseback, with drums, trumpets, and banners, accord-
ing t o the custom of the viziers of that country, but none
of the officers dared lay a hand upon hiin. I t was Salah
ed-Din himself who arrested him, and in this wise : Shkwer
had set out t o visit them, and (Sal&h ed-Din), having
rnourited his horse, went to meet him. H e then rode by
his side, and as they wcre going along, he seizcd him by
the collar, and commanded his men to fall upon the
vizier's retinue, who took to flight, and were stripped and
plundered by the soldiers. Shawer was led a prisoner t o
a tent set apart. Very soon the Egyptians sent a eunuch
of the palace, bearing a written message, in which they
demanded the head of the prisoner. Shiwer was beheaded,
and his head sent t o them. T h e Egyptians then scnt a
vizier's robe t o Asad ed-Din, who put it upon him, and
betook himself t o the citadel, where he was accepted, and
established as vizier. In this the Egyptians were acting
ill accordance with their custom of bestowing the vizier-
ship on the man who conquered his adversary. -4sad ed-
Din's nomination tooli place on the seventeenth of the
month Kabi'a II., 564 (January IS, AI). 1169). From that
time Asad ed-Din exercised supremc authority, and en-
Lt'HdT B L F E L L S C ' L T A V Y U S L F . 5:
_ p
p -p pp p p p
~
/---
trusted the general management of affairs t o Sal$h ed-Din,
on account of his great abilities, and the wide knowledge,
good judgment, and administrative talents he d i s p l a y d .
CHAPTER IV.
I'HE ~ ~ T AUTHORITY
E F DE-
DEATH OF ASAD E D - D ~ N .
VOLVES UPON T H E SCLTAN (SA <H E D - n i ~ ) .
ASAD E D - D ~ N was a very hearty eater, and was so fond
of rich dishes that be frequently suffcrcd from surfeit and
indigestion. H e used t o recover, after suffering great pain ;
but, when he was attacked by severe illness, it induced
inflammation of the throat, of which he died. This took
place on the zznd of Jomada 11.in the above year (March 23,
A.D. 1169). After his death Sal2h cd-Din was invested
with supreme authority. T h e Sultan soon had the satis-
faction of seeing his government respected, and order
established on all sides. H e spent money lavishly, won
all hearts, and brought everyone into obedience t o his rule.
In recognition of the blessings which God had vouchsafcd
t o him, he gave up mine and the pleasures of the porld,
and devoted himself t o serious business and to work. H e
never abandoned the course he then adopted ; he showed
an industry which increased d a y by d a y until God sum-
. moned him to appear before His mcrcy. I have heard
him say, ' When God allowed me t o obtain possession of
with so little trouble, I understood that H e purposed
to grant me the conquest of the Sril,el,l for H e Himhelf
Under the word .y&/te[, L the author refers to those countries
On the Syrian coast which were then occupied by the pranks.
histrlrians often elnploy the as a name for Palestine and Phccnlcla.
'
Henceforth this word 1s rendered coast.
56 WHAT BEFELL SULTAN YUSL-F
implanted the thought in m y mind.' Therefore, directly
his authority was firmly cstablished, he bcgan t o send
expeditions into the territories of the Franks, in the dis-
trict round el-Kerak and csh-Sh8bek.l T h e clouds of his
munificence and liberality poured down their waters so
copiously that there has never been recorded in history
munificence such as he displayed when h e was a vizicr,
responsible t o the Egyptian government. H e took great
jmins t o establish the true faith (sztnlza) more firmly (in
Egypt),"y aid of the 'z/lema, jurists, dervishes, and fakirs.
People came t o visit him from every side, and flocked t o
his court from all parts. H e never disappointed the hopes
of a visitor, nor allowed hiin t o depart with empty hands.
A s soon a s Nhr ed-Din heard that Sal2h ed-Din was
established a s Sultan, h e took away the city of Ernesa3
from the officers whom Asad ed-DPn had left in chargc.
This occurred in the month of Rejeb, in the year 564
(April, A.D. I 169).
C H A P T E R V.
T H E EXPEDITION O F T H E FRANKS AGAINST DAiIIIETTA,
WHICH RlAY GOD PREShKT. b ! brought in pieces, which were framed together. They \rere then
WHEN the Franks heard what had happened t o the
true believers and t o their own armies, and saw the
Kerak, on the precipice E. of the Dead Sea, was a strong castle
built by King Fulk about 1140. ShBbciE., N. of Petra, called hIontrea.1
by Franks, was built in 1116 by Baldwin I.
' Saljh ed-Din was a Sunni AsToslern of the Shaf'ai sect. The
Fatimite Khalifs of Egypt were Shi'ah 21oslems not recognising the
Khalif of Baghdad.
3 Enzesu, now H<~rns, on the right of the Orontes, between B'albek
and Hamath in Syria.
$1HAT BI.FELL S0LTA.y I'CSLI'. 57
/
sultan (Sal$h ed-Din) establishing his authority in E g y p t
upon a firm basis, they mere convinced that h e would
obtain pO~sessionof their dominions, mould lay waste
dwelling-places, and wipe away all traces of their
rule. Therefore they joined themselves with the Greeks,
intending t o invade the land of Egypt, and gain possession
of it. They determined t o commenb' by a n attack upon
Ddmietta, as the master of that p l a ~would command
both land and s e a ; and, if they could ot-upy it, the city
,vould serve a s a depBt a n d place of retreat. T h e y brought
wtth them mangonels, movable towers, arbalists, besieging
a n d other machines."The Franks in Syria, when
they heard this news, took heart of grace, and surprised
the Moslems in the fortress of 'AkkAr,3 which they suc-
ceeded in taking, and made the governor prisoner. T h ~ s
man was one of Nfir ed-Din's tnemli~ks; hi5 name was
Khotlokh, the standard-bearer. This took place in the
month of RabP'a 11. of the same year (January, 1169).
I n the month of Kejeb (April) occurred the death of el-
'Irnadi, an old follower of Ntlr ed-Din and his grand
chamberlain. H e was then lord o f B'albek and of Tadmor
(Palmyra).
For mangonels see p. g r . The movable towers, or L belfreys,' were
pushed across the ditch of the fortress, which was filled up with hurdles
and fascines to facilitate their passage. The towers ~rotectedthe
S
besieging engines' with which the walls were battered, and the mining
operations. The besieged made every effort to burn or overthrow
them. T h e arbalists ( F ~ /1rb/1/2t,
. Lat. arcifs bn/i.i.tnrizfs), or cross-
bows, are supposed to have been introduced into France by the first
Crusaders; and into the English army by IZichard I. 'Lhey killed
Point-blank at 40-60 yards, and with elevation at rao-160 yds.-\L'.
, . ' Manuel Cornnenos sent I 50 galleys to aid King Amaury at
Damietta. The town was not taken, and a treaty with Salah cd-Din
.was'%ned in December, I 170.
'AKKdr, on the Lebanon, N.E. of Tripoli.
58 IT'IIA T BEFELL S L L ~ A SYGSLF.
- pp p
When N a r ed-Din learnt that the Franks had taken thc
field and sat down before the walls of Damietta, he tesolved
to distract their attention; therefore in the month of Sh'abSn
of this year (565, April-;\lay, A.D. I 170))he blockaded the
fortress of el-Kerak ; then, hearing that the Franks of the
coast were marching upon him, h e raised the siege and
advanced to meet them ; but they did not give him time
t o come up. After this he received news of the death of
nIejed ed-Din Ibn ed-Daya,' a t Aleppo, in the month of
Ramadgn 565 (May-June, ,\.D. I 170). T h e event touched
him nearly, for this officer was the chief of his rulers.
Therefore he set out t o return t o Syria. O n arriving at
'Ashtera,%e learnt that on the 12th of ShawSI this year a
great earthquake had taken place a t Aleppo and destroyed
a great part of the country. H e then set out for Aleppo,
and heard that his brother K o i b ed-Din3 had just dicd a t
Mosul. This event occurred on the z z n i o f Zu el-fIijja of
the above year (6 September, A.D. I 170). H e received these
tidings a t Tell-R;isher,%nd the same night he started Tor
Mosul.
Sultan Salgh ed-Din, understanding that the enemy
meant t o attack Damietta with all the forces at t h e ~ r
command, threw into that city footmen and horsemen of
well-known courage, provisions for the garrison, engines
cf war and arms, and, indeed, everything t h a t might enablc
it to hold out. H e promised the troops whom he stationed
He \+-asGovernor of Aleppo, and one of the ed-Daya family from
India.
' A s h t e ~ ais the present TcN 'ilshkr(zh (Hshtaroth Can~aim)in
Bashan, on the road from Kerak to Damascus. See p. 109.
3 Kotb-ed-DEn Maudcd, son of Zenghi. See p. 51.
4 TelL ihishrr, about two days' journey N. of .2leppo, is now Sfrlnsi
iilrleh, a large mound with ruins near the village of 7Zfioshnr. It is
the) Tz(r6cssrl of the Crusaders, and thelplace to which Jocelyn 11.
removed M-henZenghi took Edessa in r14q.-\V.
/
LVHAT BEE'F:LL S C L T A S L-L-SGF. 59
A -pp p .-p-- -pp
/---
there to bring them reinforcements and applianccs of war,
and to' repulse the enemy if they took I I ~a position
threatening the city. T h e numbcr of his gifts and presents
(on this occasion) was immense, b u t he was a t that time a
exercising absolute authority, whose commands were
implicitly obeyed. T h e Franhi, having encamped against
Damietta at the date we have &, >n above, made a vigorous
assault on that place, but whilst eh;aged with the garrison
on one side, they had t o sustain '.he onslaught of the
cavalry which the Sultan hurled against them on the
other. God gave the victory t o the Moslc~nsthrough the
instrumentality of the Sultan, and in consequence of his
well-chosen measures for the reinforcement o i the garrison.
The Franks, seeing the failure of their plans and the
triumph of the true faith over the unbelievers, thought it
prudent t o withdraw from danger and save themselves
alive ; so they departed, disappointed in their expecta-
tions and full of regret for having incurred so much useless
expense. Our people set fire t o their mangonels, plundered
all their warlike stores, and inflicted great loss of men upon
them. Thanks t o the goodness of God and t o His assist-
ance, the city was saved, thc sword of their violence
was shattered, and the Sultan's authority was firmly re-
established.
CHAPTER VI.
RELATES HOLY IIE hIbr HI5 FATIIER.
HE t h e n went to meet his father, that his happiness might
be complete in the pleasurc of seeing him, and wishing
in this to imitate his namesake, the prophet Joseph. I t
was in the course of the month of Jomada lI., in the year
565 (February-March, A.U. I I ~ O ) that
, his father, lu'ejm
60 I1 HAT D E f i h L L S U L T A S Y G S W .
-
--
e d - D i n ,4yiib,l c a m e t o join him. U r g e d by t h e respect
h c h a d a l w a y s felt for his father, h e offered t o yield u p
to him all t h e power he h a d acquired ; b u t AyQb replied :
' h l y d e a r son, r t m e m b e r t h a t G o d would n o t h a v e chosen
t h e e to o c c u p y this position h a d Hc n o t j u d g e d t h e e
c a p a b l e of filling it. IVhen g o o d f o r t u n e is s e n t us, w e
m u s t n o t a l t e r its destination.' T h e n t h e S u l t a n bestowed
upon h i m the m a n a g e m e n t of all t h e treasure of t h e realm.
S a l i h e d - D i n continued t o exercise a b s o l u t e a u t h o r i t y a s
vizier until t h e d e a l h of el-'Adid A b u M u h a m m a d ' A b d -
Allah,"he last of t h e E g y p t i a n khalifs.
I n t h e m o n t h of h l o h a r r e m 566 ( S e p t e m b e r - O c t o b e r ,
A.D., 1170) KClr e d - D i n t o o k t h e city o; E r - R a k k a ? a n d
aftermards, tolvards t h e e n d o f t h c s a m e m o n t h , he captured
K i ~ i b i n . ~H e t o o k S i n j i r j in t h e m o n t h of R a b i ' a 11.
A1,n esh-Shukr 4yi1b el-Melek e \ - ~ f d a Nejm l ed-Din was the son
of Shbdi, the Governor of Tr/;lrif,on the T i ~ r i s . He succeeded his
father as governor, but afterwards took service with Zenghi, Lord of
Mosul, who made him Governor of BJa16ch, where he founded a con-
vent of Si~fis. He was nest Governor of Darnascus for NClr ed-Din.
and defended it against the Franks in 1148. He finally died at Cairo
from a fall from his horse (1173).-\V.
Shortly befo1.e the death of &'Adid, who was Fatimite (Shi'itc)
Khalif fi-om I 160 to I 171, N i ~ red-Din, who was a Sunni Noslem, and
attached to the interests of the 'Abbassides, instructed Saldh ed-Din
to restore the name of the 'Ahbasside Khalif, el-IRIostadi, in the lcriday
sermon (kilof6n),and depose the Shi'ite Khalif.--\\:.
3 Rntder. on the left bank of the Euphrates, at the junction of the
Geiik with that river, is allout eleven hours beloxv Meshi~zeil,the head
of steam navigation. Rakka is on the site of flii-e$iloriu??2,and nearly
opposite to it, on the right bank, was Thapsacus. Here Gyms forded
the Euphrates, and Alesandercrossed the river in pursuit of 1larius.-l{'.
4 Aysibi??,ancient IVisibis, is near the point where the Jaghjagha Su
leaves the mountains. It was a famous town and fortress,
(.l.fyY~~r'nni~~.r!
and was at one period (KC. 149-A.u. 14), the residence of the Armenian
kings. Trajan dcrired his title ' Parthicus ' from its capture.-\V.
5 Siiljnr. ( . ~ i r < p ? - c z ) on the ATa/z?, 7'hntkar, which rises in Jebel
Sinjar, is on the road from Deir to Yiosul, and about 63 miles west
J Y H A T B E F E L L S U L T A S Yb-SUF. hi
-
h
--
(December, I 170; J a n u a r y , I I ~ I )a ,n d t h e n inarchcd t o w a r d s
with n o hostile intention, however. I-Iaving crossed
the river ( t h e Tigris) with his t r o o p s at t h e ford of Hcled,
he encamped u p o n t h e T e l l facing klosul, which is called
the Castlel (El-Hisn). T h e n h e s e n t a message t o his
nephew, Seif e d - D i n G h S z i , i ~ r i n c eo f t h a t city, i n f o r m i n g
him of his friendly intentions:> H e concluded a t r e a t y of
peace with him, a n d o n t h e 13th ?f t h e m o n t h of J o m a d a I.
(January 2 2 , A.U. I I ~ I ) ,m a d e his e n t r y i n t o 1\;Iosul,
confirmed his n e p h e w in t h e g o v e r n m e n t of t h a t city,
a n d g a v e h i m his d a u g h t e r in rnarriagc. To his o t h e r
nephew, ' I m 3 d ed-Din,3 h e g a v e t h e city of Sinjar. T h c n ,
leaving Mosul, h e s e t o u t o n his r e t u r n t o S y r i a , arid
entered A l e p p o in t h e m o n t h of S h ' a b i n (April-May)
of t h e s a m e year.
CIIAPTER VII.
EL-'ADID died 0:) M o n d a y , t h e 10th of h l o h a r r e m , 567
(September 13, AD. I I 7 1 ) A s h o r t t i m e b e f x e h i s d e a t h ,
Sal2h ed-Din, whose a u t h o r i t y was by this t i m e firmly
established, h a d ordered t h e kAot6a t o b e read in th, n a m e
of the latter place. It was a strong border fortress of the 12onians,
and beneath its walls was fought a men~orablebattle between Con-
stantius and Sapor. It was stormed by the Persians during the reign
of Julian.-I?.
' The mound of K~yunjiJ(A'inemcil).
Seif ed-Din GhSzi succeeded his father, Kotb ed-Din, as Lord of
Mosul in 1170. He submitted to his uncle, Niir ed-Din, and was
confirmed in his government. He took the side of his cousin, es-
Saleh, Lord of Aleppo, and was defeated by Salill ed-Din. He died
in 11.80 (Ibn Khallikan).-W.
See pp. 28, 71.
 Gz II'HAT B E F E L L S C L T A S I GSCF
--
o i the Abbaside Khallf, el-Rlostad~,~ and nothing occurred
tn disturb the order that prevailed throughout the country.
All the treasures of money in the palace he expended and
d15posed of as presents. On each occasion, when God
opened unto him the treasure-house of any prince, he gave
the contents up as spoil, keeping nothing for himself.
H e then commenced preparations for an expedition
into the enemy's territory, organizing it with the greatest
forethought. NGr ed-Din, for his part, had resolved to
make war (on the Franks), and had invited his nephew,
the Prince of RIosul, t o give hinl his support. This prince
arrived with his army, and served under his uncle. T h e
expedition terminated In the capture of 'Arka,%~hich took
place in Moharrem, 567 (September-October, .\.D. I 171).
CI-IAPTER VIII.
F I R S T EXPEDITION UXDERTAKEN BY T H E SULTAN O U T
O F EGYPT.
FORa long while he had devoted all his strength t o the
promotion of justice, and t o the scattering of benefits and
boons upon the nation. In the year 568 (AD. I 172-1 173),
I El-Slostadi \%.asKhalif from 1170 to I 180. T h e ZC/iotbn (ffizitba)
is the sermon delil-ered on Fridays at the lime of mid-day prayer. It
must be in Arabic, and must include prayers for Muhammad, the
Companions, the reigning Khalif, and the Sovereign. Hence the
mention of a man's name in the hhnMil is a sign of his assumption of
sovereignty.--l!'.
'Arkiz was about 12 miles north of Tripoli, and some 6 miles from
the coast. It colnmanded the great coast-road, which ran between it
and the sea, and the road up the valley of the Eleutherus t o Emesa
( H o r n s ) . T h e site, on a rocky hill, still bcars the name 'Arka. Its
capture secured to the Moslems access to the coast, and facilitated
o?errrtions against the Christians.-\V.
LI.-HAT B E F E L L SC'LTA'V YYGScrr;. 63
~ - - - - - P
he marched a t the head of his army upon el-Kerak and
esh-shdbek, having made up his mind t o begin wit11 those
places, because they were nearest t o Egypt, and lay on
the road t o that country. They thus prevented travellers
froin resorting thither. N o caravan could pass through
that district unless the Sultan marched out and escorted
it in person. His object, therefore, was to make the
road freer and rnore easy, to put the two countries1 into
so that travellers might come and go
without hindrance. H e set out to lay siege to these places
in the year j68, and engaged in many skirmishes with
the Franks. H e returned t o Egypt without having gained
any advantage in this expedition. Nevertheless, a rccom-
pense for undertaking it remained t o him in God's hands.
Nfir ed-Din took hlar'ash5in the month of Zu el-K'ada of
this year (June-July, A.D. 1173). and overthrew Hehnes2"
the month following.
C I I A P T E R IX.
DEATH OF' N E J M E D - D ~ Y ( A Y ~ B ) ,T H E SULTAN'S FATHER.
ON his return from this expedit~on,before he reached
M m , the S u k a n received news that his father, Nejm ed-
Din, waz no more. H e was sorely grieved not t o have
been with him in his last moments. Nejm ed-Din died
' Syria and Egypt.
' Mainsh, near the foot of the Taurus, N. of Aleppo. It was a place
of great importance during the border warfare between the Arabs and
the Hyzantines.
BeJznpsd, or Behcs,zd (Bcsnc), is about two days' journcy S.E. of
'AiJ~tu*b,on the road fi-om ~ l f t r P a s h to S'zrnzcistft, on the Euphrates.
The castle was regarded a s impregnable until taken b y l'imfir In
'400.-W.
from a fall from his horse ; he was very fond of galloping
a t full speed, and playitlg d i ~ n ' n . ~A t such a rate did he
CHAPTER X.
g o that those who saw him used t o s a y : ' T h a t man is
sure t o die from a fall from his l~orse.' I-Ie died at Misr DEATH OF N ~ T R ED-DLN MAIIMCD, SON OF ZENGIII-
in the year 568 (A.D. 1172-1173). MAY THE MERCY O F GOD BE UPON HIRI !
In the year 569 ( I . 1173-1174) the Sultan saw thc
LIKE Asad ed-DPn, Nfir ed-Dlnl died of an affection of the
strength of his army, and the great number as well as throat which his physicians were unable t o curc. His death
the courage of his brcthrcn. H c also heard that a certain
took place on Wednesday, the I ~ t of h Shaw21, 569 (May I 5,
rnan named 'Abd en-Nebi Ibn klehdi had made himself
A.D. I 174), in the castle of Damascus. H e was succeeded
master of Yemen and of the strongholds of that country,
by his son, el-Melek es-SSleh Ism'ail."alSh ed-Din gave
and that he had the khotbn2 preached in his own name,
me the following account : ' W e had received information
declaring that his empire would stretch over all the earth,
that Nfir ed-Din had dcclarcd his intention of coming t o
and that he was destined t o obtain supreme power. T h e l
attack us in Egypt, and some of our council were of opinion
Sultan was counselled to send his eldest brother, Shems
that we ought t o throw off the mask, declare ourselves in
ed-Daula el-Melek el-Mu'azzem Tfiran Shah," against this
revolt, a n d openly break with him. T h e y said : " W e will
man, a noble and lofty-minded prince, greatly distinguished
take the field against his army in battle array, and will
by the fine qualities of his disposition. I have heard the
drive him back from hence, if what we hear he is planning
Sultan praise his brother's noble dispositiorr and fine ever comes to pass." I was the only one who opposed this
qualities, ' in which h e excels me,' he used t o say. Tfir5n idea, saying: " W e must not even think of such things."
Shah set out for Yemen in the month of Rejeb, 569
The discussion continued among us until we rcceived
(February, A.D. 1174), and it was a t liis hands that God
tidings of his death.'
granted us the conquest of that country. H e killed the
heretic (ZL'hdrq'z)who had established himself there, made
himself master of the greater part of the country, and C H A P T E R XI.
bestowed gifts and presents upon a great number of
people. TREACHERY O F E L - K H S Z ~ AT ASWAN I N TiIE TEAR 570
(A.D. 1174-1175).
Dim'a is a second name for JetZd The word means the cubit,
THISEl-Kenz had been a eencral in the service of the
fore-arm, and among some tribes the fore part of a spear between the 'J

point and the fist holding it.-W. Egyptian Government. H e managed t o escape, and estab-
See p. 62. ' See p. 47.
3 Tilrln Shah, who \\.as at one time Governor of Damascus, made
El-Melek es-SAleh'ImAd ed-l)fn Ism'ail was only eleven years old
an expedition against Xuhia in I 172-117j H e died at Alexandria when he succeeded his father. H e died at illeppo In 1181 when not
in 1180.-W. quite nineteen, nominating his cousin, ' I r z ed-UEn, son of Kotb ed-Din,
as his successor. -\V.
According to some readings, cl-kkend
' 5
66 6VIIAT B E F E L L S U L T A N 2'DSDF.
-- p
p p
li5hed himself at Aswan; wherc he set to work to organize
a conspiracy. I-Ie gathered together the negroes, and made
them believe that he was going t o make himself master of
the country and reinstate the Egyptian Government. These
people were possessed by the spirit of faction which charac-
terizes all Egyptians, and which reduces acts such as this
man contemplated to the merest trifles in their eyes. When
he had assembled together a great number of people and a
host of negroes, he marched towards KOsQnd the depen-
dent districts round it. T h e Sultan, informed of his move-
ments, scnt against the insurgents a strong, well-armed
force, selected from men who, having tasted the sweetness
of Egypt, were afraid it might be taken from them. At
their head he placed his brother, el-Melck el-'adel Seif ed-
Din, who marched out t o meet the enemy, defeated them In
a pitched battle, and kil!ed a great number. Thus the evil
was rooted out and the revolt extingutished. This took
place on the 7th of the month Safer, in the year 570 (Sep-
tember 7, A.D. 1174). By this means the foundations of
the Sultan's authority were greatly strengthened and re-
newed-may God be praised '
C H A P T E R XII.
T l l E FRANKS ATTACK T H E DEFEKCbS OF ALESANDRIA-
AlAY GOD PI<OTECT I T !
T H E Franks, hearing of the revolution in Egypt and of the
change of government that had taken place, conceived the
Asszdin at the foot of the first cataract of the Nile.
1 to denote a s h ~ pof gleat size El Makriz~mentlons a 6otsa w h ~ c h
9 (ifis, or K o s , is on the right bank of the Yile, a little above Koptos,
a tolril which it supplanted as the emporium of the Arabian trade.
I<os itsclf afterwards gave place to finch, as Myos-Hormos and
Philoteras-portus, on the Red Sea, gave place to Kosseir.-W.
W H A T B E F b L L SC'LTAh7 Y U S U F . 67
- -
hope of qonquering the country, and despatchcd a fully-
equipped army by sca. Their fleet was composed of galleys
(&dni), of transports (tar&), of grcat ships (60tsn1), and
other vessels, to the number of six hundred. On the 7th
of the month Safer, of this year (September 7, 11741, they
toolc up their position before this frontier city. T h e Sultan
sent a body of troops t o relievc the place, and was so
active in his opposition that the enemy, paralysed by the
terror which God had placed in their hearts, were unable
to resist him ; they departed with disappointed hopes, and
having wasted all the money they had expended. They
had closely besieged the city, and assaulted it with all
their forces for three days, but God protected it. When
they perceived that the Sultan was marching against them,
they hastily abandoned their mangonels and other engines ;
then the people of the city lost no time in sallying out to
take possession of these machines, and set them on fire.
This was a momentous event, and one of the greatest
mercies ever granted (by God) to the Moslems.
CHAPTER XIII.
T I l E SULTAN GOES INTO SI'RIA A411 TAKES POSSESSION
O F DAMASCUS.
AT his death Nhr ed-Din left a son, el-Melek es-Sale11
Ism'ail, who at this time was at Damascus. T h e castle of
Aleppo was bccupied by Shems ed-Din'Ali Ibn ed-Daya
The word bofsa, In the plural dotes, IS used by some Arab hlstor~ans
held 1,500 men Quatremhre s h o ~ ~the s meanlng of this word, and
Of the words taridir and shinz very clearly h ~ sextract from el
Makrirl's LSoliiL,'published under the t ~ t l eof ' H ~ s t o ~ des
r e Su!tans
Marnlouks.'
j--2
68 W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSL7F.
. ~ ~
. .~-
and by Shadhbakhtl 'Ali (Ibn ed-Uaya), who for his part
was laying ambitious plans. El-Melek es-Sileh, having
left Damascus, set out for Aleppo, and arrived outside that
city on the 2nd of Moharrem (August 3, A.D. 1174). H e
was accompanied by Sabek ed-Din.-edr cd-Din sallied
out from the town to receive him and arrestcd Sibek ed-
Din.3 Having effected an entrance into the citadel, el-
hlelek es-Sbleh arrested Sliems ed-Dfn (Ibn ed-Daya), and
Hasan, his brother, and committed them all thrce to
prison. On this same day, Ibn el-Khashbb ilbu el-Fad1
lost his life in a tumult that took place in the city of
Aleppo. It is said that he was killed the day before the
arrest of the two sons of ed-Daya, for it was they who
committed this murder.
T h e S'ultan, having assured himself of the truth of the
report of Nfir ed-Din's death and knowing that the
i should be given up t o him. H e would then take upon
son of that prince was a young man unequal to the
\\:hen N iir ed-Din died, the emirs at Damascus appointed Gumish-
tikin S'ad ed-Din, Emir of 3losu1, the guardian of his young son, es-
S$leh, and sent him apd the prince to Aleppo. That town was then
torn by factions, part of the people being Fatimite (Shz'itc)and part
Abbaside (Sunni). Shetns ed-Din, who had been one of KGr ed-
Dfn's principal emirs, was governor, but his authority was confined
to the citadel, where lie lived with his brolher, Jemil ed-Din Shadh-
bakht. The city was held by another brother, Bedr ed-Din Ihn ed-
Daya. The emirs were jealous of each other, and continually plotting
to get the sole government of the city, and to become guardian of the
young prince. ' In one of the tumults, AbQ el-Fad1 Ibn el-Khashib,
who was !<adi and head of the Shi'ite party, was killed. % \ h'en
Gumishtikin arrived with es-SAleh, he imprisoned the brothers ed-
rlaya, and restored order. The e d ~ l j a y a swere natives of India, and
freed men of Nilr ed-Din ('Zobda el-Halcb,' a history of Aleppo, by
1<em2l ed-Din).-\V.
This is a mistake. The author should have written S'nd ed-Dirz,
the title given to Enlir Gumishtikin.
3 This is another mistake. Emir Bedr ed-Din sallied out from the
town to meet S'ad ed-Din, and was arrested by him (Ken151 ed-llin's
Zobda').
WHAT B E F E L L SULTAN YUSUF. 69
p - - - - .-
cares and, responsibilities of sovereignty, and to the task
of driving the enemies of God from the land, made pre-
prations for an expedition t o Syria, the root (or base) of
the lands of IslAm. H e set out with a strong body of
troops, after leaving a sufficient force in Egypt to protect
that country, maintain order, and uphold the authority of
the government, and he was accompanied by many of his
kinsmen and retainers. As he had scnt letters t o the
emirs and people of Syria, the supporters of el-Melek
es-Saleh were divided and had no settled plans. Each
man distrusted his neighbour, and some werc arrested by
their colleagues. This inspired great tcrror among the
l others, and estranged the hearts of his people from the
young prince. The state of affairs forced Shems ed-Din
Ibn el-Mokaddeml t o write to the Sultan, who hastened
his march, with a view of demanding that el-Melek es-S2leh
himself the education of that prince, the administration of
government, and the re-establishment of order. There
was no resistance on his arrival a t Damascus, and the city
was delivcrcd up to him on Tuesday, the 30th of the
month Rabi'a II., in the year 570 (November 27, AD. I 174).
He also obtained possession of the castle. T h e first house
he entered was that which had belonged to his father.
The people of the city assembled to see him and to receive
him with expressions of joy. H e distributed large sums
of money that day, and showed the people of Damascus
that he was as pleased to see them as they were to have
him in their city. H e then took up his quarters in the
I Shems Sd-D^m Ibn er-Mokaddem, who had been appointed
guardian of es-SBleh, became alarmed at the ambitious schemes of
Gumisht~kinat Aleppo, and slded wlth SalBh ed-Uin, to whom be
Surrendered Damascus. H e was ktlled at Mount 'Arhfit in a scume
'hat arose out of n dtspute about ~ l e c e d e n c ew ~ t hthe chief of the
Pllgrim caravan from 1rak.-\V
70 JC-HAT B E F E L L SUL71I1S Y U S U F .
-.
castle and thus established his authority in the city. He
set out shortly afterwards for Aleppo. On reaching
Emesa, he took up a position against that city, and
captured it in the month Jomada I. (December), in the
year 570. Without pausing to besiege the castle of that
place he pushed on, and on Friday, the 30th of the same
month, halted for the first time at Aleppo.
C H A P T E R XIV.
SEIF E D - u ~S~E N D S HIS BROTHER 'IZZ ED-DPN~ TO
OPPOSE THE SULTAN.
SEIF ED-DPN, Prince of Blosul, learning what had taken
place, saw that a man had appeared who was to be feared,
and was mighty and full of mastery. Fearing that, if the
Sultan met with no opposition, he would over-run the
country, establish his authority over it, and obtain supreme
powcr, hc cquipped a great number of men, and entrusted the
command of this powerful army to his brother, 'Izz ed-Din
Mas'iid. The troops set out to oppose the Sultan with a
view of giving him battle, and driving him out of the land.
Sal3.h ed-Din, informed of their plans, left Aleppo on the
1st of Rejeb of this year (January 26, A.D. 1175)~and
retreated in the direction of Hamali. On reaching Emesa,
he laid siege t o thc castle, and captured it. 'Izz ed-Din
came to Aleppo, and, after joining the garrison of that
city t o his own army, renewed his march at the head of
Ab6 el-Fat11 Ahi3 el-Muzaffer 'Izz ed-D?n, in the lifetime of his
brother, comlllanded the troops, and was defeated b y Saljh ed-Ilin
in 117;. IIis cousin, es.Sileh, made him his heir, and he reached
Aleppo in l)ecember, r 181. Afcw months later he exchanged Aleppo
with his brother. 'ImAd ecl-Din, for Sinjar, etc. H e succeeded Seif
ed-Din as Lord of llosul in I 180, and died in I ryj.-W.
LVHAT B E F E L L S L LTAY Y U S U F . 71
_---- - -- pp
an immense multitude. Thc Sultan, knowing that these
troops were on the march, set out to meet them, and fell
in with them a t the H o ~ n sof Hn9fznh.l H e wished, if
possible, t o persuade their leaders t o make peace, and
entered into correspondence with thein ; but in this he was
u n s u c ~ e s ~ f ~They
l. preferred to risk a battle in the hope
.f attaining their chief object, and the fulfilment of their
wishes. But the decision (of God) is other than the will
(of man) ; the battle took place, and God granted that the
troops (of Mosul) were utterly routed. Many of them were
taken prisoners, but the Sultan afterwards gave them their
liberty. This took place on the 19th of RamadAn, 570
(April 13, A.D. 1175) After this victory, the Sultan en-
camped before Aleppo for the second time, and its in-
habitants were obliged to cede him el-M'aarraQnd Kefr
Tab3 as the price of peace. H e also took (the fortress of)
B%rEn4towards the end of the year.
C H A P T E R XV.
SEIF E D - D ~ N HIMSE1.F S E T S OUT AGAINST T H E S U L T A N .
THEday on which this battle was fought, Seif ed-Din was
besieging his brother, 'Imsd ed-Din,5 in Sinj2r. H e was
Heights near the gorge of the Orontes at Hamath In N. Syria.
' El-M'aarra so called from one of the companions of
e~z-iVu'r~iB~z,
the Prophet who dled there, 1s about elght hours from fTaw~nAon the
road from that place to Aleppo. It was f i ~ staken
t by the Crusaders
November, 1098, and plundered and destroyed by Rohemund In
'099. The,vlllage IS still noted for ~ t pistachios,
s ol~ves,etc -W.
Kefi Tdb was a small tonn between \I1aarm and Aleppo.
Bddn was a small town about one day's march S. of Hamah,
and near eu-/?afiznzj,a (R,@izawec~). It had. a castle, bullt by the
Crusnders about logo -W.
See pp. 28, 81.
 72 WHAT BEFELL S U L T A N YUSUF.
determined to wrest the city from him, and oblige him to
renew his allegiance; for this prince maintained friendly
relations with the Sultan, and thought that would suffice
to protect him. Seif ed-Din beset the place very closely,
brought mangonels to play upon it, and made a great
breach in the walls. H e was on the point of taking it,
when he heard the result of the battle. Fearing that his
brother \vould hear of this cvent, and be encouraged to
continue his resistance, he made proposals for peace, which
were accepted. Immediately after this, he set out for
Nisiba, where he exerted himself t o assemble his troops,
and pay them. H e then marched towards the Euphrates,
which he crossed near el-B1ra.l Having encamped on the
Syrian bank, he sent messengers t o Gumishtikin and el-
Melek es-Sfileh, proposing the terms of a treaty on which
he could join them. Gumishtikin came t o his camp, and
entered into negotiations which were interrupted and
renewed so many times that Seif ed-Din was often on the
point of returning home. A t last it was agreed that he
should have an interview with el-Melek es-S$leh, and he
set out for Aleppo. When he approached the city, the
young prince went out in person to welcome him, and the
meeting took place near the fortress. Seif ed-Dln embraced
him, took him in his arms, and wept. Then he sent him
back to the fortress, and encamped close to the spring
called el-Mobfiraka (' blessed '1, where he remained for
some time, and where the Aleppo garrison came every day
to pay him respect. H e visited the fortress, attended by
a company of his horsemen, and took a meal there (lit.,
eat bread there). After this he struck his camp, and
El-Rfm, in modern Arabic, Bir; in Tiirkish, Biyejih ( A $ ~ I ~ Z C I I
zeu.qiizn), at one of the most important crossings of the Euphrates
N.E. of Aleppo.
TVIZAT B E F E L L SULTALV Y L S U F . 73
/
repaired t o Tell es-Sulf3n,' accompanied by the troops
from Diarbekr, and a great number of people.
Whilst the Sultan was awaiting the arrival of the troops
he had summoned from Egypt, the others (the supporters
of el-Melek es-Sfileh) made no good use of their time
,ither in action or in making arrangements, little suspect-
ing that their negligence would be fatal. The army having
arrived from Egypt, the Sultan resumed his march, and
reached the Horns of Hamah. T h e others, when they
heard that the troops had come, sent out their spies and
secret emissaries, through whom they learnt that the Sultan
had pushed forward with a small escort to the Turkoman's
Well, and that the rest of the army was dispersed in different
directions to water the horses. Had it been God's will to
give them the victory, they would have marched upon the
Sultan that very moment ; 'but if God decrea, z t was to
68' (Kur2n viii. 43). Therefore they gave the Sultan and
his troops time to water their horses, to concentrate, and
prepare for battle, and on the follorving morning they
took up their position to fight. I t was on the morning of
Thursday, the 10th of Shawgl, j71 (April z z , A.D. 1176),
that the two armies encountered one another. Then
followed a fierce conflict, in which the right wing of Seif
ed-Dfn's army, commanded by Muzaffer ed-Din (Kukbtiri),
About a day's march from hleppo, on the road to Hamah.
Abh Said KukbC~riel-Melek el-Mu'azzam Mozaffer ed-Din SW-
ceeded his father as Lord of -4rbela in I 168. Hc was then only four-
teen, and \;as imprisoned by his Atabeg, Mujihid ed-Uin KBimaz,
who placed his younger brother, Zein ed-Din, on the throne. Kukhfiri,
after visiting Baghdad, entered the service of Seif cd-Din, who gave
him Harrhn as a fief. H e afterwards took scrvice with Snlih ed-Dfn,
who gave him Edessa and Sumeidt, and whose sister he married.
He fought in most of Salih ed-Din's battles, and displayed great
b''avc,:y, especia!ly at Hattin. On the death of his brother, 1190, he
Succeeded him at Arbela, and was noted for his charitable works.
74 Tt'HfIT BEFELL SULTAlV Y C S U F .
--
son of Zein ed-Din, overthrew the Sultan's left flank.
Sal3lL cd-Din then charged in person, put the enemy t o
flight, and made prisoners a great number of their chief
officers, and Fakhr ed-Din 'Abd el-Mesil~(the vizier). H e
restored the important persons t o liberty. Seif ed-Din
returned t o Aleppo, took the money which h e had left
there, and crossed the Euphrates on his return to his
own country. T h e Sultan refrained from pursuing those
who had escaped. H e spent the rcst of the day in the
enemy's camp, where h e found all their baggage just as
they had left it ; their cooking utensils, their provisions,
their stables full of horses-all had been left. H e dis-
tributed the horses and provisions amongst his officers and
men, and gave Scif ed-D3n's tent t o 'Izz ed-Din Ferrfikh-
Shah, nephew of that prince. Then, having sat down
before ~ e m b e j , he
l received the capitulation of that place
towards the end of the same month; after that he marched
upon the Castle of 'Az~z,'and laid siege t o it on the 4th
of the month of Zu el-K'ada, 571 (May 15, A.D. 1176).
I t was here that the Ism'ailiya3 tried t o assassinate h i m ;
but God preserved him from their treachery, and gave the
assassins into his power. This occurrence did not daunt
his determination; he remained before the place until he
took it on the 14th of Zu el-Hijja (June 24). H e arrived
H e brought water by an aqueduct to Jebel ' A r i a t , and built fountains
there for the Mecca pilgrims (Ibn IChallikan, ii. 53j).--\V.
iJfeiirbcj (Bambyce), between Aleppo and Rir.
'ABC~Z is to tile N.\\-. of rlleppo, near the road to Killis, in a
fertile district.
3 The Isrn'ailiya or Assassins (Hashshrishin, hemp-smokers '),
organized by Hasau el-Homeiri in 1090 at Alarnilt in Irak, had
established thenlselves in the N. Lebanon by the middle of the twelfth
century. The lo~+-erinitiates were bound to carry out the Sheikhs
orders against hloslem or Christian alike. The mystical teaching of
the sect, tracing back to Ism'ail, the sixth 1mLn1,had reached Syria as
early as the ninth century.
IT-HAT B E F E L L S C L T A X I'GSCF. 75
p~
- --pp. ~
before b l e p p o on the 16th of the same month, and, having
encamped there for some time, took his final departure.
One of the daughters of Ndr cd-Din, quite a young girl,
was sent t o him by the Government of Aleppo to ask for
the Castle of ''tz3z as a gift a t his hands ; this request h e
granted. Towards the close of the samc month, his brother,
Sherns ed-Daulal (TfirAn Shah), arrived a t Dan~ascuson
his return from Yemen. H e remained there some time,
and then returned t o Egypt. H e died a t Alesandria on
the 1st of Safer, 576 (June 27, I 180 an.). T h e Sultan also
returned t o Egypt t o ascertain the condition of the country,
and support those whom he had left in authority. I t was
in the month of Iiabi'a I., 572 (September t o October,
A.D. 1176), that he set out for Egypt, leaving his brother,
Shems ed-Daula, a s his lieutenant in Damascus. Having
spent some time in Egypt, restoring order in the administra-
tion of affairs, remedying defects in the government, and
recruiting his army, h e began his ..preparations for an
invasion of the territories of the Franks, determined t o
penetrate t o the sea-coast. H c came into collision with
the Franks a t Ramla, whither they had advanced t o meet
him, early in the month of Jomada I . , 373 (the end of
October, AI,. I 177).
C H A P T E R XVI.
PRINCEARNAT (Kenaud d e Chatillon), the leader of the
Franks, had been ransomed a t Aleppo, where he had bccn
detained a prisoner since the timc of Xkr ed-DPn. This
day (i.e., that of Ramla) the Moslems sustained a severe
defeat. This is the explanation the Sultan gave of the
 76 W H A T B E F E L L SL;LT,4.V YUSL-F.
cause of the disaster. Our troops had been drawn up in
order of battle, and the enemy was advancing, when some of
our people thought we ought to change the position of our
flanks,l so as t o gain the protection of a well-known Tell in
the country of Ramla,2 in our rear. Whilst our men were
executing this movement, the Franks charged, and, b y
God's permission, put them t o rout. A s there was no
stronghold a t hand t o which they could retreat, the
Bloslems flcd in the direction of Egypt, and, losing their
nay, were scattered far a r ~ dwide. T h e enemy took a
great number of prisoners, amongst whom was 'Aisa? the
jurist. This was a great reverse, but God repaired our
loss by the advantage WC gained in the famous battle of
Haytin.
Let us turn t o el-Melek es-S9leh. This prince's affairs
having fallen into disorder, he had Gumishtikin, who
was really governor of the whole country, arrested, and
commanded him t o give up the castle of HBrim." . On his
refusal t o d o so, he put him t o death. T h c Franks, hear-
ing that the minister was dead, laid siege t o Hirim, in the
hope of taking it. This took place in the month of
Jomada II., in the year 573 (November - December,
1177 A.D.). T h e garrison, attacked on one hand by the
Franks, and threatened on the other by el-Mclck es-S9leh's
The original is not clear. According to one translation, it means
that the right and left wings should interchange their positions.-W.
This defeat of SalSh ed-Din occurred at Gezer (TeZlje~cr),5 miles
S.E. of Kamleh, on November 25, I 177. See Ruhricht's ' Regesta Itegni
Hierosolymitani,' Ko. 264.
3 It was through the exertions of this man, who was both lawyer
and warrior, that Salhh ed-Din was able to rally round him the emirs
of Nilr ed-Din's army, when the Fatimite Khalif appointed' him his
first minister, and honoured him with the title of Sultan.
"Mm was an i~nportantborder castle (called Harenc by the
Franks) E. of the Orontes, and E. of Antioch. Near it Kilr ed-Din
defeated the Franks in 1163.
WHAT B E F E L L SULTAN YUSUF. 77
_ _ ___ .- _p. __
army, surrendered the place t o es-S9leh during thc last
ten days of the month of Ramadan (the rniddle of March,
1178 A.D.). Upon this the Franks withdrew into their
own territories, and es-S3lch returned to Aleppo. Dis-
sension still reigned all round him, for several of his nobles
had shown a leaning towards the Sultan. On the loth of
Moharrem, 576 (June 6, A.D. IISO), he sent a body of
troops against 'Izz ed-Din Kilij,l who had revolted a t
Tell-Kh9lid.' After this he received tidings of the death
of his cousin, Seif ed-Din Ghilzi, Prince of Mosul, who died
on the 3rd of Safer (Junc 29) this year. O n the 5th of the
same month 'Izz ed-Din Mas'Cld succeeded his brother Seif
ed-Din upon the throne. Shems ed-Daula (Tfirkn Shah,
brother of Salill ed-Din) died the same year a t Alex-
andria.
C H A P T E R XVII.
THE SULTAX RETUI<XS I S T O SYRIA.
ON his return t o E g y p t after his defeat, Sal5.h ed-Din re-
mained there whilst he remodelled his a r m y ; then, hearing
of the grievous condition of Syria, he made u p his mind t o
return thither t o give battle to the infidels. A t this time
an ambassador came from Kilij Arsl3.n.' (I'rince of Iconium)
t o negotiate a treaty of peace and alliance with him, and
t o complain of the Armenians. H e a t once determined
'Izz ed-Din Kilij had been one of ?;fir ed-Dln's emirs. He held
in fee t h t fortress and lands of TcZZ KhrPZi,iil, in the province of Alcppo.
Tell Arhdliii\\-as a castle about twelve miles N.W. of ilf~vizbej.
3 IZZed-Dln Icilij ArslSn II., the Seljt~k Sulta11 of I<t~m,whose
capital was at Iconium (R70ni/z). 'Izz ed-Din adcled largely to the
Seijilk Empire of Rfim, but in 1188 dividecl it between his ten sons,
and abdicated.-\V.
 78 IVIIAT B E F L L L SCLTAK Y U S G F
- -p-
t o invade the country of Ibn L$On,l and support Kilij
ArslAn. When h e came to Kara-his&,' he encamped
there and effected a junction with the troops frorn Aleppo,
who had been sent t o put themselves under his orders.
Indeed, one of the conditions of the treaty of peace con-
cluded with Aleppo was that h c should be furnished with
troops whenever h e required them for a n y expedition.
This contingent joined him on the banks of the Xahr el-
Azrak? (the blue river), which flows between Behnzsa and
Hisn hfa115ilr.~ Having crossed this river, hc advanced to
Nahr el-Aswad5 (the black river), which forms the
boundary of the territories of Ibn L M n , where he cap-
tured the fortress6 . . . from (the Armenians), and razed it
t o t h e ground. After this the enemy surrendered a
number of prisoners t o him as the price of peace, upon
which the Sultan decided t o withdraw. Kilij ArslAn pro-
Ibn JAhn was Rhupen 11. (1174-118j). the grandson of Levon I.
(Leo), the ' Thakavor' or Baron of Lesser Armenia. H e waged war
successfully against Byzantines, Seljfiks, and Arabs, and largely cx-
tended the kingdom. H e was treacherously captured by Uohemund,
of Antioch, and abdicated in favour of his brother, Leo II., ' t h e
great.'-W.
k'~zra-hiss&? is the name of a large meadow (nzerj) or plain to the
N. of A1eppo.-W.
3 The A+zhy ei-Azmk is the present Geuk Szr, which falls into the
Euphrates below Sui7zeisLif.
4 H i m "Wa>nnsiir is possibly the modern Adianzn~z, the chief town
of the Hisn 'Iansfir Icaza.
5 Thc Nahr el-Aswad is the K ~ z ~$26, u which flows between the
Giaour Ilagh and the I<urt Ilagll to the Lake of Antioch.
6 'She name of the fortress is omitted in the original, and the Arabic
sentence is left incomplete. The course of this campaign cannot
he clearly followed. It is difficult to understand why Salah ed-Uin
should have passed Aleppo, and gone so far north as the Geuk
Su hcfure being joined by the .%leppo contingent. The fortress
he took was apparently near the Kara Su, and perhaps near the
Baghche Pass.-\V\:.
L17HAT H E P b L L 5 L L l A S I L S L b i9
-- -- p
that he should grant peace t o all the 0rientals.l
Sal.$h ed-Din consented t o this, and on the 10th of the
month Jomada I., in the year 576 (October 2, -4.D. IISO),
he swore t o observe t h e terms of this treaty, in which
Kilij Arslan was included, as ~vclla s the inhabitants of
Mosul a n d Diarbekr. This compact was signed on the
banks of the Senja? a tributary of the Euphrates. T h e
Sultan then returned t o Damascus, and thence into Egypt.
C H A P T E R XVIII.
DEATH OF EL-MELEIZ E S - S ~ L E H . 'IZZ E D - D ~ X E S T E R S
ALEPPO.
IN the year 577 (1181-1182 AD.) cl-Melek es-Srileh suffered
from a sharp attack of colic. H e fell ill on the 9th of
Kejeb (November 18, A.D. 118'r), and on the 13th of the
same month his condition became so serious that the gates
of the fortress were closed. H e then summoncd his chief
emirs, one b y one, and madc them swear t o receive 'Izz
ed-Din, Prince of Mosul, a s their lord. O n the 25th of the
same month (December) h e breathed his last. His death
created a profound impression on the minds of his sub-
jects. Directly he was dead a messenger was despatched
post-haste t o carry the tidings t o ' 1 z ~ed-Din Mas'cd, son
of K o t b ed-Din,3 and t o inform him that the deceased
Princc had bequeathed the principality t o him, making all
Under .the name On'entnis, Kil?j Arslan ,included the Princes of
blosul, of the Provinces of Mesopotamia, and of Diarbekr.
It has been supposed that the Sclzjn nvas the same as the n)ziir
EL-Azrd or Gczik Stb,but it is probably the river Srrjllr, which falls
into the Euphrates bcloiv JL~r~P6/z~s.-1V.
3 See p. 70.
80 lVH/IT B E F E L L SCLTA-V Y C S C F .
~ .. ----~ P
the people swear to receive him as their lord. 'Izz
ed-Din set forth at oncc and rode in haste, fearing lest
the Sultan should occupy the city before him. The first of
his emirs to enter Aleppo were hlozaffer ed-Din, son of
Zein ed-Din,l and the Lord of Sarilj. With them came an
officer to administer the oath of allegiance t o all the emirs
in the city. They arrived on the 3rd of Sh'abin (Decem-
ber 12, A.D. 1181). On the 10th of the same month'Izz
ed-Din entered Aleppo, went up into the fortress, and took
possession of the treasures and stores which hail been
lodged there. On the 5th of Shacvil (February 11,
, the same year, he married the mother of
A.D. I I ~ I )of
el-Melek es-Sileh.
C H A P T E R XIX.
'IZZ E D - D ~ NEXCIIANGES [ALEPPO] FOR TI-IE T E R R I T O R Y
O F H I S BROTHER, 'II\I.IDE D - D ~ N ZENGHI.
'ILZ ED-DIN remained in the fortress of Aleppo until the
15th of Shawdl, but he recognised that it would be im-
possible for him t o keep both hIosul and Syria. IIe was
afraid of the Sultan, and overwhelmed by the extravagant
demands of the emirs, who persisted in asking for in-
creased allowances, which his limited means prevcnted
him from granting. Mojahed ed-Din K2imdzz also, his
See p. 73.
Abil Mans51- Kiimbz MojShed ed-Din was a eurluch, and en-
franchised slave of Zein ed-Din Ali, Lord of Arbela (p. 52). In 1164
h e was entrusted with the management of affairs at ilrbela. I n 1175
he removed to Mosul, and became vizier to Szif ed-Din Ghazi, and
afterwards to his brother, 'Izz ed-DPn. H e was noted for the excel-
lence of his admi~listration,and for his justice. H e died in 1199 (Ibn
Iihallikan, ii. 5 IO).--\V.
ll'fi4T B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSUF. 8I
chief minister, was in a very uncomfortable position, for he
was not accustomed to the unseemly ways of the Syrian
emirs. Therefore 'Izz ed-Din left the castle of Aleppo,
and repaired t o er-Rakka, leaving his son and Mozaffer
ed-Din (KukbCiri) behind. On his arrival at er-Rakka he
met his brother 'Imid ed-Din, as had been arranged.
They determined upon exchanging Aleppo for Sinjsr, and
'Izz ed-Din ratified this arrangement with his oath. This
came to pass upon the 13th of Shawil (February 27,
I 182). One agent was sent to Aleppo t o take possession
of the city on behalf of 'Im2d ed-Din, whilst another was
despatched by 'Izz ed-Din t o receive the city of Sinjir.
On the 13th of Bloharrem, 578 (May 19, A.D. 118z), 'Imdd
ed-Din made his entry into the fortress of Aleppo.
C H A P T E R XX.
T H E SULTAS R E T U R N S FROAI EGYPT.
AFTER peace had been concluded, through the intervention
of Kilij-ArslSn, the Sultan set out once more for Egypt,
leaving his nephew 'Izz ed-Din FerrBkh Shah as Governor
of Damascus. I t was in Egypt that he received news of
the death of el-Melek es-SAleh, and this decided him t o
return to Syria, to protect that country against the
attempts of the Franks. Very shortly afterwards he was
informed of the death of Ferrakh Shah, which occurred in
the month of Rejeb, 577 (November-December, 1181).
This event confirmed him in his resolution to pass over
into Syria. .Having set out from Misr, he arrived at
Damascus on the 17th of Safer (June 2 2 , 1182), and a t
once commenced preparations for an expedition against
the Franks. On his march from Egypt this time he had
crossed through their territories, boldly and not peacefully.
6
82 Il'IIA T B E F E L L SC;LT.AS 1-USGF.
H e marched a t once upon Beiri~tand laid siege to that place,
but without success, for the Franks collected their troops
and forced him t o retire. On his return t o Damascus
he learnt that an embassy from Mosul had reached the
Franks, and was stirring therri up t o make war upon
him. H e concluded from this that the people of nlosul
had broken their oaths, and he determined to visit that
country, so as t o unite all the forces of Islam in a common
feeling of hostility against the enemies of God. H e had
commenced his preparations when 'Imrid ed-Din heard
of them, and sent t o n/Iosul t o warn the government,
and t o beg them t o send troops as quickly a s pos-
sible. T h e Sultan set out on his march, and appeared
before d l e p p o on the 18th of the month Jomada I.,
where he remained for three days. On the z ~ s of t the
same month he resumed his march in the direction of the
Euphrates. H e had already made terms with hlozaffcr ed-
Din, who was a t this time holding the city of HarrAn,l and
xvho was it1 fear of a n attack from the government of
Xfosul. H e was still more afraid of the designs of Mojrihed
ed-Din (Kbimaz), and he joincd the Sultan, a s a means of
protection. H e crosscd the Euphrates, and urged the
Sultan t o invade the country (Upper hlesopotamia), repre-
senting that the conquest of that district would be an easy
matter. Sal2h ed-Din crossed the Euphrates and took thc
cities of er-RohaVEdessa), er-Ralrka, Xisiba, and Sari~j.
H~zrrdiz,'the city of Sahor,' is about 24 miles S.S.E. of Edessa, on
the lielik, a tributary of the Euphrates, and in the N. of Mesopotamia.
Er-Ruhu, the Armenian name of Edessa, comes from C~zZZi~r?zo~,
one of the classical nanles of the town. It was further corrupted by
the Turks to Crvfn or O F ~ Z Edessa
. is built on tmo hills, between
which flows a small stream, and there are still many remains of the
old wall and castle. During the first Crusade the town was taken by
Rdldain (1097), who called himseif Count of Edessa. In 1144 it "as
captured froin Jocelyn 11. by the AtabegZenghi, Lord of Mosul. It
\%,asi11 the hands of his grandson, 'Izz ed-I)in, when taken by Saldh
ed-Din.-l\'.
1 V f I A T B E F E L L S G L f A X TYCSCF. 83
---
H e placed a commission (Shihan) over the province of
Khabflr,l and divided it into military fiefs.
C H A P T E K XXI.
TIfE SULTAA APPEAR5 (ONCE AIORE) CEFORE MOSUL.
THIS time he arrived before AIosul on Thursday, the I ~ t h
of Rejeb, 57s (November 10, 1187 ,\.U,). A s I was then
in this city, I had been sent a few days before t o Baghdad
to solicit the assistance of the Khalif. I went down the
Tigris so quickly that I reached Baghdad in the space of
two days and two hours. All I could obtain from the
government of Baghdad was that they mould send a
despatch t o the Sheikh of Sheikhs (chief of the 'Ulcma),
who was then with the Sultan as a n accredited ambassador
from the Khalif. I n this letter he was commanded t o have
an interview with the Sultan, and t o endeavour t o bring
about an arrangement between him arid the pcoplc of Mosul.
The latter had already sent an ambassador t o ask help
from Pehlevan (Prince of A z e r b i j Z n ) . T h e answer they
The province of k-h~zbi2rincluded the district lying between the
Euphrates and the river I<hahfir, the Biblical Ara?n lWz/lnrui~>z, and
the classical Ojyhojne. i t is a very fertile district, and supported
many impbrtant towns, but is now abandoned to nomads. In the
t i m q f Sal%bed-UEn it still retained much of its ancient fertility.-W.
Shems ed-Din PehlevBn, Lord of hzerbijdn, Arran, and Persian
Irak, was the son of Shems ed-DEn Ildukuz, the Atabeg to the Seljilk
Sultan, Arslan Shah, who died in 1174. l'ehlevdn died in 1186.
Azerbijrin is a province in N.\V. Persia, which corresponds to the
ancient A ~ Y u & ~ ~ cIt~ is
I Lseparated
'. fro111 Russia by the Amxes,
and its principal towns are Tabriz, Urniia, Khoi, Iliiman, etc. It is
One 0: the most fertile provinces of Persia, and is noted for its exccllcnt
fruit.-W.
6-2
84 LVIIAT B E F E L L S C ' L T A S YC'SC7FF.
----p-
received from him contained conditions which would have
been more oppressive than war with the Sultan. Salah ed-
Din remained a t Mosul for several days ; then h e saw that
no advantage could be gained by besieging so great a city
in this manner, and that if he would take it, he must get
possession of the castle and country around, and that he
would be weakened by the long delay. H e therefore
struck his camp, and, on the 16th of Sh'abin (Decem-
ber 15, I 182), took up his position against SinjAr, which was
occupied by Sheref ed-Din, son of Icotb ed-Din, with a
~ e r t a i n ~ n u m b eofr tnen. H e pressed this city so closely
that, on the 2nd of the month Kamadan, he carried it by
assault. Sheref ed-Din evacuated it unarmed, and he and
his men were furnished with an escort t o conduct them t o
Mosul. T h e Sultan gave Sinjar t o his nephew, Talci ed-
Din, and departed for Nisiba.
CHAPTER XXII.
T I I E ACTION T A K E N RT S I I A H - A R h l E N , PRINCE OF
IiI1ELiT.
THE government of Mosul had summoned Shah Armenl
t o their assistance, and thrown themselves into the arms of
that prince; he thercfore resolved t o set out from KhelAt,?
Shah Armen NLsr ed-Din Muhammad, who reigned fifty-seven
-
years at IChelSt ( I 128 - I 185), was grandson of SokmLn el Kutl~i.
SokmLn, who was an old slave of the Seljiik prince of AzerbijLn, seized
KhelLt, Manazgerd, Arjish, and the districts round them, and pro-
claimed himself king, with the Persian title, Shah A ~ Z M'Z ,
Icing of
the Armenians.' This title was borne by his successors.-W.
/i/lcZdt, now Afihl'rif,is near the north-west corner of Lake Van.
There are se\.eral old mosques and richly-01.narnented octagonal tombs,
dating from the Scljiik period. It was at one time besieged by a
IC H A T E E T L L L S C Lr'4.V YCSCFP
8j
- P
to bring them relief. H e pitched his camp a t Harzem,l
and dispatched a messenger t o '177. ed-Din, Prince of
Mosul, t o inform him of his arrival. T h e latter left the
city on the z j t h of Shaw31, and set out t o meet him. O n
his arrival h e found thc Lord of Mardin' was with Shah-
Armen. A body of troops belonging t o the army
quartered in Aleppo also came t o join them. Their
object in meeting was t o march against the Sultan's forces.
Shah-Armen sent RektimorQo Sal2h ed-Din t o negotiate
a treaty of peace, through the intervention of the Sheikh
of Sheikhs, but this stcp was unproductive of any result.
Then, when he heard the Sultan was advancing upon them,
he retreated into his own country. 'Izz ed-Din set out to
return t o his own dominions, and the coal~tionwas dis-
solved. SalAh ed-Din then marched against Amid,' and
captured that city after a siege of eight days. This took
place during the first tcn days of hIoharrem, 579 ( A p r ~ l -
May, A.D. 1183). H e gave Amid t o Nfir ed-Dln, son of
Kara-Arslan, and t o Ibn NikAn5 he granted all the money
Byzantine force commanded by an adventurer, bearing the name of
Russel Balio1.-W.
Ibn el-Athir n~entionsFI~zvzei~a several times in his ' Kamel' as a
place in the neighbourhood of iWartiin.
" ;W<~rilz^n
has always played an important part in the history of the
district. I t is built on the side of a conical hill, the houses rising tier
above tier, and is extremely ~icturesque. The town lies on the direct
road from Orfa to hfosul. The Lord of Mardin referred to was Kotb
ed-Dln el-GhLzi, one of the Ortokid dynasty, who died in 1184.-12'
3 Bektimor, who was a slave of the father of SokmLn Shah-Armen,
seized the throne on SokmLnJs death in r~Sg.-\li.
4 Amid (A?lii~lr/l) is the modern I>iarhekr, situated on the right bank
of the ~ i ~ r i s It
. ' is still an important town, and thecapital of a viliyet.
The town is surrounded by walls of basalt, and it has several old
mosques and churches.-\V.
5 Ibn NikSn was chief minister of N i ~ red-Din Mahmild, son of
Kara Arslan, Lord of Amid, and exercised absolute authority in the
city. SalLh ed-UEn restored the city to the Ortokid prince.
S6 TVIIAT B E F E L L SCLTA,L' Y U S U F .
-
and portable property in the city. H e then returned t o
Syria, directing his march on Aleppo. I n the interval
'Imad ed-Din had sallied out, and dismantled the fortresses
of 'Azaz and Kefr Latha ;l this last he had taken from the
emir Bekmish, on the 2znd of the month Jomada I., when
he had gone over t o the Sultan. H e also laid unsuccessful
siege t o the fortress of Tell Basher, which belonged to
Dolderim el-Yaritki, who had ranged himself on the side
of Salfih ed-Din. Meanwhile, the Franks took advantage
of the conflicts which had taken place between the (hloslenl)
troops t o make inroads into the country, but God drove
them out. 'Irnad ed-Din, having repaired the fortress of
el-Kerzein,l returned t o Aleppo.
CHAPTEIC X X I I I .
T H E SULTAN RETURNS TO SYRIA.
THESultan returned t o Syria and commenced operations
by an attack on Tell Khiled, ~ r h i c hh e took by storm. T h i s
took place on the ~ 2 n dof Moharrem, 579 (Rfay 17, A.U.
1183). H e then marched upon Aleppo, and toolc up a
position against it on the 26th of the same rnonth. H e
first encamped on the Meid2n el-Akhdar ('green plain '),
and called in a number o f troops from all parts, after which
he employed all his forces in storming the city. 'ImSd
ed-DEn, wearied beyond endurance b y the insolent demands
of his emirs, felt that h e could not make a satisfactory
Key? Ldthn was about a day's journey from Aleppo, In the district
of Azaz.
f f i ~ z e i ~lies
z near Rakka, about cight miles to the south of el-Rira
(Birejik).
bVHA3- B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSLiF. 87
resistance ; he therefore requested Hoss2m ed-Din1 to
approach the Sultan in his behalf, and persuade SalSh
ed-Din t o grant him the territory he had formerly held it1
exchange for the government of Aleppo. This arrange-
ment was concluded quite unknown t o the people or the
garrison of the city. LVhen matters had been settled in
this wise, and the news was made public, the soldiers
demanded a n explanation of 'ImLd ed-Din. H e replied
that it was true, and recommended them t o make terms
for themselves. T h e y deputed 'Izz ed-Din Jurdfk en-Nfiri
(one of Nfir ed-Din's memlfiks) and Zein e d - D i n V o
negotiate a treaty with the Sultan for themselves and the
people of Aleppo. These ambassadors had an interview
with the Sultan, which lasted until nightfall, and obtained
terms for the garrison and inhabitants which Salah ed-Din
swore t o observe. This was on the 17th of Safer (June 1 1 ,
AD. 1183). T h e garrison then came forth from t h e city
t o place themselves a t the disposal of the Sultan, who
remained in his camp in the Meidfin el-Akhdar ('green
plain '), and with them came the chief men of the city.
T h e Sultan clothed them with robes of honour, and set all
minds at rest. 'ImSd ed-Din remained in the fortress to
settle his affairs, and t o pack u p his treasure and other
property. Meanwhile, the Sultan dwelt in his camp in the
Meidan el-Akhdar; a n d there, on the 23rd of Safer, his
brother T a j eel-1vI.olfik died from a wound he had received.
T h e Sultan was sorely afflicted by this loss, and sat in his
tent that d a y t o receive the public condolences of his
officers. ' I m i d ed-Din also came the same day, t o partici-
pate in the Sultan's grief, and to wait on him. T h e Sultan
settled various matters with him, lodged him in his own
HossPm ed-Din was governor of the fortress of A~CPPO.
In Kern3 ed-Din's ' Zobda' this man is called Ralek. Zein ed-
Din was his .41abic name.
 88 TT-HAT BEFELL S C L T A N I ' L S C F .
-- -- - - --
tent, and gave h i d (splendid) gifts and several fine horses ;
he also clothed with robes of honour a great number of
chiefs who came in the suite of his guest. 'Imad ed-DPn
set out the same d a y for Kara-hissbrl on his way to
Sinjbr. T h e Sultan was filled with joy a t the success of
his plans, and he went u p t o the castle, where HossLm
ed-Dfn D o m h set a magnificent banquet before him.
This officer had remained t o collect the various things
which 'ImLd ed-Din had left behind. Soldiers were sent
b y the Sultan t o take possession of Hbrim, and as the
governor of that place made difficulties in order t o create
delay, the garrison sent t o the Sultan and obtained a treaty
ratified by his oath. SalLh cd-Din then set out for HLrim,
and arrived there on the 29th of Safer. Having taken
possession of the city, he remained there for two days t o
reorganize the government; he appointed IbrahPm Ibn
Sherwa governor, and then returned t o Aleppo, arriving
there on the 3rd of the month Rabi'a I. His troops were
granted leave t o return t o their homes, whilst he remained
a t Aleppo t o reorganize the government, and preside over
the affairs of the city.
C H A P T E R XXIV.
THESultan did not stay long in Aleppo. O n the zznd o f .
the month Rabi'a 11.: in the year 579 (August 14,AD: I 183),
he set out for Damascus, preparatory t o making an cxpedi-
tion into the infidel's territories. H; called his troops
together, proceeding on his march whilst they followed
See p. 78.
II'HAT BEFELL SUL?'AAT YL'SL7F.
- 89
hiln. H e did not halt a t Hamah, but ajvanced by forced
marches, taking no provisions with him, until the 3rd of
the month J o ~ n a d a I. (August 24), when he reached
Damascus. Here he passed some days making prepara-
tions, and on the 27th of the sarrie month he pitched his
camp by the Wooden Bridge, where he had ordered his
troops t o mcet him. H e halted here nine days, and then,
on the 8th of Joniada 11. (September z8), marched t o el-
Fawir,l where he made his final arrangements before enter-
ing the enemy's country. From this place he pushed 011
to el-Kuseir,"vhere h e spent the night. Quite early the
next morning he reached the ford (over the Jordan), and,
having crossed the river, marched a s far as c l - B e i ~ L n . ~
Its inhabitants had abandoned their dwellings, leaving
behind all the property they could not easily carry, and
the fruits of their harvest. T h e soldiers mere allowed t o
pillage the place, and they burnt everything they could
not take with them. T h e Sultan continued his march t o
el-Jiltit," prosperous village, near whicll there is a spring
('ain),and here he pitched his camp. H e had sent for-
ward a body of Ntiri memltiks (who had formerly belonged
to Ntir ed-Din), ccmmanded by 'Izz ed-Din Jurdik and
Jkweli, a memlilk (who had served) Asad ed-Din, t o
ascertain the whereabouts and movements of the Franks.
These men fell in unexpectedly with contingents from el-
Kerak and esh-Shdbek, on their way t o reinforce the
enemy. O u r people attacked them, killed a great number,
El-Fawhy, L the bubbling spring.' Possibll, the present village
Fu'ara, 1 2 miles E . of Jordan, at the head of \.V,icli Ekseir.
' El-Kuseir, 'the little fort.' The name survives in bVidy Eksetr
falling into the Jordan on the E., about S miles N. of Beisbn.
3 Beiscin (Bethshean), 3 miles \V. of the Jordan, near the month of
the Valley of Jezreel.
4 Now 'Ain JiZdn!, 'Loliathis Spring,' in the Valley of Jezreel, a
mile S.E. of Jezreel. I t has a large pool of water.
90 1t;HAT B E F E L L S C L T J I N Y C S U F .
- -
a n d made more than a hundred prisoners; then they
rcturned, without having lost a single Moslem, except a
man named Behrkm csh-Shiwi~sh. Towards the end o f
the day-the 10th of Jomada 11. (September 30, A.D.
1183)-the Sultan received news of the defeat of the
Franks. His army showed their delight, and became
firmly persuaded that they werc destined t o obtain victory
and success. O n Saturday, the 11th of the same month,
thc Sultan was informed that the Franks had quitted
Seffi~ria,wherc they had mustered their forces, and were
marching on el-Filia,l a well-known village. A s h e meant
t o pit his forces against theirs in the field, he drew up his
ranks in order of battle-right wing, left wing, and centre
-and marched t o meet them. T h e enemy advanced on
the Moslems, and they came face t o face (lit., eye t o eye).
T h e Sultan sent out the vanguard, composed of five
hundred picked men, t o attack them, and they made a
grcat slaughter, and the enemy killed some. T h e Franks
kept their ranks close, and their infantry protected their
knights, and they neither charged nor stopped, but con-
tinued their march to the spring we mentioned above, and
there camped. T h e Sultan halted opposite to them, and
endeavoured t o provoke them t o quit their position and d o
battle by sending out skirmishing parties. Nevertheless,
they remained where they were, seeing that the Moslems
were in great forcc. A s the Sultan could not draw them
from their position, h e resolved t o retire, hoping that they
would pursue him, and give him an opportunity of fighting
a pitched battle. H e therefore niarched in the direction
of et-T6r (Mount Tabor) on the 17th of the same month,
El-Fzilch, 'the bean,' called La F6re by the Franks, was a s t ~ ~ a l l
fort 31, miles S. of Je~reel. The outposts of the Franks \>?ere at
Tubania ('Alir Tz~bniin), a mile N.E. of 'Ain JBlGd, and 5 miles S.E.
of FC11eh.-'U'illiam of Tyre,' xsii. 27.
I.Z7HAT I I E F E L L SGI*TAA\T I'CSC'F. 91
-- .- -
-.
~ ~ - p
---
and took up a position a t the foot of the mountain,
watching for a favourable moment t o attack them as
soon as thcy began t o move. T h e Franks started a t
dawn, and retreated. H e pursued them, and tried in
i.n t o provoke them t o fight by a constant shower of
arrows, and he continued t o follow their march until they
halted a t el-Ffila, going back to their own country. T h e
Moslems, seeing this, came t o the Sultan, and advised him
t o retire, because their supplies were running very short.
Besides, he had inflicted severe loss upon the enemy,
both in killed and in the prisoners he had taken ; and had
destroyed several of their villages, such as 'Aferbela, the
stronghold of Beisin, and Zer'ain.l H e therefore retired,
victorious and triumphant, and halted a t el-Fawir, where
he gave leave t o such of his men as wished t o return t o
their homes. H e then marchcd back t o Damascus, which
he entered on Thursday, the 24th of the same month. T h e
citizens testified the grcatest delight a t his return. W h a t
lofty ambition dwelt in his soul! Even the capture and
occupation of Rleppo did not deter him from undertaking
another expeditio~l! His object in all his conquests was
to enlarge his resources for carrying on the Holy War.
May God grant him a splendid reward in the next life,
even as, by His mercy, H e allowed him t o pcrform so
many meritorious actions in this !
C I I A P T E R XXV
THE Sultan rcrnained a t Damascus until the 3rd of
Rejeb, 579 (October 22, A I ) . 1183),and went out several
Z~r'ain is Jezreel. 'Ajcrbelo (Forbelet of the Franks) is un-
known.
93 II'HA T B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S G F .
- p--
- --
times towards el-Kerak. H e had summoned his brother,
el Melek el-'adel, who was a t that time in Egypt, to join
him a t el-Kerak. As soon as he heard his brother had set
out, he left (Damascus), and went to meet him, which lie
did quite close t o el-Kerak. A great number of merchants
and other people had travelled with el-'Adel, who arrived
on the 4th of Sh'abBn (hTovember 22, AD. 1183). T h e
Franks had received information that el-Melek e l - ' h e 1
had taken the field, and they marched their men and
knights towards el-Kerak to defend that place. When
the Sultan heard that the army of the Franks was strong
in number, he grew apprehensive of their marching in the
direction of E g y p t ; and therefore he sent his nephew,
el Melek el-Mozaffer Taki ed-Din, into that country. This
occurred on the 15th of Sh'abLn. On the 16th of the
same month the Franks encamped a t el-Kerak, and the
Sultan, after vigorously assaulting the place, was obliged
to retire. I t was here that Sheref ed-Din BarghBsh (who
had been one of Nilr ed-Din's memlfiks) testified (to the
raith) by death.
CHAPTER XXVI.
HE GIVES THE CITY O F ALEPPO TO HIS BROTHER, EL-
BIELEIC EL-'ADEL.
AFTER the arrival of the Franks a t el-Kerak, the Sultan
abandoned the hope of taking that stronghold, and retired
towards Damascus with his brother, el-Melek el-'Adel.
H e arrived on the 24th of ~ L ' a b ~ nand
, on the 2nd of
Ramad2n (December 19, 1183)~he granted the Govern-
ment of Aleppo to el-'Wdel, who had remained with him.
A t that time his son, el-Melek ez-Ziher, was in Aleppo,
TVHAT B E F E L L S U L T l X Y L S I ' I 93
- p p - p pp - -- -- -
with Seif ed-Din Yazkfij, the regent, and Ibn el-'Amid.1
El-Melek ez-ZBher was his favourite son, on account of
the fine character with which God had endowed him.
Exalted ambition, clear judgment, lofty intel!igence, an .
q r i g h t spirit and a virtuous life-all the gifts which lead
to pre-eminence were united in his person, and he showed
his father untiring affection and obedience. Nevertheless,
his father took the Government of Aleppo out of his
hands, because he believed certain advantages would accrue
from such a measure. T h e prince quitted Aleppo with
Yazktij as soon as el-Melek el-'adel arrived, and both went
to attend the Sultan. On the 28th of ShawAl (February rg,
1184)~they arrived a t Damascus. Ez-ZAher remained
with his father, and obeyed him and submitted unto him
in all things. Nevertheless, he concealed in his heart a
discontent that did not escape the Sultan's observation.
This same month I came to the Sultan as a member
of a deputation sent by the Government of Mosul. We
had previously applied t o Khalif en-N&sred-Din Illah, then
at Baghdad, and had persuaded him to allolv the sheikh
of Sheikhs, Bedr cd-Din, to accompany us, to act as
ambassador and mediator. H e was a most worthy man,
highly respected not only at the Khalif's court, but through-
out the country. T h e Sultan held this doctor in such
esteem that during his stay at the court he went to visit
him almost every day.
' Ibn el-'AmEd (Naseh ed-Dln ed-Dimashki) was head of the
executive government, both civil and military (rliviin), at Aleppo.
 91 TT-HA T B E F E L L SL'LTAA' Y 1;SUF.
C H A P T E R XXVII.
OUR DEPUTATIOK .\RI<IVES AT THE sULTAS'S COURT.
THESheikh had visited I\Tosul on his way, and from thence
had travelled with the Kridi Mohi ed-Din, son of Ken121
cd-Din, who had been a friend from the days of his boyhood.
I, too, was a member of the deputation. W e continued
our journey, and on our arrival at Damascus the Sultan
calnc out t o meet us, t o welcome the Sheikh and t h e
others of us who were of his company. After the inter-
view, which took place some distance from Damascus,
we made our entry into the city on Saturday, the 11th
of Zu el-K'ada (February 25, I I 54). T h e Sultan accorded
us the most gracious and gratifying reception, and we
spent several days in negotiations and attempts t o make
a final arrangement. Rut peace was not made on this
occasion, and me departed to return t o Mosul. T h e Sultan
accompanied us a s far as el-Icuseir,' where h e bade the
Sheikh farewell, and Bedr ed-Din that day made one last
endeavour t o effect a settlement. But his attempt failed
in consequence of a n objection raised by Mohi ed-Din.
T h e Sultan stipulated that the Lord of Arhela and the
Lord of el-Jezira2 should be free t o choose his rule or that
of Mosul, but the K2di declared they must sign the treaty
(of peace). This condition put a stop t o the negotiations,
and me started on our journey on the 7th of Zu el-Hijja
(IlIal-ch 22). During our visit the Sultan commissioned
the Sheikh to offer me all the posts which Bet12 ed-
El-ALscir, a ruined villagc with a tower, nine r,%iles N.E. of
Uamascus.
This is the city and principality ofJ.z?rat Ibn 'Om<cr.
IC'HA T B E F E L L S U L T A IV Y U S U F . 95
- p p p P
-
Dimashkil had held in Nisi-. I refused his offer, fearing
lest the ill-success of our negotiations should be attributed
t o me. From that time the Sultan had a n o p ~ n i o nin his
noble mind of myself of which I knew nothing until after
I had entered his service. S a l i h ed-Din r e m a ~ n e d a t
Damascus, and continued t o receive the ambassadors who
were sent t o him from all parts. O n e came from Sinj2r
Shah,",ord of el-Jezira, on whose behalf he swore faith
w ~ t hthe Sultan. T h e plenipotentiary of the Lord of
Arbela did the same, and took his departure with the
other ambassadors. On the 4th of Z u el-Hijja (March ~ g ) ,
el-Melek el-'Adel arrived from Aleppo t o visit 111s brother
the Sultan, and after being present a t the Feast (of the
S a ~ r i f i c e ) ,on
~ the 10th of Zu el-Hijja, he returned once
more to Aleppo.
C H A i P T E K XXVIII.
THE SULTAN'S SECONU ESI'EUITION AGaIIX5T EL-ICERAK.
T H E Sultan had sent out messengers in all directions t o
collect troops. T h e first chief who came t o join his stan-
dard was N i ~ red-Din, son of Kara Arslan, and Prince of
Hisn Keifa. H e arrived a t Aleppo on the 18th of the
month of Safer (May 3 I , I IS^), and was received with the
highest honours by el-Llelck cl-',&del. This prince took
him into the fortress, where he entertained him most agree-
El-Behi ed-Dimashki was principal professor in Menazcl el-'Izz
College, in Old Cairo, and held the office of ir-/1dtc6, or chief preacher,
in the same city. ..
' This was thc Atabeg prince, 3Io'ezz ed-Din, son of Seif ed-Din
Ghazi, and Prince of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar.
i . ebHzjya
~ is the month of the fIAj,and the sacrifice is one of
the ceremonies at Mecca.
gh TI'HAT B E F E L L SCTLTdA- IIUSUF.
ably, a n d on the 26th of the same month set out with him
for Ilarnascus. T h e Sultan had been ill for several days,
and God then restored him t o health. A s soon a s he
heard t h a t the son of Kara A r s l h was approaching, he
hastened t o meet him, for he was most generous in paying
every honour t o all men. They met in the Buk'aat 'Ain
cl-Jisr on the 9th of the month of Rabi'a I. (June 20, 1184).
H e then returned t o Damascus, in advance of the son of
Kara Arslrin and of ei- Melek el-'Adel, and set about
making preparations for another expedition. O n the I 5th
of that same rnonth he left Damascus and took u p his
position a t the Wooden Bridgc? O n the 24th el-'Adel
arrived a t Damascus with the son of K a r a ArslAn, and
after sojourning there some days, set out with him t o join
the Sultan. T h e latter had just left Rris el-MS2 on his
way towards el-Kerak, and halted for several days close t o
that stronghold t o await the arrival of el-Melek el-Moz-
afferVroxn Egypt. This prince joined the Sultan on the
19th of Rabi'a 11. (July p),and brought with him the
household and treasures of el-Melek el-'adel, all of which the
Sultan despatched t o that prince, and commanded him and
the other leaders to join him forthwith a t el-Kerak. All
the detachments arrived in close succession, so that by the
4th of Jomada I. (August 13) the fortress was completely
invested. A s soon as the contingents from Egypt, from
Syria, and from el-Jezira-the latter commanded by the
son of Kara Arsl3n-had effected a junction, the mangonels
were set up t o batter the place. SVhen the Franks received
news of what had taken place, they set out xvith their
Probably the bridge of el-Kesweh, nine or ten miles S.b"v' of
I)amascus.
R9s cl-h19 lies between es-Sanemein and Shemeskin, on the road
from Daniascus to Mecca. It is nolq- called K7<f~cZ-rWd.
3 This was the title of Taki ed-Din 'Omar, SalSh ed-Din's nephew.
LVHd T B E P E L I . S l i L T A S Y C S I ' F . 97
~- - -- - P ~
knights and footmen t o the relief of el-Kerak. This for-
tress was a source of great annoyance to the Moslcms, for
it so effectually commanded the road t o Egypt that cara-
vans could not travel without a strong military escort.
T h e Sultan was resolved t o put a n end t o this state of
things and open the road to Egypt. When he heard that
the Franlrs had come out, he prepared t o meet them,
ordering his men back t o the heights of el-Kerak, and
sending the baggage (away) into the country, that his
troops should not be hampered in fighting. Then he
marched against the enemy. A s the Franks hacl halted
a t el-Wileh,l he took up a position opposite to them, close
to a village called Hesbrin, but afterwards marched on t o a
place called Rl'Ain ; the Pranks remained in their position
a t el-Waleh until the 26th of Joruada I. (September 4,
1184), v:heii they moved their camp nearer to el-Kcrak.
A detachnient of the i\loslem army hung on their march,
annoying their rear, till thc cnd of that day. A s soon
a s the Sultan saw that the Franks were bent on el-Kerak,
he sent his army into the countries lying on the coast,
which were left entirely unprotected in the absence of
the troops. They carried NAblus b y storm, and pillaged
the city, but did not succeed in taking tlie castlc. Then
they captured Jknin (Jenin), and rcturned t o join the
Sultan a t K i s el-h12 with the prisoners they had taken,
pillaging, burning, and sacking the country that they had
passed througl~."alih e d - D i n entered Damascus in
triumph on Saturday, the 7th of Jornada 11. (Septem-
' The Franks, sallying from KCrak, defended tllc pass of IV~in'i
Wrikh, about 2 0 miles K. of the castle.. Salill ed-Din, at Hcs(idn
(Heshbon), was about 15 miles to the Y.E., and at 2if'ni~z(Iieth Meon)
about 10 miles N. of this position.
SaKih ed-llin's army probably crossed tlie Jordan E . of "l;ihlu.r
(Shechem), and marching N. by jozin ( i l w (;izizniuz) would 1,ecross
S. of the Sea of Galilee near Bci.san.
7

98 LVHAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S C F .
ber 151, supported on either side by el-Mclek el-'adel, and
by Nilr ed-Din, son of K a r a ArslLn. T h e latter he over-
whelmed with honours and with tokens of his good-will
and esteem. This month an ambassador arrived from the
Khalif, bringing robes of honour for the Sultan, for his
brother (el-Melck cl-'adcl), and for the son of Asad ed-Din,l
and invested them therewith. O n the 14th of the same
month the Sultan clad the son of Kara ArslAn in the robe
he had received from the Khalif, and gave him leave t o
depart ; he also dismissed the troops. About the same
time messengers came from Kultbfiri, son of Zein ed-Din,
t o ask the support of the Sultan. They brought news that
the hlosul army, assisted by the trcops of Kizil (Prince
of Hamadan), under the command of Mojilied e d - D i n
KiimLz, had threatened Arbela, and pillaged and burned
in all directions. KukbC~rihad defeated them and put
them to flight.
C H A P T E R XXIX.
THE SULTAN'S SECOND EXPEDITION AGAIKST ~ T O S U L .
ON receiving this news the Sultan set out from Damascus
for the country (of which Mosul is the capital), leaving
orders for the army t o follow him. H e reached Harrin,
after a meeting with hlozaffer ed-Din (KultbC~ri)a t el-
Bira3 on the 12th of Moharrem, 581 (April 15, A.D. 118j).
Seif ed-Din Ibn el-Meshtab, by the Sultan's command, led
the vanguard of the army t o K i s e l - ' A i n . V n the
zznd of Safer (May 25) the Sultan arrived at Harrkn, and
Prince Muhammad, son of Asad ed-Din Shirkuh.
See p. 72.
3 : s el'Ailz, on the K h a b i ~ rriver, S.E. of HarrAn.
Z&
IVHAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F . 99
p p p - -
on the 26th he had Mozaffer ed-Dfn (Kukbfiri), son of
Zein ed-Din, arrested for something h e had done and for
certain words attributed t o him b y his ambassador, which
angered the Sultan, though, indced, h e had not thoroughly
. investigated the matter.l T h e Sultan deprived him of the
governorship of the castles of HarrLn and Edessa, and
kept him in prison t o give him a lesson. Then, on the
first day of the month of Rabi'a I. he clad him with a robe
of honour, and received him once more into favour, restor-
ing t o him the castle of HarrLn and the provinces he had
held, together with all t h e honours and dignities h e had
formerly enjoyed Everything was restored t o hi& ex-
cepting the fortress of Edessa, and this place the Sultan
promised should be given back to him later on. On
the 2nd of the month Rabia' I SalBh ed-Din came t o RBs
el-'Ain, where lie received an an~bassador from Kiilj
ArslLn, who brought tidings that the princes of the Easr
had sworn together t o march against him, if he did not
withdraw from blosul and Mardfn, and t o d o battle with
him should he persist in his designs. This information
determined the Sultan t o march towards D ~ n e i s e r . ~On
the 8th of the month Rabi'a I. he was joined by 'ImBd
ed-Din, son of Kara ArslBn, accompanied by the troops of
Ndr ed-Din, his brother, and the lord of Mardin. T h e
Sultan went out t o meet him and received him w ~ t hgreat
honours. O n the I rth of the same month he left Doneiser
on his way t o Nosul, and encamped in a place called el-
Isma'iliyat, which was near enough t o the city t o enable
According to Ibn el-Athir, in his Kamel,' Kukbfiri had offered
the Sultan the s u n of fifty thousand dinars a s an inducement to under-
take another expedition against Mosul. H e did not fulfil his promise,
and hence the Sultan's displeasure.
Do.?eiser, according to the author of the ' Alerased el-lttilb,' lies a t
the foot of the hill upon which stands the city of Mardin.
7-2
100 TVHAT B E F E L L S C L T A N YUSLrF.
- - ~-~~
---- - -P
him to relieve the detachment engaged in the blockade on
each succeeding day. 'ItnLd ed-Din, son of Kara ,\rslLn,
received news a t this time of the dcath of his brother, Nilr
ed-Din, and obtained the Sultan's permission t o depart, in
the hope of securing the throne thus left vacant.
CHAPTER XXX.
S I ~ A H - ~ ~ R LPrince
I I : ~ , of Khel;!, died in the month of
Kabi'a II., in the year 581 (July, A.D. I 185) and was suc-
ceeded by one of his memlfilis~named Bektimor, the same
who had come on an embassy t o the Sultan a t SinjLr.
His government was just, and conduced t o the prosperity
of the people of K h e l i t ; he followed the Sfifil path, there-
fore his subjects were submissive and devoted t o him.
T h e death of Shah-Armen and succession of Bektimor
roused thc arribition of the neighbouring kings, and in-
duced l'ehlevrln Ibn Yeldoki~zt o march on Khelat. Wher:
Bektimor received news of his approach, he sent arr
ambassador to the Sultan, saying that he wished t o
surrender Khelaf t o SalLh ed-Din, and t o be received
amongst thc number of his servants, and that he would
givc his Majesty all he should ask. T h e Sultan thereupon
felt so strong a wish to possess himself of Khel% that he
raised the blockade of h,Iosul, and marched in the direction
of that city. A t the sarnc time hc dcspatched two envoys
t o Bektimor, viz., 'Aisa, the jurist, and Ghars ed-Din Kilij,
The 'path' is a SiiG tern1 for the course of religious training lend-
ing to renunci;~tionof all worldly desires and to union with (;od. The
Si~fi'path' seeins to have been borrowed from the teaching of
iiuddhism.
W H A T BICPELL S U L T A N Y U S U F . IOI
- -p- -- p --- .--p- -- p-pp-
-
t o negotiate a treaty with him, the terms of which were
t o be committed to writing. These ambassadors fell in
with PehlcvLn a short distance from the city. Bektimor
had frightened this prince by informing him that he
thought of surrendering his territory t o the Sultan, and
PehlevLn had made terms with him, giving him one of his
daughters in marriage, confirming him in his dominions,
and restoring his country t o him. Bektimor therefore
made excuses t o the Sultan's ambassadors, and they had
t o depart without effecting anything. T h e Sultan had
already sat down before MiLfrlrekin, besieging it, and
fighting a grcat fight, and setting up his mangonels against
it. There was a man in MihfArekin named Asad, who left
nothing undone for the defence of the c i t y ; but his en-
deavours could not overcome destiny. T h e place sur-
rendered t o the Sultan on the 29th of JomLda I. Ilaving
now lost all hope of getting possession of KhelSf, Salilk
ed-Din retired and took up a position before Mosul for the
third time, encamping a t Icefr Zemmtir, not far from the
city. T h e heat a t that time was excessivc. H e occupied
this camp for some time, and it was here that he received
a visit from Sinjar Shah,l from el-Jezira. H e had an
interview with this prince, and then sent him back t o his
own city. A t Kefr Z e m m i r he was attacked by so serious
an illness that it caused him great anxiety, and he set out
for HarrAn. Although his condition was so serious, he
would not allow himself t o give way and travel in a litter.
H e reached Harriln very sick, and so exhausted that his
life was despaired of, and a report of his death was circu -
lated abroad. 4 t this juncture his brother arrived fron:
Aleppo, bringing his own physicians with him.
See above, p. 9;.
 103 I1'HAT B E F E L L SULTALV Y U S U F .
CHAPTER XXXI,
T H E PEOPLE OF MOSUL MARE PEACE WITH T H E SULTAN.
'Izz EU-DIN, the AtAbeg Prince of Mosul, had sent me to
the Khalif t o entreat his assistance, but the mission was
unsuccessful. H e then applied t o the Persians, but was
unsuccessfcll in that quarter also. O n m y return from
Baghdad, I informed him of the answer I had received,
and h e then abandoned all hope of obtaining help and
assistance. When the news o f the Sultan's illness was
received in Mosul, we saw that it was an opportunity
that ought not to be neglected, for we knew how readily
that prince lent his ear to an appeal, and how tender-
hearted he was; so I was commanded t o g o t o him,
accompanied by Reha ed-Din er-Rebib. T o me was en-
trusted the drawing-up of the oath t o be sworn. ' M a k e
every endeavour,' my instructiorls ran, ' t o obtain favour-
able conditions quickly.' I t was during the first ten days
of the month of Zu el-Hijja (the end of February, I I ~ G ) ,
that we arrived in the Sultan's camp, and there we found
that his life had been despaired of b y allll. \We were
welcomed with all honour, and the Sultan, for the first
time since his convalescence, held a reception a t which
we were presented. On the day of 'Arafa (9th of Zu el-
Hijja)' we obtained for the government of Mosul all the
district that lies between the two rivers, which he had
taken from SinjSr Shah. H e and his brother el-Melek el-
'Adel swore the oath that 1.administcred t o them, which was
couched in strong terms. T h e Sultan observed t h e condi-
The day of 'An@ is that when the Mecca pilgrims visit Mount
Amfat.
Ji'H.IT B E F E L L S U L 7 A A T Y L S C F . 103
tions of this peace till the hour of his death-may God
hallow his soul !-and h e never once broke them. When
we came t o him a t H a r r h , h e had already begun t o grow
stronger. A t this place he received tidings of the death
of (his cousin) son of Asad ed-DEn (that is t o say, of MU-
harnmad, son of Asad ed-Din Shirkuh), prince of Emesa.
H e breathed his last on the day of 'Arafa (9th of %U el-
Hijja, March 3, A.D. I 186). El-Melek el-"Adel held a
reception on this occasion t o receive expressions of public
condolence. A t this period a conflict was being waged
between t h e Turkomans and the Kurds, which resulted in
great loss of 1ife.l During this month, also, we heard of
the death of Pehlevsn, son of Yeldoktiz, who passed away
on the last day of the month of Zu el-Hijja (February 23,
I 186).
C H A P T E R XXXII.
T H E SULTAN IZETURNS 1'0 SYRIII.
3
WHEN the Sultan found that his recovery was assured,
he set out for Aleppo, which he reached on the 14th of
Moharrem, 582 (April 6, I 186). T h e delight of the people
a t seeing him again in their midst, and in good health,
made it a memorable day. H e remained there for four
days, and then started for Damascus. A t Tell es-Sult2n2
he met Asad ed-Din Shirkuh, who had come out t o
meet him with his sister, and a numerous following. H e
' This struggle was prolonged through several years, and Upper
Mesopotamia, Diarbekr, Khelit, Syra, AzcrbijLn, and other countries,
were deluged with blood. Wojihed ed-Din RAimhz at last succeeded
in bringing about a reconciliation between the two nations (Ibn el-
Athk's ' Kamel,' under the year A.H. 581).
' Tell es-SultPn is about half-way between Xleppo and Harnah.
 104 LVIIAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U Y U F .
- - - --
brought with him a great number of presents (for the
Sultan). T h a t prince granted him the government of
Emcsa,l and spent several days in that city t o transfer the
paternal heritage; then he marched to Damascus, which
he entered on the 2nd of Rabl'a I. (May 23). Never
were such rejoicings seen as on that day. During t h ~ s
month numerous encounters took place between the
Turkomans and the Kurds, in the district of Nisiba and
elsewhere. A great number were killed on both sides.
T h e Sultan, hearing that h2'oin ed-Din had revolted at
e r - R a ~ e n d a nsent
, ~ a written order t o the army a t Aleppo
t o besiege that place. O n the 2nd of Jomada I. (July 21,
I 186), M'oin ed-Din came from er-Rawendttn t o join the
Sultan's train, after surrendering that place t o 'Alem ed-
D3n Suleimttn. On the 17th of the same month el-Melek
ei-Afdal arrived a t Damascus. I-Ie had never visited Syria
until that time.
C H A P T E R XXXIII. - ~ l - ' A d e lhimself told m e : When this arrangement had
THESultan deemed it necessary t o send el-Melek el-'Adel
into Egypt, because that prince was more familiar with
the condition and circumstances of t h a t country than was
el-Melek el-Mozaffer (Taki ed-Din). H e used t o hold
long conversatiotls with him on this subject during his
illness a t HarrAn, which was a great pleasure t o el-'Adel,
The government of Emesa was ent~ustedto Muhammad, son of
Shirkuh, and mlght naturally descend to Muhammad's son.
EI-RQW~IZLZC~~ (Karendal of the Franks) was a fortress on the
Nallv'Afriw, ahoot.t~vodays'jjoorney,N \Ir. of Aleppo.L
II'NAIT BETE1.L SCLT.4A\' 1'CSUF. 10;
-P-
- p -
who was deeply attached t o Egypt. When the Sultan's
health was re-established, and after his return t o Dama4-
cus, he despatched a courier t o el-'Wdel t o summon him
t o that city. On the 24th of Kabi'a I. (June 14, r186),
el-'Adel set out from Aleppo with a small escort, and pro-
ceeded by rapid marches t o Damascus. There he remained
in attendance upon the Sultan, and was admitted t o several
conferences and interviews with him. By the beginning of
Jomada I. the main parts of the business were settled, and
it was decided that el-'Adcl should return t o Egypt and
surrender Aleppo to the Sultan. ~ l - ' A d e lsent certain
of his friends t o Aleppo t o fetch his family. El-Melek
ez-Ziher-may God protect him !l-was a t this time with
his father the Sultan, togcther with his brother el-Melek
el-'Aziz. T h e Sultan had made it a condition of el-Rlelek
el-'Adel's return to Egypt, that that prince should act a s
atkbeg2 (or guardian) t o el-Alelek el-'Aziz. H e entrusted
the young prince to el-'adel, who was t o undertake his
education. T h e government of Aleppo was given t o el-
Melek cz-Z2her.
been concluded, I went t o pay my respects t o el-Melek
el-'Aziz and el-hlelelc ez-Ziher. I found them together,
and sat down between them, saying to el-h9eleli el-'Aziz :
" My lord, the Sultan has commanded me t o enter your
service, and to set out with you for Egypt. I know that
there are a great number of wicked people, some of whom
will come t o yqu, and will abuse me, and counsel you not
t o trust me. I f you intend t o listen t o them, tell me low,
so that I may not go with you (into Egypt)." H e replied :
' This phrase in Arabic is never used except in speaking of a
reigning prince, and at the time when our author was writing el-Rlelek
ez-ZAher was Lord of Aleppo, and of the northern parts of Syria.
Atnbey, Turkish from Afir, 'father,' and 6ek7 ' l o r d ' a guardian.
106 Cl'H117 BEFELL S U L T A N Y U S U F .
- - ~-
-P--P-
- p
" I shall not listen t o them ; how could I d o so ?" I then
turned t o el-Melek ez-Zdher, and said : " I know quite well
that your brother might listen t o men who devise mischief,
and that, if he did cause me that grief, I could not rely
upon anyone but you." H e answered : "Bless you ! all
will go well."' A short time afterwards the Sultan sent
his son el-Melek ez-%$her t o Aleppo with the title of
Sultan, because he knew that this city was t h e basis (the
foundation) and the seat of his whole power. I t was on
this account that he had made such great efforts t o get
possession of it. Once he had established his supremacy
there, h e relaxed his watch over thc countries t o the east-
ward (Upper Mesopotamia, Mosul, and Khel2:), contenting
himself with their assurances of loyalty, and promises of
support in the Holy War. H e entrusted this city t o his
son, being confident in his tact, decision, and watchfulness,
and in the strength and nobility of his character. El-Melek
ez-Zdher set out for Aleppo, accompanied by HossAm
cd-Din Bishtira, who was to act as shilzna (governor of the
city), and 'Aisa Ibn Relashu as viili (governor of the district).
A t 'Ain el-MobAreka (' Holy Spring '), he was received by
the inhabitants of Aleppo, who had come forth t o welcome
him. This was a t day-break, on the 9th of Jomada II.,
582 (August 27, r 186). Towards mid-day he went up t o
the castle, whilst the city gave itself up to nianifestations
of delight. H e extended the wing of his justice over
them, and rained d o s n his bounty upon them. W e will
return to el-Melek el-'Xziz and el-Melek el-'.qdel. When
the Sultan had decided on the privileges and honours they
were respectively t o enjoy, he wrote t o el-Melek el-Mozdffer,
informing him that el-Melek el-'Aziz was setting out for
Egypt accompanied by his uncle, and commanding him t o
return t o Syria. This prince was so aggrieved by these
instructions that he could not conceal his dissatisfaction.
W H A T E E F E L L SUL7'.4iV Y GSGF.
'07
---.-
p~
- p ~
and he formed a plan of going over t o the nomad Arabs of
Barka.1 T h e chief officers of state reproved him loudly for
thinking of such a thing, and represented to him that such
a step would ruin him for ever with his uncle the Sultan,
' a n d God alone knows,' they said, 'what \vould bc the
consequence.' H e recognised the wisdom of this advice,
and sent an answer to the Sultan signifying his obedience.
When h e had handed the province over t o his successor,
he set out t o present hinlsclf before the Sultan, who, on
his side, came as far as Mcrj e s - S o f f e r V o receive him.
Their meeting took place on the 23rd of Sh'abin that year
(November 8, I I 86). T h e Sultan showed great satisfaction
at seeing him, and gave him thc city of H a m a h (as an
appanage). El-Mozaffcr betook himself t o that place. On
the 26th of the month of RamadAn (December I"), el-Melek
ez-ZAher married one of the daughters of el-Melek
el-'Adel, t o whom he had been betrothed. T h e marriage
of el-Nelek el-Afdel with the daughter of N2yr ed-Din
(Muhammad), son of Asad ed-Din (Shirktth), took place in
the month of Shaw3l (December t o January, I 156-I I 87).
I H e proposed to go and join I<al-aktish, one of SalAl? cd-Ilin's
generals, who had taken Fiarka in Cyrenaica, and, with the assistance
of the nomad Arabs of that country and Maurctania, was carryiilg on
a successful war of conquest in 'Tripolitania and Tunisia. Sonle slight
information about li~rv~zk6sh may be found in the second volume of
Baron de Slane's translation, entitled ' l listoire dcs Uerbers.'
Merj es-Socler lay in the HaurSn, about thirty-eight geographical
miles S.W. of 1~)amascus.,
 108 l V H A T bE1;L;LL S C L T A N Y C S C F .
~~- .. -
CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE SUT,TAN RIAKES I'REPAKbTIONS F O R A N
EXI'EDITION AGAINST EL-ICERAR.
A T the beginning of the month of Moharrem, 583 (March,
A.D. I 187), the Sultan resolved t o march against el-Kerak,
and sent t o Aleppo for the troops of that city. H e left
Damascus on the 15th of the same month, and encamped
in the district of I(uneifera,l awaiting the arrival of the
armies from E g y p t and Syria. A s each body of troops
arrived, h e ordered them t o send out detachments into the
countries on the coast t o ravage and pillage wherever they
went. This order was obeyed. H e remained in the country
round el-Kerak until the arrival of the caravan of Syrian
pilgrims on their return from Mecca, whom his presence
protected from the attacks of the enemy. Another caravan,
coming from Egypt, brought all the people of el-Melek
el-Mozaffer's household, and all the household-goods that
h e had left in that country. T h e army from Aleppo was
delayed for some time, for they were watching the Franks
in Armenia, the country of Ibn Laon. I t happened ;hat
the king of the Franks had died, and bequeathed the chief
power t o his nephew."[-Melek el-Mozaffer was a t that
time a t Hamah. When the Sultan heard this news, he
ordered the troops at Aleppo t o invade the enemy's terri-
(ii/neitsnz, in the N . of the HaurAn, between Damascus and
Bkniis.
This is not quite exact. Baldwin IV. had died in I I S ~ and,
child, Baldwin V., son of Sibyl, sister o i Baldwin IV., died Septemher,
1186. S a l i i ~ed-Din took advantage of the dissensions between the
party of Sibyl, who nlarried Guy of Lusignan, and the party of Isabel,
first married to the step-son of Renaud of Chatillon.
M'HA T I j E F E L L SCLT/I V Y U S CF. 109
-.
--p-
tory, so a s t o damp the zeal which animated the Franks.
El-Mozaffer Icd the troops from Xleppo to II$rim, and
there took up his quarters, t o shou, the encmy that that
part (of Syria) was not neglected. T h e Sultan (having left
el-Kerak) returned t o Syria, and on the 17th of Rabi'a I.
(bfay v , 1187) set up his camp a t 'Ashteral Herc he
was ioined by his son, el-RIelek el-Afdel, and by Mozaffer
ed-Din, son of Zein ed-Din, and the rcst of the army.
T h e Sultan had instructed el-Melck el-Mozaffer to conclude
a treaty with the Franks, wliich should secure the neigh-
bourhood of Aleppo from being disturbed. In this way
hc thought he should b e free from any anxicty, and could
give his whole attention t o the enemy on the coast. El-
Mozafrer made peace (ivith the people of Antioch) during
the last ten days of Rabi'a I. (beginning of June), a n d then
marched towards H a m a h t o join the Sultan, and take part
in the projected expedition. H e sct out with all the
troops from the East that lie could collect-that is t o
-
say, with detachments from hIosul, under JIas'Gd Ibn ez-
Z'aferhi, and from Mardin. T h e Sultan went out t o
meet them about the middle of Kabi'a II., and received
them with great honours. H e reviewed his troops shortly
afterwards a t Tell Tesil,'! prcparatory t o the expedition
upon which they were starting, and ordered the leaders of
the flanks and thc centre t o take up their positions.
The water supplv S. of Tell 'Ashtcrizh IS more abundant than else-
where in the Haurin, and the position served as a base equally against
Iierak or Galilee.
Tesil, about j miles S.W. of A'tEirrr, and N.\\:. of Tell 'Ashtenrh,
in the Jaul+n, E. of the Sea of Galilee.
the
IIO L1'fIAT BEFELL SULX'AA\i Y C S U F .
C H A P T E R XXXV.
ACCOUNT OF THE CATTLE OF I I A T T ~ N , AX AUUSPICIOUS
DAY F O K THE FATTIIFUL.
TIIESultan believed that it was his duty, above all things,
to devotc his whole strength t o fulfil the command we have
received t o war against the infidels, in recognition of God's
mercy in establishing his dominion, in making him master
of so many lands, and granting him the obedience and
devotion of tiis people. Therefore he sent an order t o
all his troops t o join him a t 'Ashtera. When he had
mustered and reviewed them, as we have narrated above,
he made his dispositions, and marched full speed upon the
enemy's territory-may God confound their hopes !-on the
17th of the month Rabi'a 11. (June 26, 1187). H e used
always t o attack the enemy on a Friday, at the hour of
prayer, believing that the prayers that the preachers
were offering from their pulpits a t that time mould bring
him good luck, because their petitions that day were
generally granted. A t this hour, then, he began his
march,l holding his army in readiness t o fight. H e heard
that thc Franks, having received intelligence of his muster-
ing of troaps, had assembled in the plain of Seffilria,"
in the territory of Acre, and meant t o come out and meet
hIe1ek el-Afclal, advancing by the bridges S. of the Sea of Galilee,
towards Tabor and Kazareth, encountered the Te~nplarsand Hospi-
tallcrs coming from Fflleh. In the ensuing fight the Grand Master of
the Hospital and the Marshal of the Temple were killed. 4 general
advance was then ordered by SalAh ed-Din. This happened near Kefr
Kenna on May I. Sce ' Jacques de Vitry,' p. loo.
l h 38 miles P;. of Kazareth. The springs where the
S e f ~ i ~ i ( is
camp was fixed are I mile S. of the village. Hattin was ro nriles to
the E.
W H A T R E F E I L SCLT'1 V I C SC I' III
him and give him battle. H e therefore took up a position
close t o the Sea of Tiberias, hard b y a village called cs-Sen-
n$bra 1 H e next encamped on the t o p of the hill that lies
t o the west of Tiberias. There he remained ready for
battle, thinking that the Franks would advance and attack
him a s soon as they had ascertained his movements;
but they did not stir from their position. I t was on Wed-
nesday, the ~ 1 s oft this samc month (June 30, 1187), that
the Sultan pitched his camp there. Seeing that the enemy
were not moving, he left his infantry drawn up opposite
the enemy and went down t o Tiberias with a troop of light
cavalry. H e attacked that city and carried it by assault
within an hour, devoting it t o slaughter, burning, and
sacking. All that \%,ereleft of the inhabitants were taken
prisoner. T h e castle alone held \TThen the enemy
heard the fate of Tiberias, they were forced to break
through their policy of inaction, t o satisfy this call upon
their honour, and they set out for Tiberias forthwith t o
drive the invaders back. T h e pickets of the Bloslem
army discerned their movement, and sent an express t o
inform the Sultan. When he received this message he
detached a sufficient force t o blockade the castle, and then
rejoined the army with his suite. T h e two armies met on
the summit of the hill t o the west of Tiberias. This was
o n the evening of Thursday, the ~ 2 n dof the same month.
Ilarkness separated the combatants, who passed the night
under arms in order of battle, until the following day,
Friday, the 23rd (July 2,' 1187). Then the warriors of
Now es-Se~znit6m(Sinnabris), a ruin W. of Jordan, at the S. end of
the Sea of Galilee. SaMh ed-Din crossed by the jisr cs-Sirid bridge,
called also Jisr e s - S e ~ ~ ~ ~ i i bHis
r n . march to Hattfn, on the plateau
\V. of Tiberias, was about 9 miles K.\V. His base might have been
threatened from Filleh and Heisin. ,The advance from Seffiiriell to
Hattfn was fatal, on account of want of water.
" The fortress was held by the nifc of Ray~nondof '1'1ipoli.
112 WH.47' NIZFELL S I ' L T A N Y U S C ' F .
--p -- -. ~- P p--- p -
both armies mounted their steeds and charged their oppo-
nents ; the soldiers in the vanguard discharged .their arrows ;
and the infantry came into action and fought furiously.
This took placc in the territory belonging to a village
called L6bia.I T h e Franks saw they must bite the dust,
and came on as though driven to certain death ; before
them lay disaster and ruin, and they were convinced that
the next day would find them numbered amongst the
dead.$ T h e fight ragcd obstinately; every horseman
hurled himself against his opponent until victory was
secured, and destruction fcll upon the infidels. Night with
its blackness put an end to thc battle. Terrible encounters
took place that d a y ; never in thc history of the generations
that have gone havc such feats of arrns becn told. T h e
night had been spent under arms, each side thinking every
moment that they would be attacked. T h e hToslems,
linowing that behind them lay the Jordan, and in front the
territory of the enemy, felt that God alone was able t o
save them. God, having granted His aid t o the Moslems,
gave then1 success, and sent them victory according to His
dccree. Their infantry charged from all sides ; the centre
came on like oric man, uttering a mighty c r y ; God fillecl
the hearts of the itifidels with terror (for I l e has said), ' Dre
frvm Us it was to kelp the believevs ' (KurAn x x x . 46). T h e
count (Kaymond of Tripoli), the most intelligent man of
that race ,and famous for his keenness of perception, seeing
signs of the catastrophe irnpcnding ovcr his brothers in
religion, was nut prevented by thoughts of honour from
taking measures for his personal safety. H e fled in the
beginning of the action, before the fighting had become
serious, atid set out in thc direction of Tyre. Scveral
Lzidin was g miles E. of Seffi~rieh,and z iniles S.W. of I-IattEn.
'The vil1;lgc is supplied only by rain-water cisterns.
Litc,r/r?@,amongst those who visit the tombs.
 lLrII;lT B E F E L L SULTALV Y L i S U l i . 113
- ~ - ~- .- --p-

Moslems started in pursuit of him, but he succeeded in

evading them ; true believers had nothing thereafter to
fcar from his cunning.l T h e upholders of Isl5nl surrounded
the upholders of infidelity and impiety on every side,
overwhelming them with arrows and harassing them with
their swords. One body of the enemy took t o flight, but
*
they were pursued by the Mosleln warriors, and not one of
the fugitives escaped. Another band climbed Ha!tin hill,
so called from the name of a village, near which is the
tomb of the holy patriarch Shu'aib ( J e t h r o ) . V h e Moslems
hemmed them in, and lighted fires all round them, so that,
tortured by thirst and reduced to the last extremity, they
gave themselves up to escape death. Their leaders were
taken captive, and the rest were killed or made prisoners.
Among the leaders who surrcndcred were King Geoffrey,"
the King's brother: l'rince Arn?tt (Ketiaud de ChAtillon),
Lord of el Kerak, and of esh-Sh6bek, the son of cl-Honferi
(Honfroi de 'l'oron), thc son of the Lord of Tiberias (Ray-
mond of Tripoli), thc chief of the Tcmplars, the Lord of
. and the cllicf of the Hospitallers. T h e othcrs who
I IIe ]\.as killed soon after by the Assassins.
P The tonib of ;\>by Sh11'~116 (Jetl~so)is still shown on the hill W. of
the village of IIa$!in.
3 I'hroaghout his ~vorl; our author makes the mistake of calling
King (Giiy, f f i ~<i<,(fl1~y.
~~;~
4 1l1n cl-At11;r also, in his ' I<;iiilel,' says that the king's brother was
amongst the prisoners. \Ve rr:rt? in 'IniBd ed-1~)in.s' Fath el-Kossi' :
'Tliey brought before tile Sultan liing Guy, 111s brother Gcofirey,
Hug!,, Lord of Jibeil, Hc~r~troi, I'rince Arnaj, Lorcl of el-Kerak, etc.'
According to the account of 1:aoul Cogg~shale,u,ho was present at
!lie battlc, thc king's brother a.ai arnongst !hose talicn prisoner, and
fro111 the contir~uatorof \lilliam of Tyre mc learn that Aimaury, the
king's brother and constaiile of Jerusalem, lvas one of the prisoners
made that da)-. H e after~x~ards liecame King of Cyprus in iu(:cession
10 (;uy. Sec 'Jacques de Vitry,' p. 1 0 7 , \\,liere Georfrey is noticed a t
the siege of Acre.
5 His name \\-as IIugh 111. d c 1'Embriaco.

S
114 I1 HAT BEFELL SCLTA,\ YGSCF.
p-- p-
- - W H A T B E F E L L SL1LrAL\' - Y USCF. "5
- - P

were missing had met their death ; and as t o the common

the Sultan went t o sit within, full uf joy and gratitude for
people, some were lcilled and others taken captive. Of
the favour which God had just granted him. H e then
their whole army none remained alive, except the prisoners.
commanded K ~ n gGeoffrey, and his brother, and l'rince
hiorc than one of their chief leaders accepted captivity t o
Arn$t. (Kenaud)
. t o be brought. H e gave a bowl of sherbet
save his lifc. rZ man, whom I bclicvc to be reliable, told
made with iced rose-water t o the Icing, who was suffering
me that he saw one soldier in the Haursn leading more
F severely from thirst. Geoffrey drank part of it, and then
than thirty prisoners, ticd together with a tent cord. H e
thc bowl t o Prince A r n i t T h e Sultan said t o the
had taken them all himself, so great had been the panic
interpreter : 'Tell the Icing that it is he, and not I, nrho is
caused by their defeat.
giving this man t o drink.' H e had adopted the admirable
W e tvill hcrc narrate the fate of thosc leaders who
and generous custom of the Arabs, who grant life t o the
escaped with their lives. T h e count, who had fled,
captive who has eaten or drunk of thcir viands. I-Ie then
roached Tripoli, and was there, by the grace of God,
ordefed his men t o take them to a place prepared for their
carried off by pleurisy. T h e Hospitallers a n d Templars
reception, and, after they had eaten, he summoned them
the Sultan resolved to cxecute, and he spared not a single
again t o his presence. H e had only a few servants a t that
one. S a l l h ed-Din had slirorn t o put Prince A r n l f t o
time in his tent. H e seated the K i n g a t the entrance, then
dcath if h e ever fell into his hands, and the reason he took
summoned the prince, and reminded him of what h e had
that oath is this : A caravan coming from Egypt, and
said, adding : ' Rehold, I will support Muhainmad against
taking advantaie of the truce, went quite close t o esh-
thee!'l H e then called upon him to embrace IslBm, and,
ShBbelc, where the princc then happened t o be. Thinking
on his refusal, drew his sabre and struck him a blow which
there was nothing to fear, they halted in the neighbourliood
severed his arm from the shoulder. Those who 1vere
of the place; but this man set upon them, in defiance of
present quickly despatched the prisoner, and God hurled
his oath, and killed (a number) of them. T h e travellers in
his soul into hell. T h e corpse was dragged out and thrown
vain besought him for mercy in the name of God, telling
down a t the entrance of the tent. When the Kirig saw the
him there was a treaty of peace between him and the
way in which his fellow-captive had been treated, he
Moslems. H e only answered by insulting the Holy Prophet.
thought he was t o be the second victim ; but the Sultan
When the Sultan heard what he bad done, he was com-
had him brought into t h e tent and calmed his fears. ' I t is
pelled by the Faith and by his determination t o protect his
not the wont of kings,' said he, ' t o kill kings; but that man
people t o swear t o take this man's life whenever he should
had tran&ressed all bounds, and thercfore did I treat him
fall into his power. After God had granted him this
thus.' ' T h e conquerors spent t h a t night in rejoicings;
victory, he stayed a t the entrance of his tent (for the tent
every voice chanted ~ r a i . s et o God, and on all sides rose
itself was not yet set up), and there he sat t o receive
cries of 'Allah AkbtfY!' ('God is most great !') and 'h
his soldiers, who came t o win his approval of their
i i ~ h t *il' Allah !' ( c There is no other god but God !') till
services, bringing the prisoners they had made and the
leaders they had found. A s soon as the tent was pitched See 17. 43.
8-2
116 IVRAT B E F ~ L LSC:I,TAS Y U S L ~ F .
.~- --~-
~~~ - ~ p -~
~p-p-
- ~
dawn. O n Sunday, t h e a;th of Rabi'a 11. (July 4, I I ~ ? ) ,
the Sultan went down t o Tiberias, and the fortress of that
place was surrendered t o him in the afternoon of the same
day. I-Ie remained there until Tuesday, and then marched
upon Acre. H e arrived before that place or1 Wednesday,
the last day of Kabi'a 11. (July S). On the following day,
the first of Jomada I., he began the assault and took the
city. H e set free more than four thousand captives ~ v h o
had been detained there, and toolc possession of all the
treasure, stores, and merchandise in the place, of mhich
there were enormous quantities, for this city was a great
ccntre of commerce. T h e troops were sent out in detach-
ments t o overrun the coast, taking the fortresses, castles,
and strongholds. N9blus fell into thcir hands, as \veil as
Haifa, Cresarea, Seffilria, and Nazareth, for all these places
had been left defenceless by reason of the death or captivity
of thcir protectors. T h e Sultan made arrangements for
the government of Acre, and gave his soldiers a share of
the booty aud prisoners. H e thcn inarched in the direction
of Tibnin,l and sat down before that place on Sunday, the
12th of Jomada I. (July 20). A s this was a very strong
fortress, he set up his mangonels, and by frequent assaults
rcduced the place t o the last extremity. T h e garrison was
conlposed of men of tried valour and vcry zealous for their
faith, therefore they held out with wonderful cndurance;
but God came t o the Sultan's assistance, and he carried the
place by storm on the 18th of the month, and led the sur-
vivors of the garrison into captivity. From this place he
marched upon Sidon, which lie captured on the day after
his arrival. A s soon as he had organized a regular govcrn-
ment, he set out for Bcirilt, and took up a position to
Tihizi~t(Toron), in Upper Galilee, 17 iniles S.W. of BAniAs. T h e
castle was built in 1107 by Hugh of ht. Omcr, Lord of Tiberias. See
'Jncclues de Vitry,' p. IS.
IVITAT L3El;'ELL S U L T A N I.'L:SCF.
117
.
P ~ ~
~ - -- p~
attack that place on the ~ 2 n dof the same month. H e set
up his mangonels, storming the city several times, and
maintaining the attack without any cessation until the
@h, when h e succeeded in capturing it. Whilst he was
occupied before Heirfit, a detachment of his army had taken
J . Having completed the conquest of this district, he
judged it expedient t o march against Ascalon. H e had
made an attempt upon Tyre, but renounced it because his
men were scattered through the districts on the coast, each
soldier engagcd in pillaging on his own account, and
tlie army was growing weary of ceaseless fighting and
cs~ntinualwar. Besides, all the Franks of the coast had
collected in Tyre, therefore he thought it best t o march
against Ascalon, a city which he believed would be easy t o
take. O n the 26th of Jomada 11. (September z ) he en-
camped before the city, having taken on his march a
number of places, such as er-Ratnla, Yebna, and ed-Darfin."
H e set u p his mangonels against Ascalon, and, after a
vigorous assault, succeeded in taking it on the last d a y of
the same month. I-Ie ren~aincdencamped outside the city
whilst detachments of his troops took Ghazza, Heit Jibrin,
and en-Nafri~n,%vhichplaces surrendered without a blow.
Thirty-five ycars had passed since the taking of Ascnlon
by the Franks ; they had captured the city on the 27th o f
Jomada II., in the year 545 (September 19, A.D. 1153)."
Jiheii (Gebal). N . of Heirilt. This march cut the cominunication
by land between Tyre and Tripoli.
' Ed /,yril~z is Uarurn now Deir cl-8cld!~,S. of Gaza, built about
A.1). 11 70.
X'eiljihvin (Gibelin), I S mile4 E. of Ascalan, was fortified by King
Flllk in 1134. F a r A;rtdiz, see p. 3 2 .
4 T h e final assault on the city appears to have been really on
L2, 1 7 5 3
118 IVHAT B E F E L L SULT.4 V Y I - S C F .
. -
CIIAPTEK X X X V I .
T A K I N G O F TIIE HOLY CITY (EL-ICUDS EsII-SITERIF)
I~AVIN G Ascalon and the districts round Jerusalem
taken
(el Icuds), the Sultan devoted all his energies t o prcpara-
tions for an expedition against the city. H e called to-
gether the various detachments of his army that were
scattered through the coast-districts, and returned glutted
with pillage and rapine ; and then marched upon Jerusalem,
strong in the hope that God would uphold and direct him.
I-Ie was anxious t o make the most of his opportunities now
that the door of success had been opened to him, follotving
the advice of the Holy Prophet, \v110 said : ' H e t o whom
the door of success has been opened must take his oppor-
tunity a n d enter in, for he knows not when thc door may
be shut upon him.' I t was on Sunday, the 15th of the
month of Rejeb in the year 553 (September 2 0 , 1157
A . D . ) , that hc toolc lip his position t o the west of the tit)..
T h e place was teeming with soldiers, both horse and foot,
and their numbers, according to the best accounts, exceeded
sixty thousand, without reckoning women and children.
T h e Sultan shifted his position to the north of the city,
thinking this would be best, and directed his mai~gonels
against the walls. Being very strong in bowmen, he
pressed the place so closely by constant assaults and
skirmishes t h a t his miners were able t o make a breach i n
one of the northern angles of the wall overlooking the
WAdi Jehennum.l T h e enemies of God satv they were
menaced b y a disaster which they could not escape, and
U'Adi PIfeAen7zz~71:is the hloslem name f o ~the I ~ ~ d r oValley,
n E.
of Jerusalem.
II'IIA T UEI'L'LL S C L T A V Y l i S U F . 1 IT
~ ~ --
~ -
by divers signs it was revealed t o them that the city would
fall into the hands of the Moslems. Their hearts were filled
with dread when they thought of their bravest warriors
slain or taken captive, their strongholds destroyed or
captured by the Moslems. Expecting t o suffer the same
fate a s their brothers, and to die b y the same sword that
had cut them do~vn,they adopted the only alternative, and
asked for a treaty, that their lives might be spared. After
messengers had several times passed back\vards and for-
wards between the two parties, a treaty was conclutied,
and the Sultan was put in possession of Jerusalem on
Friday, the 27th of Kejeb (October 2, 1187)~on the
anniversary of the night of the asccnsion (of the Holy
Prophet into heaven), a n event which is foreshadowed in
the glorious KurSn (xvii. I ) ? W h a t a wonderful coinci-
dence! God allowed the Moslems t o take the city as a
celebration of the anniversary of their Holy Prophet's
midnight journey. Truly this is a sign that this deed was
pleasing t o Almighty God ; and this mighty conquest was
a testimony (for the Faith) t o a multitudc of people-
learned men, dervishes, and fakirs-who mere brought
thither by the news of t h e Sultan's victories and successes
in the lands on the coast, and by the report that he was
going t o undertake a n expedition against Jerusalem.
Therefore all men learned (in the law) came t o join the
Sultan, both from E g y p t and from Syria ; thcre was not a
single well-known doctor but came t o thc camp. Every
voice was raised in shouts, calling upon God, and proclaim-
ing His'unity and power. O n the very d a y of the capitula-
T h e K u r h says nothing of the legend of L'luhammad's translation
from Mecca to Jerusalem. T h e passage cited speaks of the prophet's
going to the 'distant sanctuary' (E:-Hnvnnz eZ-Aksn). T h e whole
tradition of the night journey and ascent from the Sakhra to heaven
is late, a n d Heha ed-Din therefore says only that it is 'foreshadowed'
in the allusion cited.
 130 l V H A T B E F E L L SCLTA.l
A' I.CSC-I:.
- ~ - -
P- -
tion Friday's prayer was solemnized in the city, and the
lihdtib delivered the serrn0n.l T h e huge cross that rose
from the dome of the Salchra was thro\vn down. In this
manner, by means of the Sultan, God accorded a magnifi-
cent triumph to Islam. T h e chief condition stipulated by
the treaty was that cach man should pay ten Tyrian dinars
as his ransom ; each woman five; children, both boys and
girls, werc to pay only one dinar each. Every onc who
paid this ransom mas to receive his freedom. God in His
mercy delivered the hloslem prisoners who were in
captivity in the city t o the number of more than three
thousand. T h e Sultan took possession of the whole of the
booty, and distributed it amongst his emirs and soldiers.
H e also assigned a portion t o the jurists, doctors of law,
dervishes, and other people ~ v h ohad come to the camp.
Ry his orders, all those who had paid their ransom were
conducted t o their place of refuge-that is to say, t o the
city of Tyre. I have been told that when the Sultan left
Jerusalem lle retained nothing whatever out of all these
treasures, and yet they amounted t o nearly two hundred
and twenty thousand dinars. I I e left the city on Friday,
the 23th of Sh'abin (October 30).
CRRI'TER SXXVII.
111s A T T H \ I P T O N TYKE.
THESultan, having establishcd his supremacy upon a firm
basis both in Jerusalem and on the coast, resolved t o
march against Tyre, for he knew that if he delayed in this
undertaking, it would be very difficult t o carry it t o a
Ibn Khallikhn ( i i . 634) has preserved this sermon for us.
IT'HAT BEFELL SCLT,t S I'iISCF. 121
~ - P- -
successful issue. H e repaired first t o Acre, where he
stopped t o inspect the city, and then set out for Tyre on
.Friday, the 5th of Ramadan (Sovember S, 1187) When
he came within sight of that city he pitched his camp,
the arrival ofhis instruments of mar. A s soon as h e
had.determined on undertaking this expedition, he had sent
t o his son el-Melek ez-Ziher, commanding him to join him.
I-Ie had left that prince a t Aleppo t o protect that part of
Syria whilst he himself was engaged in the conquest of the
countries on the coast. Ez-Z,*ther reached the camp on the
18th of Ramadan, and his arrival gave his father the
greatest satisfaction. A s soon as the mangonels, moveable
towers, mantelets, and other instruments of mar had been
brought in, the Sultan took up his position before the city
on the zznd of the month, and after completely surround-
ing it, began a brisk attack. T h e Egyptian fleet, which he
had summoned to his assistance, blockaded the city b y sea,
whilst his army licmmed it In on the land side. IIis
brother, cl-Melek el-'.$del, whom hc had left behind in
Jerusalem t o settle affairs, receibcd a command to join him,
and reached the camp on thc 5th of S h a d (December 8 )
A body of troops, ~vhichthe Sultan had detached t o lay
siegc t o HGnin, reccived the surrender of that place on the
23rd of the same month.
CHXI'TER XXXVIII.
DESTRUCTION O F TIIE FLEET.
THEfleet was commanded by a certain man named el-Firis
BedrLn, a brave and clever sailor. 'Abd el-hIohsen, the
High Admiral) had instructed the ships t o be watchful and
!&?-?S eLBa!,veilz, in Arabic, 'chief of the two seas '-that is to say,
of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.
 IZZ 1I.HAT l3EFEI.L SliLTA-Y I'CSCF.
-~ -~
p--.
~
~ ~ ~ ~~~-
~ --
vigilant, that the enemy might not find any opportunity of
doing them harm ; but they neglected this advice, and
omitted t o kecp a gcod watch during the night. Therefore
the infidel fleet came out of the harbour of Tyre, fell upon
them unawares, took five of their ships with two captains,
and killed a great number of Moslem sailors. This took
place on the 27th of the month of S h a d (December 30).
T h e Sultan was much cast down by this occurrence, and
as it was noiv the beginning of winter, and torrents of rain
were falling, the troops were unable to fight any longer.
H e summorled his emirs to a council of war, and they
advised him t o strike camp, so as t o give the soldicrs
a little rest, and to malie preparations for renewing the
siege later 011.
H e followed their advicc and retired, dismounting his
mangonels, and taking them with him. H e ordered all
that could not be transported to be burnt. H e took
his departure on the 2nd of the month of Zu el-Tcada
in the sarne year (January 3, 1188). H e then dismissed
the clifrerent hands that formed his army, and gave per-
mission t o the detachments to return t o their respective
homes. H e himself with his own particular troops took
u p his quarters in Acre, and remained there until the year
584 (beginning of March, 1188 A.D.).
C H r \ P T E R XXXIX.
I N the beginning of that year he turned his attention
t o the fortresses which still remained in the hands of
the Franks, and thought it would be best to get posses-
123
JI7H,4T IIICFELL S U L T r l Y Y U S U F .
~ ~ - .
- ~ - -~
-~~~ . -
,ion of these in order t o discourage the garrison a t Tyre.
During the first ten days of the month of Mol!arrem
(March 2-12) he encamped before Kaukab.] H e began
with this stronghold, because the troops he had stationed
there, t o prevent succours from being thrown in, had allowed
themselves t o be surprised by the Franks in a night attack.
T h e Sultan set out from Acre with his own troops only,
and sat down before the place; he had given leave t o
the rest of his army. His brother, el-'adel, had returned
to Egypt, and his son, Ez-Zaher, t o Aleppo. O n the
march they suffered severely from the cold and snow,
but making it a point of honour t o avenge his men, he
encamped before the fortress, and kept u p a smart attack
for some time., I t was a t this place t h a t I had the honour
of being presented t o him. In t h e year 583 I had per-
formed the pilgrimage t o Mecca, and was on the spot
when Ibn el-Mol;addem was mortally wounded a t 'ArifAt,
the very d a y that the pilgrims visit that hill. I t occurred
in consequence of a difference that arose between him and
Tastikin, the leader of the pilgrimage, on the subject of
his right t o beat cymbals and drums, which Tastikin would
not allow him t o do. I b n el-hIo1,addem was one of the
chief emirs of Syria, and had distinguished himself b y
his honourable deeds, and the number of his campaigns;
therefore God had decreed that he should be wounded a t
'Arafa on the day of ' A r a f a ; that h e should be carried,
,wounded as h e was, t o M e n a ; that he should die in that
place on Thur3day, the day of the great feast; t h a t his
funeral oration should b e pronounced that same evening
in the mosque of el-Khaif, and that h e should be buried
in e l - h l ' a l a . V e could have had no happier fate. This
k'azrhn6 (Kelvoir), see p. ? j.
The allusions are to the rites of the H i j , including the visit of
pilgrims to Mount 'Xrifst, the Valley of 4Iena, etc., close to Mecca.

occurrence touched the Sultan deeply. O n my return
from the pilgrimage I took the road t o Syria, intending
t o g o t o Jerusalem, and,?visit both (the shrine of) the
Holy Prophet (the Sakhra), and (that of) the patriarch
Abraham-peace be upon him !-(at Hebron). I left
Damascus, and set out for Jerusalem. When the Sultan
heard of m y arrival, he thought I had come on a n embassy
from the government of Mosul. H e summoned me to
his presence, and received me with every mark of con-
sideration. After I had taken leave of him, and was
about to proceed t o Jerusalem, I received a command
through one of his officers to wait upon him again on
rriy return from that city. I thought he wished t o give
me some important message for the bIosul government,
and I arrived, on my return from Jerusalem, on the
very day that he raised the siege of Kaukab. H e saw
that it ivould be necessary t o employ a great number of
troops t o reduce this place, for it was very strong, most
amply provisioned, and garrisoned by determined men
whom, so far, the war had spared. H e entered Damascus
oil the 6th of Rabi'a I. (May g, I I S ~ ) the
, very d s y that
I arrived there on m y return from Jerusalem. H e had
been absent sixteen months froni Damascus. O n thc
fifth day after his arrival, h e heard that the Franks had
marched upon Jibeil with a view of surprising that place.
A s soon as he received this news, he lost not a moment,
but left the city forthwith, and marched towards Jibeil,
sending out in all directions t o summon his troops. When
the Franks heard he had taken the field, they gave up
their attempt. A t this time the Sultan received a message,
saying that 'Im2d ed-Din (Zenghi, son of Maudfid, Prince
of Mosul), and Mozaffer ed-Din (KukbQri) had just arrived
a t Aleppo with troops from Mosul, t o place themselves
under his orders, and take part in the I-Ioly War. He
J V H A T LIEI'EI,L S U L T A S PGSCF. 125
P - ~~pp~- - ~ ~
~ ~ ~ p
- - - p p -p-
p
then marched towards the fortress of the Kurds,l on his
way t o the upper sea-coast (the maritime districts of C p p e r
Syria).
C H A P T E R XL.
HE E S T E R S T H E I..ASDS O F TIIE UPPER SEA-COAST, A N D
TAlCES I,.XODICOA,' JEBELA, A S D 0TfIF.R CITIES.
0 s thc first day of the nlonth Rabi'a 11. (May 30, IISS),
he took up his position on a hill facing the fortress of the
Icurds, and dispatched couriers to el-Melek ez-Z9her, and
el-Melek el-hlozaffer, commanding them to join their
fol-ces, and take up a .position a t Tizin,3 t o cover the
districts sound Antioch. T h e troops from the eastern
provinces mustrred in the place where the Sultan was
encamped, and put themselves under his command. I t
was here that I came upon him, just a s I was setting out
on my journey to Rlosul. When I presented myself before
hirn, he seemed very glad t o see me again, and gave me
the most gracious reception. During my stay in Damascus
I had cornpilcd a treatise on the Holy \\Tar, in which I
had inserted all the laws and customs in any may con-
nected with it. I presented this book t o him, and he
accepted it with pleasure, and made it a frequent study.
I kept asking for permission t o depart, but h e always
put me off, and meanwhile summoned me constantly
t o his presence. H e even commended me in public, and
spolce very favourably of me, as I have becn told by people
I Horn EZ-Afinfd,(castle of the Kurds ' (called by the F r a n k s Crac),
on the slope of Lebanon, half-way (son1 Elilesa to Tripoli, a castle of
the Knights Hospitallers.
Rend : And takes Antartus.
3 T i ~ i nlies .ihout jo geogmpliical miles N.E. uf Antioch.
126 1I'HiIf BEFELL S C L T A S I ' C S L F .
- p -
--
who were present. H e remained encamped on the sanie
spot during the whole of the month Kabi'a 11. (June),
and during the course of that month marched t o the
fortress of the Kurds, and blockaded it for a d a y t o
reconnoitre the ground. H e thought h e had not time
t o besiege the place, and a s the troops he had called out
had now musterccl round his standard, h e sent two ex-
peditions into the districts round Tripoli. T h e y were
ordered t o pillage, and t o ascertain the military strength
of the country, arid he proposed t o apply the spoils t o
the maintenance of his army. Towards the close of this
same month he issued the following order : ' W e are going
t o enter the districts on the coast; provisions are scarce
there, and as the encmy wi!l meet us on their own ground,
they will surround us on every side. Therefore you will
have t o provide yourselves ,with sufficient food for one
month.' H e then instructed 'Aisa the jurist t o inform
me that he did trot intend t o allow me to return t o Alosul.
Since God had filled my heart with a great affection for
the prince from the moment I first saw him, and because
I had observed his devotion t o the Holy War, I consented
t o remain. I t was on the first d a y of the month Jomada I.,
in the year 584 (June 28,.1158 AB.), that I entered his
service, and on the same day h e marched into the coast-
lands.
All that I have narrated thus far is founded on what I
have been told by trustworthy persons, who were present
a t the occurrences they described. Henceforth I shall write
nothing but what I myself have witnessed, or have gleaned
from people worthy of crcdit, -.vhose words scemed t o me
as deserving of belief a s the testimony of my own eyes.
May God in H i s mercy assist us !
O n Friday, the 4th of Jomada I., the Sultan drew up
liis troops in ordcr of battle, and marched against the
LI'HAT B E F E L L SCLT:I1V Y U S C F . 127
~- ~ - ~ - ---pp--.-
~~~
--
- - - p
~-
enemy. Each part of the arrny had a hpecial position
t o i t : the right wing, under 'ImBd ecl-Din Zenghi,
led the van ; the centre followed ; then came the left wing,
under Mozaffer ed-llin, sot1 of Zein cd-Din. T h e baggage
was placed in the centre, and advanced with the army.
%'hen we reached the appointed place, we halted, and
passed the night in the cnemy's country. O n resuming
his march, the Sultan next halted a t El-'Orima ('the little
sand-dune'), but rnade no hostile demonstraticm ; and on
the 6th of the same month (July 3 ) , he arrived before
Antarsas (Tortosa). H c had not intended to stop here,
Jebelal being the object of his march ; hut as An!arsus
appeared t o be easy of capture, he resolved to attack it.
H e recalled the right iving, and ordered it to take up a
position on the shore (oli one side of the city), and the left
wing he stationed on the shore on the other side. 1Ie
himself took up a position between the two, so that the
army completely surrounded the place by land, both flanks
resting on the sea. T h e city of ~ ' l n ~ a r s uwas
s built closc t o
the sea, and was protectcd by two strong towers almost
like castles. T h e Sultan rode up close to the city and
gave the order t o begin the assault. T h c troops ran t o
arms (literal&,donned the breastplate of war), and stormed
the place so vigorously that the garrison were soon a t their
last gasp. Before they had finished pitching the tents the
Moslems had scaled the walls and carried the place by
storm. T h e conquerors seized everything in the city, both
men and goods, and evacuated it, carrying off many cap-
tives and great riches. T h e servants, xvhosc duty it was t o
pitch the tents, left their work and joined in the pillage.
T h e Sultan had said : ' To-night, please God, we will sup
in Antarsus;' and his ivords carrie t o pas;. H e returncd
jeLrZu, or Jebil, N. of Tortosa.
 I 28
-
II'HAT B E F E L L SCI,Tx4:4S 1'GSC.F.
~
to his tent rejoicing, and we prcsentcd ourselves before
--
h i n ~to congratulate him on his success. Then, according
to his custom, he crdered a meal to be served, of which
everyone partook; afterwards he laid siege to the two
towers. hlozaffer ed-Din, to whom he committed the
reduction of one of tile forts, attacked it without ceasing
until he had laid it in rui~is,and taken the garrison captive.
Thc Sultan ordered the walls to be razed, and assigned to
each of his emirs the task of throwing down a ccrtain
portion of the earthworks. \Yhilst they were thus occupied,
the troops began t o besicge the other tower, which was
very strong, as it was built in an inaccessible place, and its
\valls were constructed of solid masonry; it was garrisoned
by all the kilights and footmen belonging to the city ; round
it ran a ditch full of water, and it was furnished with huge
arbalistsl that wounded people at a great distance, whilst
the &Ioslems had no means of injuring (their opponents).
Therefore the Sultan saw that he -xould have to postpone
the attack, and turn his attention to more important
matters. H e occupied himself with the destruction of the
city until it was utterly demolished. The church, held in
such great 1-everence by the Christians, and visited by
pilgrims even from distant lands, was razed to the ground.
The Sultan ordered the rest of the city to be set on fire,
and all its buildings mere devoured by the flames. \Vliilst
they \\ere engaged in this ~vork,the conquerors shouted
strenuously, glorifying the one and only God. The Sultan
remained here to complete the destruction of the city until
the 14th day of the month, and then marched upon Jebela.
On the road he met his son el-h'leleli ez-Zjher, whom he
had su~nrnoncdfrom TizEn, and who brought with him all
the troops that had been stationed in that district.
See 11. 57.
- W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN YUSUF. 129
CHAPTER XLI;
CAPTURE OF JERBLA A N D LAOUICEA.
THESultan arrived before Jebela on the 18th of the month
Jomada I., and he had scarcely drawn u p his army before
he obtained possession of the town. There happened t o be
Moslem residents there with a kPdi t o settle their disputes,
and to him the government of the city had been entrusted.
This official offered no resistance to the Sultan, but the
castle held out. T h e Sultan made one onset against the
place in order to furnish the garrison with a pretext for
surrendering, and on the 19th of the month (July 16, 1188)
the castle capitulated. H e remained a t Jebela until the
23rd, when he set out for Laodicea, and took up a position
before that place on the following day. This is a beautiful
city, very pleasing to the eye, as is well known ; it possesses
a celebrated harbour, and two castles, lying side by side, on
a hill overlooking the town. T h e Sultan at once invested
both the city and the castles, but did not place his troops
between the hill and the city. Then followed a sharp
attack, our men assaulting the city furiously, whilst cries
and shouts filled the air on every side. This continued
until the end of the day, which was the 24th of the month,
and the city was taken, though the castles still held out.
The booty was enormous, for it was a commercial city, and
full of treasure and merchandise. T h e fall of night parted
the combatants. On Friday morning the attack on the
castles was resumed, and a breach made on the north.
made this breach sixty cubits deep and four wide, as
I have been told. Then they climbed the hill, and, getting
'lose to the wall, began a brisk assault. The struggle
9
130 WHAT BETELL SGLTAS YDSUF.
- - -. ---p - ----
raged continuously, and either side threw stones at their
opponents with their hands. When the garrisons saw the
ferocity with which our men were attacking them, and horn
close they had approached, they offered to surrender. This
was on Friday, the 25th of the month. T h e Sultan granted
the request of the besieged, and allowed the k2di of Jebela
t o go t o them and draw up the treaty. H e never refused
t o grant terms when an enemy wished to surrender. T h e
besiegers then returned t o their tents, worn out with fatigue.
Very early the following day, Saturday, the kAdi was sent
t o the besieged, and helped them t o arrange the conditions
of their treaty. It provided that they should be permitted
to go free with their families and their belongings, but they
were t o leave to the victors all their stores of corn, their
military treasure, arms, horses, and instruments of war.
S t ~ l lthey were allowed a sufficient number of beasts to
carry them to a place of safety. As day drew to a close,
the victorious banner of IslAm floated over the wall of the
stronghold. We remained there until the 27th of the
month.
C H A P T E R XLII.
WHEN the Sultan departed from Loadicea, he marched
upon Sahyhn, on the 29th of Jomada I. surrounded the
place with his army and set up six mangonels to play on
the walls. Sahyhnl is a very inaccessible fortress, built on
the steep slope of a mountain. It is protected by wide
ravines of fearful depth; but on one side its only defence
Snhyzin, called Saone by the Franks, a strong castle on a hill S.E.
of and in sight of Latakia, a fortress of the Knights Hospitallers.
I.C'H/IT B E F E L L SGLTAIV Y L S L F . I 31
-
- - -
is
p
an artificial trench about sixty cubits deep cut out of the
rock. This fortress has three lines of ramparts, one round
the precincts, another protecting the castle itself, and a
third round the kcep. On the summit of the keep rose a
lofty turret, which I noticed had fallen to the ground when
the Moslems drew near. Our soldiers hailed this as a good
omen and felt certain of victory. The fortress was attacked
very smartly from all sides at once, and el-Melek ez-ZAher,
Lord of Aleppo, brought his mangonel into play. H e had
set it up opposite the stronghold, quite close t o the wall,
but on the other side of the ravine (Wadi). T h e stones
hurled from this engine always reached their mark. T h e
prince continued to play upon the place till he had made a
breach in the wall large enough t o enable the soldiers to
climb the rampart. On Friday morning, the second day
of the month Jomada II., the Sultan gave the command
to assault, charging the men who had the management of
the mangonels t o shoot without ceasing. Then there arose
mighty cries and a terrible noise, whilst our men shouted
the tahlil and the takbir.l An hour afterwards the BIoslems
had scaled the wall and burst into the courtyard. I saw
our men seize the pots and eat the food that had just been
cooked, without leaving off fighting. The people in the
courtyard fled into the keep, leaving everything behind
them, and all they abandoned was promptly given up to
pillage. T h e besiegers surrounded the walls of the keep,
and the garrison, thinking they would be annihilated, asked
for quarter. A s soon as this was reported to the Sultan, he
granted their prayer and allowed them to depart with their
household goods, but demanded a ransom of ten pieces of
do
&
l' from each man, and five pieces from each woman ; the
The tnhZ2i is the expression Lri tld/za:il 'Allah dh, 'there is no
deity hut God' ; the tafidtr the expression AZldhz~ ~zkbrir,'God is
most great.'-\V.
9--2
132 W H A T BEFELL S C L T A N YUSUF.
children were to pay two. Then he took possession of the
fortress, and remained there whilst his troops took several
others, such as El-'Aid, Fiha, Blitanisl (Platanus), etc.
These castles and little forts were surrendered to (the
Sultan's) deputies.
C H A P T E R XLIII.
CAPTURE O F B E K ~ S .
H E then set forth upon his march, and on the 6th of
Jomada 11. we arrived a t Bekis, a strong fortress built on
one bank of the Orontes, from the foot of which springs a
little brook. T h e army encamped close to the river, and
the Sultan with a small hody of men went up nearer to the
stronghold. I t lies on a lofty hill commanding the Orontes.
His army invested it on all sides, battering it with their
mangonels ; and they pressed it so close, that on the 9th
of the month, by the grace of God, they carried it by
storm. All those of the garrison who had not been killed
in the assault were led into captivity, and the contents of
the place given up to pillage. Close to Bekis there was a
smaller subordinate fort, which was reached by means of a
bridge. I t is called Esh S h o g h r . V t was very difficult of
access, for there was no road u p t o it. The Sultan ordered
I The castle of Bldtarzts, or Bnldhmus (1Mansio Plafanzrs),was close
to the coast, near Jebel el-Ahva (Mons Casius), and was regarded as
impregnable. It was said to be connected with a small port by a
tunnel, through which a man could ride. Platanus was 40 N.P. f ~ r o n ~
Laodicea on the road to Daphne (Beit el-Md),near Antioch.-W.
= Es'sh-Shoghrand Bekds were two castles on heights about a bait-
shot apart, and separated by a fosse-like ravine. They were on the
direct road from Latakia to Aleppo, and not far from the bridge of
Kashfahan across the Orontes. The ruins of the two castles, now
called K. cl-Haidn and K. es-Sulfdn,may still be seen at Esh-S/lu,<,/~v,
a considerable Moslem village on the 0rontes.-UT.
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF.
I33
- -
his mangonels to play upon it from all sides, and as the
garrison had no hope of succaur they asked for terms.
This was on the 13th of the same month. They obtained
a respite of three days in order that they might obtain
permission to surrender from the government of Antioch,
and then they delivered the castle to the Sultan. His
banner was unfurled on the keep on Friday, the 16th of the
month. Salih-ed-Din then rejoined the baggage-train and
despatched his son, el-Melek ez-Ziher, aga~nstthe fortress
of Sermiiniya.' Ez-Ziher attacked the place very smartly
and reduced it to such extremities that he succeeded in
taking it on Friday, the 23rd of the same month. Since
the capture of Jebela, of Sermiiniya, and of other places
in the coast lands took place, in each instance on a Friday,
it was evident that God had heard the prayers of the Moslern
preachers and looked with favour upon the Sultan's under-
takings, because a good deed accomplished on that day
received a double reward. This series of conquests, each
effected on, the Friday of successive weeks, is a thing so
extraordinary that its parallel has never been recorded in
history.
C H A P T E R XLIV.
C A P T U R E O F UUMZIA.
TIIESultan, attended by an escort of light cavalry, then
marched to B u r ~ i a a, ~very strong and almost inaccessible
Sermdniya, or Serr~zln,is about a day's journey S. of Alepp0 on
the road to Nama. It was noted for its perfumed soap and cotton
Stuffs. The water supply is from rain collected in cisterns, many of
which are very ancient.-\V.
' Burzza, or Buvzdya, lay to the N.W. of Afdmia (Apamea, now
fcal'af el-MurEZk) and on the opposite side of the marshy valley of the
Orontes. I t was about a day's march S. of esh-Shughr, and was so
Strong that its impregnability passed into a proverb.-W.
'34 LVIIAT B E F E L L S U L T A N YC'SDF.
p -- - .p p - -
fortress. I t was built on the crags of a high mountain,
and was proverbial in all Frank and Moslem lands. Valleys
surrounded it on all sides, and their depth was more than
five hundred and seventy cubits. T h e Sultan's intention
t o besiege this place was strengthened after he had seen
i t ; he ordered the baggage-train forward, and posted it,
with the rest of the army, at the foot of the mountain
on which the stronghold was built. This was on the
24th of the month. On the zgth, very early, he ascended
the n~ountain at a great pace, followed by his soldiers,
his mangonels, and instruments of war. Having surrounded
the castle, he attacked it from all sides, and played upon
the walls with the mangonels, both night and day, with-
out ceasing. On the 27th of the month he divided his
troops into three sections, each of which was t o fight in
- S A L H H E D - D ~next
turn for a certain time every day and then rest. In this
way he contrived that there should be no interruption
whatever in the attack. 'Im2d ed-Din, Prince of Sinjar,
led the division first on duty; they fought with all their
strength until the time came for their relief, and the
people returned and whetted their teeth for battle. T h e
Sultan took command of the second division himself, and
riding out several paces called upon his men. They
rushed forward like one man with great shouts, and ran
up to the wall from all sides. In less than an hour they
had scaled it, and burst into the castle, which they carried
by storm. T h e garrison asked permission to surrender,
but they had already fallen into the hands of the victors.
Their faith was of no avail to them when they sazo oar
violence (KurAn xl. 85). All that the place contained
was given up to pillage, and the men who were taken
were led into captivity. A great number of people had
taken refuge there. Burzia was one of their most celebrated
fortresses. Our troops returned to their tents laden with
W H A T B E F E L L S C L T A N YUSUP. '35
- -- --- -- - p p p p p- - p
booty, and the Sultan rejoined the baggage-train, over-
come with joy and delight. The governor of the fortress,
a person of importance amongst the Franks, and seventeen
members of his family, were brought before the Sultan.
The Sultan took compassion upon them, and, having
granted them their freedom, sent them away t o the Lord
of Antioch, t o whom they were related. H e endeavoured
by this means to conciliate that prince.
C H A P T E R XLV.
N marched to the Iron Bridge,l where
he remained several days, and then set out for D e r b e ~ S k . ~
I t was on Friday, the 18th of the month of Rejeb (Sep-
tember 12, 1188), that he arrived before that fortress,
which lies close to Antioch. H e attacked it stoutly with
>
his mangonels, keeping up a very strict blockade. H e
undermined one of the towers with such success that it
gave way. T h e besieged stationed men at the breach
to prevent an entrance, and their warriors stood in the
gap itself t o hinder our men from gaining that position.
I saw them myself, and noticed that every time one of
them was killed another stepped forward and took his place.
They stood as motionless as the wall itself, with absolutely
no protection. Seeing full well the extremity t o which
they were reduced, they asked permission t o capitulate.
' ]isr e2-Hadid, 'the iron bridge' over the Orontes E. of Antioch.
Derbesdk was a village with springs and gardens and a lofty castle.
It lay on the W. side of the Valley of the A'uru Su or Nahr el-ilswad,
and a little to the N. of the eastern entrance to the BeilLn Pass over
the Giaour ~ d , r h . - ~ .
 136 14'HA4T B E F E L L S U L T A X Y U S U F .
and obtained leave to retire to Antioch. One of the
conditions of the treaty was that they should carry nothing
with them when they left the fortress, excepting the
clothes they wore. T h e Moslem standard was set up on
the castle on the zznd of Rejeb. On the following day
the Sultan departed, having given the place (as a fief)
to SuleimPn Ibn Jender.
C H A P T E R XLVI.
CAPTURE O F B A G I I R ~ S .
BAGIIR~S,' a strong castle lying nearer t o Antioch than
Derbesak, was well provisioned and garrisoned by a large
force. T h e army encamped in the neighbouring plain,
and several detachments of light-armed soldiers were sent
forward to invest the place. We were at the same time
obliged t o detach an advanced guard in the direction of
Antioch to protect us against an attack, lest the people
of that city should fall upon us unawares. This detach-
ment was pushed so close to the gates of Antioch that
nothing could leave the city without its knowledge. 1
had gone with them, and remained several days to see
the city and visit the tomb of HabPb en NejjPr, a holy
man who lies buried there. BaghrPs was subjected t o
such a smart attack that the garrison surrendered, with
the permission of the government of Antioch, and on
the 2nd of Sh'abPn (September 26) the Moslem banner
floated from the turrets. T h e evening of the same day
Baglz~ds(ancient Pagyae) was a fortress of great importance, as
it lay about half-way between Antioch and Alexandretta (SkundeyzZn),
and commanded the entrance to the BeilBn Pass. The ruins of the
castle are still called KuZ'at Bagh~?s.-W.
W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN YUSUF. I37
-
- --- - -p
-
Y -- p
the Sultan returned to camp, and t h e ~ ehe received a
message from the people of Antioch asking for peace.
The Sultan, taking into consideration the fatigues and
hardships that the army had undergone, and being worried
by the reiterated demands of 'Imld ed-Din, Lord of
Sinjsr, who persisted in his desire to return home, con-
cluded a treaty of peace with Antioch-in which the
other cities occupied by the Franks were not includecl-
on condition that the Moslems kept prisoner in that
were set at liberty. This peace was to last seven
months, and at the end of that time the city was to be
delivered into the Sultan's hands unless it had in the
meantime received assistance from outside. T h e Sultan
then departed for Damascus, and at the request of his
son, el-Melek ez-Zlher, took Aleppo on his way, arriv-
ing there on the 11th cf Sh'absn. He lodged in the
castle for three days, and his son entertained him with
the greatest magnificence. Every soldier received some
present at the hands of the young prince, who was so
I~beral, that to spare his revenues the Sultan left for
Damascus. His nephew, el-Melek el-Mozaffer Taki ed-
Din, came out to meet him, and conductcd him to the
castle of Hamah, where a magnificent repast was set before
him, and he listened t o the Sfifis who were presented to him.
The Sultan remained one night there, and gave the cities
of Jebela and Laodicea to his host. Then he resumed
his journey, taking the road that runs through R'albek,
and halting for a day in the plain near that city. There
he took a bath, after which he departed for Damascus,
and reached that city a few days before the beginning
of the month of RamadAn. H e did not think it right
(in this month set apart for fasting) t o neglect the duty
of fighting the infidels; he considered he was bound to
d o this whenever he could, and, above all, since there still
138 W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSLTF.
remained several fortresses untaken near the HaurPn, which
threatened that district. Among these were SPfed and
Kaukab. Therefore, although he was observing the fast,
he thought it necessary t o turn his attention to those two
places, and t o get possession of them.
C H A P T E R XLVII.
C A P T U R E O F SAFED.
ON one of the early days of the month of RamadPn (end
of October), the Sultan set out from Damascus on his way
t o Sdfed.l H e was not deterred by the thought that he
was leaving his family, his children, and his home during a
month when everyone, no matter where he may be, is
anxious to return to the bosom of his family, and for that
purpose will even undertake a long journey. I t is true that
the Sultan submitted to this privation in order to obtain a
glorious reward,-Thy favour (oh, God !). Sdfed is a very
inaccessible fortress, the ground all round being broken up
by (deep) ravines The army invested the place, and
placed its tnangonels in position. This was in the month
of Ramadin ; rain was falling in torrents, and the ground
became a swamp; but this did not affect the Sultan's
determination. A s I was then on duty, I spent a night in
his tent. H e had just been marking out the positions on
which five mangonels were to be erected, and he said : ' I
shall not g o to sleep until all have been set up.' H e had
allotted a certain number of workmen t o each mangonel.
and his messengers went backwards and forwards con-
tinuously to see what they were doing, and report their
W H A T B E F E L L SULYAA' YUSUF. I39
_ _ _- _ _- - . _ - _ p
progress to the Sultan. This went on until daybreak. By
that time the work was finished, and nothing remained
but to fix the khanzirsl to the mangonels. I took this
opportunity of quoting to him the well-known tradition
recorded in genuine collections, saying that the promise of
this tradition would be fulfilled in his case. T h e text
runs : The Holy P~ophetsazd: There are two eyes that the
$re of hell will never touch :the eye thal has kept watch in
the service of God, and the eye that has wept zn fear of Him.
The attack on SBfed was maintained without interruption
until the place surrendered. T h e capitulation took place
on the 14th of Shawil (December 6, 1188). During the
course of the month of RamadBn the Sultan obtained
possession of el-Kerak, the officers in command surrendel-
ing the fortress in order that their lord3 might be set at
liberty. H e had been taken captive at Haftin.
C H A P T E R XLVIII.
CAPTURE OF KI~UKAI~.
THESultan then marched towards Kaukab, encamped on
the mountain plateau, and surrounded the fortress with
light-armed troops. H e pressed so close to the place that
the arrows and bolts of the besieged passed over the
Spot he occupied. T h e wall built of stones and clay
afforded perfect protection to those behind it ; so that no
one could appear at the entrance of his tent without putting
on his armour. Rain fell without ceasing, and the mud
was so thick that it was almost impossible t o get about
either on foot or on horseback. W e suffered terribly from
See note, p. 31. 2 Humphrey IV. of Toron.
 140 W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSUF.
the violence of the wind and the heaviness of the rain, as
well as from the proximity of the enemy, who from their
position necessarily commanded our camp, killing and
wounding a great number of our men. T h e Sultan being
determined to accomplish the taking of the castle, SO con-
ducted his operations a s t o enable the miners to effect
a breach in the wall. The enemy-may their hopes he
ever confounded !-saw that they would be taken, and
asked for terms. The Sultan granted them the favour they
begged, and took possession of the place on the 15th of
Zu el-K'ada (January 5, 1189). T h e baggage, which had
been on the plateau, was transported, on account of the
mud and the wind, into the Gh6r.l During the remainder
of this month his brother, el-Melek el-'Adel, had several
interviews with him on private matters. A t the beginning
of the month of Zu el-Hijja (January 21, 1189) he dis-
missed the troops he had called together, and set out for
Jerusalem with his brother that he might bid el-IbIelek
farewell, and visit the Holy Places in that city. His
brother was t o start from that place on his return to
Egypt. They arrived at Jerusalem on Friday, the 8th of
Zu el-Hijja, and were present at public prayer in the Dome
of the glorious Rock (Kubbet es Sakhrat esh Sherlfa). On
the day of the great feast," which was a Sunday, they
worshipped there again. On the 11th of this month the
Sultan left for Ascalon, t o look into the condition of that
city, and he spent several days there re-establishing
order in every department, and arranging everything on
a satisfactory basis. H e then set out for Acre, taking
the road through the coast lands, with the viecv of
inspecting the cities he should pass through, and rein-
forcing them with men and supplies. H e arrived a t Acre,
The Valley of the Tordan.
' The 'fdu el-Azha, 'the Feast of Sacrifice,' is celebrated on the
tenth day of Zu el-Hijja.
W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN YUSCF.1 141
and spent the greater part of the month of hZol!arrem of
the year 585 (February-March, I 189) in that city. H e left
Behi ed-Dfn KarakCishl as governor there, charging him to
repair the fortifications, and to give unremitting attention
to that business. H e left IIoss&m ed-Din Bishdra with
him. Then, having set out for Damascus, he entered that
city on the 1st of Safer in the year 585 (March 21, 1189).
C H A P T E R XLIX.
THE SULTAN MARCHES AGAINST SH.IKPF ARKON. THIS
EXPEDITION IIIMEDIATELH PRECEDED THE EVENTS
AT ACRE.
THESultan remained in Damascus till the month Rabi'a I.
(April 19, I 18g), when he received a message from Khalif
en-Nisr li-Din Illah, who had appointed his son to succeed
him, and therefore sent an injunction, commanding that
his name should be inserted in the khotba. T h e Sultan
carried out this order, and then determined to march
against Shakif ArnCin, a very strong fortress in the neigh-
bourhood of Banids. H e left Damascus on the 3rd of the
aforesaid month, and came to a halt in the meadow (merj)
of FelGs ( o r KalGs). On Saturday morning he set out
from thence and marched t o the meadow of BerghGth,%
where he remained until the 11th of the month to await
his troops. Detachments arrived one after another. H e
B e h i ' e d - D P ~KarakOsh, a eunuchl was a freedman of ShirkCth, on
whose death he assisted 'Aisa (p. 173) to make Sal2h ed-Din vizir.
Salih ed-Din made him his lieutenant in Egypt, and he built the
citadel, and the walls enclosing old and new Cairo (Ibn Ichallikan,
ii. SZO).-W.
' Merj eZ-FeZ?2l2s,'meadow of coin ' ; Mwj el-Berghdth, ' nleadoa of
the flea,' places on the S. of Mount Hermon.

142
- IVEIAT BEFELL SULTA,V Y U S U F .
- p
then set out for BAniZs, from which place he marched to
the Merj 'Ayiln; he arrived and pitched his camp there on
the 17th. This plain lies so close to Shaklf-ArnGnl that
the Sultan used to ride out with us every day to inspect it.
Meanwhile reinforcements and supplies arrived in the camp
from all sides. The Lord of ShakPf,2knowing that these
preparations certainly betokened his ruin, decided to come
t o an arrangement with the Sultan which would relieve him
from danger. H e came down from his fortress and pre-
sented himself at the entrance t o the Sultan's tent before
we had heard of his arrival. The Sultan had him admitted
and received him with great respect and with every mark
of honour. This man held high rank amongst the Franks,
and was distinguished for his keen intellect. H e knew
Arabic, and was able to speak it ; he also possessed some
knowledge of history. I had heard that he had a Moslem
in his suite, whose duty it was t o read to him and expound.
His manners were truly charming. He presented himself
before the Sultan, ate with him, and then, in a private
interview, declared that he was his servant (memlbk), and
that he would surrender the place to him without giving
him the trouble to fight. A s a condition, he stipulated
that an asylum should be provided for him a t Damascus,
' demanded to be released, the Sultan suffered him t o
for he could no longer dwell amongst the Franks, and that
a certain income should be granted him in the same city
as a provision for himself and his family. H e added that
he would wish to be permitted to remain where he was,
and that in the course of three months, beginning from the
day on which he was speaking, he would present himself
in due course and wait upon the Sultan; he needed this
ShuhffAr~zd~z, a strong Templar fortress built before 1179 (Bel-
fort ; see Rurchard, p. 13) on the N. bank of the Leontes, rok miles
N.W. of BBnibs. Merj 'Ayitn is the open valley to its E.
Renaud of Sidon.
'43
__-- IVHA I B E F E L L SULTA.Xr I.L S C T
-
-
time t o remove his family and dependents from Tyre.
The Sultan consented t o all his proposals, and from that
time received frequent visits from him. H e argued with
on the subject of our religion, and we reasoned with
him in order to show him the vanity of his beliefs. H e
talked very well, and expressed himself with great modera-
tion and courtesy.
In the month Rabi'a I. (April - May) we received
tidings of the capture of esh-ShObek. T h ~ splace had
been blockaded for a whole year by a strong body of
troops sent thither by the Sultan, and the garrison capitu-
lated when all their provisions were expended.
C H A P T E R L.
THE F K A N I i S COLLECT THEIR TROOPS T O i\I.ILZCH Ul'ON
ACRE.
THE Sultan had promised to set the king (of Jerusalem)
at liberty on his ceding Ascalon to him, and as the
king had caused his officers to surrender this place and
depart from Anfarsils,' where he had been kept prisoner.
A t that time we were encamped near the castle of the
Kurds. Amongst the conditions he imposed upon the
king, was that he should never again draw sword against
him, and should always consider himself the servant
(memlckj and bondsman of his liberator. The king-
God curse him !-broke his word, and collected a body
of troops, with which he marched to Tyre. As he was
unable to gain admittance into this city, he encamped
Antaradus, Tortosa, the modern Trrrlzls.
1.14 W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A X E'IISL'F.
--

outside the walls, and entered into negotiations with the

marquis (of M ~ n t f e r r a t ) who
, ~ happened t o be there at the
time. The marquis-a man accurst of God-was an im-
portant personage, distinguished by his good judgment,
the energy and decision of his character and his religious
zea'l. H e replied to the king: ' I am only the lieutenant
of the kings beyond the seas, and they have not authorized
me to give the city ilp to you.' After prolonged nego-
tiations an arrangement was made to form an alliance
against the Moslems, and with the object of uniting the
troops of Tyre with those of the other cities occupied by
the Franks. T h e king's army was to remain outside the
gate of Tyre.

CHAPTER LI.
T ~ SKIRMISH
E I N WHICH AIBDI; EL-AKHRC~H
'I'ESTIFIhD ()OX THE FAITH).

O N Monday, the 17th of Jomada I. in the aforesaid year

(July 3, I I @ ) , the Sultan received news from the advanced
guard that the Franks had just crossed the bridge which
lies on the boundary between the territories of Tyre and
Sidon.? 'It was in the territory of this latter place that we
found them. The Sultan mounted his steed, and the
j5wOshQalled (to arms). The cavalry mounted so as
Conrad, of Montferrat, married Isabel, half-sister of Sibyl, wife of
King Guy, who became hei~ess,in 1189, of the kingdom of Jerusalem,
and Conrad was declared king in I 192, but assassinated at Tyre on
April 38 of that year. The English chroniclers speak badly of him, as
he opposed the policy of King Richard I. See pp. 303, 317.
The bridg.e over the Kasinz~eJzor Leontes river between T)re
and Sidon.
3 This seems to be the Turkish C/i<~lish, a term now used for a
sergeant or non-commissioned ofiicer.
 W H A T B E F E L L SULTAIV Y U S U F . 145

to join the advanced guard, but when they got up, the
affair was at an end. This is what had taken place.
When a numerous body of the Franks had crossed the
bridge, the Moslem advanced guard rushed upon them
and assailed thein vigorously, killing a great number,
wounding twice as many, a n d driving others into the
stream, where they were drowned. T h u s did God come
to the assistance of Islim and the Moslerns. None of the
latter were killed, excepting ohe of the Sultan's memliiks
called Aibek el-Akhresh, who had the good fortune t o
receive a martyr's death. H e was very brave and daring,
and an experienced soldier. His horse was killed under
him, and he then set his back against a rock, and fought until
his quiver was empty ; then h e defended himself with his
sword, and killed several of the enemy ; but he succumbed
at last, overwhelmed by numbers. T h e Sultan was much
grieved by the loss of so brave a servant. After this he
set out once more with an escort of light cavalry, and
repaired to the camp which had been pitched by his orders
close to this place.

CHAPTER LII.
A SECOND SKIRMISH, I N WHICH A KUhIBER O F DlOSLEM
FOOT SOLDIERS EARN 31ARTYRDOhl.

THESultan remained in this camp, and on the 19th (of

Jomada I.) he rode out to inspect the enemy's position
according to his custom. A number of footmen, volunteers,
and servants followed his escort, and, in spite of his express
orders and the blows he commanded t o be given them,
they refused t o return. H e feared lest something should
happen t o them, because the place for which they were
I0
I 46 TI'HAT B E F E L L SL;L?'.4N YC'SCF. It7fiflT BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 147
p
. -- - -- - --

making was very difficult to cross, and afforded no pro-

tection whatever for men on foot. Thesc men rushcd
towards the bridge and discharged arrow7s a t the enemy, CHAPTER LIII.
whilst a number of them crossed over it. Then followed a
furious struggle, for a company of the Franks had surrounded THE S U L I A N 1'IATiES I L L SPEED T O REACH ACRE.
them before they perceived their position. T h e enemy, HIS MOTIVE.
feeling sure there was no ambuscade to be feared behind
T H E Sultan, after this extraordinary blow had fallen upon
this venturesome body, charged them like one man, without
the Moslems, called his emirs together, and consulted them
the Sultan's knowledge. H e was far from the scene of the
on the subject. I t was decided that they should cross the
combat, and had no army with him, for he had not gone
bridge and throw themselves upon the Franks, and should
out that d a y with troops in battle array ; he had only
not cease the slaughter until they were all exterminated.
ridden forth t o reconnoitrc, as was his daily custom.
T h e enemy had just lcft T y r e and taken up their position
Seeing b y a cloud of dust that a fight was going forward,
close t o the bridge, which lies a l ~ t t l emore than a parasang
he sent the troops he had with him t o bring back those
(to the north) of that city. T h e Sultan, having determincd
rash men. This detachment saw that the action had
t o attack them, mounted his horse on the morning of
become very serious, and that, as the Franks were now
Thursday, the 17th of Jomada 1.: and set forth, followed
superior in numbers, they had everything t o apprehend.
by his troops, and also by volunteers, and all the camp
T h e enemy gained a complete victory over these footmen,
followers. When the force in rear came up, it met the
and a fierce combat then took place between them and the
advanced guard in front returning with their tents. When
detachment. A number of foot soldiers were killed, and
these men were questioned as to why they had lcft their
others taken prisoner. T h e number of those who found
position, they replied t h a t the Franks had withdrawn to
martyrdom on the field of battle was altogether one hundred
Tyre, either t o seek protection within the malls of that
and eighty. T h e Franks on their side had many killed and
city, or t o intrench themselves in the neighbouring plain.
drowned. Amongst their dead was the leader of the
'When we heard this,' said they, 'me turned back, for we
Germans, an important personagc with them. In the
knew that an advanced guard was no longer necessary
number of the Moslem martyrs, whose names could be
there.' When the Sultan received this news, he determined
ascertained, was Ibn el-Hes~iru, a fine young fellow of
to go to Acre t o inspect those portions of the fortifications
great courage. His father, reckoning hisn for God's cause,
which he had ordered t o be rebuilt, and t o hasten the com-
shed not a single tear. S o I have been told by several
pletion of that undertaking. O n his arrival a t Acre he
who mere there. Of all the battles a t which I was pre- 'e-established order, and commanded that the ramparts
sent, there was none in which the Franks obtaincd more
should be repaired in the most solid fashion. Then, having
advantage. Never had they killed so many Moslems, nor
in so short a time. ' T h i s d a t e does not agree w i t h t h e o n e last given. Our author
Probably i n t e n d e d t o wrlte the 27th.
10-2
 148 W H A T B E F E L L SULTAA' Y U S C F .
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charged the garrison t o use the utrnost vigilance, and kcep
the strictest watch, he returned to the army, which had mean-
while remained encamped in the Merj 'Aytin, and there he
awaited the expiration of the time he had granted to the
Lord of esh-Shakif-that man accurst of God.
C H A P T E R LIV.
O N Saturday, the 6th of Jomada 11. (July 2 2 , 1 1 8 9 ) ~
the
Sultan received information tJ1at a detachment of foot-
soldiers from the enemy's army had become bolder, and
was going t o the hill of Tibnin to cut firewood. A s the
disaster which the Moslem infantry had lately sustained
was still on his mind, he determined to lay an ambush into
which he hoped these Franks would fall. H e knew that a
body of knights was coming out behind this detachment
t o protect them, and he laid a snare to catch them both.
H e commanded the garrison at Tibnin to send out a
small body of troops t o attaclc the footmen, and retire
to a place he pointed out as soon as they saw the
enemy's cavalry coming down upon them. This was
to take place on the morning of Monday, the 8th of
Jomada 11. H e also commanded the garrison at Acre
to pursue the enemy, and raid their camp, if they should
turn out to succour their comrades. Very early on &Ion-
day he rode out with his bodyguard, all lightly armed,
without either baggage or tents, and repaired to the spot
he had pointed out to the people of Tibnin as that to
which they were to direct their flight. H e continued his
march until he had passed Tibnin, and then divided his
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 143
troops into eight sections, taking from each of these
sections about twenty horsemen well mounted and of
tried valour. He ordered this picked body to show them-
selves to the enemy so as to attract their attention, then
to discharge a few arrows among them, and t o flee pre-
cipitately towards his place of ambush. They did so, and
they saw before them almost all the forces of the Franks.
For they had received information of what was going
forward, and had marched out, and were advancing in
order of battle under their king. A terrible fight ensued
between this army and the XZoslem detachment, which, too
proud t o retreat before the Franks, was urged by a feeling
of honour to disobey the Sultan's commands, and t o close
with the body of the enemy, in spite of their own small
numbers. The fight raged till the close of the d a y ; it was
Monday, and not one of the Moslems returned t o the camp
with tidings of what had occurred. T h e Sultan did not
hear of the encounter until it \>as almost ended, and, as
night was a t hand, he sent out a few detachments, know-
ing that it was too late for a pitched battle, and that
the opportunity for surprising the enemy had gone by.
The Franks, when they saw the first reinforcements appear,
were seized with terror, and retreated. Both sides had
fought furiously. I learnt from one of those who was
Present (for I myself was not there) that the Franks had
more than ten men killed, and the Moslems six, two of
whom belonged to the advanced guard, and four t o the
Arab auxiliaries. One of the latter was the emir Z&mel,
a fine young fellow of good character, and chief of his
tribe. His horse being killed under him, his cousin gave
his, and this likewise was killed. He was made
Prisoner, with three of his kinsmen. When the Franks
the Moslem reinforcements arrive, they killed their
prisoners, lest they should be carried off. There were a
 150 LVIIAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y L S U P .
great number of wounded on h t h sides, both men and
horses. A very singular thing happened in this encounter :
one of the Sultan's memlfiks was riddled with wounds,
and fell amongst the dead, where he remained all night,
drenched in his own blood. O n Tuesday morning his
comrades noticed t h a t he was missing, and, a s they could
not find him, they informed the Sultan. H e gave orders
for a fresh search t o be made, and h e was found lying
among the heap of the slain in the state we have described.
H e was carried into the camp, and so well nursed that
God restored him t o health. O n IVedncsday, the 4th of
the month, the Sultan returned t o camp.
C H A P T E R LV
THE LORD O F S H A K ~ FIS AIADE PKISOXER. CAUSE OF
tIIS ARREST.
AFTER this a report spread through the army that the
Lord of esh-Shakif had asked for a delay only t o deceive
us, and was not acting uprightly. Severa! things showed
that he was only seeking to gain time, such was his eager-
ness t o procure supplies for his castle and t o strengthen
t h e gates. T h e Sultan thought it necessary t o take up a
position on the mountain plateau that he might observe
the place more closely, and prevent the introduction of a n y
succours or provisions. H e gave out as a pretext that h e
was anxious t o escape the great heat which then prevailed,
ant1 the unhealthy air of the Merj. I t was the 12th of
that month, and a t the beginning of the second quarter of
the (preceding) night, he went up to the mountain, and
scarcely had day dawned when the Lord of esh-Shal<if
perceived the Moslem camp pitched quite close at hand.
lI'Il.lf BE1 ELL SLLTA Y YUSLE. '5'
--- ---p
A portion of the army remained In the Merj a \ before.
Seeing the troops so near him, and knowing that the
which had been granted him would expire towards
the end of Jomada 11.-that is t o say, w ~ t h i na few days-
he flattered h~mselfthat if he vis~tedthe Sultan h e could
cajole him into allo~vinga prolongation of the time. H e
imagined, from what h e had seen of the Sultan's character
and of his courtesy, that this favour would be granted
him. H e therefore went t o pay his respects, and offered
to give up the place, adding that the fatal day would soon
arrive, and that it was a matter of indiKerence t o him
whether the Sultall should be put in possession to-day or
to-morrow. I I e also pretended that several of the mem-
bers of his family had not yet left Tyre, and that they
would d o so in a few days. I l e spent the d a y in the
Sultan's prcsence and returned t o the castle towards night-
fall. T h e Sultan did not let him see what he felt, but
received him just as before, for he was anxious t o fulfil the
obligation which the respite imposed upon him. A few
days afterwards, when the term was just at an end, the
Christian came down once more from his castle, and, having
been granted a private interview with the Sultan, asked
him to prolong the respite for a further period of nine
months, in order t o make it a complete ycar. T h e Sultan
knew by this that the n>an meant t o deceive him, but,
fearing t o provoke him by a refusal, h e postponed giving
an answer until another day. 'We will reflect on the
matter,' he said ; ' v;e will take the advice of our council,
and let you know our decision.' H e then ordered a tent t o
be pitched for him by the side of his own, and, whilst he
continued to treat him with the greatcst honour, he had this
tent watched quite unknown t o its occupant. Discussions
on this subject and messages between the parties occupied
all the time until the expiration of the respite. T h e Sultan
 152 W H A T B E F E L L S C L T A N YL'SLIF
--p -p-pp - p
--
then demanded the surrender of the place, saying to him
openly: 'You always meant to deceive us; you have re-
paired your fortress and introduced fresh supplies.' The
other denied the fact, and then arranged with the Sultan
that each of them should appoint a trustworthy person,
and that the two agents should repair to the castle to
receive its surrender and ascertain on the spot whether it
had lately been repaired or not. When they presented them-
selves before the fortress, the garrison refused to comply with
their demand, and the envoys remarked that the gate in the
walls had lately been repaired, Orders were forthwith issued
for a strict guard t o be kept over the (chief deceiver), and
he was now openly watched, and forbidden to enter the
Sultan's presence. H e was informed: ' T h e term of the
respite is at an end; you must absolutely deliver up the
place.' Once more he tried to play upon their credulity,
and could not be made to give a definite answer ; then he
sent his confidential servant with a message to the people
in the castle, charging them to surrender the place. But
they declared most resolutely that they would not obey.
' W e are the Master's servants,' they said, ' and not yours.'l
A guard was then placed upon the castle to prevent any-
one going in or coming forth. On the 18th of Jomada 11.
the Christian acknowledged that the respite had expired,
and said that he would go himself to the castle and see
that it was delivered up. H e mounted his mule and set
out with several of our officers. On his arrival at esii-
Shaklf lie commanded his people t o surrender the place,
but they refused to do so. A priest then came out and
conversed with him in their language, after which he
returned into the castle, and from that moment those who
were within maintained a still stouter resistance. I t was
The defenders meant the Master of the Templars. The I<nights
were forbidden ever to retreat without superior orders.
W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A S I'IISCF. I53
----p ~
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thought that the chief had charged the priest to encourage
them in their refusal. He spent the remainder of the day
in sending messages t o the people in the castle, and, as
they paid no manner of heed, he was brought back t o the
,,,p. That same night he was sent t o the castle of
B&ni&s,lthere t o be kept a prisoner. T h e army surrounded
esh-Shakif, and effectually blockaded it. T h e lord of the
castle remained a t B3ni3s until the 6th of Rejeb. The
Sultan was very wroth with this man, who had caused him
and his whole army t o waste three months, during which
time they had done nothing a t all. The prisoner was
brought back to the camp, and on the night of his return
terrible threats were used to make him yield, but with-
out effect. On the following day, the 8th of Rejeb,
the Sultan had his tents carried up to the plateau, and
ordered them to be pitched on a spot from which he could
command the castle better than from the position he had
just left, and which was also still further raised above
the exhalations of the plain, that were already beginning
to affect his health. After these things had taken place,
we were informed that the Franks of Tyre, together with
those in the army of the king, were marching to\vards
en-Newikir on their way to Acre. W e also heard that a
body of Franks had disembarked at Iskanderfina,%nd
established themselves there, after losing a few men in a
skirmish with the Moslem infantry.
T h e castle (Kal'at er-Sz~beihek)on the hill E. of BBniBs, taken,by
Nfir ed-Din from the Franks in 1164.
IskandePlina is 8 miles S. of Tyre, the older Alerandroschene, and
Scandalion of the Franks. Elr-ihwdktr (plural of en-ATakz2mr'l, 'the
cutting') is the Ladder of Tyre, 6 miles S. of the preceding, and I 2
miles N. of Acre.
 '54 II'HAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F .
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C H A P T E R LVI.
TIIP WAR AT ACRE.
WHEN the Sultan heard that the Franks were marching
upon Acre,l he felt the greatest anxiety; but he did not
think it expedient t o hasten his departure, for this
manceuvre was in all probability only a feint t o induce
him t o remove from esh-Shakif. I I e therefore remained
where h e was, awaiting the course of events. O n the
evening of the 1,2th of Rejeb (August 26, I I S ~ )a, courier
came in with the tidings that the Franks were on the
march, and had just halted a t 'Ain Bassa, whilst they had
thrown their advanced guard forward a s far as e ~ - Z i b . ~
This news appeared t o him so serious that he wrote t o all
the neighbouring governors, commanding them t o come
with their troops t o the place where his army was en-
camped. A n d h e despatched other letters t o them almost
immediately, even more urgent than the first, and ordered
that the baggage should start that very night. By the
morning of thc next day, the 13th of Kejeb, h e was on his
way t o Acre, taking the road through Tiberias? because
there was no other in that district practicable for an army.
H c ordered a small detachment, howevcr, to take the
Tibnin road, that they might watch the enemy's move-
ments more closcly, and send him information a t rcgular
This force was the army of Icing Guy, aided by the ships sent by
King Williarn of Sicily, the former marching from Tyre, the latter
landing at Scandalion.
"Ain B~csslr,the spring S. of el-Uassah (Basse Poulaine of the
b'~.anks),12 miles N. of Acre, 2 miles from the sea. Ez-X46 (Achzib,
or Ecdippa), 10 miles K . of Acre on the shore.
3 SalBh ed-1)in marched down the Jordan \'alley from Relfort.
T1'Hdl' B E F E L L S I ; L T z I N Y U S U I ' . '55
-- -- ---- -- - -~ -
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intervals. \Ye marched as far a s el-IIilla,' tvhere we
arrived at mid-day ; there \ve halted an hour, and set out
again, marching all through the night. On the follo~ving
morning, the 14th of the month, we reached a place called
Minya.' There we heard that the Franks had taken up
their position before Acre on hIontlay, the 13th (August 27).
The Sultan sent the Lord of esh-Shaliif to Damascus, after
upbraiding him most bitterly for his perfidy. H e then set
out for the plain of 3cffilria, attended by a small escort, t o
meet the dctachrnent that had been sent round by way of
'ribnEn with orders t o await him thcre." H e had given
instructions that the baggage also was t o meet him a t that
place. H e continued t o push forlvard until, a t el-Khar-
rilba,4 h e could overlook the enemy. H e then sent a
detachment forward t o Acre, which succeeded in getting
into the city without thc knowledge of the enemy. H e
kept on sending detachments, one after another, until the
city was filled with men and provisions of all kinds. Then
he drew up his army in order of battle, by right wing, left
wing, and centre, and set out for el-KharrCiba, which he
reached on the I 5th. H e procceded thence t o Tell
which lies at the entrance t o the plain of Acre, and here
his troops encamped in their appointed order. T h c ex-
treme left of the left flank rested on the bank of the Nahr
el-~alu,"jwhilstthe extreme right of the right flank was
encamped close to the hill (tell) of el-'Aiicliya.' T h e
The H22/&?1 lake, or Waters of hleroni.
Khhz Afz'nyeA, on the K.W. shore of the Sea o i Galilee, on the
road to Tiberias.
3 The road from T i b ~ z b z(Toron) over the moun~ainsto Sefffirieh
led probably along the watershed to SBfed, and thence S.\V.
4 El-A7hlinrvzZbn, see p. 28.
5 TeZZ A'i'siin lies 56 miles S.E. of Acre.
Nnhr eZ-/-/inlid,'sweet river,' is the Ilelus flowing to the sea S. of
Acre.
EL-'Aiy<z'Uychis j miles E. ol Acre, N. of the lielus.
 156 IT-HAT B E I E L L SULTAN Y C S C F .
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Moslem army surrounded the enemy, and occupied all the
roads that led t o their camp. Their numbers were in-
creased by tne continual arrival of fresh reinforcements.
A n advanced guard was always stationed close up t o t h e
enemy, and the marksmen harassed them by maintaining
a constant discharge. T h e Franks were blockaded in the
camp on every side, so that no one could come forth with-
out being killed or wounded. T h e y were encamped on
one side of Acre, and the king's tent was pitched on Tell
el-Mosalliyinl ('the hill of those who pray '), a hill which
rises close t o the gate of the city. They had two thousand
horsemen, and thirty thousand footmen.' I have never
met anyonc who estimated their numbers a t less than this,
whilst many, on the other hand, held they were still
stronger, and they constantly received reinforcements by
sea. Skirmishes occurred very frequently between their
army a n d our advanced guard, and were obstinately dis-
puted. T h e hloslems were most anxious t o push on and
attack the enemy, but the Sultan kept them in hand.
Contingents from the different Moslem provinces kept on
arriving, a s well as princes and emirs from the different
districts. T h e first t o appear was Mozaffer ed-Din, the
great emir, son of Zein ed-Din, and after him came el-
Melek el-Mozaffer, Lord of Hamah. This was the position
of affairs when Hoss2m ed-Din Sonkor el-Akhlrifi died of
a flux. His loss was a source of great grief to the Moslems,
for he was distinguished both for his bravery and his piety.
T h e numbers of the Franks kept on increasing, until a t
TcN eGLTfos~zlZzytn,now called Tell eCFuklrhABr, a large sandy
hillock a mile E. of Acre.
Jeoffrey d e Vinsauf (1. xxv.) makes King Guy's army number
9,000 men, with 50 Pisan galleys. T h e Danes a n d Frisons who joined
him nurribercd rz,ooo. An English a n d Flemish fleet arriving in
October, 1190,increased this force before t h e arrival of the French
a n d English armies.
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 1j7
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last they were sufficiently strong t o blockade the city,
and prevent anyone from going in or coming out. T h e
investment of Acre was completed on Thursday, the last
day of the month of Kejeb. T h e Sultan recognised the
gravity of the situation, and grew anxious ; he endeavoured
to devise a means of breaking a way through them, in
order t o introduce supplies and reinforcements into the
.besieged city. H e summoned his emirs and councillors of
State t o consider his plan, which was t o close u p round
the enemy and hem them in. I t was resolved a t the
council t o attack the Franks with all our strength and t o
overwhelm them, in order t o effect a passage. On the
morning of Friday, t h e 1st of the month of Sh'abrin, 585
(September 14, 1189), h e began t o move his army, which
marched in order of battle, b y right wing, left wing, and
centre, and when they came to close quarters with the
enemy, they rushed on them furiously. T h e attack was
commenced after the hour of Friday's prayer, in order that
we might benefit by the supplications of the preachers
from their pulpits. Several terrible charges were made,
and the battle raged, with many vicissitudes of fortune,
until night closed in and separated the combatants. Both
sides spent the night under arms, a s each army expected
t o be attacked by the other.
C H A P T E R LVII.
THE hIOSLEhlS BREAK T H ~ ~ O U GTO
~ I ACRE.
DURINGthe morning of Saturday the troops were held in
readiness t o fight, and the Sultan sent a detachment of
picked men towards the shore on the north side of the
city. T h e enemy's camp did not extend as far as that,
 I jS II'H,IT B E F E L L SULT,lN I'USUF.
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but the unoccupied space was held by platoons of light
--
cavalry. Our soldiers charged and routed them, and killed
a great number. Those who escaped death fled t o their
camp, and thc Moslems pursued thein right u p t o the
entrance. T h u s a passage mas opened t o the city, and
its walls were freed from the enemy from the tower gate
called Fal'at el-Melek' as far as the gatc rebuilt by I(ara-
k h h , which bears his name. Now that the road was
t h r o l ~ nopen, provision merchants went in with their wares,
and a single man or woman could pass in safety ; for the
Moslem advanced guard was posted between the road and
the enemy's camp, con~pletelyblockading the latter. This
same day the Sultan went into Acre and walked on the
mall, from whence hc could see thc enemy's camp pitchcd
a t the foot of the ramparts. T h e Moslems gave them-
selves up t o rejoicing, seeing that God had come t o their
aid. T h e garrison, led by thc Sultan, made a sortie, and
the Franks were thus surrounded by the Moslems on every
side. This manceuvre was executed after the noon-day
prayer. Then the RiIoslems ceased fighting, that they
might water their horses and take a little rest ; 'permission
t o desist had been granted them on condition that they
should return to the fight directly they had refreshed
themselves a little. However, as there was but a short
time before them, and they were worn out with fatigue,
they did not return to their posts that day, and lay down
thinking that on the morrow, Sunday, they would attacl;
the enemy in such a way as would bring on a general
action. T h e Franlcs, on their side, remained in the shelter
Kal:it cZ-iLfe;l.lelek,'Icing's Castle.'
On Lfarino Sanuto's map of
Acre the 'King's N e w Tower' is immediately west of the 'Cursed
Tower,' w h ~ c h was at the K.E. angle of the old walls. Mount
hlusard, the N. quarter of Acre in the thirteenth century, did not
exist in SalAh ed-Dln's time.
IVH;lT LIBFELL S I ; L T . l S I-CSCE'.
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their camp, and not a single man was t o be seen.
of
.-~
'59
On
' s u n d a y morning, the 3rd of Sh'abLn (September 16, I IS^),
the army prepared for the fight, and, surrounding the
enemy, resolved to storm their camp. T h e emirs and the
p a t e r part of the men were ordered t o dismount, so that
they might fight the Franks at their very tents. All the
had been made, when some of the emirs
that the attack should be postponed until the
morning of Monday, the 4th of Sh'abLn, and that the
foot soldiers should be thrown into Acre so a s t o make a
sortie from the city with the garrison ; then they were t o
attack the enemy in t h e rcar, whilst the Moslems outside
were t o mount and rush from all sides with onc accord
against the camp. T h e Sultan led thc a r ~ n yin person,
and took an active part in the battle; wherever the fight
was keenest he was t o the fore. Indeed, his eagerness and
anxiety throughout was like that of a mother robbed of
her infant. I have been told b y one of his body-physicians,
that from the Friday t o the Sunday h e ate hardly any-
thing, his mind was so preoccupied. T h e plan of attack
was carried out, but the enemy maintained a stout
resistance in their camp. T h e battle raged until Friday
the 8th of Sh'abbn ; it was a market in which everyone
sold his life t o gain a great profit (Paradise) ; it was a sky
raining down a shower, every drop of which was the head
of a chief or a leader.
C H A P T E R LVIlI.
T H E AKbIY WITHDK4WS T O TELL LL-'.~IAV~\-A.
On the 8th of Sh'abkn (September 21, 1189) the enemy left
their camp in a body-infantry and cavalry-formed in

I 60 It H A T B L F B L L S C L f A - V YUTC'F.
- -- -
line on the top of the hill, and began to march quite
quietly, and without the least hurry. They advanced
within the outer ring formed by their foot soldiers, which
surrounded them like a wall, and came on until they
reachcd the tents of our advanced guard. When the
Moslerns perccived the enemy advancing upon them, their
warriors called out t o one another, the heavy cavalry pre-
pared t o charge, and the Sultan cried t o the i\Ioslem
soldiers : O n f o r IsZivz! T h e horse soldiers sprang to their
saddles, the foot soldiers were a s eager a s the cavalry, the
young warrior as resolute as the veteran; they hurlcd
themselves like one man on the enemy, and drove them
backwards. T h e infidels rallied, and a close sword fight
ensued ; those who escaped with their lives were wounded ;
those who were killed were left where they fell; the
wounded stumbled over the dead, and each man
thought only for himself. Those of the enemy who
escaped from the massacre fled t o their camp, and
mould not fight for several days. Indeed, they sought
only t o avoid death, and t o keep themselves out of danger.
Now that the road t o Acre was clear, the Moslems went
t o and fro, and I also went into the city. I climbed to the
: garrison, and a great number werc killed on both sides.
t o p of the wall, a s everyone did, and from thence I hurled
a t the enemy the object nearest to m y hand. Fighting
was kept up night and day between the two sides until the
11th of Sh'abSn (September 24). Then, with a view of
extending the circle in which the Franks were enclosed,
and thus enticing them out of their camp t o a place where
they might all be massacred, the Sultan ordered the
baggage to be removed t o Tell el-'Aiidiya, a hill opposite
t o Tell el-Mosalliyin, from which watch could be kept both
over Acre and over the enemy's camp. I t was a t el-'AiAgiya
that IJossSm ed-Din, one of our chief warriors, died. H e
was buried at the foot of the hill. I delivered the funeral
1VH.IT L:EI.'III,I, SI:I,'T,IS YL'.TcP. 161
-~ ----p.
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prayer over his body, together with several other doctors
of This ceremony took place during thc night pre-
ceding the 15th of Sh'abin.
~ f l T I ~ k l;l-T\VbhN
, T I I h ARABS .?XL) l FIE CNEh4Y.
Wr; received information that a party had left the enemy's
camp to forage on the banks of the river. T h e Sultan
posted a detachment of Arabs in ambush t o surprise them.
H e chose Arabs because they are so swift of moven~enton
horseback, and because he trusted them. T h e detachment
of Franks had left the camp, and were not cxpecting any
attack, when the Arabs fell upon them, killing a great
number and taking many prisoners. When thc soldiers
brought the heads t o the Sultan, he gave them robes of
honour and rewarded them liberally. This was on the
16th of the month. I n the evening of the same day a
furious fight took place between the enemy and the
Hostilities were kept u p for a long time, and not a d a y
passed but some were killed, wounded and made captive.
, T h e soldiers of both sides grew so accustomed t o meeting
that sometimcs a Xloslem and a Frank would leave off
fighting in order t o have a convcrsation ; sometimes the
two parties would mingle together, singing and dancing,
so intimate had they become, and afterwards they would
begin fighting again. O n e day, wearying of this constant
warfare, the soldiers of both sides said t o one another:
' HOWlong are the men t o fight without allowing the boys
their share in the pleasure? Let us arrange a fight between
two parties of young fellows, the one from your side, the
I I
 I 62 Tl'IldT B E F E L L SC L T d A T I'CSUfi
- - -
- -
----P
p
-
other from ours.' Hops were fetched from the city to
contend with the Frankish youths T h e two bands fought
furiously, and one of the young hloslerns seized a young
infidel, raised him in the air, and threw hini t o the ground,
making him prisoner. A Frank ransomed the prisoner for
two gold pieces. ' H e is your prisoner,' 11c said t o the
victor; therefore he took the two gold pieces as his ransom.
This is a strange occurrence such a s very seldom happens.
R ship arrived laden with horses for the F r a n k s ; one of
these animals leapt into the sea and swam t o the harbour
of the city, despite their efforts to alter his direction, and
he fell into the hands of the I\losletns.
1'HK GREAT BATTLE 01; h(:!iE.
O N Wednesday, the z ~ s of t the month (October 4, 1189)~
an unusual degree of movement was observed to be taking
place in the Frank a r m y ; cavalry and infantry, veterans
arid recruits, were drawn u p in line outsidc the camp,
formed in a centre with right and left flanks. Their king
was in the centre, and in front of him were borne the
Gospels, protected under a canopy of satin, held up at the
four corners by four men. T h e right wing of the Franks
extended the whole length of the Moslem left; while their
left, in like manner, was drawn up exactly opposite our
right. T h e y occupied the ridge of the hills, their rigl~t
resting on the river, their left on the sea. T h e Sultan
ordered his heralds t o proclaim through the ranks of thc
Moslems : ' 0 Isln'vz and the army of the sei.vafzts ofthe Oirr
God!' T h e soldiers sprang t o their saddles, determined t o
purchase paradise with their lives, and they remained
IT.HAT B E F E L L SCLTAA' Y I ' S L ' F . '63
-
~- -~-- - ~ -
motionless in front of their tents. Their right wing
stretched t o the sea, and their left rested on the river,
just a s with the Frank army.l Tile Sultan had made
his troops encamp in order of battle, the right wing, the
left, and the centre drawn up separately, so that in case of
an alarm no manceuvring would be necessary t o form up in
their appointed places. H e himself took up his position in
.the centre ; his son, el-B2elek el-Afdal, was in the right
centre; and next t o him his son, el-hlelek ez-ZLfer, brother
of el-Afdal ; then came the Mosul troops under ZLher ed-
Din Ibn el-Bolenkeri; then the troops from Diarbekr,
commandcd by Kerb ed-Din, son of Nfir ed-Din and Lord
of His11 (Keifa) ; next came HossLm ed-Din Ibn Lajin,
Lord of N i b l u s ; then KSimSz en-Nejmi, the TawLshi
(eurruch), who was stationed a t the extreme end of the right
flank with a great number of men. T h e other end of the
right wing, which rested on the sea, included the army of
el-Melek el-Nozaffer Talri ed-Din and his own personal
troops. On the left wing, in the part nearest the centre,
Seif ed-Din 'Ali el-hleshtitb came first, a great prince and
chieftain of the Kurdish people ; then Emir Mojelli, with
the Mehrkn and Ilekkar (Kurdish tribes) contingents ;
next Moj2hed ed-Din Berenkash a t the head of the troops
from Sinjdr and a party of memlfiks; then Mozaffer ed-
Din, son of Zein cd-Din, with his personal troops a n d the
army under his cornmand. O n the extreme left of t h e left
wing were the chief officers of Asad's body of memlitks
(formed b y Asad ed-Din Shirkuh)-to wit, Seif ed-Din
Yazlroj, Arslin Kogha, and many another of Asad's old
warriors, whose bravcry has ~ a s s e dinto a proverb ; Doctor
The Franks had built earth~vorks,cutting off Acre from the land
side, but Salah ed-Din's line of battle is remarkable. As at Hattin, he
again was almost facing his line of retreat to el-KharrQba. T h e
defeat of his iefr iiriperilled his right, thrown far W. to the K. of Acre.
11-2
164 It'WA 7 U E F I < I .I. SCI.7.-l .X l';,-.CUl-.
- P--- ~- - - - p~
Il'FIAT I i E F E L L SC.LTAN I'C:SL.F. 165
--- -
~~ ~

'-qisa and his personal follo\vers wcre in the centre, which

u p to the Sultan's tent and killed one of his \ifater-carriers
was under that chief's comruand. T h e 5ul:an went- through
there. During the day Ism'ail el-Mokabbis, and Ibn KelvAha
the ranks in person, spurring his men t o the fight, encour-
also, won a martyr's death. T h e lcft ming maintained its
aging them to go down t o the field of battle, and urging
position, for the enemy's charge did not affect it. During
them t o believe that the religion favoured by God cvould
all this time the Sultan was going from battalion t o bht-
gain the victory. T h e enemy continued t o advance and
talion encouraging the men, promising them magnificent
the Moslems kept moving t o meet them until the fourth
rewards, and urging them t o continue the fight for God.
hour after sunrise. Then the left wing of the Franks
' ' O n !' he cried, 'for Islim!' H e had only five of his suite
rushed on against our right, and el-Melek el-Mozaffer sent
left, but he continued t o go from battalion to battalion, from
his vanguard to meet them. Thereupon followed a fight
rank to rank ; then he withdrew t o the foot of the hill on
with varying fortune, until el-Melek, who occupied the
whicl; his tents \\-ere pitched. T h e fugitives continued
extreme right of the right ming on the sea-shore, seeing
their flight as far as eI-Fakhwina,' crossing the bridge a t
the great number of his opponents, made a backward
Tiberias, and som- of them went a s far as Damascus.
movement; he hoped by this means to entice them far
The enemy's cavalry pursued them as far as el-'Aiidiya ;
enough from their main army to enable him t o give them
then, seeing that they had reached the top of the hill, they
a decisive defeat. T h e Sultan, seeing this movement,
left them there and returned to their army. On their way
thought the prince was unable t o maintain his position,
they fell in with a band of servants, mule-drivers, and
and sent several battalions from the centre tu his support.
grooms, who had taken t o flight on the baggage-mules. and
T h e enemy's left wing then drew back and came to a stand
they killed several of these men ; when they reached the
on the top of a hill overlooking the sea. When the enemy
entrance t o the market-place, they made a further slaughter,
perceived that those battalions had been withdrawn from
but suffered considerable loss themselves, for there were a
the centre, they took advantage of the consequent weak-
great number of men there and all well armed. T h e
ness of that part of our line and charged the right flank of
Franks who had gone up to thc Sultan's tents found abso-
the centre, both infantry and cavalry rushing on together
lutely nothing there, but they killed the three mentioned
like one man. I myself saw the infantry advancing, keeping
above. Then, seeing that the left wing of the bloslem
pace with the knights, who did not outstrip them, and for a
army maintained its position, they saw we were not com-
while mere even left behind. T h e stress of this charge fell
pletely discolnfited. and they came down from the hill to
on the Diarbekr troops, who were unpreparcd to withstand
rejoin their main army. T h e Sultan remained a t the foot
a n attack ; therefore they gave way before the enemy and
of the hill, attended by only a few men, and tried t o rally
fled in confusion. T h e panic spread until the greater part
of the right wing retreated in disorder. T h e Franks
The bridge S. of the Sea of Galilee (Jisres Sidd) i's intended.
pursued the fugitives right up t o el-'Aiidiya,' and sur- FahFzwk,za appears to bi: (or linhwdnn (by the dots oi the Arabic
rou~ldedthat hill, whilst one body of their soldiers climbed being too far apart over the first t n o letters), namely, the region
immediately E. of the bridge. This agrees with the flight to Fik
; The Franks thus cut off Salih ed-Din's right. (Aphek) on ~ h E.
c side of the Sea of Galilee.
 I h6 IVHilT B E F E L L SCL7'd.V I'C'Si-F.
- . .
-
P - -
his soldiers and hurl them once more against the enemy.
T h e men whom he had succeeded in collecting were
eager t o attack the Franks who were coming down from
the hill; but the Sultan commanded them to remain
where they were until the enemy had turned their
backs upon them on their way to rejoin their main body.
Then h e shouted his war-cry, and his men rushed on
the band, laying several of them low. T h e rest of the
Moslem soldiers, seeing t!lat these men would be an easy
prey, rushed up in great numbers and pursued them until
they had regained the main body. When the latter
saw their fellow-soldiers in flight before a great force
of Illoslems, they imagincd that the whole division
which had charged had becn cut to pieces, and that
none but these fugitives had been able t o escape.
Thinking that they too would be destroyed, they fled on
all sides, and our left wing pressed down on them ; el-
Melek el-klozaffer came up at the same moment with the
troops that had formed the right wing. Our men assumed
the offensive once more, coming up from all sides and
cheering one another on. God rebuked Satan, and caused
the true faith t o triumph. Our warriors did not cease kill-
ing and cutting down, striking and wounding until those
fugitives who escaped had reached their main body. T h e
Moslems attacked the camp, but were driven back by
several battalions which had been stationed there for that
purpose by the encmy, and who now came out t o meet
them. T h e soldiers were worn out with fatigue and bathed
in sweat. T h e hour of the 'A?r prayer1 had just sounded
when our men drew off and returned to their tents, uttering
shouts of joy as they marched over the plain, covered with
dead and drenched with blood. T h e Sultan returned t o
l See p. 21
W H A T 8 E F E L L SCLT.1.V YLISUF. 167
~-
- - - -- -~-p- -- - ~
-.
-
his tent and received his officers, \ i l l ~came
~ to report the
of their missing comrades. O n e hundred and fifty
unknolvn youths were stated t o have fallen ; among the
well-known warriors who earned a martyr's death was
%$her ed-Din, brother of Doctor 'Aisa. I watched the
doctor whilst he was receiving the condolences of his
friends ; he heard them with a smile, saying he did not
heed them. ' To-day,' said he, ' is a day of rejoicing and
not of mourning.' Zahcr ed-DEn had fallen fi-om his horse ;
those who were near him had placed him in his saddle
again, and several of his relations lost their lives in de-
fending him. Emir &,Iojclli also met his death that day.
'These were the Moslems \v110 mere killed ; the confounded
enemy's loss, on the othcr hand, was estimated at seven
thousand m e n ; but I saw them carrying the bodies down
to throw them into the river, and I d o not think the
number could have been so great. - I t the time the
Moslems were fleeing in confusion the servants, who had
been left in the camp, seeing the tents were abandoned and
that there was no one t o hinder them, began t o rifle and
pillage. I t was left, indeed, quite unprotected, one division
of the army having fled, and the other being fully occupied
in fighting. Therefore the servants, thinking the army had
been utterly defeated and that the enemy would seize what-
ever was in the camp, laid hands on all they could find,
and carried off great stores of money, clothes and arms.
l h i s was a much greater disaster than defeat. A s soon as
T'
the Sultan returned t o camp and saw the consequences
of the panic and the pillage, he took prompt measures t o
remedy this misfortune. H e first of all wrote letters and
sent men out t o hring back the fugitives and t o pursue the
deserters. These messengers overtook them a t the ascent
of FPkl and stopped thcir flight by shouting, ' Back t o the
Fik (Aphek), set: notc, p. 16j.
 168 T UL;l.'EI,L S ~ ~ L T A IYVU S C F
charge!
IT'FZA
- -
T o the rescue of the Moslems !' and they suc-
ceeded by this means in bringing them back to the camp.
T h c Sultan ordered all that they had stolen to be talcell
away from the camp-servants and deposited in front o f
his t e n t ; everything was placed there, even down t o the
coverlets and saddle-bags. H e then seated himself, whilst
we formed a circle round hirn, and invited those who
could recognise their property t o swear t o it, and t o take
their goods away. 411 this while he displayed the greatest
resolution and good humour, with unruffled serenity and n
discrimination that was never a t fault; his trust in God
never faltered, nor did he waver in his determination to
uphold God's religion. T h e enerny, for their part, returned
t o camp, having lost their bravest men and leaving their
most valiant chiefs on the field. T h e Sultan sent a number
of carts from Acre t o take u p the bodies of the Franks
who had fallen, and cast them into the river. I have
been informed by one of the men who superintended this
opcration that the number of dead belonging to the enemy's
left wing amounted t o four thousand one hundred odd : bct
he had been unablc to reckon the number of dead on the
riglit wing and in the centre, because another man had
been eatrusted with the task of carrying these bodies to
the river. T h e remnant of the enemy shut themselves up
in their camp and confined the~nselvcs t o the defensive,
paying no heed Lo the Illoslen~ troops. Xumbers had
taken t o flight in the panic ; only those who were knoi.rr~
by name returned t o the camp, because they dreaded
punishment; but the others fled straight on. I was
present when the Sultan had all that was stolen collected
and returned t o the rightful owners; this was on Friday,
the ~ 3 r dof Sh'ab5n; the gathering was like a close-
thronged market, where justice uras the only mercha~l-
dize; never had so great a lnultitudc bi7e11 collected
169
~- ~
TVHd T F3EI;hLI. S C L T A 5 1-LSGI"
-- - .-
When the tumult following nn the battle had
together.
the Sultan ordered the baggage-train back as far
el-KharrClba, fearing that the effluvia from the heaps of
dead might injure the health of the troops. This place lay
,,ear t o the field of battle, but further off than the ground
they had been occupying. T h e Sultan's tent was pitched
,-lose t o the baggage, and he commanded the advanced
guard t o occupy the ground where the ca'mp had stood
the day before. This n-as on the 29th of the month.
On the followirlg d a y the Sultan summoned his emirs
and councillors, I being of the number; he commanded
their attention, and spoke as follo~vs: ' Jn the name of
God! Praise be t o God ! May the blessitlg of God rest
upon His messenger ! Tlic enemies of God and of our
race invaded our land and trampled the soil of Isl&rn
under their feet ; but already me see a forcshadovring of
the triumph with which we shall overcome them, if it be
God's will. There remain but a small number of our
enemies ; notr is the time to utterly exterrninatc them. I
take God t o witness that that is llow our duty. You know
that the only reinforcements we can expect arc those that
el-Melek el-'ffdel is no\!. bringing us. ?'here is the enemy ;
if we leave them in peace, and they remain there till the
sea is open for ships, they will receive large reinforcenlents.
T h e opinion I hold, and which seems t o tne decidedly the
best, is that we should attack them forthwith, but let each
of you say what he thinlis.' This spcech was delivered
on the 13th Teshrin of the solar year (October 13). T h e
council a,as divided in opinion, and an animated discussion
ensued; it was finally determined t o withdraw the army as
far as el-Kharr6ba. ' T h e troops: ~villremain there,' they
Said, ' for several days, t o give the men time t o recover.
for they are worn out b y the weight of their arms. This
will enable thern to recover their strength and t o give their
 i jo I V H i l T B E F E L L SULTAL\' YYUSUF.
- - - ~ --p-_ --
horses rest. They have bcen fifty days under arms and in
the saddle; the horses, too, have had their share of fightirlg
and are tired out. After they have had a little rest their
spirits will revive; el-Melck en-Nisr will come to our help
both with advice and by action ; we shall be able to fetch
back the deserters and collect thc foot-soldiers again, t o
lead against the enemy's infantry.' T h e Sultarl at this
time was suffe'ring from a serious indisposition, brought on
by the anxiety which oppressed him, and also by the weight
of his armour, which h e had now worn for a long t i m e ;
therefore he was persuaded, in the end, t o adopt this
counsel. On the 3rd of R a m a d i n the rest of the troops
joined the baggage. T h e Sultan followed them the salrlc
night, and remained there, nursing himself and collecting
his troops, whilst h e awaited the coming of his brother.
el-Melek elL'ffdel, who arrived on the 10th of the month
CHAPTER L X I .
\V6 RECEIVE T I D I N G S C0SCk:RNJNG THE 6 1 4 G 0 1 .
GERhl.lNS.
AT the beginning of the month nf Rama?d,n, ;S; (October,
1189 A.D.), the Sultan received letters from illeppo, from
his son cl-Melek ez-Zsher-may God increase his glory !
In these he announced, as an unquestionable fact, that thc
king of the Germans1 was marching on Constantinople a t
the head of an immense army, with a view of invading the
territories of the Moslems. This news made the Sultan
exceedingly anxious, andihe thought it his duty to sumrnon
T h e Emperor E'rederic Barharossa had been drowned in J u n e
I 189, in the Geuk Su on his march to Seltucia from Larand;,.
'71
T1lH2-1T B E F E L L SI.'LTdZ Y L:S LTF.
~--~
- - ~
p--
_ -p - ~ p- - - -- ~
everyone t o the Holy \XTar, and t o inform the Khalif of
what a a s g o i i i g forward. H e entrusted this mission t o
,e, and commanded m e t o repair t o the Lords of Sinjir,
of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar, of Mosul, a n d of ilrbela, calling
upon each of them t o come in person a t the head of his
troops t o give battle t o the infidel. H e also charged me
to repair t o Baghdad, and carry this news to the Khalif, in
order t o induce him t o come t o our assistance. T h e throne
of the Khalifate was then occupied by en-N2sr li-Din
Iliah -4bu el-'Abbhs Ahmed, son of el-Mostadi bi-Xmr
Illah. I set out upon this embassy on the r ~ t hof the
month of I<ama<l2n,and by God's grace was permitted to
see them all, to deliver the message $vith which I had
been entrusted, and t o receive from their own lips their
assurance of effectual help. T h e first to march was 'Im2d
ed-Din Zenghi, Lord of Sinj,ir, who started with his
troops before the end of the year. His cousin Sinjar
Shah, Lord of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar, marched in person a t
the head of his army. T h e Lord of Mosul sent his son,
'&h ed-Din IChorrem Shah, and the Lord of Arbela also
set out on the march with his troops. On my arrival at
'I'fll~. Baghdad, I presented myself a t the Khalif's divan, and
informed him of the object of my visit, in accordance with
my instructions, and he made me most liberal promises.
On Thursday, the j t h of Rabi'a I., in the year 586
(April 12, I rgo), I returned to the Sultan's service, arriving
before a n y of the troops that w r e on the march, and
informed him of the satisfactory replies that the princes
had given, and of their preparations t o join him. This
news afforded him the greatest satisfaction.
 172 CC'IIAT DEIL'LI, S L L T A S YrSCE'
- -
CHXPTl'R LSII
I N the month of Safer (March-April) this year the Sultan
left the camp on a hunting expedition, his mind being
perfectly easy, for the troops were encamped a t some
distance from the enemy. H e went further than he had
intended in the eagerness of the chase, and the Franks.
informed that the RIoslerns were not keeping a strict
watch, thought that this would be a good opportunity t o
surprise them. They collected their forces, and came
out ; but ei Meick el-',$del perceived their intention, and
called t o arms. Our men sprang into the saddle, and
rushed on the enemy from all sides, engaging them in a
hand-to-hand fight, so that many lives were lost. Some
few also were wounded, but the Moslems lost no one of
consequence except Arghish, one of the Sultan's memlitii.
This officer, distinguished for his piety and valour, had thc
good fortune t o earn a martyr's death. When the Sultan
heard what was happening, he left the chase, and returned
t o his a r m y ; but he foand that it mas all finished, both sides
having returned t o their respective camps. T h e eneml-
withdrecr, after an unsuccessful attempt, with considerable
loss. Praise be to God ! H e is the author of all mercy.
I was not present a t this skirmish, being a t that time on
m y travels. T h e battles I have previously described I sat%.
as closely as a man of my profession could see them ; with
regard t o the others, I have had thern described t o me
in so much detail that it is as if I had rvitnessed their
various developments. A curious thing happened in this
last skirtnish : n certain man named Kara Sonltor, one of
!Z.H,-lT U E J - E L L SL'1,l:iS YL7,Sl;i~'. !7j
_____ p~ p~~pP
-P
the Sultan's rnetnllil~:~,and a brave soldier, had kiiled
several of the enemy, and the comrades of the dead men
set a snare for him. Some of them hid, whilst others went
out and showed themselves. T h e rnemlttk rushed on in
pursuit of them, but they threw themselves on him from
all sides, and made him prisoner. O n c of these men
seized him b y the hair, and another prepared t o cut off
his head with his sabre. T h e blow struck the arm of the
man who was holding the mcml~lk,and severcd his hand
from the wrist ; the captive escaped, and succeeded in
rejoining his comradcs in safety. T h e Franks ran after
him, but could not overtake him. ' God ~ i r o i ~back
c the
misbelie7~crsin tlreiv vacre; t h y gat 120 adva?it~lge (Kurgn,
;
xxxiii. 2 5 ) .
C H A P T E R LXIII.
I HEARD of this occurrence by public report, because I
was not on the spot a t the time. He used t o suffer from
periodic attacks of asthma, and then he was seized with a
flux, which weakened him very much! and to which he
finally succumbed. Throughout his illness he retained his
power of will and intellect. H e -,%,asa generous, brave
man, and lived a virtuous life. His zeal for the Moslem
cause was unflagging. H e passed away on Tuesday, the
9th of Zu el-K'ada, 585 (December 20, I I S ~ )just
, as day
was dawning.
' .4ba Muhammad 'Aisa el-Hakk8ri, surnamed :)C5 ea-2:n, was a
Kurd who had studied law a t Aleppo. H e was a lawyer ( j u k i i ) , and
was ImPm to Shirkfih, with whom he went to Egypt. W i t h the
assistance of Beha ed-Din Karakfiai~,he conducted tile i n t r i p e n-hich
raised S a l l h ed-llin to the post of vizir on Sh;rkCh's death. Salah
ed-Din was grateful, and placed i m p l ~ c ~coirildence
t in him a s a
counsellor (Ibn Khallikan, ii. 4jo).-W.

C H A P T E R I.XIV.
ON Sunday, the 15th of the month Rabi'a I. (April 2 2 ,
1196), the Franks, who composed the garrison of esh-
Sha15if, saw that nothing could save them from the fate
God had appointed, and that their heads would be cut off
if the place were carried by storm. They therefore offered
to capitulate. Several meetings took place to discuss the
terms of the treaty ; but as they knew their lord was
undergoing a very scvere punishment, they consented to
surrender the fortress on condition that he should he set a t
liberty, and that all those who wcre within should be allowed
to go fi-cc. T h e y were, nevertheless, obliged to leave behind
all the treasures and supplies that had been accumulated
in the castle. T h e Lord of Sidonl repaired to Tyre,
accornpanied by all the Franlcs who had been with him in
esh-Shal,rif. T h e Sultan saw how important a thing the
possession (of Acre) was in the eyes of the Franks from all
parts, and h o n their attention was always fixed on that
c i t y ; he therefore took advantage of the winter season,
when ships cannot travel on the sea, t o throw such
quantities of provisions and stores, of engines of war, and
of soldiers into the place as, under God, t o ensure its perfect
safcty. I-Ie also sent t o Egypt t o comrnand his lieutenants
to equip a fleet sufficientt o carry a great number of people.
H e then set out for Acre, and entered the city with great
display, t o the chagrin of the enemy. After this he dis-
missed his troops, that they might rest until the end of the
winter and regain their strength, and he himself remained
in the face of the enemy with a very small body of men. A t
' Keliaud of S ~ d o n Lord
. of esh-Shakif.
ICH-IT B E F E L L SLLfA.\- YCSCF 175
-- P -p
- -
time the ground between the two a r m ~ e s a s covered
,ith mud so deep that they were unable to get a t one
another.
C H A P T E R LXV.
A N ANECDOTE.
WII~N the Sultan received t ~ d i n g that
s the Franks intended
to march on Acre, he summoned h ~ emirs s and councillors
together t o consult them a s to what course he should
pursue. H e was a t thi5 time in the Merj 'Ayfin. H e
was of opinion that it would be best t o attack the enemy
and prevent them from establishing themselves in front of
the city, 'for,' said he, ' in that case, their infantry would
protect them llke a nrall: they would intrench themselves
behind ~t so that we could not get a t them, and then the
city might be taken.' T h e council was not of his opinion.
' Let thern take up their positioo,' they said, ' and collcct
their troops together; we will cut them t o pieces in one
day.' Events proved that the Sultan was right. I heard
his words myself, and was witness of what happened.
This is what is meant b y the word of the Holy Prophet :
'Among m y people there are some who can decide atld
speak, and 'Omar is one of them..
.. CI-IXPTER I X V I .
A ~ K OF ~ ~KHALIF'S
~ THE L ARZIJIISS.~D~)I:.
THESultan rleglected no opportunity of introducing sup-
plies and stores, arms and troops into A c r e ; then, when
the fighting season recommenced with the close of l v i n t e r .
 176 li'H.43 B E F E L L SCr,r.IS Y i S i : l ; .
- ~ ~ .---
~. ~~ - -
which upened the sea once more to traffic, he sent into ail
the neighbouring countries, commanding them t o dispatch
their contingents forthwith. After receiving the first of
these reinforcements, the Rloslern army marched nearer to
the enemy, and encamped on Tell Kfsin. This took place
on the 18th of Rabi'a I. in the year jS6 (April z j , 1190).
H e drew u p his troops in a right wing, left wing and centre,
and stationed his son el-Alelelr el-Afgal in that part of
the right wing nearest the centre. T h e contingents and
auxiliaries kept on corning in, one aftcr another. A n
ambassador arrived from Baghdad on a mission from the
IChalif. H e was a young man belonging t c one of the
families descended from IlIuhrwrimad. H e brought with
him a body of experts, sliilled in throwing naphtha, as well
as two loads of that inflammable substance. H e also bore a
warrant from the Khalif, authorizing the Sultan to borrow
the sum of twenty thousand gold pieces from the merchants
as a contribution t o the expenses of the Holy R'ar, in
payment of which he was to draw bills on the August
Divan (the Court of Baghdad). T h e Sultan accepted all
that the ambassador brought with him, but refused t o make
use of this warrant, lest it should oppress the provinces over
which he ruled. This same day he heard that the Franks
were on the point of attacking the city, and had investcd
it closely; he therefore mounted his horse and marched
against them, t o divert their attention from the city b y an
attack on his part. T h e fight that ensued was stubbornly
maintained until night separated the combatants. 30th
sides returned to their own camps. T h e Sultan, seeing
that, though the Noslem army was now in full force, his
c a m p was a long way from the enemy, felt that the city
might easily be taken by storm ; he therefore removed the
army and all the baggage t o Tell el-'Ajjti1.I This was
;fell el-'Aj$l, W. of el-'Aiyfitliya.
IC'HdT B E I . ' I ? I ~ LSI'LL1,V l'CSCTF. 177
. -~ ~~ ~~
on the 25th of the same month. During the
morning of that d a y a man swam out from the city
bringing letters, which said that the enemy had filled up
of the moat, and seemed determined t o storm the
place. T h e Sultan thereupon sent further messages t o the
that had not yet arrived, urging them t o
hurry forward; then he drew up his troops in order of
battle, and marclled nearer t o the enemy so as t o with-
draw their attention from the city by occupying then1 in
another direction. A t dawn on Friday, the 27th of the
month Rabi'a I. in the year 586 (May 4, I I ~ O ) el-lblelek
,
ez-Zriher G h i s t l ~ed-Din GhBzi, Lord of Aleppo, with only
a small escort, came in in hot haste t o see the Sultan, his
father. H e had !eft his troops encamped at some distance.
The next day, when he had !)aid his respects t o the Sultan
,and satisfied his longing t o see him oncc more, he returned
t o his army and brought it in t o the camp. These troops
were so well equipped and armed that the sight of them
filled the hearts of the Sultan's army with joy. They
passed in review before the Suitan. who had ridden out to
meet them on the plain. I I e forthwith led them quite
close to the enemy, that the sight of such numbers of' t l ~ e
soldiers of God, so weli equipped, might inspire their
hearts with terror, and fill them with apprehension.
Towards the close of the sa;iic Gay Mozaffer ed-Din, sot1
of Zein ed-Din, attended by only a few followers, paid ;!
flying visit t o the camp to pay his respects to the Sultan.
H e set out again a t once t o rejoin his troops, and led
them into the camp on the followin: Sunday. T h c Sultan
'eviewed these troops, and halted with them in sight of the
then he sent them to take u p their appointed
Position. Each time reinforcements came in, he made n
Point of revie\viiig them, and marching them close t o the
; then he used to lead thern back t o the camp, and
12
178 T t H A T B E F E L L S [ I l l,\ k LSL'T
-
givc them a meal, and, as all these soldiers mere strangers
to him, he would load them with presents in order to win
their affection. After thls, they would withdraw, over-
whelmed with marks of his favour, and encamp in the
place he allotted t o them.
C I I A P T E R LXVII.
TIIEenemy had erected three towers, built of wood and
iron, and had covered them with hides soaked in vinegar,
t o prevent their being set on fire by the combustibles hurled
a t them by the besieged. These towers were a s huge as
mountains; we could see them from the place where we
were; they commanded the city walls. They were set on
wheels, and could each, according to report, accommodate
more than five hundred me11 ; their roofs were broad, and
were constructed t o carry one mangonei on each. T h e
sight of these engines created a profound impression on
the Moslems; they inspired them with a terror that defies
description, and they gave up all hope of being able t o
save the city. All was ready, and the besiegers had only
to wheel these towers close up t o the walls, when the
Sultan, who had been reflecting on the best means of
setting them on fire, called together his throwers of
naphtha, and promised them rewards in money and gifts
if they could successfully accomplish this. They tried t o
d o it, but in vain, in spite of all their skill. Amongst those
who were looking on there was a certain young man, a
native of Damascus, and a caldron-maker by profession.
H e said that he knew a way of setting the towers on fire,
W H A T B E F E L L SliLTA.\' YLlSb*. '79
and' that if they would send him into the city and furnish
him with certain materials which he specified, he would
undertake t o d o it. H e was givcn the materials he asked
for, and, thus equipped, went into the city. H e then
boiled these substances in naphtha and placed them in
copper pots, each of which was thus full of fire. O n the
very d a y that el-;LIelek ez-%$her, Lord of Aleppo, the
Sultan's son, came into the camp, this man hurled one of
the pots of fire against one of the towers, and the erection
took fire immediately and became a mass of flames. T h e
Moslems raised great shouts in praise of the one true
God (the taLIII and the tiakhtr), and almost lost their senses
in the exuberance of their joy. Whilst we were watching
and rejoicing a t this first conflagration, the man threw a
second pot a t another tower, and directly it was struck it
burst forth into flames like the first. Then a great tumult
arose in both armies, and their shouts niounted t o the
skies. Rarely an hour after this he struck the third tower
with another pot and set that also on fire. I cannot
describc the delight with which our whole army watched
its burning. T h e Sultan mounted his horse towards the
end of the day, and the troops did the same in the order in
which they were drawn up, by right wing, left wing, and
centre. They advanced close to the Franks, hoping to entice
them from their camp and engage them in battle; but they
would not stir from their tents, and night coming on pre-
vented t h e two armies from joining in battle. Our people
attributed this (the destruction of the towers) to the arrival
of el -Melek ez - Z$her and t o the good fortune granted
him; his father rejoiced t o have a son so distinguished,
firmly believed that what had happened was the result
the good fortune that always smiles on a virtuous heart.
d a y the Sultan rode out in sight of the enemy, in
the hope of persuading them t o come out and fight, but
180 II'HAT B E F E L L S C L T A N Y USCI.'.
.-.~ p-pp--- . -
they kept close in their camp. Meanwhile, reinforcemetlts
kept on arriving in the Moslem quarters.
C H A P T E R LXVIII.
ARRIVI~I,O F 'ISTBD E D - D ~ KZENGIII, PRTNCL O F SIVIAI:,
AIiD OF SEVEllAT, OTHER CIIIEFTAIXS.
O N the 23rd of the month Rabi'a 11. (May 30, 1190)
Prince 'lmLd ed-Din Zenghi, son of hlaudGd and Lord
of Sinjkr, came into the camp with grcat pomp and dis-
play, followed by an army spicndidly equipped in every
particular. T h e Sultan received him with every honoilr,
and drew up his troops in line of battle so as to go out
and meet him. T h e ljidis and (government) secretaries
xvere the first from our army t o appear before the prince ;
then came the Sultan's sons, and, finally: the Sultan him-
self, who a t once led his guest t o a spot in full view of t!ie
enemy, and, after halting there some time, brought him
back t o the camp and welcomed him t o his own tent. J3e
sct a magnificent banquct before him, and presented hiln
with a number of rare and curious things that surpass niy
powers of description. H e !lad a cushion placed only for
liim by the side of his on7n, and a satin cloth laid on 'the
ground of the t5nt f u r him t o ~vali;upon. Then he ordered
a tent t o he pitched for him on the extreme left of the lclt
wing, close to the river. On the 7th of the follolvin;:
month, Sinjdr Shah, Lord of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar, son of
Seif ed-Din Ghizi Ibn Maudild Ibn Zenghi, came into the
camp. H e came a t the head of a fine army, splendidly
equipped. T h e Sultan received hitn with the greatest
honour, ~,velcomecl him in his tent, and then had orlc
lYNAT REFELI, C I LTAN YLTSUIi 181
-- - -- -.--pp
pitched for h ~ mnext t o the quarters occupted by his uncle,
'Im&d ed-Din. On the 9th of the same month arrived
1 ~ 1 e2d - D i n Khorrem Shah, son of Mas'fid, Prince of
~ o s u ;l h e represented hts iather, whose troops he brought
to the Sultan. Salah ed-Dln showed the greatest joy
when he heard of his approach, and rode out a consicler-
able distance to meet him. H c made him d ~ s m o u n t ,and
ied him Into his own tent, where he gave him a magnificent
present; then he commanded a tent t o be p ~ t c h e dfor him
between those occupied by h ~ own s sons, el-Melek el-Afdal
and el-Melek ez-Ziher.
C H A P T E R LXIX.
AKRlVAl OP' 'l H L \IUSl.LhI FLEh'r AT ACRE.
THE samc day (June I Z ) , at noon, we sighted a great
number of sail out a t sea. T h e Sultan was expecting the
arrival of the fleet from Egypt, for h e had given orders that
it should be equipped and sent t o him. H e therefore
mounted, with such of his officers as mere on duty, and
drew up his troops in battle array with the view of attacking
the enerny and preventing their operating against the fleet.
T h e Franks, on their side, prepared t o oppose it, and made
their ships ready to send out against the Moslem fleet, which
they saw approaching. They were determined t o prevent
its coming into the harbour. When their fleet had put
Out t o sea, the Sultan attacked them on the land side, a n d
our people marched down t o the beach t o encourage the
Moslem fleet and succour the crews. T h e two squadrons
met at sea, whilst the two armies were fighting on shore ;
the fire of war was kindled, its flames burst forth ; a furious
engagement took place between the two fleets, which
 182 TT-HAT LIEi-EIL S C L T A S Y U S C F
-- -- P---P - __
ended in the defeat of t h e enemy. O n e of the enemy'$
galleys was captured, and its crew massacred, and we also
took a ship that came from Constantinople. Our victorious
flect entered the harbour, bringing with it a number of
coasting-boats laden with provisions and supplies of all
kinds T h e arrival of these was a grcat relief t o the people
in the city, and completely restoted their conhdence, for
the close blockade which they had suffered had reduced
them t o the greatest extrcmity Outside the city the
battle bctwecn thc two armies raged until nightfall,
when either side returned t o its own camp T h e enemy
suffered great loss in killed and wounded, for they had to
fight in three several places. The peoplc in the city had
made a vigorous attack on them to prevent their opposing
the Moslem fleet, the two fleets had engaged one another,
and the Moslem army had fought them on the land side,
and in each instance we had carried off the victory. ,%fter
these events, during the last ten days of the month
Jomada I , Zein ed-Din, Lord of Arbcla, arrived in the
camp with a large body of troops splendidly equipped.
This chieftain's name was Ytisuf Ibn 'Ali Ibn Rektikin.
T h e Sultan received him with great honour, and entel-
tained him in his tent with magnificent hospitality; then
he had a tent erected for him closc to that of Mozaffer
ed-DPn (so that the two brothers might b c togethcr).
C H A P T E R LXX.
A ~ T Ethis
R we received continual reports of the move-
ments of the king of the Germans, who had just entered
ITTHAT KLCPL'1.L S I L T 1 1 N YL'SC'F. 1x3
---p~ - ~- p
the dominions of I5ili.i Arsl2n.l W e heard that a great
number of Turlcomans had gone out t o meet him, t o
prevent his crossing the river" but that, having no leader
to direct their operations, and seeing an immense army
drawn up against them, they found it impossible t o ac-
l
complish their purpose. Kilij Arslan pretended t o oppose
the king, whilst, it] reality, he was on good terms with him.
/
'TherefAre, a s soon a s the king had entered his territory, h e
openly showed the sentiments he had previously chcrished
in secret, and becairle a partner in his plans, giving him
hostages which the king was t o keep until Kilij ArsIan's
guides had conducted the German army into the dominions
of Ibn L a ~ n . T~h e troops suffered greatly on tlic march ;
their provisions were exhausted, and they lost the chief
part of their baggage animals. Therefore they were forced
to abandon a great quantity of baggage, and a number o f
cuirasses, helmets, and arms, for want of transport. It
is said that they burnt a great number of things of
this kind, lest they should fall into the hands of the
Moslems. T h e y marched on in this sorry plight until
they came t o a city called Tarsus6 ; then they halted on
This was 'Izz ed-Din, Kilfj Arsliin II., who had just divided his
empire between his ten sons. The actual ruler at h'onia (Iconium)
during the march of Barbarossa was Kotb ed-Din Melek Shah 11.-
W.
" Probably the 4laeander is intended.
3 See note, p. 78. Geoffrey de Vinsauf (i. 14-17) says that Kilij
ArslPn was treacherous in his dealings and an enemy of the
Christians.
4 Tarsus was in the territory of the King of Armenia (Leo 11.).
There is a co~~fusion here between the fever caught by Alexander
when bathing in the Cgdnus and the death by drowning of Karbarossa.
The Emperor Frederic Karbarossa (here called king of the Germans)
"as drouwed in thc Calycadnus ( G e r ~ kSu) whiist on the march from
Laranda (Karfzmu7z) to Seleucia (St2ejt-r). (See Jacques d e Vitry,
P. 111, P.P.T. tl.nnslation.)
 784 IL'HAT B A F E L L S O L T A A Y C S U L
- --
the bank of a rlvcl, and made rcady to cross. T h e h111g
suddenly deterrnincd to swim across, and, although the
water was very cold, h e jumped in, worn out as he was by
the fatigues and anxieties he had undergone. T h e conse-
quence was an illness to which he finally succumbed.
When he realized the gravity of his condition, he delegated
his authority t o the son who had accompanied him on the
expedition. After his death his officers resolved fo steep
his body in vinegar, and carry his bones t o Jerusalem in a
casket, in order that they might receive burial in that city.
Ilis son was installed in his stead, in spite of some slight
opposition, for most of his officers inclined towards the
ci~lestson of the king, who succeeded his father in his
donrinionsl; but the younger son, being on the spot, ob-
tained command of the army. Knowing the reverses they
had suffered, and the havoc that famine and death had
made in their ranks since the king's death, Ibn Laon
held back and did not join them" in thc first place h e
couid not tell how things would turn out, and in the
second they were Franks, whilst h e was an Armenian.
Therefore he shut himself up in one of his strongholds in
order t o get out of their \\,ay.
Henry VI. succeeded a s emperor. Fredaric, duke of Suabin.
was with his father in Cilicia.
This is contrary to the Frank accounts, which represent Leo 11.
a n d the Armenians as receiving the army hospitably after Karbarossa's
death. In 1198 Leo was crowned king at Tarsus by the archbishop
of Mayence.-W.
CHAPTER L X X I .
CONTENTS OF A LETTER RECEIVED PIZO\I T I l E ARMENIAN
LA\L HOLILO5.
THE Sultan, meanwhiie, had reccived a letter from the
Catholicos,' t h a t is t o say, from t t e chief of the Armenians,
who was Lord of Kal'at er-Riim," stronghold on the
banks of the Euphrates. T h e follorving is a translation of
this dispatch: ' W i t h most cordial good cvishes, the
Catholicos sends the following particulars for the informa-
tion of our lord and master, the Sultan strong to help,
who has reunitcd the faithful, who bears aloft the banner
of justice and benevolence, cvho is the prosperity (Sizilk) of
the world and of the Faith (cd-Uhz),Sultan of Islim and
of the Moslems-may God ~ r o l o n ghis prosperity, magnify
his glory, presrrve his life, confirm him for ever in good
fortune, and lead him t o the goal of all his desircs ! I
write concerning the king of the Germans and those things
he has done since his appearance. When hc left his own
dorninio~lshe forced his way through thc t e r ~ i t o r yof the
Hungarians, and obliged their king t o ackno~vledge his
supremacy. H e carried off fro111 him b y force such money
T h e word is written K(ifo@ikos; from the Armenian Gnf/fn~~&qos
(Greek KaOohiybr). T h e Carhallcos was the head of the Armenian
Church. I n 1065 the Catholicos, in consequence of the state of f\r-
nlenia, resided in Lesser Armenia; znd until 1441 the Catholicoi
resided at, and exercised their jurisdiction from, several different
towns in Cilicia and Northern Syria. Hrhomgln (Knl'dct rr-Rdlrr)
was purchased by the Catholicos, Gregory III., from the son of
Jocelyn, count of Edejsa, in ~ r j oand . i: was the residence of the
Catholicoi till 1298.-W.
Kal'nt cr-/,'?Z17z. the Turkish ROm Kaleh. N. o f Bir, is built on a
cliff at the junction of the ,Wel-sz,1zn7z Chici with the Euphrates
 186 W H A T BEt.'ELI. SCLTAA' Y U S U F .
--
~. ---
and men as he thought fit; then he entered the country of
the chief of the Greeks, took and pillaged several of his
cities, and established himself thercin after driving the in-
habitants out. H e forced the Icing of the Greeks1 t o
come and d o him homage; he toolc away the king's son
and brother as hostages, as well a s about forty of the
prince's most confidential friends. H e also exacted from
him a contribution of fifty quintals of gold, and a s many
of silver, a s well as silken stuffs to an immense amount.
I I e seized all his ships t o transport his army from that
coast (that of the Hcllespont), bringing the hostages with
hiul and retaining them until he had entered Kilfj Arsljn's
dominions. I l e continued his march, and for three days
the Awaj Turkomans maintained a friendly intercourse
with him, supplying him with sheep, calves, horses, and
other necessaries. Then thcy saw their opportunity t o
attack him, and troops came up from all sides and joined
their forces ; then thcy fell upon the king and hung upon
his march for threc and thirty days. When he neared
Iconium, 1l;otb ed-Dftl,%sorl of Nilij Arslin, collected liis
troops together and marchcd upon him. A great battle
ensued in which the king took the prince prisoner, and
completely routed the army of Iconium. Then he ad-
vanced until he came within sight of that city. T h e
Moslcnls came out in great numbers t o oppose him, but h e
repulsed thern and forced his way into the city, where he
massacred a great number of il2oslems and Persians, re-
maining there for five days. Kilij Arslsn sued for pedce,
which the king granted, and received from him twenty
~ s d a cAngelos, who acceded as emperor of Byzantium after the
revolution in 1185, was a n eotlny of the Latins, who were massacred
in Constantinople in 1187.
"
Melek Shah 11. Kotb ed-Din wa, the son to whom Rilij Arslsn I t
had given Konia. See p. 183.
W H A T H K F E L L SUL?'diV Y U S U F . 187
- ~ ~ - ~
- ~-
hostages Of the nobility of thc land. When he set out
more on his march, he followed I(ilij A r s l h ' s advice
and took the road leading t o Tarshs and el-MissEsal; but
before entering that country h e sent a messenger forward
with a letter, announcing who he \iJas and what h e pur-
posed d o i n g ; h e also gave an account of what had hap-
pened on his way thither, declaring that he was determined
to' march through their land-if not a s their friend, then as
a foe.2 This occasioned the sending of Hktem,Qhe
memliik, with instructions to grant the passage the king
had demanded. This officer was accompanied by several
persons of high rank, a n d bore the answcr t o the (king's)
letter. According t o their instructions, they were t o en-
deavour t o persuade the king to return t o I(ilfj ArslSn's
dominions. When admitted into the great king's presence,
they gave the answer into his hands, a t the same time in-
forming him that the chief object of their mission was t o
persuade him t o depart. T h e n the king collected all his
troops together, and took up his position on the bank of a
river. After h e had eaten and slept, he was seized \vith
adesire t o bathe in the cool water, which he accordingly
did. Rut, by the ordinance of God, when he came out of
the water, he mas seizcd with serious illness, occasioned by
the chill of his bath, and, after languishing several days, he
Ilfissis, the ancient :TTo#sucstia, stood o n both banks of the
JSdn (ancient Pj~riznzus),a n d occupied a n important position on
the great road from the Cilician to the Syrian (;ateS. I t fre-
quently changed hands during the wars between the Christians and
Mosle~ns.-\V.
" T n e greater portlon of C~liciawas at t h ~ sperlod In the hands of
1-eo II., king- of Lesser Armenia. T h e Sultans of ROm did not then
Possess any place on the coast.-W.
Possibly Haitkopz, a common Armenian name. Amongst those
<ent to meet a n d compliment the German emperor was S. Narses of
Lampron.-\V.
 I S8 T V H A T BEFELL SULT:l.V YCSCF.
- - - -~
p p ~~ -p p
~.-- p ~-~
- - - ~ p

died.l Ibn Laon was on his way t o visit the king when / -

the Icing in his behalf; but the prince was inflexible, a ~ ~ d

he met his own messengers, who directly after this occur- the chief paid the penalty of death. These people deny
rence (the king's death) had promptly left t h e ( G e r n ~ a n ) themselves every enjoyment. If one of them indulges ill
camp. When he iearnt from thern what had just taken he is avoided by his fello~rsand reprimanded.
place, he threw himself into one o i his strongholds and any
This is all in consequence of the grief the)- feel a t the state
kept close v.-ithin its \valls. T h e king's son had been
of the Holy City. I have bee11 credibly informed t h a t for
named by his father t o replace him, when he first set out
a long \vhile sonlc of them vowed t o wear no clothir~ga t
t o invade these countries, and, in spite of certain difficulties
all, and were clad in nothitlg but their mail ; this, llo~vevcr,
that were raised, he succeeded in establishing himself. was forbidden b y their lcadrrs. T h e patience with n-hich
When h e heard of t h e flight of Ibn Laon's ambassadors,
they bear sufiering, hardship, and fatigue is carried to a
h c sent after them and brought them back. Then he ad-
marvellous length. Your humble servant (litcraZ& memliik),
dressed them as follows : "My father was an old man, and sends you this account cf the state of affairs. When any-
nothing would have induced him to come t o this country,
thing fresh occurs, God willing, he will send you intelli-
but the desire of performing the pilgrimage t o Jerusalem.
gence thcreof. This is t h e letter of the Catholicos.' This
I , who have suffered s o much on this journey, a m now word means e'iclzr.. T h e name of t h e writer of this letter
master. Therefore, unless Ibn Laon obeys me, I shall invade
was Bar Krilcur lZcn R5sil.'
his dominions." O n this I b n Laon saw that he would be
obliged t o yield a n d visit the king in person, for he was
a t the head of an immense a r m y ; he had lately reviewed
them, and found that there were forty-two thousand hol-se- CHAPTER L X X I I .
men. equipped with all sorts of arms, and a n innumerable
company of foot-soldiers. I t was a multitude of men of
divers nations and strange t o look upon ; they were strict
in the performance of their duty, a n d kept under thc
W I ~ E Rt bTc Su!tan I<ne\v for cerlai11 that the king of the
severest discipline. Anyone who disgraced himself was
Germans had entered t h e territory of Ibn Laon, and that
slaughtered like a sheep. One of their chiefs had ili- he was ad\.ancin= on the Moslem dominivna, he called the
treated a servant b y beating h i m unmercifully, and a
emirs and counciilors of his Empire together, t o hear their
meeting of priests was called t o t r y him. I t was a n offence opinion on the cnursc that he should pursue. T h e y all
punished b y death, and he was una~lirnouslycondemned
agreed in atlvi-;i:lg t h a t p a r t of the a r m y should bt: sent
b y his judges. A great number of people interceded with
into t h e districts bordering on the enemy's line of march,
' A c c o r d i ~ gto S. Narses, the emperor was carried away by the whilst t h e Sultan should remain with the rest of his army
r a p i d ~ t yof the river SeL'ef(Ca1ycadnus) a n d drowned. Accord~ngto
ParstfA, or Basil, bisllop of Ani, \?as the son of Grejiors,
sollle accounts, the accident occurred on the march from L a r a n d a ;
according to others at SeI~fke.-W. ='as nepi~cwof Dasil I. IIr belonged to the Arsacid faruily, and was
Catholicos at /26na iinkii ( I :So-!r%).-\V.
 190 1i.H.4 T B E F E L L SLL7'A.V Y USUF.
- ~~
to oppose the enemy encamped (at Acre). T h e first of
the emirs t o set forth was Nrisr ed-Din, son of Taki cd-
Din, and Lord of 3Ianbej.l After him went 'Izz ed-Din
Ibn el-J~Iokaddem, Lord of Kefr T$b, Barin, and other
places. hfejed ed-Din, Lord of B'albek, followed him, and
then went SAbek ed-Din, Lord of Sheizer.' T h e Yariikidi
Kurds b e l o n g i ~ ~t go the army from Aleppo went next, and
afterwards the troops from Hamah. El-Mclek el-Hfdal,
the Sultan's son, also set out, followed by Redr ed-Din,
Governor (shihnn) of Uamascus. After them went el-
hlelek ez-%$her, the Sultan's son ; he was sent t o Aleppo
t o keep a watch on the enemy's march, t o gather informa-
tion, a n d t o protect the districts all round. N e x t went
el-Melek el-hlozaffer (Taki ed-Din, the Sultan's nephew
and Lord of Hamah), charged to protect the districts
round his city and t o keep a watch on the Germans as
they marched past that place. This prince was the last
t o d e p a r t ; he set out on the night preceding Saturday,
the 9 t h of Jomada I . 5% (June 14, 1190). T h e with-
drawal of these troops very much weakened the right
wing, which had furnished the greater part of thcm ; the
Sultan therefore commanded el-Melek el-'adel to trarlsfer
himself t o the extreme right of the right flank, and occupy
the position left vacant by Talci ed-Din. 'Im$d ed-Din
was posted on the extreme left of the left wing. A n
epidemic broke out in the army about this time, and
Mozaffer ed-Din, Lord of Harr2n, sickened of it, but
recovered ; it was n e x t the turn of el-Melek ez-ZAfer, but
h e also recovered. A great number of people, chiefs and
others, were seized with i t ; but, thanks be to God, the
iMEm6~y. See p. 74.
Sizeizer is Czsarea, immediately S. of Apamea, on the Orontes,
a n d otherwise called Larissa. See Jacques de Vitry, p. zq, P.P.T.
translation.
T I I E F L - I L 5 U I , Y . I I A ~ y17.Trjl,..
~i-HA 19'
-~ -
_ - -- p p
illness tool< a very slight form. T h e same epidemic also
appeared among the enemy, but with them was both
more widespread and more severe, and occasioned great
mortality. T h e Sultan maintained his position and kept
watch over the enemy's movements.
C H A P T E R LXXIII
IHk. ICING OF TIIC GEKRIAXS C O N T I N U b I l .
ACCOUZ'T OE
TIIEking's son had replaced his father, but he was seized
with a serious illness, which forced him t o halt in the
country of Ibn Laon. H e retained with him five-and-
twenty knights and forty Templars (Ddwia), sending the
rest of t h e army forward t o occupy the road to Antioch.
A s his forces were very numerous, he divided them into
three divisions. T h e first, under a count of high rank
among them, was marching close t o thc castle of BaghrLs,
when the garrison of that place, though numbering but a
few men, succeeded in carrying off two hundred of his
soldiers b y force and strategy. T h e y then sent word that
the enemy was much exhausted, that they were suffering
from sickness, that they had but few horses and beasts
of burden, and that their stores and supplies were almost
entirely expended. T h e l.ieutenants, posted b y the Sultan
in the different cities of Syria, were informed of this state
of things, and dispatched troops t o find out what the
enemy were doing. These men fell m with a large body
(of Germans), who had left their camp on a foraging
expedition ; they attacked them smartly, inflicting a loss
of upwards of five hundred men in killed and captives.
That, at any rate, was the report made by our correspon-
19. 11-HAY' I?EFL'I.L SGLJI'/lS I.C..SC.F.
- ~-~ - -~
- ~~~- ~
~ -~
dents in their dispatches. A second messenger came frorn
the Catliolicos, and was received by the Sultan ; in this
intervie\%,,a t which I was present, hc informed us that,
though the Gerrnans were very strong in numbers, they
were in a very weak condition, for they had hardly any
horacs r)r supplies, and the chicf part of their baggage was
being carried by asses. ' I took up my position,' said he,
' on a bridge thcy had t o cross, to get a good view of thern,
ant1 I sari a ggrcat number of men march past, almost all
without cuirnsses or lances. I asked theun the reason of
this. and thcy replied, " W e iiavc been spending seyiera!
d : i S in an iinhealthy plain ; our provisions were exhauster!
as \\-ell as our \voorl, an:i rve have been obliged to born a
great part of our stores. W e have also sufiercd grcat
losses by death. LTTe ha\^ bceri obliged t o 1':ill and r a t
our horses, and burn our la!lces and stiircq for \i.a:it of
wood." ' T h e count who comma~idedt!lcir advanced guard
died \.;hen they reached .-Intiocll. \IL\:e learnt that I b n
L.aon, hearing of t h euhaustcd
~ conditior, of thcir army,
was filled :vith the hope of gaining home advantage thereby,
and, Itnoviing thal the king \\-as il!! and had rctained h u t
vcry few men ~ v i t hhim, he contemplated spoiling him of
his trcnsures. Tlie Prince of Rntioch, too, we were told,
11earil:g ,;f :hi.<, ::c-nt out t o meet the Icing of the Ger1na12s
and bring hinl into the city, with the view of appropriating
tliesc sarne trcniiures hirllself. if the Itin? happcried t o dic
in tht? city. Neil.5 kept coming in concerning the enemy,
and W C heard that the epidemic was rife among them, ar.d
weakening them more and more. After this e!-Melek el-
' a d e l fought a battle with the m e m y on the sea-shore.
IC'HAT I I Z F E L L SGLTAN Y C S C F . 193
-
- -
CHiZPTER LXXIV.
T H E LIzlTl'LC FOU(;HT E:T E L - ' ~ D E I . .
ON Sllcdnesday, the 20th of J o n ~ a d a11. (July 35, I 1901,
the enemy heard that several bodies had been dctached
from our army, and that the right wing had been much
weakened by the departure of the troops belonging to the
various districts through which the enemy (the Germans)
proposed t o march. T h e y (the Franks) ti~ereforcrcsolveti
to come out (from their entrenchnients), and fall upon t h a t
wing whilst they were not expecting an attack, But they
became the sport of the vain hopes they had entertained.
The hour of noon had just passed whcn they issucd forth,
deploying by right wing, left wing and centre, and then
rushing forward. 4 s they were in strong force, they thought
that the right wing, where el-2Ielek el-'idel was encamped,
would be unable to withstand them. When our people
saw them coming out in order of battle, they called t o
'arms, and rushed out of their tents as a lion springs from
his lair. T h e Sultan spraug t o his horse, crying : ' O n
for IslPm !' Our horsemen leapt into their saddles, and
the battalions formed without delay. T h e Sultan had just
left his tent when I saw him ; he had only a few officers
with him. Some of the men had not yet mounted their
horses whcn he came galloping up, as anxious as a mather
who has lost her only son. H e ordered his drurn to be
beaten, and his emirs replied by ordering theirs t o be
Sounded from the different positions where they were
Posted. Everyone was now in the saddle; but by this
time the Franks had hurled themselves on the riglit wing,
and pushed on as far as ei-Slelek cl-':\del's tent. T h e y
13
194 II'HAT BEFELL S U L T A N YCSCI'.
-.. .. .----
seized everything that they found in the tents and market-
place, killing and pillaging right and left. They reached
thc store-tent, and carried off part of the liquors that were
kept there. When el-Melek el-'adel was informed of what
was taking place, he came out of his tent and mounted
his horse, commanding those of the right wing who were
near him to d o the same. His order was obeyed by
KkimLz en-Nejmi the eunuch (tawdshi), and by other
champions (lions) of Islkrn as brave as himself. H e held
himself in readiness, watching for an opportunity of sur-
prising thc enemy, and he was not long in finding it. The
Franks, carried away by their cupidity, were engaged in
pillaging the camp, and loading themselves with furniture,
iruit, and provisions.l When he saw them thus fully
occupied, he commanded his men to charge, and he him-
self rushed forward, followed by all the soldiers of the right
wing who were on the spot. T h e whole of the right wing
was already engaged, when the Mosul troops, who had
been summoned afterwards, hurled themselves on the
Franks like lions springing on their prey. God delivered
the enemy into their hands. They were completely routed,
and fled headlong back to their camp, whilst the sword
of God did execution upon them, separating their souls
from their bodies, and severing their heads from their
shoulders. T h e Sultan seeing, by the dust of battle that
arose, what was going on in his brother's camp, his heart
burning with zeal and brotherly love,and alarmed at the peril
of his kindred, flew eagerly to help the cause of God's Faith
And the criers cried to the pcople: " On for Islkm, ye
champions of the one God ! T h e enemy of God is given
into our hands. H e has dared in his greediness to enter
your camp." His memliiks, his friends, and his special guard
This agrees with L)e Vinsaul's account. T h e Franks were suffer-
ing from starvation.
Il't-lrl l' B E F E L L S U L T A A- I - U S U F .
~-
195
-~ ~
(Ralka) responded to his appeal ; the Mosul army, under
'Alk ed-Din, son of 'Izz cd-Din, came up to join him, and
afterwards the Egyptian army, led by Sonkor el-Halebi.
Other bands came in one after another, each brave warrior
answering his comrades' call. T h e Sultan took up his
position in the centre, fearing lest it should occur to the
enemy to attack him there, as they knew that part of the
army had been weakened by thewithdrawal of great numbers
of troops. As detachments kept coming up one after
another, the fight was maintained without interruption,
and scarcely an hour had passed before we saw our enemies
prostmtt as though they were pal~u-t?,eesthrown down
(Kurin lxix. 7 ) . The whole ground between el-Melek
el-'adel's camp and that of the enemy, a distance of a
parasang, or perhaps a little more, was covered with bodies.
Very few of their people escaped. Mounted on my mule,
I passed through a sea of blood, and tried to count the
number of dead, but there were so many that I could
not reckon them.l I noticed the bodies of two women.
Someone told me that he had seen four women engaged
in the fight, two of whom were taken prisoners. T h e
number of men made captive that day was very incon-
siderable, for the Sultan had commanded his troops to
spare none who should fall into their hands. The alarm
did not reach the left wing until the battle was at a n end,
so great a distance was there between their camp and the
Scene of the fight. This battle took place between the
Z%h+and 'Asr (between the mid-day and afternoon prayers).
So great was the defeat of the enemy, that some of the
Moslems who pursued them are said to have penetrated
right into their camp. T h e Sultan, seeing that fortune
I A letter by the chaplain of Xaldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury,
"ckons the Christian loss on July 2 5 , I 190, at 4,000 men. See Archer's
'Crusade of Richard I.,' p. IS.
I 3-2
rgb I17HdT b'KI;ELL SCLT.49 Y G S U F .
- p p - - - ~~-.---- ~
had favoured him, callcd his men back from the pursult.
During this battle thc Moslems iost only ten men, and
thcse were all people of no rank. LVhen the soldiers 01
God, who were stationed in Acre, saw what had hefaller,
the enemy, they sal'lied out and attacked their camp. A
drsperate tight ensued, the Moslems carrying off the victory.
T!ley burst into thcir camp, pillaged their tents, and
carried off several women, togethcr with a quantity of
furniture, and even the pots in which they were thcn
cooiiing their food. A letter from the city informed us
of this victow. I t was, iirdccd, a bitter day for the infidels.
Different authorities are not agreed as to the number of
thrxir dead ; some say eight thousand, others seven. I
myself saw fivc rows of bodics, beginning from el-',\del's
camp, a ~ : drunning right up to Ltiat of the encmy. I Inet
an intelligent man, one of our soldiers, who was going up
and down the lines counting the dead, and I a k e d liim
liom n1a:iy lle had counted. H e I-eplied : ' S o far there
are four thousand and sixty o d d ' H e had counted two
lines, and was engaged on the third, but in those that
remained to be computed the dead lay stili more thickly.
This Wednesday witnessed thc most brilliant triumph that
Isl2m could possibly obtain. On the following day, the
21st (July 26),a t the hour of the ' A s r prayer, a courier
from Aleppo arrived on a drcmedary, having accomplished
the journey in fivc days. T h e despatch he brought i n -
formed us that a strong force of the encmy, being part u f
thosc who had come from the north, had made an in-
cursion into Moslem territory with a view of p i l l a ~ i n gall
thcy might find, and that the troops in Aleppo had taken
the field and cut off their retreat, CO that but very few
of these (freebooters) had effected their escape. This netvs
arrived immeaiately aftcr the battle (of Acre). I t nras
announced to the sound of music, and t o the great joy
TI H.1 T R E F E I L S C I . T A S 1'C5L7t. 197
-- p p - - - - p p
of the Bloslems, who were filled with delight a t the thought
of one splendid victory after another. Towards the close
of the same day I<$imiz el-Harr9ni came in from the out-
post and informed us t h a t the enemy, finding themselves
terribly exhausted, had expressed a rvish that the Sultan
should send them a representative, empowered t o confer
with them on the subject of a treaty of peace. From that
time the enemy of God remained with broken wings, u n t ~ l
there arrived a count called Count Keri.'
C H A P T E R LXXV
ARKIVAI. OF COUXT I I E X R l .
THIS count was one of the greatest princes among the
Franks. H e came by sea, with a number of ships laden
with money and supplies, victuals and arms, and great
numbers of men. His presence inspired the besiegers with
courage, gave new strength t o their hearts, and they even
indulged the hope of surprising the Moslem army by a
night attack. They spoke so openly of this project, that
the strangers who were allowed t o visit their camp got
wind of it, as well a s t h e (Sultan's) spies. Therefore the
Sultan called his emirs and councillors together, and con-
sulted them as to what should bc done. After discussing
several plans, they fillally decided t o enlarge the circle and
10 withdraw further from the city, with a view of enticing
the besiegers t o come out of their camp, and then, when
they had got some distance from it, God would deliver them
into the hands of the Moslems. This decision pleased the
Sultan, for God had decreed that it should find favour in
Henry of Troyes. count of Champagne.
198 LVHA T B E F E L L SUL?'A,V Y t i S L ' F .
~ -~ P - - .-P-------
his sight. H e therefore set out for Mount Kharrtiba
with all his army. This was on the 27th of Jomada 11.
(August I). In the position they had just quitted he left
only about one thousand horsemen a s an advanced guard ;
these men kept watch each in his turn. W e con-
tinualIy received letters from Acre, and sent answers
back t o the c i t y ; these were carried by pigeons, by men
swimming, or b y lightly-built boats that put off a t night
and entered the harbour unknown to the besiegers. W e
received constant tidings also of the movements of the
enemy, who were advancing from the north; they were in
great want of both horses and supplies, and were suffering
severely from mortality and sickness. T h e whole army
had succeeded in reaching Antioch, but had been unable
to provide themselves with horses. W e also heard that our
fellow-soldiers in illeppo were employed in seizing any of
the enemy's troops that came out for grass or wood, and
were carrying off every individual who even showed himself
outside the camp.
C H A P T E R 1,XXVI.
A L k T T E R IS R E C C I \ E D ElZOhl C O N S T 4 N T I h O P L E - M A 1
GOD GKAXT U> T H E CON(JUCS \ T O r T I I A T CITY 1
THE Sultan kept up a correspondence with the king of
Constantinople, each prince sending letters and ambassa-
dors t o the other. I n the month of Rejeb, 585 (August-
September, I 1891, whilst thc Sultan was encamped on the
plain of Merj 'AyGn, a messenger arrived from the king
bringing a (favourable) answcr to a request t h a t he had
made through his ambassador. T h e Sultan was desirous of
obtaining permission t o have the kkutba said in due form in
the mosque a t Constantinople, now that the preliminaries
W H A T BEFELL S U L T A S Y CSUF 199
- --- ~~
(of a treaty with the king) had been arranged. H e had
therefore dispatched a n ambassador t o provide for the cele-
bration of the kkntba in that mosque, and this man had
been most honourably received and cordially welcomed by
the king. I n the ship in which he had performed the
journey he had taken a preacher with his pulpit, a band of
muezzins (to call t o prayer) and several readers (whosc
duty it was t o chant the KurPn). T h e day they entered
Constantinople was a great d a y among the days of Isldm ;
great numbers of merchants and travellers were present.
T h e preacher ascended his pulpit, and, surrounded by all
the Moslems and merchants who were staying in the city,
he delivered thc Moslem invocation (kkotba) in the name of
the Abasside khalif. O u r ambassador then returned, ac-
companied b y the (Greek) ambassador, who was sent t o
inform us that the matter had been arranged in accordance
with the Sultan's tvishes. T h e Greek stayed with us somc
time. I was present when he came before the Sultan,
attended by an interpreter, t o deliver the message with
which he was charged. H e was the finest of old men, and
wore the dress peculiar t o his rank. H e brought a certi-
ficate (credentials), and a letter sealed with gold. H e
stayed with us for some time, and then died. When he
received news of his death, the king of Constantinople
dispatched another ambassador t o conclude the mission.
This envoy brought a letter about the matter under con-
sideration. W e will describe this document, and give a
copy of the translation. I t was written in wide lines, but
narrower than in the writing of Baghdad. T h e translation
on both back and front was in the second section1 ; between
Documents are extant, emanating from the Byzantine Chancery,
1"which a Latin translation 1s appended underneath the Greek text.
In the document described by BehL ed-Din the text was accompanied
a translation into Arabic.
, 2-0 W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN Y L S U F
. -- - -
the two the seal had been affixed, This seal was of gold,
- ---
and had been stamped w ~ t ha portrait of the King just a,
- -
wax is impressed with a seal; it weighed fifteen dinars.1
T h e two sections of the letter ran as follows : 'Frorn
AisLkiiis (Isnnc) the King, servant of the Messiah, Crowned
by the grace of God, ever glorious and victorious Af g h n h ? ~
(imperial), ruling in the name of God, the invincible con-
queror, the autocrat of the Greeks, Angelos, t o His Excel.
lency t h e Sultan of Egypt, S a l j h ed-Din, sincere affection
and friendship. T h e letter written by Your Excellency"~
My Empire:; has been safely received. W e have perused
it, and have been informed thereby of the death of our
ambassador. This has occasioned us great grief, more
especially because he died in a strange land, leaving un-
finished the business with which My Empire had charged
him, and on which h e was t o confer with Your Excellency,
Your Excellency doubtless intends sending us an ambas-
sador t o inform our Empire of the decision that has becn
made relative t o the business with the arrangement of which
we charged our late ambassador. T h e property he has left,
or which may be recovered after his death, must be sent
t o M y Empire, that it may be given t o his children and
relatives. I cannot believe that Your Excellency will
give ear t o malicious reports of the march of the Germans
through m y dominions ; it is not surprising that my
cnemies should propagate lies t o serve their own ends.
If you wish t o know the truth, I will tell you. They suffered
then~selvesmore hardship and fatigue than they inflicted
This would make it worth about ,(h 10;.
The Greek equivalent would be c50X67qc.
3 In offic~ildocuments issued from the Byzantine Chancery,the prince
refers to himself under the phrases Paarheia aoii or 76 ilpire,oov ~ p d ~ o r ,
rendered in the Latin translations as i?irfieril~nr mexm or IZOS~YZ.ZLIII
z?iz;ben't6rn (Wescher).
l t r H A T B E F E L L S U L T A S YGSUI.'. 201
_ -_ --
-- -- p
-.-
--
- -
on my peasant population. Their losses in money, horses
men were considerable; they lost a great number of
soldiers, and it was with great difficulty that they escaped
my brave troops. They were so exhausted that they cannot
reach your dominions; and even if they should succecd in
reaching them, they could be of no assistance t o their
fellows, nor could they inflict any injury on Your Excel-
I ~ n c y . Considering these things, I a m much astonished
that you have forgotten our former (good) relations, and
that you have not communicated a n y of your plans and
projects t o My Empire. I t seems t o M y Empire, that the
only result of my friendship with you has been t o draw
down upon me the hatred of the Franks and of all their
kind. Your Excellency must fulfil the intention, announced
in your letter, of sending me an ambassador t o inform
me of the decision in the business upon which I have
corresponded with you for a long time past. [.et this b e
done as soon a s possible. I pray t h a t the coming of the
Germans, of which you have heard so many reports, may
not weigh heavily on your hearts ; the plans and purposes
they entertain will work their own confusior~. Written in
the year I jo~.'' When the Sultan heard the contents of this
letter, he received the ambassador with every mark of
honour, and assigned him a lodging suitable t o his rank.
he was an old man of noble carriage, and very accom-
plished, for he knew Arabic, Greek, and the Frankish
(tongues).
Some time after this the Franks renewed the siege of
Acre with fresh energy, and pressed the city very close.
They had been reinforced by the arrival of Count Henry'
with ten thousand warriors. Other reinforcements reached
I The year I ;or of the Alexandrian era corresponds with the year
s85 of the Hejira (am. I 189).
' See pp. 35, 197.
 202 II-HAT C E F E L I - S U I TALV Y L SGZ;.
-P
- P - -
them by sea, and revived their drooping courage; therefore,
they made a furious attack on the city.
BURNIN(; OF THE CNEAI\'b >tAP\T(,OP\'ELS.
THE enemy, feeling themselves strong-strong again on
account of the reinforcements that continucd t o come in,
set their hearts with renewed determination on winning the
city. They brought up their mangonels and placed them
in position on all sides, playing on the walls both day and
night, for as soon a s the men on duty were weary, fresh ones
were sent t o relieve them : thus a constant shower of stones
was kept up without intermission. This was in the month of.
Rejeb (August, I 190). T h e people in the city, being thus
hard pressed by the enemy, gave free rein to that pride of
religion which Islkm alone could have inspired. Their
leaders a t that time were, first, tlic governor specially
appointed for the defence of the city, and, secondly, the
commandant of the garrison. T h e former of thesc officers
was the great emir Beh3 ed-Din l(ar;iki~sh, the lattcr the
great isfahsnL'dr (general in chief) and emir 1,Iosskm ed-
Din Abu el- Heija. Hoss3m was distinguished both
for his munificence and valour; he was of high rank
amongst his own people (the Icurds), and the plans he
formed bore witness t o the stoutness of his heart. 'These
leaders agreed on the advisability of a general sortie,
taking advantage of the enemy's carelcssness t o fall upon
them when least expected. T h e gates of the city were
thrown open, and the besieged rushed out simultaneously
on every side, penetrating into the very midst of the enemy
before they were aware of their approach. T h e Moslems
LVIlil?' I I E F E L L SCI,'rdV II:SCI.'. 203
- -
-~ .--
~~ - P ~~
charged the infidels, who, sceing their ~ a m p ~ i n v a d edid
d,
not think of guarding and protecting their mangonels, and
the pyrotechnists were therefore enabled t o use their implc-
ments with good effect. Before an hour had passed those
engines had been set on fire and cornplctely burnt t o the
ground. I n this engagement seventy of the enemy's
cavalry were killed, and a number of prisoners takcn.
One of their leaders happened to be among the latter ;
thc soldier who took him prisoner was not aware of his
rank, and it was not until after the battle, when the,'Franks
inquired whether their countryman were alive or dead, t h a t
he krlcw he had captured one of their chief me!:. When
he learned who his prisoner was, fearing lest he should be
carried off by force. he lost no time in clispatching him.
T h e Franks offered a large sum of money as the price of
his body, and persisted in their demand with the greatest
importunity until a t last the body was thrown down t o
them (from the wall). Illhen they saw him dead, they
threw themselves on the ground and covered their heads
with dust. This occurrence damped their ardour. T h e y
never let us know the name of the chief they had lost.
From this time forth the Moslems lost all fear of the
enemy and the Arabs got into the habit of going in and
out of their camp to pilfer and steal, killing and taking
prisoner those they met. T h e count had had a great
mangonel built, on which he expended fifteen hundred
gold pieces, according t o information we received from the
spies and people who wcre allowed t o visit the enemy's
camp. This engine, which was quite ready t o be brought
up to the walls, had cscaped burning in the sortie, because
it was a t some distance from the city, beyond the furthest
point our men touched. But, on the night preceding the
15th of Sh'aban (September 17) some p ~ r o t e c h n i s t sand
soldiers sallied out of the city, and laid their plans so well
 204 TL'HAT R E T E L L SI'LTA.1' I'I;SC-F.
-~ . .~~
~ ~~
that they succeeded in getting up to the mangoncl, and
setting it on fire. A t sight of the conflagration a great
cry went up from both armies, and the enemy seemed
paralyzsd by the disaster; a s the fire broke out a t a
distance from the city, they thought they were being
attacked from all sides. By this means God increased the
strength of the Moslems very notably. T h e flames from
the great mangonel caught another smaller one that was
standing close by, and destroyed it as well.
CHAPTER LXXVIII.
STIL4TAGEM, BY MEANS OF WHICII A LARGE SHIP FIiOSf
BEII:~TT SUCCEELIED IN RIAICING IIEK IVAY INTO TI-IE
I-lARBOUI<.'
THE Franks--may God confound them !-had blockaded
the harbour of Acre t o prevent Moslem ships from en-
tering. A great famine therefore rcigned in the city ; so
some Moslems embarked in a large ship a t Keirdt, load-
ing it with four hundred sacks of corn and a quantity of
cheeses, onions, sheep and other victuals. They dressed
thcnlselves like Franks, and shaved off their beards that
they might look more like the enemy ; they even put pigs
on the bridge of the ship, so that they could be plainly
seen, and set up crosses in conspicuous places. They thcn
made towards the city, as though they had come a long
voyage, and ran into the miclst of the enemy's ships, rvhen
several sloops and galleys came up alongside. T h e c r e w
of these boats said t o them : ' Y o u seem t o be malting for
the city,' for the); took them for their fellow-countrymen.
This chapter is wanting in the Oxford manuscript.
205
11'E1;12' B E T E L L S L ' L T I I N Y L i S C F .
-
__. p-.___-
The replied: ' l>o you mean that you have not
'Very well.'
taken it ?' ' So,' they answered, ' n o t yet.'
the disguised ;lIoslems ; ' w e will make for the army
(of the Franks); but therc is another ship close behind us,
coming on with the samc ~vind; you must warn them not
t o enter the harbour.' There really was a Frank ship
behind them, that was steering towards the enemy's camp.
The people in the boats looked in the direction indicated,
and, seeing a ship, they made towards her t o wart1 her of
the danger. T h e Moslem ship, being thus frce to proceed,
took advantage of a favourable breeze and entered the
harbour in safety ; praise be t o God therefore! Its arrival
caused the greatest rejoicing in the city, for thc inhabitants
were beginning t o feel the approach of famine. This took
place during the last ten days of the month of Rejeb (end
of August and beginning of September).
.\CCOU>T O F 'AISA T H E I\VI\IBIEK.
A VERY curious and noteworthy th'ing occurred during this
siege ; a hloslem, named '>.isa, used cotlstantly t o swim t o
the city, taking letters and money, which were tied round
his loins. H e used t o go by night, taking advantage of
the carelessness of the enemy, sometimes diving under
their ships and coming up on the other side. 011 m e
particular night he had put on his girdle-which h t i d three
purses, containing a thousand pieces of gold and a paciret
of letters for the army-and started swimming for tile city
with his burden; but h e met with an accident, and lost his
life. For some time we did not ktlow what .had happened
t o him, for the bird, which he used t o lct fly t o tell us when
 206
TI'TIAT B E F E L L SC LTAN Y C S C F
he reached the city, did not arrlve. By this W C knew that
the man must havc perished. Some days afterwards some
people who happened t o be on the shore inside the city,
found the body of a drowned man that had been cast up
on the beach by the waves. They examined it, and found
that it was 'Aisa, the swimmer. Tied round his loins they
found the money and the letters, the latter having been en-
closed in oilcd silk. T h e gold had been scnt to . pay
.
the
troops. Never bcfore have we heard of a dead man de-
livering a message entrusted t o his care. This also toolc
place during the last ten days of the month of Rejeb.
C H A P T E R 1,XXX.
I'IIiISG O F TITE RIANGONEI,.I.
THEenemy had brought several large mangonels into play
on the walls of the city, and the stones hurled by these
engines were not without their effect on the ramparts.
Fear was felt lest the wall should give way. They there-
fore took two large arrows, such as are shot from a great
arbalist,l and making their heads red-hot, aimed them at
one of the mangonels. T h e y stuck in it and set it on fire.
T h e enemy tried in vain t o extinguish the flames, which
were fanned by the violence of the wind. They caught
the other mangonel, and it also was soon in a blaze. T h e
heat was so intense that no one dared come near to stop
the spreading of the flames. This was a great day for the
Moslems ; they gave themselves up to rejoicing, whilst the
infidels were occupied in meditating on the ill-success of
their efforts.
Cross-bow. See p. 57.
1.1711Af U k I E L L SC'LTAK Y U S D I - . 207
- p
CHAPTER LXXXI.
ACCOUNT O F T H E hlO\.EMENTS O F T H E I<IPiG O F TtIE CER-
MANS CONTIKCED. STKAT'IGEhI EMPLOI-ED B\- T H E
MARQUIS.
THE king of the Germans, having once set foot in Antioch,
seized that city out of the hands of its lord. I I e first began
t o make his power felt by forcing that chief to executc his
commands ; then he took possession of the castle by
stratagem and treachery, and deposited his treasures there.
O n the 25th of the month of Rejeb he set out for Acre, a t
the head of his army and followers, and, passing through
Laodicea, came t o Tripoli. T h e marquis, I.old of Tyre,
one of the wiliest and most influential of all the princes of
the Franks, left tht: place where they were encamped and
came t o tncct him. I t was chiefly through the instrument-
ality of the marquis that foreign nations were stirred up t o
come and fight us. H e had had a great picture painted,
representing the city of Jcrusalem ; you could see the
Komdula,l the goal of their pilgrimage, a building they
hold in the greatest rcverence, for in it is the chapel of
the tomb in which they assert that the Messiah was laid
after His crucifixion. This tomb is the chief object of
their pilgrimages, and they believe that a light descends
upon it every year on the occasion of one of their feasts.
I n this picture a illoslem horseman was represented a s
trampling the tomb of the Messiah under his horse's hoofs,
whilst his beast was desecrating the monument with his
urine. T h e marquis had this picture carried beyond the
sea, and shown in all the market-places and wherever a
I T h e Church of the Resurrection is called in Arabic EL-l\'ziinz~.
T h e hloslems, to show their contempt, call it c Z - ~ ~ u ~ ~ i d'dung.'
mn.
 zoS IC;H.IT B E F E L L SCJ'LTIIN I.CSl.:F.
p---. . ~
number of men met together. Priests, clad in hair-cloth,
with their heads uncovered, carried it with mourning and
groans: and by the picture h e wrought on their hearts, for
this is the root of their religion; and horv many thereby
became pilgrims God only knows. Among the numbcr
was the king of the Germans and his army. T h e marquis,
as he had been the principal in exciting him to this war,
went forth t o meet him, to keep up his courage, and t o
help him on the may. H e took him by the coast-road, in
order t o avoid being attaclied by the hloslems, ~ v h owould
have swarmed up in all directions had he tricd to pass
through the districts of Aleppo and H a m a h ; in those
;'arts the word of truth (the religious zeal of the lloslerns)
would have risen up against him on every side. H e would,
tnorcovcr, have been in danger of being attacked by our
leaders. El-hlclek ei-Mozaffer, Lord of Harnah, marched
against him a t the head of a large body of troops that
he had collected. H e came up with the Germans, and
hii vanguard attacked them on both flanks. H a d el-Melek
ez-ZAher, Prince of Aleppo, come u p in time with his
army, the fate of the Germans would have been sealed :
but fo~.c v e q j .3,pel,iod there is n book (ICurAn xiii. 38). Ac-
counts d o not agree as to thc numbcr of men in the German
army, but I learned from the letters of one of our military
correspondents that he computed them at five tl~ousand,
horse and foot togcther ; and according t o all reports this
arnry was two hundred thousarld strong when it first
took the field. When the Germans set out from Laodicea
on their march t o Jebela, they left about sixty horses
behind, so broken down by fatigue and want of food that
they were nothing but skin and bones. They continued
their march, closely followed up by the Moslems, who
harassed them by pilfering their goods, and killing and
carrying off their men. This state of things continued
I1'HdT B E F E L L SULTd.\- ICSCI;'. 209
. --
until they reached Tripoli. T h e Sultan received tidings of
their approach on Tuesday, the 8th of Sh'abiin, 586 (Sep-
tember 10, 1190)~ quitc early in the morning. heard
the news with great calmness, and did not stir from the
position he had talten up, refusing t o divert his attention
from thc matter he had in hand. H e had t o guard and
protect the city of Acre ; t o keep watch on the movements
of the besiegers ; t o send out small parties to attack them
unawares, and harass them night and day without a
moment's respite. H e displayed the greatest confidence
in .God throughout, looking t o I-Iim alone for support, and
cheerfully busied himself in providing for the wants of his
soldiers, and loading with gifts the r a r i ~ u s ~ z k i rdoctors
s,
of law, heads of religious communities, ' ~ ~ l e m and
n , men of
letters who came t o visit him. T h e news (of the coming
of the Germans) had made a great impression on me, but
when I went into the Sultan's tent and saw his serenity
and resolution I breathed more freely, and felt convinced
that under him IslBol and its supporters would win a
glorious triurnph.
C H A P T E R LXXXII.
S1lI~'bARRIVE P I < O l I EGYPT
DURIYGthe second ten days of the month of Sh'ab:rn
(middle of September), Be112 ed-Din KaraltGsh, a t that
time govcrnor of Acre, and Hossdm ed-Din Lulu, the
chamberlain and commander of the fleet, wrote t o the
Sultan informing him that there were barely sufficient
provisions in the city t o last till thc 15th of Sh1ab3n.
They added that they had kept this from the knoaledge of
the garrison, lezt they should become despondent. But
the Sultan had already sent to Cairo, orderil~gthem t o fit
14
310 IVII.4 7' B E F E '.AT S LrLTA Y V S LTF.
-- -. . -
out thrcc ships and dispatch them t o Acre, laden with
victuals, provisions, and corn, and all that a besieged city
would stand in need o f ; these supplies were t o be sufficient
to last the besieged throughout the winter. T h e three
vessels sailed from Egypt, put out t o sea, and reached
Acre on the evening preceding the I jth of Sh'abin. When
they arrived there was not enough fvod in the city for the
following day. T h e enemy's fleet came out to attack them
whilst the hloslem army was drawn up on the beach,
calling aloud upon God, the. indivisible and Almighty.
T h e soldicrs bared their heads whilst they supplicated
God, beseeching IHirn to save the ships and allow them to
enter the harbour. T h e Sultan stood on the beach, like
a parent robbed of a child, witnessing the struggle, and
imploring tile hclp of his Lord, and the tempest of anxiety
i n his heart was beyond words. T h e fight raged round
t h e Egyptian ships, which were attacked on all sides; but,
thanks to the protection of Gotl, there iias a strong breeze,
and they entered the harbour safe and sound in the midst
of the furious shouts of the one side and the acclarriations
o f the other. T h e garrison received thctn with great joy,
and began t o unload their cargoes ; and it was a very
happy night in the city. I t ivas in the afterrl~onof Non-
day, the 14th of Sh'abhn, that the ships arrived.

03 the ~ 2 n dof Sh'ablln the enemy fitted out a great

nutnbcr of boats to lay s i e ~ et o the Fly-Tower,l which is
Thc Toz~,w n j F l i m is shown on Marino Snnuto's map of Acre, at
t ; , cr l i d nf the weitcrn rrlols io the harbour, S.of the city.
 l V f l A T DEFELL S G L T A S Y C S C I - . PII
-. - ~~ ~~-

built on a rock a t tllc entrance to t h e harbour, and is

surrounded on all sides b y the sea. I t protects t h e
harbour ; every vessel (coming in) that gets past the
toivcr is safe from attaclc b y an enemy. T h e besiegers
rvcre anxious t o get possession of it in order t o make them-
selves masters of the port, when they could effectually close
it against ( ~ I o s l e m )vessels, anci prevent provisions entering
the city. With this view they fixed turrets on t h e top
of the masts of their ships a n d filled them with faggots,
intcrlding to sail close u p t o t h e Fly-Tower, and, a s soon
as they came alongside, t o set t h e wooden tosvers on
fire, and hurl them on t o t h e terrace of thc F l y - T o w e r ;
they would thcn take possession of it after they had
killed the garrison. One boat was fillcd with cor:ibustibles
to throw 011 t h e tower a s soon as it should have caught
lire. T h e besiegers filled another ship ~ v i t h wood and
similar materials, y i t h a view of srlldiilg it illto tllc midst
of the Dlosle~n vcssels in tlle iiarbour, and then setting
it ,in fire, s o as t o burn them and t h e provisions \\.ith
which they U-crcladen. 11 third ship was covcrcd in wit11
a roof (liirhu) to protect the soldiers, who mere drawn up
u~liicrneatl~, against arrows ant1 projectiles hurled froni the
cngines of war. These men, as soon a s they had set (the
tower) on fire were, accordi~lg t t their instructions, to
withdraw under t h e roof, so a s t o be sl~eltercdfrom our
missiles. T h e y dispatc!led the aforesaid (the first) vessel
towartls the towcr, in great l ~ o i ~ t . sf,t ~ rthe n.inc1 was
favuurab!~. Thcn t i ~ c y;cc fire t o the fire-ship wl-iich was
to go among thc A'Ioslcm ~ e s s e l s ,z n d also t o !hc tower
that was t o consurne the defentiers of t h e Fly-Tower ; they
were tliro\viiig some illore naphthn on it, wllcn, by the
grace of God, the mind cilanged and upset their ~ i l a n s .
They then tried to estingnish the flarncs on t h e ship they
h a l yet on firc, but in vain, and all tile ~ o d l e s screw
14-2
312 t l ' l i d ~B E F E L L S C ; L T ~ SY C ~ S U P .
~ ~~ - ~~ - .
. -
perished. 'l'lle fire-ship dispatched against t h e hloslern
vessels had cauxht fire ; but our comrades leapt on board
and took possession of it. T h e crexv of the ship that had
been roofcd in hcsitatcd, were seized ~ v i t hfear and attempted
t o turn about ; a dispute ensued on the subject, and in t h e
scuffle and confusion the ship capsized ; as no one could
get out frorn nnderneath the roof, every onc on board
perished. These events were unmistakable signs of the
mill of God, and great wonders upholding God's religion ;
and it was a day of testimony.
CIIAPTER LSSXIV.
We will no\\! continue our narrative of the king of the
Germans. H e halted in Tripoli t o alloiv his troops time
t o rest and recover their strength, and sent on to Acrc to
announce that he would soon join the besiegers. T h e y did
not receive this intelligence wit11 great joy, now that the
marquis, Lord of Tyre, had become thc king's chief
counsellor and confidential adviser; for Icing Geoffrey,'
who, thanks t o his army, was supreme in the distl-icts.on
the coast, and n,liose decision was always final in their
councils, saw very clearly that the German's arrival ~vould
-
deprive him of his authority. During the last ten days of
the month of Sh'abin he ( ~ r e d e r i c l i ,d u k e of Suabia,
chief of the German army) had some ships fitted out, and
collected othcrj from all parts, f3r lie saw that unless they
Reha e d - 3 i n always makes the mistake o f writing 'Ceofirey ' for
' Guy?
-
--
went by sea they would most certainly be lost, as our men
held all the passes through which he mould have t o march.
Then, having embarlied with all his men, horses, and
supplies, he set out t o join the Frankish arrny. Hardly
had he started before a furious ivind sprang up, a n d his
fleet was alrnost sivallo~vedup in the waves that broke over
them in all directions. Three cargo-vessels xvere lost, and
t h e remainder returned to port to await a more favour-
able wind. After the lapse of a few days they p u t out
once more .with a favourable breeze, and succeeded in
making Tyre. T h e marquis and t h e lcing remained there,
sending all that remained of their troops to join the army
that was encamped before Acre. O n the 6th of RarnadLn
.(October 7), the king of tile Germans1 embarked alone with
a few follo\vers, and arrived in t h e camp of the Franks
t h e same d a y towards sunset. \Ve were informed of what
took place b y the spies, and people who werc allowed t o
visit the camp. His arrival produced a great effect both
.on besiegers and besieged. Being anxious to signalize his
presence by some feat of arms, h e made a speech to the
Franks a few days after his arrival, reproaching them for
having remained still so long, and representing how much
better it would be t o meet the Moslems in the open field.
When they showcd him the dangers of such a course, he
declared they must absoiutely make a sortie and attack
t h e iYIoslem advanced guard, ' j u s t to test it,' he said, ' t o
try its strength and see what they can do.' Thereupon he
rode out to attack the guard, and the greater number of the
Franks followed him. T h e y crossed the plain lying
between the hill 1114occupied and that of cl-'AiLdiya,
where t h e advanced guard was drawn up. T h e different
F r e d e r ~ c ko f Suabia was not king of the Germans, but brother of
the Emperor Henry V I .
314 Ii'H.4T B E F E L L SCLT.4.Y I-liSCF.
--~--
- ~- ~ ~~
divisions of our army occupicd this position in turn, and
that d a y it was the turn of the Sulta~l'shalfin. When they
saw the enemy advancing, they waited facing them, and
made them taste death in the conflict. A s soon as the
Sultan heard what was taking place, he mounted his horse
and rode to the hi11 of Kis411, followed by a great number
of Moslerns. When t h e enemy saw this movement, they
~vithdrem, having had several men killed and a great
number wounded, ai:d they returned to their camp about
sunset. Night separated the combatants. W e h a d two
ltilled and a great many wounded. But the enemy of
God was bafiied. After this, the king of the Germans
turned his attention t o attacking thc city, and took care
that the blocliade was maintained very strictly. H e hail
some extraordinary engines made, of a most peculiar con-
struction, the terrible aspect of which made the garrison
fear for the safety of the city. Amongst these new
inventions tvas a great machine, covered with iron plates
and mounted on wheels, that would accommodate a great
number of soldiers. I t was furnished with a huge head
with a strong iron ncck which was t o butt against the walls.
I t was called a r ~ z v z . I t required a great many men t o
move it, and was t o strike thc walls ~vitilgreat force and
such impetus that they would give way before it. Another
of their machines was in the form of a roof, made to cover
a number o f Inen ; it had an elongated head like the
share of a p!ough. T h e first of these machines would
destroy a to\ver by its rrlcre weight, t h e other bp its
combined weight and pointed form. This crne \\.as callcd
a cat. A s to the mantelets and huge ladders the). madc,
they could not be counted. T h e y also had a great ship,
w h i ~ hcarried a tower provided with a drawbridge, which,
when they came close u p to a wall, could be let d o ~ v nby
some pcculiar mechanism, thus forming a way by means
TC'ff4T B E T E L L S L L T d l \ YL'SCF " 21j
pp
-
- p p
-
of a h i c h soldiers could be introduced Into the place
attdcked. T h e y intrnded to bring this machine alongside
'
the Fly-Tower and get possession thereof.
CHAPTER LXXSV.
WI-IEXthe enemy had completed thcsc machines, thcy
began t o bring them u p to the city, which thcy intended
t o attack on all sides a t once. T h e garrison displayctl
undirninished resolution ; a s they nrere fighting in God's
cause, they determined to make a desperate resistance.
On the 3rd of Ramadan of the above year
(October 4) the Syrian troops, splendidly equipped, well
disciplined, and escellcntly armcd, carne into the camp
under the leadership of el-Melek ez-Z8her, the Sultan's son,
and Prince of Aleppo. This prince was accompanied by
SBbek ed-Din, Lnrd of Sheizer, and Mejed cd-Din, I-qrd
of B'albck. T h e Sultan, although his health was not good,
and he was suffering from a n attack of bilious fever,
mounted his horse and went out t o meet them. This d a y
was like a feast-day in more respects than one. Tile
enemy marched close u p to the city in great multitudes ;
the inhabitants, the garrison, and the Moslem leaders most
renowned for the wisdom of their counsel, aliolved them t o
draw n e a r ; then-when they had pluugctl the claws of
their cupidity into the city, dragged their engines of war
right up t o the walls, and lowered a number of men into
the ditches-then, and not till then, they hurled do\trn
upon them bolts from their arbalists, :tones from their
mangonels, arrows from their b o a s , and various com-
bustible~; then they sallied out in a body, throiving open
 216 1l'tTAT B E F E L L S C L T d X Y U S C F .
~-
- -.
the gates, prepared t o lay down their lives for God. They
rushed upon the enemy from all sides, and fell upon the
people in the ditches unawares. God filled the hearts of
our enemics with terror, they fled pell-rnell t o the pro-
tection of their camp, for they had lost a great nurilber of
killed and wounded, and many of those who had gone
down into the ditches had lost their lives. T h e Moslerns,
seeing that the besiegers had given themselves up to panic
and flight, ran up t o their ram and succeeded in setting it
on fire by throwing naphtha and flaming brands on it.
Then thcre rose mighty shouts of the tnL6z"l. and the
L . T h e conflagration of the rnfiz raged so fiercely
that it spread t o the nrt, which was burnt t o tlie ground.
T h e iLIoslems attached chains t o the ram, furnished a t the
ends with iron hooks, and dragged it, all flaming as it was,
right into the city. I t was built of enormou beams.
They threw water over it, and in a few days it became
quite cool. I have been told that the iron used in the
construction of this machine weighed one hundred Syrian
quintals, each quintal weighing one hundred rntL.l One
Syrian vatl is equal t o four and a half Baghdad m ? Z . T h e
head of the machine was broflght t o the Sultan and laid
before him. 1 saw it and moved it myself; it was in form
like the great axle of a mill-stone. I should think this
machine would have destroyed anything it was brought to
bear against. This was a glorious day for Islgm. T h e
enemy, baullied of their expectations, draggcd back all the
machines t h a t were left, and made no further movement.
T h e Sultan was filled with,joy at the coming of his son,
el-Melek ez-Ziher, for he regarded his presence as the
certain forerunner of good fortune. Indeed, this was the
second time that cl-Melek's arrival had coincided with the
urirlning of a battle. On Wednesday, the I 5th of Kama-
The ordinary ratl weighs twelve ounces (Troy weight).
11-H:I T U S E E L L SL;LT,4 S YUSL'l.'. 217
.- _~- , ~p - ---
p -p
&in, our comrades sallied out (of the harbouri of the city
wit11 several galleys and made an unexpected attack on
t h e ship that had been got ready to stoi-in and take the
Ply-Towel-. They thrcw bottles full of naphtha into it,
the ship caught fire, and the flarncs rose t o a great height.
This occurrence grieved the king of the Germans very
much, and caused him the greatest vex;ition. On Thurs-
day, the ~ G t h ,a carricr-pigeon brought us a letter from
Aleppo;in \\,hicl1 was enclosed anothcr from Hamah. In
the letter we were infornlcd that the prince, Lord of
Antioch, had gone out at the head of his troops on an ex-
pedition against the h'loslem villages that lay nearest t o
his city. 'The officers and troops in the service of el-ILIelck
ez-Z2her were watching his movements, and had laid
several ambushes, which were unlinown t o the enemy until
they fell into them and were put t o the s\\,ord ; they had
kiiled seventy-five (of the Christians) and talien a number
of prisoners. T h e prince himself had taken refuge in a
place called Shiha, from mhence he had escaped to his own
city. During the second ten days of this month two ships
that were coming t o the enemy, ladet? with men, women,
a n d children, and a great quantity of corn and sheep, went
aground in a storm of wind. T h e y both fell into the
hands of the 3'Ioslems. T h e enemy had just seized onc of
our ships that was bringing men and money to Acre, but
the taking of these two ships counteracted thc bad im-
pression produced on our men by the loss of our vessel, and
amply compensated for the mischance. From that time
we used continually t o receive news from the spies and
people whom the el:erny allon.ed in the camp, and we were
informed by them that the besiegers intended to come out
and fight a pitched battle with the J'Ioslem army. T h e
Sultan was ill just then, suffering from a bilious fever; he
therefore thought it best t o move his army back as far as
 218 W H A T HEI,'ELL S C L T d S Y C S C I . .
~ - ~~ -
the hills of Shefr'am.' H e repaired thither himself on the
19th of Itamadan and took u p his position on the sunirnit
of the hill, and the troops encamped on thc tops of the
Ze!h to avoid the rr~udand prepare for settling into winter
quarters. T h e same d a y Zein ed-Din Yfisuf, son of Zein
ed-Din ('Ali), and Lord of Arbela, bcing very ill from two
successive fevers, asked leave to return to his olvn country.
Not obtaining this, he solicited and received permission to
g o to Nazareth. There he s:~entseveral days nursing him-
self; but his illness grew worse and worse, and he died on
the night preceding Tuesday, the zYth of I < a ~ n a ? i n
(October ag, I 190). His bmther, ZIozaffcr ed-Din KClkbfiri,
was present when he died. Evcryone deplored the prince's
fate, dying s o young and s o far from home. T h e Sultan
granted nIozaffer ed-Din the government of Arbela, and
received in exchange Harrsn, Edessa, Somerssf, el-
hluezzer, and the districts dependent on those cities; b u t
he gave him also the city of Shcherzfir. IIaving confirmed
these arrangements by oath, he summoned el-Blelek el-
Mozaffcr Talsi ed-Din 'Omar, son of his brother Shall-
anshah (Prince of Princes), t o take the position nlozaffer
ed-Din had occupied, and t o fill the vacancy that his
departure v,ould occasion. RTozaffer ed-Din remained in
the camp until Talii ed-Din arrived. On the 3rd of
Shawal (November 2 ) Tal;i ed-llin came, bringing with
him Mo'ezz ed-Din.
' SI'lefi-'~z~~z,
now SA& 'Am?;
c n t h e road to Kazaleth,
S.E. of Acre.
--
M o ' ~ z zC D - D ~ s ,surrlamcd Sinj4r Shah (King of Sinjs-r),
was the son of Seif cd-Din GhAzi, son of XIaudbd and
grandson of Zenghi. 4 t the time of which ive are speak-
ing, he was prince of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar. W e havc already
recorded the date of his arrival t o take [)at-t in the IIoly
War. Fatigued, tired-out, and overdone by the length of
his stay, he several times sent mcssengers and letters to
the Sultan, be;:ging permissioi~ to return home. T h e
Sultan declined granting him leave on the ground that
thoufih he was constantly receiving messengers from the
Franks, who were now anxious t o obtain terms of peacz,
he could not diminish his forces beforc h e knew for certain
whether there wo111d be war or peace. T h e prince, never-
theless, continued to press his request for leave, and on t h e
day of the breaking of the fast in the year 5S6 (November 1,
I I ~ O ) ,he appeared a t damn a t the entrance of the Sultan's
tent, and demanded admittance. T h e Sultan declined t o
receive him on account of an illness from which he was
suffering, and which had upset his health ; but Mo'ezz
ed-Din persisted in his demand, until a t last he was suffered
to enter. H e presented himself respectfully before t h e
10 m~les
Sultan, and earnestly requested leave to depart. T h e
Sultan anslvered him b y pointing out once more the
reasons of his refusal, adding : ' A t a time such as this it
is nly d u t y t o collect troops rather than t o dismiss them.'
T h e prince then knelt t o kiss his hand in the manner of a
man who is taking farewell, and left t h e tent a t once. H e
went straight baclc t o his troops, and commanded them t o
 i~
223
Il'flA T 1115 Fl<LJ> .YULTA,\' Y L7SCF.
- -- ~
--
-
- p
abandon their cooking-pots and the food they contained,
and to strike their tents and follow him. When the Sultan
was informed of the foolhardy step he had taken, he gave
ordcrs that a letter should be written to t h e runatvay prince
in the following terms : ' O n several occasions you craued
my protectior~ and told Ine the fear you entertailled.of
several members of your family, who, you said, Lvere pre.
pared to attack your person and take the city out of yollr
hands. I granted your petition, and gave you both shelter
and support. Since then you have laid hands on the goods
of your subjects; you have spilt their blood, and brought
disgrace upon them. Several times I sent to you, warning
you to desist from such a course, but you paid n o heed to
m y commands. Afterwards, when this Jvar arose-011 the
rusults of which the future of our religion so largely depends
-you came here with the army, o n m y invitation, as you
yourself ltnow, and a s all the people know. After rcrnain-
ing here some time, you grew rcstless, made a commotion,
and took your departure full of discontellt, without waiting
t o see the result of our war against t h e enemy. Now, you
[nay d o as you will ; look out for another protector, and
defend yourself as best you can against those who rilay
attack you. I shali concern myself no further on your
account.' A courier was dispatched wit11 this letter on a
dronledary, and overtooli the runaway close t o Tiberias.
T h e prince acquainted himseif with the contcnts of the
missive, but took no heed of their import, and continued
on his may. El-Melek cl-Mozaffer Taki ed-Din, who had
been summoned to replace Mozarfcr ed-Din, whose de-
parture we recorded above, met the prince on a hill called
tilc 'Akaba of Eil?,land seeing how he was hastening along,
and that for some reasorl or other he seemed not best
T h e 'Abab(z/l (or ' A s c e n t ' ) of Fik was the road to t h e heights
E. of the S e a of Galilee.
IVIf.-lT l 3 E F E L L SL;LTdA\' Y C S C F . 221
-
- - p p p - p p p - p p
pleased, he aslted him what was the matter. T h e prince
told hiln what had occurred, c o m p l a i n i ~ ~that
g the Sultan
had given him neither a robe of honour nor permission t o
depart. Prom this el-Meiek el-hfuzaffer saw a t once that
the prince had come away without the Sultan's leave, arid
even against his commands. H c therefore said t o h i m :
6 T h e best thing you can d o is to return t o your duty in
the camp, and wait until t h e Sultan will listen t o you.
You are but a young man, and have not reflected on the
consequences of your action.' T h e prince replied : ' I can-
not go back ;' whereupon 'Tal~ied-Din said : ' Go back, or
1 shall make you ; there will be no peace of mind if you
go off in this fashion.' T h e prince persistcd in his detcr-
mination, and anslvered e l - l l o z a f e r very rudely ; where-
upon the latter said : ' Raclc you go, willing or not.' Xow,
Taki ed-Din was a \cry resolute character, rcady for a n y
emergency, and afraid of no man. Therefore the prince
hreturned with him, knowing full ~vcllthat, unless he did so
of his own accord, he mould be stopped and taken by
force. W h e n they approached the camp, el-hlelek el-'.idel
went out t o meet Talii ed-Din, to show him honour, and,
as we were in his train, we saw that Talsi ed-Din had
brought Mo'ezz ed-Din with him. T h e two princes (el-
'Adel and Tal!i ed-Din) repaired t o the Sultan's tent, and
obtained pardon for el-Mo'czz. T h a t prince was so fearful
for his safety; that he sought and obtained leave t o pitch
his tcnt close t o Taki ed-Din, remaining in that position
until the time of his depal-ture.
 CHAPTER LXXXVII.
THE ENE317i LE!\VE T l l E I R Ci\lIl' A K U GC) .\S F.\R AS
TkIE S P R I X G HEAD.

' i h ~ dED-IXN,
~ uncle of the above young prince, ~nacie
were constantly licpt informed as t o thc etlemy; they
cs~itiiiualapplications for permission t o return home, co:n.
lvere suffering severely from scarcity of food, for famine
plaining of the severity of the minter, for which he had
prevailed throughout their territories, and had n o x rinvaded
been able to rnake no preparations. T h e Sultan assigl-ied
their camp. T h e scarcity reached such a hei;:ht t h a t a t
a, a n obJ:ection that negotiations for peace were pending
Antioch the price of a sack of corn rose to nincty-six
~ v i t h the enemy, a n d that, if matters turned out as he
Tyrian dinars. Rut this only stl-engthened the obstinate
espected, he had decided, with the advice of his council,
resolution of the besiegers. Nevertheless, the uncertainty
that 'ImSd ccl-DPn ought to be present a t the ratification
of their position and their sufferings fro111 want of food,
of the treaty. T h e prince then demaz~dedwinter tents,
xvhich grew worse from d a y to day, caused a great tnany
but did not succe-d in getting t h e m ; the money he
t o desert t o us, so as t o escapc the pangs of h:~ngcr. T h e
petitinned for was also refused. Messages were continu-
rest, encouraged by a n idea that the Sultan's il1ne.s~kept
aliy seat backwards and forwards o : ~thi; subject betlveen
him to his bed, lcft camp with their horse and foot, well
t!ie Sultan a n d the prince, the Su!tan always findin2 good
supplied with provisions and materials for encamping.
rcasons t o justify his position. I mj-self took a part in Or 1 1 ,
This was on Rlond?y, t h e 11th of S h a w i l (Novemh,
tlhesc negotiations. 'Imad ed-Din's determination to depart
1190). T h e y made for the wells sunk by tile Moslems
was so firmly fixed that it baffles description ; \viiilst the
below Tell 'Ajjt~l,when they were encamped on the hill.
Sultan's rciolution was cclually strong t o detain t h e prince
until the result of the negotiations with the I7ranics slloulrl T h e y carried with them a supply of barley sufikient for
four days. When the Sultan was informed that they had
be linoivn. 'i'his being the state of things, '1m;id ed-Din
sallied forth, he ordered the advanced guard t o retreat
went so fdr ,IS to send a fol-mal,recluest to the Suitan,
before them as far as Tell KisSn. A t this time they were
written in his own hand, asking permission t o depart. A drawn u p on the hill of el-'.%i:i?isa. T h c eriemy 11al:ed
certain bitterness was noticeable under the courteous terins
close to the we11~'about four o'cloclt t h a t day, and passcd
of this letter. T h e Su1ta11 wrote the follo~vingivords on
t h e night there. Throughout the night our a d v ~ n c c tguard
l
the bdclt of the petition ;.vritll his own royal hand : ' I should maintained a strict watch round their encampment: A t
liiic to lilio\v what advantage it would bc to you t o lose
.dawn the next morning thc Sultan received ncurs from the
tile support of a nian like me.' Aiter 'Imkd ed-Din had
guard tlzat the enemy was preparing to mount ; but IIC
received tltis answer, 11e refrained from making a n y further
applications.

had already given orders, early in thc night, for the bag.
gage t o ~vithdrawt o Nazareth and to el-l(citnBn.l T!le
baggage was sent back, but our troops did not stir fro111
their position, and I was amongst t l ~ o s cwho remainet1
with the Sultan. I-Ie then drew uil his army in order of
battle, arranging them by right wing, left wing, and
centre ; after which he mounted his charger, and, a t the
call of the herald (ShiEijish) they mounted. T h e army
proceeded t o march a s far a ? a ieZZ in the hills of cl-
Kharriiba, where we halted. T h e right wing marched o n
until its right flank rested on the mountain ; thcn the left
wing began tnoving and advanced until its cxtreme left
reached the r i v e ~ close
,~ t o the seashore. T h c lcaders of
the I-ight wing mere el-Melelr el-Afclal, Lord of Damascus,
the Sultan's son; cl-AIelek ez-Zaher, Lord of Aleppo,
another of the Sultan's sons ; el-llcleli ez-Zdier, Lo:d of
Ko?ra, the Sultan's son ; 'AI3 ed-Din Khorrem Shah, son
of 'Izz ed-Din, Lord of Alosul ; and his brother, el-Meleli
el-'&idel," who occupicd the extreme right of this wing.
Then came Hosstlm ed-Din Ibn Lajin; and next I(SimAz en-
K c j n ~ i:1,1c eunuch; 'Izz ed-Din Jordik (who had been one of
N i ~ red-Din's mcmlhlisj ; Hossam ed-Din 3ish;ira, Lord of
I3,ini:~s ; I3edr cd-Din Dolderim, Lord of Tell-13Asher; and a
number of other emirs. T h e left wing was commanded by
'ImSd ed-Din Zenghi, Lord of Sinjiir; and his nephew.
h l o ' e ~ ed-Din,
~ Lord of Jezirat Ibn 'Omar; and the
extrcmc left Toas under the command of his nephew,
el-Mclcli el-hToz~fferT a l ~ ed-Din.
i 'ImSd ed-Din Zenghi,
(Jokneam of O.T., called Caimont by the Franlis) was
I El-h.a'i~zll?z
below C.trrne1 by the I<~shon,I S rniles S. of :\ere.
Apparently the south branch of the Belus at 'AJ,I?II c/-Bnss, in
front of the Franks and on their left flank.
3 El-hfelek el-'.$del N i ~ r ed-Din -4rsl4n Shah, the emir named
nhnve, was son of 'Izz ed-llin l,las'ild, and, consequently, brother of
'All cd-Din I<horrein Shah.
11.I1.11' I I E F E L L S G L T , I S Y L I S C F . --S
3"
p ~ ~ - - -
--
who was too ill t o be a t his post, had gone back with
the baggage; but his troops remained with the army.
On the left wing lnight be scen Seif ed-Din 'Ali Ibn
Ahmed el-Meshtiib a t the head of the troops (furnished
by the Kurdish tribes) of RIihrAni and Helckar ; with him
were Khoshterin, and several othcr Kurdish emirs. T h e
Sultan's /z,zli.'a (or guard) occupicd the centre. Ry the
Sultan's orders, each body of troops detached a company
of marltsmen t o join tlic advanced guard and surround
the enemy. H e concealed several battalions behind the
hills, hoping they mould be able t o find an opportunity of
surprising the Franks. T h e rnemy's troops continued t o
advance, t l ~ o u g h they wcre entirely surrounded by our
marksmen ; they followed the east bank of thc river until
they came t o the spring head.l There they wheeled, and
crossing to the \.i,cst bank, came t o a halt on rising ground,
where they pitched their tents. Their camp stretched
lengthwis! from the hi!l to the river bank. During this
day's march they had had a great many wounded, and lost
a considerable number of killed. Whenever one of their
men was wounc!ed, they took him up and callled him with
them, acid they buried their dead as they marched, so that
we might not lcnolv the extcnt of their losses. They came t o
a halt in the afternoon of Tuesday. Our troops thcn quitted
thern, and teturned to take u p advantageous positions for
purposes of resistance and defence. T h e Sultan gave
orders for the left wing t o face the enemy with their flank
resting on the sea-shore, whilst the right wing was drawn up
facing the river, their estrcme right resting on the east
Kds e/.Afk ('the spring head'), now 'llylira c/-B(7.r~('springs of
the swamp'), immediately E. of Tell IZurdineh, 6 niiles S. of Acre.
According to D e Vinsauf, GeoKrey, brother of King Guy, made this
expedition in olJer to meet a con\-oy landed at Haifa, which h e brought
back safely to Acre, forciw the bridge mentioned below.
15
225 il'IIA 7' B E F E L L SL-1,TA.V ICSLF.
-~
--p--~ p--- - ----- p~p- ~ - --
bank.l hleanwhile, our marksmen harassed the enemy with
an uninterrupted shower of arrows. T h c wholc night was
k~assedin this manner. T h e Sultan, attended by us of his
suite, went t o the top of Mount Kharri~ba,and took up his
quarters in a small t e n t ; his attendants camped all round
in tents as small as his, and in fill1 view of the enemy.
News of the enemy came in every hour until morning
broke; and the next day, being Wednesday, the 13th o f
ShawLl (November 13, I I ~ O )he , was informed that thcy
were preparing t o mount. I I e lost no time, therefore, in
getting into the saddle, drew up his troops, and advanced
t o the hills of el-Kharriiba that lay nearest the enemy,
whence he could observe all their movements. Althoug!~
h e was suffering from illness, and his body was very meal;,
his heart was as resolute a s ever. H e then sent an order
to his troops t o attack, to hem the cncmy i n closely, and to
charge t l l e n ~from all sides ; the reserves were ordered to
keep close a t hand-not too near, and not too far off-
t o support those who were engaged. This state of t h i ~ i g s
lasted until noon, when the enemy prepared t o lcave tile
wcst bank of the river: and cross t o the other side t . ~
return t o their camp ; thcy were thereupon smartly attacked
on all sides, except in the direction of the river. A ficrcc
fight ensued, in which they suffered heavy losses, burying
their dead, and carrying off their wounded, as is their
custom. T h e standard of the Franks, on n staff as tall a s
T h e Moslem positiun thus c x i e n i t d N.E. and S.\[:., S. c i th-
Franks a n d N. of the Icishon, their base being at Shefa ' 4 m r - n
retreat of three miles fr!~mtheir former line near Tell IieisRn. ?'!~t:
right flank u-as near 'Ayi.i?cl-Bass.
Tile Franks marched along tile plain E. of tile 'V~ziii-Ai',r/irr3:,U!'
S . afduent of the Helus River, towards Tell Iii~rd':~rrh. Beha ed-Din
does not r.ention the convoy, but the Sloslem left must have been
broken, 2nd the attack n o n made was from the E. and N., t o preveil:
the retreat of the P~.anl;s13). the D'ahl; 'o~iclge.
~
a minaret, was set up a cart drawn by mules ; it had a
011
white ground with red spots ; the top of the (staff) was
surmounted by a cross. T h e Franks defended it zealously,
even a t the cost of their lives. Their foot-soldiers formed
an outer ring like a wall t o cover their cavalry, and they
their arbalists and bows with such slcill that no one
could get near, or single out their horsemen. Meanwhile,
the l\loslems never ceased beating their drums, sounding
their trumpets, and proclaiming with a loud voice the unity
and power of God. T h e Sultan continually reinforced the
detachments of marlcsmerl from the reserves and the troops
he had ivith him, so that a t last he was left with but very
few. T h e enemy continued t o advance until past mid-day,
when they reached the head of D'afil; bridge.l Their troops
were then parched with thirst, worn out with fatigue, and
riddled with wounds, and, moreover, they had suffered
terribly frqm the heat. T h e Moslems exhibited the greatest
valour this day, and the soldiers of t h e hnlkn (the guard!
particularly distinguished thcmsclves. This body had had
a great many men ~ v o u n d e d ;amongst the number was
'Aiiz-t-Ta~vil (the long man), who had displayed the
greatest bravery in the fight; Seif ed-Din Yazk6j had
receivcd sevcral ~vounds; there mere a great number of
wounded among the memliiks and in the hnlhn. Our men
continued t o press the enemy closely until past mid-day,
when they reached D'a:ik bridge and crossed it, cutting it
down as soon as t h r y had gonc over, t o prevent the i\loslems
following them. T h c S ~ l t a nwithdrew once more t o the
hill (te& of el-Kharriiba, which was guarded by a detach-
, ment of troops, and reports were c o n ~ t a n t l ybrought in t o
hiln of the nlovements of thr enemy. During the night
This bridge, S. o i /I',z?ifi, crossed the E. afduent of the Belus (now
$
; ~ n i l e sS.E. of Acre.
W a d i Hcrlz~in),
' Some editions have hi',l,iE7-I~t-T<rvfi/.
I 5-2
 228 TVHAT BEIFELL SL-L7.i.Y I-CSGF.
~ .~ . -.-p-
he decided t o attack thc remainder of the enemy. H e
therefore wrote to the people in the city informing thcm of
his plan, and commanding them to ~nalcea sortie o n their
side as soon as he should begin the attack. A s he received
no reply t o his Icttcr, h e abandoned the idea. 011 Thurxlay
morning, the rqth, as soon as the Suitan heard that the
enemy were preparing t o move, he mounted his horse, and
drew up his battalions in their appointed order, cornrnand-
ing that no one should commence fighting until the signal
was given. He feared an unexpected attack fi-orn thc
enemy's troops, who had advanced close t o his camp. He
posted his battalions on the east bank of the river that
the!; might be in readiness to advance on the enem)., id
pursue them to their camp. Amongst the leaders of the
Franks on this expedition rvere Count IIenry and the
marquis. T h e son of the king of the Germans had remained
in the camp with a strong body of troops. A s soon as the
enemy reached their camp, the battalions which had been
left behind, and were fresh and eager for the fight, sallied
out, and attacked the Moslem advanced guard. I n the
combat that ensued the enemy suffered heavily in killed
and wounded. T h e hloslems lost five men, and the Franks
lost a man of high rank amongst thctn. H e rode a great
charger, covered with a hammer-clot11 of chain-mail that
reached down to its hoofs, and h e was apparelled in most
extraordinary lasliion. When the fight (literal&, the war)
was finished, his countrymen sent t o ask his body a t the
Sultan's hands. T h e body was given t o them ; but the
head, which they mere 'nxious t o have as well, could not
be found. T h e Sultan returned to his camp, and ordered
the baggage forward from the place t o which it had been
sent. Both sides took u p their respective positions once
more. 'Irnad ed-Din also returned, having got rid of his
fever. T h e Sultan was still very ill, and his recovery was
I17NAT 1:I:'l'liLL S L-LTA .\- YCSGI-'. 220
- -~
-- - ~-A.--- -p - p p - p -
~ ~~-..-p
~
hindered by his vexation at the escape of the Franks who
had made the sortie. He had not been able t o take an
active part in the encnunters, and all the while I myse!f
witnessed the tears of vexation he shed. I was present,
too, when he sent out his sons, one after another, t o take
part in the battle, and engage in the fight. I mas thele
when someone said in his presence t h a t the air of the plain
of ilcre had been made unhealthy by the great number uf
dead left by either side on the field. \\'hen he heard thcse
words, he quoted the following versc, applying it t o himself,
[ K i l l me and M i l e k ; ltill hIilek with me.'' By this he
meant that he would be content to die, provided the enemies
<)I God perished with him. This reply created a deep
impression throughout the LIoslem army.
F l G [ I T .IT T H E AMBUSH.
O N the ~ 2 n dof the ~ n o n t i lof Sha~vtilthe Sultan, being
minded to lay an ambush for the encmy, chose from his
army a number of well-armed, brave, and resolute soldiers,
who were all good horsemen. H e ordered them t o repair
by night to the foot of a tell t h a t iies t o the north of
I n the battle of the Camel, which took place in the year 36 of the
Hejra, between the followers of Khalif 'Ali and those of 'Aisha,
~ u h a m m s ' s widow, Mhlek el-hshter, one of 'hli's most devoted
friends, attacked 'Xbd Allah Ibn er-Zobeir, and wounded him in the
, head. T h e wounded man clutched a t his adversary, and fell to the
ground with him. They struggled together for some time, and Ibn
er-Zobeir called out to his soldiers, in the words of an old poet, to kill
Milek at any cost, even if they had to kill him at the same time.
T h e cornbatsnts were separated by thcir respective friends. - l b n
el-Athir's ' Iiamel,' vol. iii., p. zo6.

Acre, not far from the enemy's camp, and there t o conceal
themselves. This was the position E l 1,Ielelr el-'xidel had
held in the fight that bears his name. A few of their
number were instructcd to shbw themselves t o the enemy
and to advance in the direction of their camp ; then, as
soon a s they had drawn them out, they were t o take t o
flight and rejoin their comrades. During the night these
men repaired to the LeZL and hid themselves. On the
following day, which was Saturday, the zgrd of the same
month (November 23), as soon as the sun had riser,, a few
of their number, mounted on good horses, madc their way
towards the camp, discharging arrows a t the Franks. T h e
enemy, provol~edby this unceasing shower of darts, came
out t o avenge themselves to the number of two hundred
knights, armed a t all points, mounted on horses splendidly
caparisoned. There was not a single foot-soldier among
them. T h e y advanced towards their assailants, expecting
to make short work of such a small company. When our
men saw them advancing they began t o retreat towards
the ambush, fighting as they went. As soon as the Franks
had reached the spot, the soldiers who mere in ambush
raised a mighty shout and rushed upon them, like lions
springing on their prey. T h e Franks a t first stood firm
and fought bravely, then they turned their backs and
began to retreat; but the Moslerns, having them in their
power, attaclted them so furiously that they stretched
several of them dead upon the ground, took a great
number of prisoners, and obtained possession of their
horses and arms. When the news of this success reached
the Moslem army, cries of the ta/zkfZ and the ~ i k b Z(Thelz.
*~
is but oibe God! God is nL?izzihty !) rose on every side.
?'he Sultan mounted and went to meet the brave men
who had fought for the faith. I was on duty a t that time
and went with him. W e went as far a s the hill (tell) of
IVHAT U E P b L L SCL,TA.V Y 17SLF 331
-
Kisin,l where wc met the foremost of the band, and the
Sultan halted there t o await the others Everyone con-
gratulated these brave warriors, and thanked them for
their ~uccessful enterprise. T h e Sultan revlewed the
prisoner-, and axertained their rank and posit~on.
Amongst them was the leader of the body of troops
that the French king had sent out t o the assistance of
the besiegers; the king's treasurer was also among the
prisoners. T h e Sultan returned t o the camp filled with
joy, and ordered the prisoners t o be blought before him.
H e also commanded t h e herald t o proclaim that all t h o ~ e
who had taken captives should bring them in person
before him. Hc received all who had high rank amongst
their countrynlen, and who were held in good esteem by
them, w i t h g v e r y mark of respect, a n d clad them in robes
of honour. H e gave a furred robe of the first class t o the
leader o f the Icing of France's troops; and on all the
others, without exception, he bestowed a Jerkh fur, for
they were suffcring greatly from the cold, xvhich was a t that
time very severe. H e oriiered a banquet to b e spread
bciorc them, of which they all partook, and commanded
a tent t o be pitchcd for them close t o hi5 own. I-le
, constantly showed them marks of great lrindness, and
sometimes invited their leader t o his table. Bp his orders
they were supplied with horses t o carry them to Damascus,
and they were treated with the greatest respect. They
received $ermission to write t o their friends, and t o send
t o the (besiegers') camp for their clothes and any other
things they might need. They availed themselves of thi-,
privilege, and departed for Damascus.
I Z I I Ki.rdiilz is I.$ miles E. of D'ailk, and jb miles S.E. of Acre.
 7-"
-2- IT'H4T I3ETLLL S V L Z A S I C S C F
-
.p pp
C H A P T E R XC.
THE RETURN O F T I I E ARMY AFTER T H E HOLY \VAT<
IX'INTERhad now come on, and thc sca was tossed by
storms ; it was therefore certain that the enemy would not
engage in a pitched battle ; \re knew also that thc heavy
rains would prevent their malting a n y progress in the
siege of the city. Therefore the Sultan permitted his
troops t o return t o their respective countries, to rest
and give their horses time t o recover before the season
arrived to recommFice fighting. T h e first of the chiefs
t o depart was 'Im2d ed-Dtn Zenghi, Lord of SinjSr, \\,it11
whose impatience t o obtain leave n.e have already
acquainted the reader. H e set out on the I 5th of :he
month of Shawil (November I;, I 190). H e was follo~vcd
on the same day b y his nephew Sinjjr Shah, Lord of
Jezirat I b n 'Omar. They had both received from the
Sultan more marks of favour, such as robes of honour,
rich presents, and curiosities, than that prince had ever
bestowed on any other chief. 'AI2 ed-Din, son of the
Lord of I\losul, set out on the 1st of the month of
Zu el-K'ada (November 3s) laden with honours, precious
gifts, and rare and curious things. El-Melek el-Mozaffer
Taki ed-Din and el-Melek ez-Ziher postpolled their de-
parture until the following year, 587 of the Hejira
I D . ) ; the latter set out on the 9th of Mol~arrem
(February 6), and el-Melek el-Mozaffer started from the
camp on the 3rd of Safer (March 2 ) . There then remained
with the Sultan but a very few e n ~ i r sand his especial I c r z Z h
(guard). I n the month of Zu el-K'ada, the previous ycar,
the Sultan had received a visit from Zulf Endaz.l H e
Some copies read %u@idfzi:
I'VIIJIT BE+-ELL S U L T A S 1'CSC'F. 2jj
--- - - -~ ~~p pp- --pp--.. ~
~~~. ~ - ~ -
treated him with great honour, and gave him entertainment
suitable t o his r a n k ; the d a y h e arrived be had a splendid
banquet sct before him, and converscd with him in the
most friendly fashion. T h e objcct of this man's visit was
to obtain a decree for his reinstatement in property he had
formerly held in thc provinces of Nisiba and K h a b t ~ r ,
and of which he had been mrongfnlly deprived. T h e Sultan
signed an order for their restoration, clad him with a robe
of honour, and treated him with every mark of good-will.
Zulf Endaz left us filled with joy and full of gratitude for
the Sultan's goodness.
CHAPTER XCI.
T H E SULTAY KELIETTE5 T H E GAKICISON OF T H E CITT
THE sea had nour become very tempestuous, and the be-
siegers, being thereby prevented from employing their ships
against thc city, beached all that were left of their galleys.
T h e Sultan then devoted his attention t o introducing a
fresh garrison into Acre, and stocliing the city with pro-
visions and supplies, with money and stores of war. H e
also took measures for the relief of the officers, who were
worn out bf their long imprisonment in the city, and
made loud complaints of their sufferings and fatigue, for
they had been obliged t o watch night after night, and had
fought night and day without cessation. I-Ie appointed
Emir Seif ed-Din 'Ali el-Meshyitb head of the new
garrison; and that officer entered the city on the 16th of
Moharrem in the year j87 (February 1 3 , 1191) O n the
same day the retiring commandant, Emir Hosslim ed-Din
Abu el-IIeija, with his comrades a n d all the other officers,
left the castle, as Seif ed-Din was entering the city a t the

head of a large body of officers and men. 13y the Salta11'~
orders every man who went into the city had to take with
hima year's provisions. El-Melek e ~ - ' ~ q drepaired
el to Haifal
with his troops; this place is on the seashore, and hc sent
ships thence t o Acre laden with supplies. H e remained
there to cnlist voluntcers for the garrison at i\crc, and to
guard the victuals and supplies destined for that place
from a n y attack by the enemy. Seven ships laden with
corn, provisions and money, which had been fitted out a
long time since in Egypt b y the Sultan's orders, had gone
to Acrc on the 2nd of the month of Zu el-Hijja in the
previous year (December 31). O n e of these ships had
struck on a rock close t o the harbour, and the whole of
the garrison had gone down to the seashore to endeavour
t o save her cargo. T h e enemy took advantage of this
opportunity t o make a sharp assault on the city from the
laud side. They came close up t o the u,alls, and begat1
scaling them with a singlc ladder. T h e people of the city
ran u p a t once and killed a number of their men, forcing
them to give up their enterprise and retrcat. T h e ships
we have just mentioned were so tossed by the wind a l ~ d
waves that they struclr one upon another, and were all
lost, with the cargoes they had brought, and, it is said, not
less than sixty men. These ships contained a great
quantity of corn that would have been sufficient to pro-
vision the city for a whole year. This disaster was a great
blow t o the spirits of the hloslems, and a bitter vexation
t o the Sultan. This was the first omen of the coming fall
of the city. O n the night preceding Sunday, the 7th of
Zu el-Hijja (January 5, 1191) a large part of the wall of
the city fell on the outmorks and destroyed them also for
some distance ; this was the second omen of the fall of the
On the south of the bay of *Ycre, 9 miles from that city
W H A T B E F E L L SGL?'.IY I'CSC'F. 235
- ~~
- ~ p-~-
~ -
city. Encouraged by this accident, the enemy poured
towards the breach in great multitudes ; but the garrison,
full of courage, resisted them most effectually, standing in
the breach like a living rampart. All the masons, artificers
and workmen in the city were collected together a t once,
and whilst they labourcd t o close the breach and rebuild
the wall, they were protected against the enemy by a body
of archers and mangonel-men. In the course of a few
nights the work was completed, and the wall was better
built than it had been in the first instance.
CHAPTER XCII.
SEVEKAI. smrs DEI,OSGINC. TO TIIE E X E ~ I Y.\m
C.1PTUI:ED.
*
A GREAT number of deserters had come over t o us, driven
by want of food to leave the Frank camp. These men
said t o the S u l t a r ~: ' If you will supply us with ships and
smaller craft, we will protect you against the enemy b y
sea, and we will share our booty in equal parts with the
Moslems.' Tlie Sultan gave them a bark (bnlbds) a small
kind of vgsel, in which they embarked ; they then fell in
with some merchantmen, whose cargoes consisted chiefly
of ingots of silver and silversmiths' work for the enemy's
camp. T h e y boarded these ships and succeedcd in
capturing them after a sharp fight. O n the 13th of
Zu el-Hijja (January I I , I 191) of the aforesaid year, they
, brought the rich booty and the prisoners they had taken
t o the Sultan. I was present when they were admitted,
and remarked amongst the articles they had brought a
table of silver, on which was (a casket inlaid with ?) the
same metal. T h e Sultan left them the whole, reserving
? 36 W H A T BEE'ELI 5 ~ 1 , r A S1 G S D T
-
nothing for himself. T h e Moslems rejoiced t o see hour
God had inflicted a defeat on the enemy by means of thelr
o\vn men.
CHAPTER XCIII.
L)F.ITII OF THE SOY O F TIIE ICING OE THE LER\IAL\
TIIE winter season, which was attended with incessant
rain and frequent changes of temperature, made thc plain
exceedingly unhealthy and caused heavy mortality amongst
the Franks. I n addition t o this, scarcity of food grew
greater every day, and the sea, on which they depended
for supplics of provisions from all parts, \iras now im-
passable. Every day from one to two hundred peoplc
died in the c a m p ; the number of deaths was ex-en
greater if some reports speak truc. T h e son of the king
of the Germans fell grievously sick, and this, combined
with an internal complaint from which h e ~ v a ssuifering,
carried him off. H e died on the ~ 2 n dof Zu el-Hijja, 586
(January 20, I 191). T h e Franks mourned greatly for
him, and lighted for themselves great fires in all directions,
t o the number of two or three in each tent. This gave thc
whole c a m p the appearance of being on fire. T h e joy
displayed b y the Moslen~s,when they heard of the prince's
death, was as great as the grief evinced by the Franks.
T h e enemy also lost another of their leaders, named Count
BL1iat.l Count Hcnry also fell sick, and a t one timc lay
a t death's door. O n the 24th of the same month W C
captured two of their barks, whose crews numbered more
Schultens considers BuZriif to stand for 'Thibault.' The Oxford
MS. reads IIo,iidi. I t is perhaps possible that Iii~?zd6o/zirt1n:Ly
stand for ' Canterbury ': for Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury, fought
as a soldier at Acre, and died about this time in the camp.
Cl.IfdY. IJEI;h.LL SCL7'.1S Y L S C I ' . '37
/--
than fifty men, and on the 25th we took a large bark,
which, atnongst other things, contained a surcoat (or robe)
with pearl embroidery, belonging t o the wardrobe
of the king (of the Germans ?). I heard that his nephew,
his sister's son, was on board this bark, and was talten
prisoner.
THEnalnc of the Asad ed-Din, who is the subject of this
chapter, was S h i r l i i ~ h hc
; was son of NA.;r ed-Uir~Mullam-
mad, and g r a n d o n of Asad ed-Din Shirliiih senior. H e
held the principality of Emesa. T h e Suitan had given
him instructionet0 keep strict watch over the Franks in
Tripoli, and t o provide for the safety of the 3loslerns who
dwelt in that part of the country. H e receivcd information
that the people of Tripoli had sent all their droves (horses,
oxen, and baggage-animals) t o grass in the plain close t o
the city ; he therefore laid his plans, and set out with his
troops t o carry t h y animals off. H e left the city quite
unknown to the enemy, fell on their droves, and took four
hundred horses and one hundred oxen. About forty of
these horses died, but the remainder were brought back
in good condition. H e returned home without having lost
a single man. T h c Sultan received his letter announcing
his success on the 4th of Safer, 587 (March 3, I 191). T h e
previous night one of the enemy's ships had been driven
ashore by the wind, and our people, seeing its plight, =lent
down and took prisoners the whole of the crew, which
was a large one.

C H A P T E R XCV.
ON the night preceding the first day of the m o n t l ~Rabi'a I.
(March 29),the Moslems in Acre made a sortie, killed a
great number of the besiegers, and carried off about a
dozen wornen from their camp. O n the 3rd of the samc
month, the advanced guard, which was that day coinposed
of troops frorn the Sultan's halll-a, was furiously attacked
by a strong body of the enemy. T h e besiegers haci several
men killed, one of whom was said to be of high rank.
T h c AIoslerns lost only one man, named T<arril~3sh,a ser-
vant in the Sultan's scrvice, who had distinguished himself
by his valour 011 Inore than one occasion. T h e Sultan was
informed that a detachment of the enemy's arrny frecluently
took advaniagc of our distance from their camp t o lcave
their quarters and dispcrse over the piain; on the 9th of
the month, therefore, he lli~nself solccted a considerable
number of men from the ranks of the hloslc~narmy, whorn
he put under thc command of his brother, el-Llelek el-'Adcl,
with instructions to take ;:p his in ambush behind
a teZZ,close to thc scetie of the action that bears that prince's
name. T h e Sultan concealed himself also bchind Tell e!-
'AiAcliya, taking with Eirn several of the princes of his
family-to n7it, el-Melck el-Mozaffer Talsi ec!-Din, N9:r
ed-Din Rluhamnlad ( T a l ~ cd-DFn's
i son), el-J'Ielek el-Afdal
(the Sultan's sonj, and the young princes (his) sons-to
wit, el-1Zelek el-Ashref Muhammad, el-Meleli el-5,lo'azzern
Ttirin-Shah, and el-AIelck es-S8leh Ism'ail. Arnonxst the
men of the turban (doctors of law) that accompanicd llir11
were el-K6c!i el-Fhclel and the oficers of the Chancery; I
myself was of the party. L\ few of ollr ~varriors,mounted
I I H A T BEFELL S C L T A S YGSCF. 3j9
-- ~ - p -
~ p
pp~
- - -
on good
- horses, advanced tou;ards the enemy a n d dis-
charged a flight of arrows a t them, so as to cnticc them
out into the plain ; but they would not leave their camp,
having probably received information from some traitor of
the real object of this mancruvre. Nevertheless, this d a y
did not pass without furnishing us with S O I I I ~ cause for
rejoicing; for forty-five Franks, nrho had been taken pri-
soner a t BeirGt, were brought in to t h e Sultan. O n this
occasion I witnessed thc great tenderness of his heart,
beyond anything ever seen. Amongst the prisoncrs was a
very aged man who liad lost all his teetll, and who could
hardly move a t ali. T h e Sultan asked him through his
interpreter why, being so old, he liad come t o this country,
&
and horv far off his home lay. H e replied : ' My home is
several months' journcy away ; I only came to this country
t o make a pilgrir~iagct o the Church of thc Resurrection'
(el-Korn6111a). T h e Sul:an was so touclied by this answer
that he rcstored the old man to liberty, and supplied him
with a horse to carry hirn t o the enemy's camp. T h e
Sultan's )ou@er sons asked his permission to kill these
prisoners, which he forbade them to do. :Is they had
made their rcquest through me, I begged him t o tell me
the reason of his refusal, arid hc replied : ' T h e y shall not
become accustomed in their youth t o the shedding of
blood and laugh at it, for they as yet lcnolr no diiference
between a hIoslrm and an infidel.' Observe the prince's
humanity, his wisdom and moderation ! El-IIelek el 'Adel,
having gi\-en up all hop? of enticing the enemy out into the
plain, returned to the camp that same evening.
240 11'HdT BEFELL S C L T A S YLT.SC;F.
-- - -
CHAPTEK XCVI.
.iI<l?IT:.\T O F lIOS1,EhI TROOPS h N D OF TIIE ICING 01'
ITRAXCE.
THE sea now became navigable once more, the wcather
cleared, and the time drew near for the arrival of reinforce-
ments t o both armies, to enable them t o carry on the war.
T h e first to join us was '.%lem ed-Din Suleiman Ibn Jender,
an emir in el-Melek ez-Zaher's service. H e was a n old
man, and enjoyed a wicic-spread famc, having made his
marli b y t h e wisdom of his cour~selsand the bravery hc
had displayed on many a field. T h e Sultan thought very
highly of this chief, who was one of his old companio~lsin
arms. T h e next t o arrive was Mejed ed-Din, son of 'Izz
ed-Din FerrCikh Shah, and Lord of Walbek. Other bodies
of Moslcm troops camc in one after another from different
parts of the country. T h e enemy, on their side, took every
opportunity of informing our advanced guard and the
people who visited their camp that' they were expecting
the King of Francc t o arrive very shortly. This monarch
held very high rank amongst the Christians ;. h c com-
manded the respect of their most powerful princes ; all the
besiegers' forces would have to put themsclvcs under his
orders as soon as he arrived, and his authority would be
universally acknowledged. This king arrived a t last with
six ships laden with provisions and as many horses as he
had considered it necessary t o bring. H e was accompanied
by his principal officers. His arrival took place on Satur-
day, the 23rd of Kabi'a I., of the above year (April 2 0 ,
A.D. 1191).
117HAT BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 211
- --- - p p-. -- -
CHAPTER X C V I I .
A STRAXGE OCCURRENCE OF GOOD OMEN.
THE king had brought with him a large white falcon
(lit.,kite), of enormous size and a rare species; I had never
seen one so beautiful. T h e king set great store by the
bird, and was very fond of it. This falcon one day escaped
from his hand and took flight, and instead of returning a t
his master's repeated calls, flew off, and perched on the
wall of Acre. Our people took it and sent it t o the
e .
Sultan. T h e fllght of the bird t o the Moslems gave rise t o
great rejoicing, and its capture seemed t o them t o augur
well. T h e Franlis offered a thousand din5rs as the price
of its ransom, but we did not even send them an answer.
After this arrived Count (Philip) of Flanders, a prince of
high rank among them, and of great renown. I t was he
. who laid siegd to H a m a h and H i r i m the year ( w e were
defeated) at Ramla. On the 12th of Rabi'a II., we were
informed by letter from Antioch t h a t a body of deserters
from the Franks, who had been put in possession of several
barks, with the view of despoiling the Christians by sea,
' had landed in the island of Cyprus on a certain feast-day.
A great number of the inhabitants were in the church,
which was closc to the sea-shore. T h e pirates took part in
their service, and then threw themselves upon the congre-
gation, taking then1 all prisoners-the women a s well a s
the men-and dragging the priest also along with them.
They put them on board their boats and carried them t o
Laodicea. They had taken great store of treasure and
twenty-seven women. T h e y say that each of the men
engaged in the adventure received four thousand pieces of
silver, current money, as his share of the plunder. A
I6
 I17H.iT B E F E L L SCLTAA' YYCSUF. 343
~p

short time after this, on t h e 17th of the month Rabi'a I I , , the king of England's fleet, laden with men and women,
Bedr ed-Din, shihna (or governor) of Damascus, came into provisions and wood, machines of war and other things,
the camp. Our men fell upon the flock of sheep belonging besides about forty horses. This was a great pisce of good
t o the enemy, and carried off twenty of them ; their horse fortune for the kIoslems, and the cause of much rcjoicing.
and foot came out after them, but did not recover any of On the 4th of Jomada I. the enemy attacked the city and
their property. put seven mangonels in position. Letters came in from
Acre beseeching us in the most urgent manner t o send
them help, and begging u s to so occupy the enemy that
CHAPTER X C V I I I .
they should be forced t o discontinue the assault. T h e
ACCOUNT OF THE KING OF ENGLAND. Sultan therefore informed his troops that he had decided
THE king of England was very powerful, very brave, and t o advance closer t o the encmy, and t o invcst their camp
more cog~pletely. T h e following day, in pursuance of this
full of resolution. H e had distinguished himself in many
a battle, a n d displayed the greatest boldness in all his determination, he drew up his troops in their appointed
order and sent out spies to ascertain the enemy's exact
campaigns. As regards hi: kingdom and rank, he Tva,
position, and t o see if they had posted men in hiding in
iuferior t o the king of France, but he outstripped him in
their trenches. They returned with the information that
xbealth, in valour, and in fame as a soldier. I t was reported
the trenches mcre quite empty. Upon this he set, out with
of him that on his arrival in Cyprus h e made up his mind
not t o proceed any further until he had taken the island a few of his friends and memlfiks in the direction of the
enemy's t r g c h e s , and climbed a hill called Tell el-Fodfi1,l
and reduced it t o submission. H e therefore disembarked
that lay close t o their camp, and from the t o p of which h e
and commenced hostilities, whilst the prince of the island
could see all that was going on there. I l e could plainly
collected a great number of people together to oppose the
distinguish which mangonels were a t work and which were
invader, a n d made a desperate defence of his dominions?
lying idle. I I e then returned t o our camp. I had at-
T h e king of England then asked help from the FraAks a t
tended him (on this ride). T h e next morning some thieves
Acre, and King Geoffrey (sic)2sent him his brother a t the
brought him a child, three months old, that they had stolen
head of a hundred and sixty knights. Meanwhile, the
from its mother.
Franks remained under the walls of Acre, awaiting the
result of the war between the two parties. On the last day '. One of the hillocks in the plain E. of Acre.
of the month Rabi'a 11. we received a letter from Beirilt
informing us of the capture of five transports belonging to
King Richard I. defeated Isaac Comnenos (who called himself
Emperor of Cyprus, and who was a nephew of Theodore, wife of
Ualdwin 111.) on May 6, 1191.
" De Vinsauf says that King Guy himself came to assist in the
conquest of Cyprus.
244 W H A T B E F E L L SC'L713N YUSC'F.
C H A P T E R XCIX.
ACCOUNT OF T H E CHILD.'
THEhloslems kept a number of thieves whose business it
was to carry off people from the enemy's camp. On one
of their nightly expeditions they seized a little nursling of
three months, and brought it to the Sultan's tent, the rule
being that they should bring all they had taken to the
prince, who gave it back at once into their hands. When
the child's mother found that her child had disappeared,
she spent the whole night in weeping and lamentations,
and in seeking assistance. When the princes of the Franks
heard what had happened, they said to the woman : ' T h c
Sultan is very compassionate ; we will give you permission
to leave the camp and repair to him, to ask for your
child ; he is certain t o give it back t o you.' She there-
upon left the camp and went up to the (JIoslem) ad-
vanced guard, to whom she told her story. They brought
her t o the Sultan, who was on horseback and attended by
his suite, of whom I was one. She threw herself on her
face upon the ground and began weeping and lamenting.
When the Sultan heard the cause of her grief he was
affected even to tears, and commanded the child to be
brought. When he was told that it had been sold in the
market, he commanded that the purchaser should be re-
imbursed the price he had paid, and the child taken away
from him. H e remained where he was until the child w ~ s
brought, and then gave it back to the poor mother, 1'110
pressed it t o her breast whilst the tears ran down her
checks. I t was such an affecting sight that all who wit-
Orir author has already given us this account on p. I r .
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 245
-
-.
p-
-. ~ - - . ~
nessed it were moved t o tears. Then, by the Sultan's
command, she and her child were put on a mare and taken
back to the enemy's camp. Here is another instatfce of the
tenderness he felt for the whole of the human race. Great
God, who madest him merciful, grant, him an ample share
of Thy mercy out of T h y greatness and loving-kindness!
Even his enemies bore witness to his kindness and tender-
ness of heart, as the following verse testifies :
' For goodness even rivals prize,
C And who the just man's right denies ?'
ZAher ed-Din Ibn el-Bolenkeri, one of the chief emirs of
Mosul, came to the camp this same day. H e had left the
service of the princes of that city and wished to enter the
Sultan's army. Very soon after SalAh ed-Din's return to
the camp he heard that the enemy had renewed their
assault on Acre. H e therefore set out on horseback for
the city, b%t found that the fight was over before he came
up, for night intervening had separated the combatants.
C H A P T E R C.
ON the morning of Tuesday, the 9th of the month
Jomada I. (June 4), the Sultan heard that the Franks had
set up their mangonels and were pressing the city very
hard ; he therefore commanded the herald (Jtiwish) t o call
(to arms). H e then mounted his horse, and advanced
towards el-Kharrfiba at the head of his infantry and
cavalry, the latter having lost as little time as he in getting
into their saddles. Then he reinforced the advanced guard
by a detachment of troops that he sent forward. A s the
246 1C'HAI B E F E L L SULTA-\' E'USCF.
----- -- - -- --- - -
besiegers would not come out of their camp, but continued
their assault on the city, he rushed on their camp, which
was thus completely hemmed in, and fought a hand to
hand combat. T h e attack was continued till past mid-day,
when the enemy, abandoning their hope of carrying the
city, suspended operations in that direction and returned
to their camp. T h e Sultan sought shelter from the sun in
a small tent that was pitched for him close at hand, and,
after saying the mid-day prayer, he rested there for the
space of an hour. H e had previously sent reir~forcements
t o the advanced guard, and ordered his troops back to the
camp to get a little rest. I was then on duty Whilst we
mere recovering from our fatigue, a messenger came in
from thc advanced guard t o report that as soon as the enemy
saw that the Sultan had withdrawn, they had recommenced
their assault of the city even more furiously than before.
T h e Sultan dispatched an order recalling his troops,
bidding them advance, regiment by regiment, to the
quarter on which the enemy had collected their forces,
and remain there under arms for the night. H e remained
on the spot himself to share their toils. Towards the end
of the day, which was Tuesday, I took my departure from
his tent and returned to the camp, my turn of duty being
over. T h e Sultan spent the night with his troops, who re-
mained drawn up in order of battle. During thc night one
detachment was posted close to the enemy's trenches, to
keep them from leaving their camp. On the follow~ng
morning, which was Wednesday, the 10th of the monih
(June S), the Sultan removed t o a position facing the
enemy, on Tell el-'Ayldtya, and took up his quarters in
a little tent that had been pitched as a shelter for him.
Throughout the day he maintained a steady and un-
Interrupted attack on the besiegers, so as to keep t h e ~ r
hands full, and prevent their acting against the city, and
CVHAT B E F E L L S U L T A S Y U S C F . 247
- - p - p -
he went incessantly from rank to rank, urging them t o
fight bravely in God's cause, and assuring them of ultimate
success. When the enemy saw the fury of his,attack, they
grew apprehensive for the safety of their camp; and, to
prevent its being carried by assault, they suspended
hostilities against the city, and provided for the defence of
the trenches and tents. Upon this the Sultan returned to
the camp he had established on Tell el-'Ayldlya, leaving
dttachmepts behind to keep watch over the enem!'s
trenches, and report to him from hour to hour whatever
might happen.
CHAPTER CI.
T H E CIT\- I5 REDUCED TO THE DIREST STRAITS.
WE had a&ady been informed of the energy with which
the enemy carried on the assault and endeavoured to fill
up the ditches. They even threw the bodies of their dead
horses into the moat, and went so far as to cast their own
dead in. All these things came to our knowledge by
means of letters, which we constantly received from our
CO-religionistsin the city. These people had been divided
into four sections : the first used to go down into the moat
and cut to pieces the bodies of the animals that had been
thrown in, in order that they might thus be the more easily
carried away; the second division carried off the pieces
and cast them into the sea ; the third maintained a con-
stant discharge upon the enemy to protect the two first
sections and enable them t o perform their tasks ; the fourth
worked the mangonels and provided for the defence of the
walls. The garrison were so worn out with exertion and
fatigue that they sent incessant complaints t o the Sultan.
Indeed, they suffered more than any other body of troops
248 W H A T B E F E L L SGL7ALV Y G S C F .
-- -- --
has ever done, and no amount of courage was of any avail.
Nevertheless they bore up with considerable patience, and
God is with the jpntient. Meanwhile the Sulta.7 never
ceased attacking the enemy. H e fought them continually
night and day, either in person, or by means of his officers
and sons, with the view of distracting their attention and
preventing them from prosecuting the siege. But the
besiegers' mangonels were brought to bear on 'Ain el-
Bakar ;l stones from these engines fell on the city night
and day, and the damage sustained by the (great) tower"
was plainly visible. Whenever the enemy were making
preparations to renew their assault on the city, the Sultan
pressed right up to their trenches on the other side. A t
last one of the Franks came out of their camp and looked
about for someone to speak to. T h e Sultan was informed
of this, and made answer: 'Tell them, if they have any-
thing to ask, to send us one of their men ; we have nothing,
for our part, to ask a t their hands, and nothing whatever
t o d o with them.' The two sides were still engaged in
fighting when the king of England arrived.
C H A P T E R CII.
ARRIVAL OF THE KING OF ENGLAND.
THE king of England arrived in the Frank camp on
Saturday, the 13th of the month Jomada I. (June 8, 11911,
after having conquered the island of Cyprus, and having
succeeded against its lord. T h e news of his coming spread
great terror. H e brought five-and-twenty galleys with him,
'Ain eGIlnhay means 'the ox-pool.' I t was probably inside the
city.
The 'Cursed Tower' at the N.E. corner of the outer wall of Acre.
JVIIAT B E F E L L S G L T A N Y U S C F . 249
pp p -P - - - - -pp
filled with men, arms and stores. The Franks were filled
with so great a joy at his arrival that they lit huge and
terrible fires that night in their camp-a,sure sign of the
important support he had brought them. Their leaders had
oftentimes boasted to us that he ~vouldcome, and held his
arrival as a menace over our heads; and now, according
to the people who frequented their camp, they expected,
the very mo?nent he landed, to see him fulfil their dearest
wish of pushing forward with the siege of the city. This
prlnce, indeed, was justly distinguished for hls good judg-
ment and wide experience, for his extreme daring and
insatiable ambition. Therefore, when the Moslems heard
of his arrival, they were filled with terror and alarm. T h e
Sultan, nevertheless, received the news undisturbed, for he
countcd upon%od's favour and protection, and manifested
the purity of his motives in warring against the Franks.
C H A P T E R CIII.
A MOSLEM VESSEL SUNK-THIRD SIGN OF T H E
APPROACHING FALL OF THE CITY.
ON the 16th a great ship, bringing engines of war, arms,
provisions, and a large body of troops from Beiri'it, was
approaching the city. She had been equipped by the
Sultan's orders at Beirfit, and had sailed from that place
with a great number of soldiers on board, and instructions
to run the blockade and make the harbour of Acre. T h e
soldiers on board numbered six hundred and fifty. T h e
king of England fell in with this vesse1,l and sent his
According to Ile Vinsauf this ship was captured while the English
were on the way from Tyre to Acre, which would be hefore June 8.
The month is not named in this chapter.
250 TC'EIAT B E F E L L S C L T A A VC'SUE.
- - - -
galleys to attack her. They surrounded her, I have been
told, to the number of forty, and a desperate encounter
ensued. Providence ordained that the wind should fall.
The enemy lost a number of men in this fight. T h e crew
of our vessel were overmatched by the superior force of the
enemy, and seeing that there was no chance of anything
but defeat, the captain, Y'akfib, a native of Aleppo, and a
brave and experienced soldier, said, ' B y God ! we will die
with honour, nor shall they get anything from this ship !'
and he stove in the sides of his ship; everything on board
-men, engines of war, provisions, etc., all sank into the
waves, and nothing fell into the hands of the enemy. The
Moslems were overwhelmed by the news of this catas-
trophe, but the Sultan heard the tidings with perfect resig-
nation to God's will and with exemplary calm, and God
wastes no2 the hiye of those zoRo do well (KurAn ix. I z I ) .
CHAPTER CIV.
A HUGE MOVING TOWER IS SET ON FIRE.
THE enemy had built an enormous tower, four stories
high ; the first story was constructed of wood, the second
of lead, the third of iron, and the fourth of copper. It
stood higher than the wall of the city, and held men at
arms. They had brought this tower up to within about
five cubits of the ramparts, as far as we could judge from
our position; then the besieged began t o throw naphtha
on it, and continued to d o so without ceasing night and
day, until, by God's grace, the engine was set on fire.
This success compensated for the loss of the ship from
Beirfit, which occurred the same day.
J1711dT B E F E L L S L r L T A S YCSC'F. 251
,
C H A P T E R CV
VARIOUS OCCURRENCES.
1
O N Friday, the 19th of this month, the enemy made a
vigorous assault on the city, and attacked it a t close
quarters ; but the garrison had previously arranged with
the Sultan to beat a drum when the enemy attacked
them, and they now beat it, T h e Sultan's drum replied,
and the army got t o horse and rushed down on the camp,
attackin8the enemy in the rear. A number of Moslems
leapt into the trenches, rushed into the tents, and carried
off the cooking-pots and what was in them. Part of the
booty taken in the camp was brought to the Sultan and
laid before him in my presence. They feasted their
swords (with the blood of the infidels) until the enemy
became aware that their camp had been invaded. They
theu desisted from their attack on the city and faced
about to give battle to our army. A new battle began
in this quarter, which raged till noon, when both sides
returned to their respective camps, equally worn out by
fatigue and the heat. On Monday the ~ 3 r dthe drum
sounded the alarm once more from the city, and the
Sultan's answered it as before. In the combat that
ensued the enemy bent all their fury on the city, thinking
we should not dare to attack them in their camp ; but the
Moslem troops promptly undeceived them. They made
their way once more right into the tents and carried off
great spoil. The besiegers mere roused by the alarm-calls
and came back to oppose our men, great numbers of whom
they found within the trenches and walls of the camp. A
desperate encounter followed, in which tmo Moslems
 252 Li-IIAT B E F E L L S U L T A N YUSCF.
were killed and many wounded. A very remarkable thing
occurred this day. A n old man, a native of &Iazander$n,
and a person of some consequence, had arrived this very
morning t o take part in the Holy M'ar, and, finding that a
fight was going on, he obtained the Sultan's leave t o join
the men engaged ; he made a furious charge against the
enemy and fell a martyr a t once. When the Franks found
that the Mosleins had penetrated within their trenches and
walls, they were filled with fury, their cavalry sprang to
horse, and, accompanied by the foot-soldiers, rushed frum
their trenches and charged the Moslems like one man.
O u r troops stood firm, and did not stir from their position ;
then both sides engaged in a desperate fight. When the
enemy saw the calm bravery displayed by the BZoslems,
they took advantage of an interval t o obtain the Sultan's
permission to send him a n envoy. This messenger went
first t o el-Melek el- del, and got him and el-Melek
el-Afdel t o accompany him t o the prince. H e then
delivered his message, which was t o express the king
of England's desire for an interview with the Sultan.
T h e Sultan, without a moment's hesitation, made answer
in the following terms: ' I t is not customary for kings to
meet, unless they have previously laid the foundations of
a t r e a t y ; for after they have spoken together and given
one another the tokens of mutual confidence that are
natural in such circumstances, it is not seemly for them t o
make war upon one another. I t is therefore absolutely
essential that the preliminaries should be arranged first of
all, and that a trustworthy interpreter should act as our
intermediary t o explain t o each of us what the other says.
A s soon a s the preliminaries are settled, the interview,
please God, shall take place.' O n Saturday, the 28th of
the month, the enemy's cavalry and infantry sallied out of
the camp and attacked that division of our army which
was encamped on the shore to the north of the city. A s
soon as the Sultan was informed of this movement, h e
sprang into the saddle, his troops followed him, and a fight
ensued between the two armies. Bedaxvin and Kurds were
killed on our side, whilst the enemy suffered great loss.
O n e prisoner in full armour, on horseback, was brought
before the Sultan. T h e battle raged till night fell and
separated the combatants. O n Sunday, the zgth, a strong
party of the enemy's foot advanced along the bank of the
Nahr el-Halu, where they fell in with a detachment of our
advanced guard. A smart encounter ensued, in which the
enemy took a Moslem prisoner, put him t o death, and
burned his body. T h e Moslems on their side did the
same with a Frank prisoner. I myself saw the light of
the two pilcs that were burning a t t h e same time. W e
constantly received news from the people in the city ; they
besought us t o occupy the enemy's attention, and com-
plained of being obliged t o fight hoth night and day.
They told us they were utterly exhausted, being forced t o
be on the walls without a n y rest, t o oppose the attacks of
the enemy. which had been incessant since the arrival of
the king of England. After this that prince fell sick of
an illness of which h e nearly died ; the king of France
also was suffering from a wound, but this only increased
the arrogance and obstinacy of the besiegers.
T h e sister of the king of England had two servants
who were secretly Moslems, whom she had taken into her
service in Sicily; her husband had been king of that
island,' and on his death her brother, passing through
Sicily, took her with him and escorted her t o the army.
H e r two servants fled t o the Moslem army. T h e Sultari
Joan, sister of Richard I., married \Yillidm of Sicily in I 1 7 7 He
died in I 190. Sicily contained a large hIoslem population under its
Nornian Icings.
 254 W H A T BEFELL SCLT'IS Y C S L F .
- - -- -
- ----P
gave them a most kindly welcome, and loaded them with
rnarks of his favour.
C H A P T E R CVI.
T H E MARQUIS (CONRAD O F MONTFERRAT) TAKES F L I G H T
T O TYRE.
THEmarquis was afraid that if he remained (where he was)
he would be seized, and his city given to the ex-king, who
had been taken prisoner b y the Sultan, t o compensate
him for the captivity he had suffered whilst upholding
the Messiah's religion with his sword. Feeling sure that
this was the course things would take, he fled t o Tyre on
Monday, the 30th Jomada I. Priests were sent t o bring
him back, but he would not listen t o them, and set out
b y ship for t h a t city. His departure was a great loss to
the Franks, for he was distinguished for his good judgment,
experience, and valour.
C H A P T E R CVII.
ARRIVAL O F TI-IE LATEST CONTIKGENTS FOR T H E
MOSLEM ARMY.
ON the 30th of the month Jomada I. the contingent from
Sinjar reached the camp, under Mojihed ed-Dln Berenkash,
a religious and well-informed man, very zealous for the
mar. T h e Sultan went out t o meet him and d o him
honour ; h e received him in his own tent and loaded him
with tokens of esteem, after which he assigned him a posi-
tion in the left wing of the army. T h e arrival of this chief
gave him the greatest satisfaction. After this there came
in a strong detachment from the Egyptian army under
IVNAT B E F E L L . SC'LTA \ Y C S C F 2;s
-
A'lem ed-Din Korji Seif ed-Din Sonlior, the n'ew&d&r
(Secretary of State), and a number of others of high rank.
Then came 'A19 ed-Din, prince of hIosul, at the head of
the troops from that city. T h e Sultan bade him welcome
a t cl-Kharrtiba, and received him with the greatest honour.
This contingent remained a t that place until the fol!owing
morning, which was the 2nd of Jomada 11. ; their leader
then paraded his troops in front of the enemy, and thc
Sultan reviewed them. 'A13 ed-Din lodged first of all
in the Sultan's tent ; Sal3h ed-Din sent him the most
magnificent presents, and furnished him with most sump-
tuous appointmcnts suited t o the rank of so great a prince.
H e then gave him a position in the right wing of the
army. On the 3rd of the same month a second detach-
ment came in from Egypt. T h e Franks were at this time
so much concerned a t the increasing gravity of the king
of England's illness that they even discontinued for a
while their attacks on the city. This was a mercy decreed
by God, for the besieged garrison were in a most exhausted
condition and reduced to thcir last gasp, as the mangonels
had beaten down the walls to no higher than a man's
height. Meanwhile the Arab thieves (in the Sultan's pay)
used t o steal into the besiegers' camp and carry off their
goods. T h e y used even t o make prisoners without striking
a blow, and this was the method they used: they \vould
enter a rnan's tent whilst he was asleep, and having placed
a dagger a t his throat, would wake him up and make him
understand by signs that if he said a word they would dis-
patch him a t once ; then they would carry him out of the
camp and bring him t o our army. T h e prisoner did not
dare t o open his mouth. This they succeeded in doing on
several occasions. When the contingents from all parts
had come in, one by one, the Moslem army was brought
up to its full strength.
256 W H A T B E F E L L SULTAN Y U S L F .
- - P P - P P -

CHAPTER CVIII.
THE FRANKS SEND AN AhIBASSADOK TO TIIE SULTAN.

1 RELATED above that an ambassador had been sent by

the king of England t o solicit an interview with the Sultan,
and that the Sultan had excused himself. Some time
afterwards the same messenger arrived bringing the very
same message. H e first had an interview with el-hfelek
cl-'Adcl, and that prince communicated his message t o the
Sultan. I t was decided that the king should have per-
mission t o come out (of his camp), and that the meeting
should take place on the plain, surrounded by the armies,
and t h a t an interpreter should accornpany the two
sovereigns. T h e messenger returned with the answer, and
it was some days before he came t o the camp again, on
account of the illness from which (his master) was suffering.
After this a report spread about that the (Frank) princes
had presented themselves in a body (before the king), and
expressed strong disapproval of his proposed interview, on
the ground that it would imperil the Christian cause.
Nevertheless, very soon afterwards the same messenger
came (to us) once more, with the following message : ' D o
not believe the reports that have been spread as t o the
cause of m y enforced delay : I a m answerable to myself
alone for what I may d o : I am master of my own
actions, and no one has any authority over me. But,
during the last few days, I have been prevented from doing
anything a t all by sickness; that alone has caused the
delay. I t is the custom of kings, when they happen to be
near one another, t o send each other mutual presents and
gifts. Now I have in my possession a gift worthy of
 117HdI B E F E L L S U L T A N YCSCTF. 257
-
the Sultan's acceptance, and I ask permission to send it
t o him.' El-Melek el-'Bdel replied as follows: ' H e may
send this present provided h e will accept a gift of equal
value from us.' T h e messenger agreed t o this condi-
tion, and added : ' O u r present niight be of falcons from
beyond the sea, but just now they are weak, and it would
be a good thing if you could send us a few birds and fowls ;
we would give them t o our falcons, and they would revive,
so t h a t we could bring them t o you.' El-Melek el-'Bdel,
who knew full well what tone t o take with them, replied
jokingly: ' I suppose the king wants some fowls and
chickens for his own use, and this is the means h e adopts
to procure them.' T h e conversation went on for some
time, and a t last the messenger asked : ' W h a t d o you want
at our h a n d s ? H a v e you anything t o s a y ? Speak, so
that we may know what it is.' El-Melek made answer:
' I t was not we who made advances t o you : you came to
us ; if you have anything t o say, it is for you t o speak and
tell us your views ; we are prepared t o listen.' T h e inter-
view then came t o an end, and we had no further commu-
nications until the 6th of Jomada II., when the king of
England's ambassador came t o visit the Sultan, bringing
with him a Moglirabi Moslem, whom they had kept in cap-
tivity for a long time. T h e Sultan, t o whom this man was
given as a present, received him with the utmost kindness
and with many tokens of goodwill. T h e envoy received
a robe of honour and returned t o his master. T h e object of
these frequent visits from the ambassador was to ascertain
the state of our spirits, and t o learn whether we were
inclined t o resist or give w a y ; we, on our side, were
induced t o receive the enemy's messages by the very same
motive that prompted them.

~ H I - Z P T E RC I S .
THE HE5IE(>ERh MAliE A FURIOUS ATTACK ON THE CITX,
A N D l<EL)UCE IT TO T H E LAST EXTREBIITU.
1 . 1 ~enemy
~ conti~lued their assaults on the city, and
played on the walls incessantly with their mangonels, until
all the stonework and structure of the walls was r u i n d .
T h e people of the city were worn out by fatigue and long
watching, for there was but a handful of them, and it was
only with difficulty that they were able to bear u p against
the multitude of their adversaries and the continuous work.
Numbers of them passed several nights in succession rvith-
out closing their eyes, taking no rest night or day, whilst the
besiegers, who hemmed them in, wcrc in great force, and
could relieve each other in their attack on the city. T h e
garrison had been obliged t o divide their reduced nurn-
bers, so as t o provide for the protection of the walls
and ditches, t o work the mangonels, and t o furnish crews
for the ships and galleys. When the enemy were informed
of this melancholy state of affairs, a n d of the extent
t o which the fortifications had suifered, they began t o
assault the city on all sides; their battalions relieved each
other \\,ithout interruption, fresh rnen advancing t o the
fight whilst the others rested. On the 7th of the month
they renewed the attack with the gre,atest fury, bringing
all their forces, both infantry and cavalry, to bear on the
walls of the city. They took the precaution of manning
the walls that protected their trenches, and they kept
troops there night and day. A s soon as the Sultan knew
what was going forward (he was informed of the state of
things both b y the report of eye-witnesses and by the
111111 1' BIJb'ELL SC1.Td.l' YL.'SGJ-. z jg
-p--p. ~pp-~ ~~ - -~~ --p-..p
- ~ ~
rolling of the drum, the signal agreed upon brtween the
garrison and himself), hc mounted his horse, and, followed
by his army, rushed down upon the enemy. A desperate
encounter took place that d a y between the two armies ;
the Sultan, as restless as a mother wecping for her lost
child, darted hither and thither, and rode from battalion
t o battalion, urging on his men to fight for God. 1 have
been told that cl-Melek el-jiidel charged the enemy in
person twice that day. T h e Sultan, with his eyes full of
tears, went from battalion to battallon, crying : ' 01afor
isln^?n!' T h e more he gazed towards the city and saw t h e
ordeal the inhabitants mere passing through, and their
terrihle surrerings, the more often he charged with reriewed
vigour and encouraged his troops to fight. That d a y
he took absolutely nothing t o eat, and drank nothing
but a few cupfuls of a (certain) drink which his physician
advised him t o take. I was not present a t this battle,
being confined t o my tent a t el-'AEadfya by an attack
of sickness, but I watched all that was going on From
that place. When night fell the Sultan returned t o the
camp, after the last cvening prayer. H e was urorn out
with fatigue, and a prey t o melancholy and vexation. WC
slept, but his sleep was not quiet. iZt daybreak he
ordered the drum to beat. A t this summons the troops
came in from all sides and formed into squadrons, ready
to return t o the work of the previous day. T h a t same d a y
we received a letter from the city containing the following
statement: ' W e are so utterly reduced and exhausted
that we have no choice but to surrender the city. I f
to-morrow, the Sth, you d o not effect anything for our
rescze, WC shall offer to capitulate, and make no condition
but that WC receive our lives.' This was the most distressing
news the Moslems could receive. T h e blom struck them t o
the heart, for all the forces of the coast, of Jerusalem,
I 7-2
 260 [$'HAT BEI'ELI, SCLI,lAY I C S G I .
IVHAT B E F E L L S C L T A N Y C S U F . 261
---- p -- p
- ..p~
~ . ..--...---p ~ - p ~
- - p

Damascus, Aleppo, and Egypt, and the other Moslem

countries, had been collected together a t Acre. Moreover
the city was held by the most renowned emirs in the army,
the bravest champions of Islam, such as Seif ed-Din 'Rli
cl-Meshtfib and Beh2 ed-Din Karikiish, who had corn-
rnanded the citadel from the very commencement of the
siege. T h e Sultan, struck by a blow the like of ivhich he
had never before experienced, suffered so terribly that
fears were entertained for his health. Nevertheless, he
prayed t o God without ceasing, and besought His aid,
showing the most wonderful calmness and resignation,
coupled with a determination t o carry on the Holy War,
and God does not waste the hilee of those tuho ( i n we!L
(Kurdn ix. 121).
Thinking that it would be best t o storm the enemy's
camp and force his way in, he summoned all his troops
t o a r m s ; his warriors aprang t o the saddle; the cavalry
came together a s well a s the infantry; but this d a y our
plan did not succeed. I n truth the enemy's foot presented
a front like a solid wall ; behind the shelter of their ram-
parts they defended themselves with their arms, their
arbalists a n d arrows. Some (of our men) forced their
way across the trenches, but their opponents fought
fiercely, and they could not dislodge them from their posi-
tions. O n e of the Moslems, who had leapt the trenches,
reported that h e had seen a man, a Frank of enormous
stature, who, all alone on the top of the parapet, was
holding the Moslems a t bay by his own unaided strength ;
his comrades stood on either side and handed him stones,
which he hurled at our men a s they advanced to the scarp.
'
' This man,' said he, ' had been struck b y more than fifty
arrows and stones, but nothing distracted him from his
work. H e kept on fighting and driving back the men
who were coming on, until a t !ast he was burnt alive by
a bottle of naphtha, hurled a t him by one of our pyro-
technists.' One very intelligent old man, belonging t o the
mercenaries, was amongst those who forced their way into
the enemy's trenches that day. ' Hehind thcir rampart,'
he told me, ' was a woman, wrapped in a green 1-neZZhta
(a kind of mantle), who kept on shooting arrows from a
wooden bow, with which she wounded several of our men.
S h e was a t last overpowered by numbers ; we killed her.
and brought the bow she had been using to the Sultan,
who was greatly astonished.' T h e battle raged throughout
the day and was only terminated by the fall of night.
C H A P T E R CX.
T l I E CITY I 5 NIII)UCED TO T H E LAST ESTREhIITU, A S U T H E
GjlRRI5ON OPEN NELOTIATIOKS WIT11 THE FRAhliS.
THEdesperatc assault t o which the enemy had subjected
t h r city, and the enormous multitude of troops that attacked
it on every side with constant relief from their comrades,
had so undermined the strength of the garrison b y the
loss of horse and foot-soldiers, that the courage of the
besieged sank t o the lowest ebb. T h e y saw immediate
death before them : they felt that they could not make a
lengthened resistance now that the enemy had established
themselves in the ditches, and occupied the outer wall.
They had undermined it, and filled the hollow with com-
bustible~,t o which they had set fire, a n d thus destroyed
the curtain of the 0utwork.l T h e enemy had then forced
their way through the gap, but with a loss of more than a
hundred and fifty men in killed and prisoners. Amongst
Acre was defended by double walls on the E,
 202 II'H.4 T LIICFELI. SL'LTA S I-USCF.
-- .- - -- - - -p~-
- ~
the number were six officers, one of whom cried o u t : ' D o
not kill me, and I will make the Franks withdraw;' but a
Kurd, who was close by, rushed on him, and slew him.
T h e five others met the same fate. T h e following day the
Franlcs cried out (to our people) t o save the lives of the six
officers, promising in return t o spare the lives of all the
garrison; but they replied that it was too late. This
occasioned the besiegers great grief, and for three days
they made no further attack on the city. W e also heard
that Seif ed-Din el-Meshfitb went in person to see the
French king, the leader of the besiegers, t o offer t o capitu-
late, and that he addressed him as follou,s : ' W e have
taken cities frorn you, and even when we carried them bp
storm, we have been accustorr~ed to grant terms to the
vanquished, and we have had them taken t o the places in
which they wished to take refuge, treating them with all
kindness. We, then, will surrender the city t o you if you
will grant us terms.' T o which the king made answer:
' T h o s e you took were our servants and slaves; you
are likewise our slaves. I will see what I shall do.' \Ve
were informed that el-Meshtfib then took a haughty tone,
and made a long speech, saying, amongst other things :
' IVe will rather kill ourselves than surrender the city, and
not one of us shall die before fifty of your greatest have
fallen.' Then he withdrew, and returned t o the city with
the news he brought. Some of the besieged were so terrified
by the king's answer that they seized a vessel, and sailed
during the night of the 8th t o gth, and came out t o join
the Moslem army. T h e most important of these men were
Ibn el-Jawali, 'Izz ed-Din Arsel, and Sonlcor el-Washilsi.
T h e two latter, on their arrival in the camp, feared the
Sultan's wrath, and hid themselves so effectually that
they could not be found. However, they succeeded i n
taking Ibn el-Jawali, and h e was put into prison (Ze'el~eii-
II'H,1 T ICEFELL SiiLT.1S I'CSUF. 26;
- . -
-- -
- ~ p
khano)? On the followingday the Sultan mounted his horse,
intending t o take the enemy unawares, and commanded his
men t o take spades and other tools t o fill u p the trenches ;
but the troops did not support him-they disappointed his
expectations, and retreated. They cried out t o him : ' Y o u
will destroy all Islim, and there is no good in that !' T h a t
same day three envoys arrived from the king of England,
and asked the Sultan for some fruit and snow. T h e y
added that, on the following day, the chief of the Hospitallers
was coming t o discuss the feasibility of a peace. T h e
Sultan, instead of being angry, gave them a n honourable
reception, and allowed them t o walk about in the market-
place that had been established close t o the camp. They
departed the same evening, and returned t o their quarters.
T h e same day the Sultan commanded 5 i r e m e d - D i n
K i i m i z cn-h'ejmi t o charge the enemy's trenches a t the
head of his men. Several emirs of the Kurds, amongst
whom was el-Jenih, the brother of el-Meshtab, joilled
I(dirniz with the men under their command. A s soon as
they reached the walls before the trenches, KBimaz planted
his standard in the earth, and defended it for a great part
of the day. I n the thick of the fight, 'Izz ed-Din JurdEk
(en-Nari) came up with his troops; they all dismounted,
and took an active part in the engagement. O n Friday,
the 10th of the month Jomada 11. (July S), the enemy
remained quietly in their camp, and t h e Moslem army was
drawn up in a circle round them. O u r brave fellows spent
the night on horseback, and fully armed, hoping that their
comrades in Acre would second them by attacking some
part of the enemy's camp, and tha.t they might force their
I According to el-Makrizi, the man who was committed to the State
prison of Zercd-ikdnu, 'the storehouse of breastplates,' did not re-
main there long; he was soon either killed or set at liberty.-S. de
Sacyls Ch~c~fillli~ztjlic
AI-,z~E, 2nd edition. vol. ii., p. 179.
 264 1I7HilT B E F E L L S G L T A .\' Y C S C F .
way in from both sides, giving one another mutual support.
This was the plan they had formed, and were determined
t o carry out a t whatever cost ; but it was absolutely im-
possible for the besieged t o effect a sortie that night, for
one of their servants had deserted t o the enemy, and
bctrayed the garrison's design. T h e Franks therefore
maintained a strict watch over the city, and guarded, with
unrelaxed attention, against every movement of the garrison.
O n this same Friday, three envoys from the Frank camp
had an interview with el-Melek el-'_&del,but returned, after
an hour's talk, without having settled anything. T h e close
of day found the whole Moslem army drawn up on the
plain under a r m s ; in this manner they passed the night.
O n Saturday, the entire force of the Franks began t o
make ready for battle, and the great commotion going on
in every'part of their camp led us t o believe that they meant
t o take the field against us. Whilst the troops were getting
into line, about forty men were seen coming out of the
gate from which a flag was flying, and they called out t o a
party o f memlilks: ' S e n d out t o us el-'Bdel ez-ZebedAni,
the Sultan's freedman, and Governor of Sidon !' When
this man went u p to them, they entered into a discussion
on the subject of the evacuation of Acre by the garrison ;
but they were so exacting in their demands tha: the
Saturday passed without anything being cotlcluded.
CHAPTER CXI.
W E RECEIVE LETTERS FROM T l I E L I T \ .
O N Sunday, the 12th of the month, letters came, saying:
' W e have sworn t o die together; we will fight until we fall,
and will not yield the city while there is breath in our
iVHill' B E F E L L SCLTA.\' YCSUE'. 26 j
- - ~ ~ ~ -~
bodies. You, on your side, must d o all you can t o occupy
the enemy a n d prevent their attacking us. Since we are
resolved, be sure that you d o not humble yourselves before
the enemy, or show yoursclves fainthearted. Our minds are
made up.' T h e inan who swam out t o us.mith these letters
told us that the Franks attributed the great noisc they had
heard during the night t o the introductiotl of a strong
body of troops into Acre, and bclieved them t o be still
in the city. ' Therefore,' said the man, ' a Frank came
out below the wall and called t o one of the men on the
top, saying : " I beseech you, by the truth of your religion,
to tell me how many mcn were thrown into the city last
night," t h a t is t o say, on the night preceding the Saturday.
For there had been a great noise during the night, which
had roused both the armies without a n y apparent cause.
T h e man who was questioned replied that they \yere a
thousand horse-soldiers.' ' Nay,' answered the Frank, ' not
so many as that, I saw thetn myself; they n e l e clad in
green.'l T h e arrival o f the contingents (from the d~fferent
Rioslern districts) that had come in one after another
enabled us t o divert the enemy's attention from their
attack on the city-which was now on the point of falling
-for the space of several days. Breaches had been made
in many places in the walls, but the bcsieged had built a
wall behind them, from the top of which they maintained
a brave struggle. On Tuesday, the 14th of the month,
Sabek ed-Din, Prince of Sheizer, came into the camp, and
on Wednesday, the I jth, Bedr ed - Dfn Doldcrim also
arrived, a t the head of a large body of Turkomans, that
h e had hired with money furnished b y the Sultan. O n
Thursday, the 16th, Asad ed-DPn ShErkith arrived. T h e
Beha ed-Din quotes Frank evidence to show that the dead
Martyrs of Isl2m (whose colour is green) were fighting for the
garrison. The mysterious noise appears to have been an earthquake.
266 II'lIAT B E F E L L S C L T A S I'C'SCE..
~-
~
~ - ~
Franks remained immovable; they would neither make
peace nor accept the capitulation of the garrison, except
on the condition that all the prisoners in the hands of the
Moslems should be set a t liberty, and that all the cities nf
the districts on the coast should be given up t o them. X
proposal was made to surrender the city and all it con-
tained, with the exception of the inhabitants, but this they
rejected. T h e cross of the crucifixion was then offered t o
them, in addition to the former terms, but they persisted in
their demands, and sho~vcdthe greatest arrogance. T h u s
all the subtlety of our diplomacy was thrown away upon
them ; they used all their skill {in these negotiations) ; but
God also was shigzd, fur God is the best of the skiifub
(Kur2n iii. 47).
CHAPTER CXTI.
TREAT\- CONCLUDEL1 B\ THE BESIEGED, B\- TT'IIICH TIIETI:
LIVES ARE PRESERVED.
ON Friday, the 17th of Jomada IT., the man swam out
from the city m ~ t hletters. These informed us that the
garrison were reduced to the last extremity, and were too
weak t o defend the breach, which was now very large ;
they saw Death himself looming before them, and feared
that everyone would be put to the sword if the city were
carried by storm. They had therefore concluded a treaty
of peace, by which the city with all that it contained-its
engines of war, stores and ships-was t o be surrendered to
thc Franks, who were t o receive, in addition, t ~ v ohundred
thousand gold pieces (dinfirs), and five hundred prisoners
not of rank, together with one hundred of the principal
captives t o be named by the Franks ; the besieged had also
promised to give up the cross of the crucifixion. As soon
267
TiH.I?' 1:L;PELI. SCLT.4S Y C S L ' F .
-- ~
__ -~ p~
a s these conditions were accepted the X'loslems were t o
leave the city in safety, taking their money and personal
property with them, and their wives and children were t o
be allowed t o accompany them. 'The Franks had, more-
over, stipulated for the payment of four thousand gold-
pieces t o the marquis, because this treaty had been brought
about through his mediation.
CHAPTER CXIII.
THE ENEMY TAIiES POSSESSIOS OF ACRE
WII~X the Sultan had learnt the contents of the letters
from the city, he expressed the greatest displeasure. T h e
news made the profoundest impression upon him, and h e
summoned his councillors together, t o inform them of it,
and consult with them upon the course t o be adopted. T h e y
were divided in opinion, and h e did not adopt either of the
plans they suggested. Full of anxiety, he determined t o
send the man back t o the city that night, with a letter
declaring his formal disapproval of a treaty containing
such conditions. H e was still in this state (of anxiety),
when, all of a sudden, the Moslems saw the banners of the
infidels floating from the \valls of the city, with crosses and
the distinctive pennons (of their leaders), whilst fires were
lighted on the ramparts. This was on Friday, the 17th of
Jomada II., in the year 587 (July 1 2 , 1191 A.D.), in the
middle of the day. T h e Franks with one accord raised a
mighty shout, whilst the Moslems were overwhelmed by this
dreadful blow, and the hearts of the believers in one God
overflowed with grief. T h e people thought then of the
word of wisdom, ' W e come forth from God, and t o H i m
we must return,' and they made the camp ring with their

266: I17H;1T B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S G F .
~ ~~~ - - p ~
~ ~- - -
vociferations, groans, and lamentations. T h e grief of each
heart was according t o its belief, and every man was
afflicted by this evil according t o the measure of his faith
and zeal. A n d it burst upon them that the treaty between the
people of the city and the Franks rvas upheld. T h e marquis
entered the city with the king's standards, and planted
them that very Friday in the place of the banners of I s l h ;
h e planted one on the castle, one on the minaret of the
mosque, a third on the Tetnplars' Tower, and a fourth on t h e
Slaughter-Tower.' T h e Moslems were all ordered t o one
particular quarter of the city. A t that time I happened to
be on duty in the Sultan's tent, and, seeing him struck
down with grief like a mother who has lost her child, I
offered him all the consolations that are usual in such a
case, begging him t o think of the future fate of the (other)
cities of the coast, and of Jerusalem itself, and to turn his
attention to delivering the Moslem captives in rlcre. This
was during the night preceding Saturday, the 18th of
the month. H e finally decided t o leave the place where
he was encamped, since there was no longer a n y reason
for hemming in the enemy ; he therefore dispatched
the baggage b y night t o the position h e had previously
occupied a t Shefr'am. H e himself remained where he was
with a small body of horse, t o lteep a watch on thrt enemy's
movements and over the fate of the inhabitants. All that
night, until morning dawned, our troops were moving OK ;
but the Sultan still nourished the hope that, by the grace
of God, the Franks, rendered incautious b y their success,
would come out and attack him. Then h e would have an
' T h e castle was on the N. wall of Acre, near the centre. T h e
mosque was the Church of St. John, near the centre of the city. T h e
Templars'fortress was by the sea, on the S.W. of the city. T h e Tower
of Slaughter is probably the 'Bloody T o w e r ' at the N.K. corner of
the inner wall.
IZ'HAT B E F E L I . S C L T A S l'(.SCI.'. 261)
~-
~-
~
-
opportunity for rushing down upon them and avenging
all the wrong they had done him, leaving it in God's
hands t o decide t o whom H e should give the victory.
T h e Franks, however, made no movement, they were
occupied in taking possession of Acre, and in establishing
themselves in the city. H e remained in the same place until
daybreak on the ~ g t hwhen
, h e removed t o the baggage
(that is, to Shefr'am). T h a t d a y three (Franks) came out
(of the city), accompanied by Akfish, the chamberlain, a
very well-informed man, who came t o speak on behalf of
his colleague H e h j ed-Din I(ariki~sh. T h e y came for
instructions regarding the money and prisoners which had
been stipulated for in the treaty of peace. They were
honourably received, and stayed the night, and on the z ~ s t
of the month they departed for Damascus, still on busi-
ness relating to the prisoners. T h e Sultan also sent an
ambassador t o the Franks, t o obtain information as t o
late occurrences, and also t o ascertain what period of time
would be allowed him to carry out the terms of the treaty,
which was to be the basis of the truce.
C H A P T E R CXIV.
rlK ENCOUKTER TAKES PLACE D U R I N G T H E INTERVAL..
ON the last day of the aforesaid month the Franks came
out, and, following the sea-shore to the north of the city,
spread out in a long line, with their horse and foot drawn
u p in order of battle. T h e Sultan was informed of this
manceuvre by the advanced guard, and, ordering the drum
t o be sounded, h e mounted his horse, and sent considerable
reinforcements t o the guard in front. H e himself remained
behind, to give the Moslem troops time t o mount and

asserrible. T h e reinforcements had not reached the ad-
vanced guard before they became engaged in a furious
encounter with the enemy. A s soon as they received the
reinforcements, they charged straight ahead, forced the
division of the enemy that was in front of them back, and
threw the cavalry into confusion; the cavalry then aban-
doned the infantry and took to flight. T h e runaways
thought that there must be troops in ambush in rear of the
advanced guard; they therefore rushed headlong back to
their camp, whilst our guard fell on their foot, killed about
fifty men, and followed tlie others in hot pursuit right up
t o their trenches. T h a t same d a y the envoys of tlie
Franks, who had gone to Damascus t o inquire into the
condition of the Christian prisoners there, took away with
with them four of the chief men. During the evening the
men arrived who had been commissioned by the Sultan t o
prepare a statement of the Moslem prisoners detained in
Acre. T h e two sides kept on sending messengers to one
another until the ninth day of the following month.
C H A P T E R CXV.
ARRIVAL OF 1BN ~ - 4 ~(FROM
ih ACRE).
TITAT same day Hossim ed-Din Hosein Ibn Birfk el-
AIehrani came out (from Acre) with two of the king of
England's officers. EIe announced that the king of France
had taken his departure for Tyre, and that they had come
t o discuss the matter of the prisoners, and to see the cross
of the crucifixion, if it happened t o be in the Moslem
camp, or t o know if it had been sent t o Raghdad. It was
shown t o them, and when they saw it they displayed the
most profound reverence, prostrating themselves on the
CI.H.IT L'I<I.'ELl, SCLI'.-I.\ llI;Si.l'. 271
ground till their faces were covered with dust, and humili-
ating themselves in adoration. They informed us that the
princes of the Franks had accepted the proposal made by
the Sultan, which was that lie should deliver into their
hands what was stipulated by the treaty, a t three periods'
of a month each. After this the Sultan desparched a mes-
senger to Tyre with magnificent presents, and great store
of perfurncs and beautiful apparcl, as a n vffcring t o thc
king of the French. 011 the morning of the 10th of Kejeb,
Ibn Birili and his companions returned to the English
king, and the Sultan, with his personal friends and the
troops of his guard (hnlkn), betook himself to t!le t~.ll
close t o Shefr'am. T h e rest of the troops establisiietl them-
selves as best they could in a spot ivhich was on!y divided
by the valley from tlie Sultan's previous camping-ground.
h'lessengers went constantly to and fro between the two
armies, engaged in trying t o lay the foundations of a per-
manent treaty of peace. This continued ~lntil we had
procured tlic surn of money and number of prisoners we
had undertaken t o give up to the Franks at the expiration
of the first period, in accordance with their demands ; viz. :
that we should give them tlie cross of the crucifixion, one
hundred thousand pieces of gold (dii'niirs), and sixteen
hundred prisoners. Com;nissioners employed by the
Franks t o examine the instalment we had i n readiness
for thern, reported that we had fulfilled the conditions
imposed except with regard to the prisoners whorn they
had specially named, and who had not all been brought
together. They therefore let the negotiations drag on till
the first period had expired. O n that day, which was the
18th of Rejeb, they sent t o demand what was due t o them,
and the Sultan returned the following answer : ' You must
I Our author here uses the word f c ~ , / / / , f o ~ ~ i i r
inz the pl~lral,evidently
the French word t c r i i ~ c ivhich
, was employed in the treaty of peace.
q r TC'HAT B E F E L L S C L T A S Y C S C F .
~ -p-p- ~~-~~-
choose either one of two things : either send our comrades
back t o us and accept the instalment due for this period,
and we will give you hostages for the performance of the
conditions imposed for the periods still t o come ; or receive
the instalment we are sending you to-day, and send us
hostages to be retained until our comrades who are now
your prisoners are returned to us.' T h e envoys replied:
' W e will d o neither; send us the instalment that is now
due, and accept our solemn oath that your comrades shall
be sent back.' T h e Sultan rejected this proposal, for he
knew that if h e were t o give them the money, the cross,
and the prisoners whilst our men were still detained by
the Franks, tiiere would be no guarantee whatever against
an act of treachery on the part of the enemy, which would
strike a great blow a t Isl6.m.
C H A P T E R CXVI.
LIASSACIiE OF T I I E hlOS1,EhIS I K ACRE-MA\- GOD IIAVL:
IJERCY UPON THEM !
W I I the ~ king of England saw t h a t the Sultan was
making some delay in the fulfilment of the above-mentioned
conditions, he acted treacherously with regard to the
Moslem prisoners. H e had promised t o spare their lives
if they surrendcrcd the city, adding that if the Sultan sent
hirn what had been agreed upon, h e mould give them their
liberty, with permission t o take their wives and children
with them and to carry away all their moveable property;
if the Sultan did not fulfil the conditions, they were t o
become slaves. T h e king broke the solemn promises he had
rrlade thetn, openly showed the intentions hc had hitherto
concealed, and carried out what he had purposed to do as
TI'HAT B E F E L L SCLTAh- Y l i S L P. 273
p- -
soon a s he had received the money and the Frank
prisoners. T h a t is what the people of his nation said
after1vards.l About four o'clock in the afternoon of
Tuesday, the 27th of Rejeb, he rode out with the whole of
the Frank army--infantry, cavalry, and Turcopoles (that
is, light-armed soldiers)-and advanced as far as the
wells a t the foot of Tcll el-'AJy3.dEya, t o which place he
had already sent forward his tents. A s soon a s the Franks
reached the middle of the plain between this t e l l and that
of KisLn, which was occupied by the Sultan's advanced
guard, they brought out the Moslem prisoners, whom
God had pre-ordained t o martyrdom that day, to the
number of more than three thousand, all tied together with
rclpcs. T h e Franlcs rushed upon them all a t once and
slaughtered them in cold blood with sword and lance.
T h e advanced guard had previously informed the Sultan
that the enemy had got to horse, and he sent them some
reinforcements, but they did not arrive until the massacre
had been accomplished. A s soon a s the Moslen~ssaw
what they were doing t o the prisoners, they rushed down
on the Franks, and a certain number were killed and
wounded on both sides in the action that took place,
and lasted until night separated the combatants. T h e
following morning our people went out to see what had
happened, and found all the Moslcms who had been
martyred for their faith stretched on the ground; they
were able t o recognise some of them. This was a terrible
grief to them. T h c enemy had only spared the prisooers of
note and such as were strong enough t o labour. Various
motives have been assigned for this massacre. According
t o some, the prisoners were killed t o avenge the deaths of
U e Vinsauf says (iv. 4) that the prisoncl-s were killed to avenge
those slain by 3Ioslems during the siege, a n d at the expiration of the
term graqted for giving up the cross and the Christian prisoners.
r8
:?l I I ' H d T H E F E L L SLLT.1.L 1 L SLF.
those slain previously by the iUoslems ; others say that the
king of England, having made u p his mind t o try and
take Ascalon, did not think it prudent t o leave so many
prisoners behind in Acre. God knows n h a t his reasqn
really was.
CHAPTER CXVII.
T H E I:NEhI\- 31.4IlCH UI'OX ASCALON, II.OYG T H E SIIOT<I;
01: T H E WESTERN 51:1.
0 s the 29th of Kejeb the Franks all mounted their horses,
and packed the tents they had struck on the backs of thcir
beasts of burden; then they crossed the river and cn-
camped on the west bank, close t o the road leading t o
Ascalon. Whilst this division showed their intention t o
march along the sea-shore, the king of England scnt
the rest of his men back t o Acre, where he had repaired
the breaches and made the fortifications strong again.
T h e army that had set out on this fresh expedition in-
cluded a great number of notable men, and \\?as led by the
king of England in person. A t daybreak on the 1st of
Sh'abBn the enemy lit their fires, a s was always their
custom when they were breaking up their camp. T h e
Sultan was ii~formed b y the advanced guard that the
Franks were preparing t o move, and he a t once ordered
that the baggage should be loaded up while the people
waited ; and the people did so. Many of the people and
of the merchants from the markets lost quantities of their
goods and rnerchandize on this occasion, for they had not
enough horses and beasts of burden to carry all they
possessed. -Any one man could carry enough for his
needs for a month, but each of these merchants had such
quantities of wares that he would have been oblijictl
II.H.41' U E F E I . L S L - L T . i S I.C:SCF. 275
P
~-p ~. -~
t o make several journeys t o move them all. On this
occasion it was impossible for anyone t o remain behind, on
account of the proximity of the Franks, \\rho, now that they
were occupying Acre, were very strong. I t was quite light
by the time the enemy's army began their march. T h e y
marched in several separate divisions, each capable of
providing for its own defence, and followed the l i ~ eof the
sea-shore. T h e Sultan scnt reinforcements t o the advanced
guard, and despatched a large part of his troops against
the enemy. A desperate encounter took place, and el-
Melek el-Afdal, the Sultan's son, sent back t o tell his
father that he had cut off one division of the enemy in such
a way a s t o prevent its receiving any support from the
others, and that his men had attacked it so smartly
that it had been obliged t o retire in the direction of
the camp. ' I f we had been in full force,' h e added, ' IVC
should have taken them all prisoners.' T h e Sultan forth-
with sent out a strong detachment of his troops, going
with them himself as far as the sands. O n our way (for I
was with him) we met el-MeleJc el-'Adel, the Sultan's
brother, and learnt from him that the division in question
had managed t o effect a junction with the one ahead of
it, and that the chief part of the enemy's forces had
crossed the Haif? rivey,l and then halted t o allow the
. v .
rear divisions t o come up. H e added that it mas
useless to follow them up, and that we should only tire
the men and lose our arrows t o no purpose. When the
Sultan had convinced himself or the correctness of this
view, h e desisted from the pursuit, and sent a detachment
back t o the baggage-train t o help the stragglers t o join
those in front, and t o protect them against marauders
and 'attacks b y the enemy. H e himself set out for
The Ki?hon, X. of Haifz.
I S-.

el-l(eimdn,l where he arrived the same day, a s evening
began t o close in. T h e outer part of his tent only was set
~ : pfor him, a long piece of cloth being hung all round it
t o form a wall, H e then sent t o summon his principal
officers, and gave them t o eat, after which he consulted
them as to what should be done. A s I was on duty, I
was present at this meeting.
Secolzd halt.-At this council it was decided that the
army should march the following morning. A line of
troops had already been posted round the Franks t o keep
watch over their movements during the night. Early
in the morning of the and of Sh'abin t h e Sultan sent the
baggage forward, remaining where he was until he received
information of the enemy's movements. A s none camL
in, h e set out, a s soon as it was fully light, t o follolv the
baggage, and made a halt for some time a t a village called
es-Sabbdghin,"n the hope of receiving information regard
ing the Franks. Suleiman Ibn Jender was now occupying
the ground on which the Sultan had halted on the previous
day, and had left Emir JordPk encamped close t o the enemy.
A number of troops, who came in one after another,
spent the night there. A s the Sultan received no in-
telligence of any kind, he set out and overtook the
baggage a t a place called 'Ayfin e l - A s a w l r . V n our
a ~ r i v a lthere we noticed several tents, and when he learnt
that they belonged t o el-Melek el-'Adel, he went up to
them and spent a n hour with that 'prince; after that he
repaired to his own tent. There was absolutely no bread
TelL Keinz?2n (ancient ]oR7zenl~z) called Caymont by Lhe Franks,
E. of Carmel, 12 miles S.E. of Haifa.
Now Sz~bdarfn, 8 miles S.W. from Tell KeimC~n,on Carmel, over-
looking the plain of Sharon.
J Springs at TeZZ eFAsazuir, 6 miles S. of Subbarin, on the E. edge
of the plain of Sharon.
1.L-HAT D H F I i L I , SCI,T. I,V l.[:SI;F. 3i7
---
a t all in this halting-place, a n d provisions rose t o such a
price that one piece of silver was paid for a quarter o i a
measure of barley, and two pieces of silver for a pound of
biscuit. T h e Sultan remained there till mid-day, when h e
niounted his horse and rode on t o el-Mell$iha,l where the
enemy would be obliged t o make their next halt after
leaving IJaifa. H e went on in advance t o ascertain if thc
ground would lend itself to a pitched battle, anll rode all
over the lands of Cxsarea right up to the spot where the
woods began. H e rcturned t o the camp very tired,short!y
after the hour of evening prayer. I asked him if he had
received any news of the enemy, and he replied : ' I have
heard that up t o this evening, t h e and of Sh'abin, they
have not left Haifa ; w e will wait here till wr get news, and
then determine what it will be best t o do.' H e spent the
night on Tell ez-Zelzela,hnd remained there during :he
morning in the hope of receiving intelligence of the
enemy's movements.
T h e herald (]&wish) then proclain~ed that there was to
be a review, and the troops mounted and formed in order
of battle. T h e morning was far advanced before the
Sultan took a n y rest, having first breakfasted and received
some of his emirs. H e consulted them a s t o what he
should do, and then went t o the celebration of mid-day
prayer; after t h a t he held a reception in his tent until the
hour of evening prayer, and made compensation t o such
a s had lost their horses and other property; these sums
varied from one hundred gold pieces t o one hundred and
fifty, sometimes more, sometimes less. I have never seen
anyone d o things so liberally, and seem so pleased in
Apparently I<Auubct MdlAnh, I T miles S. of Haifa, near the shore,
24 miles S. of Dustrey (Llistrict), where the first halt was made by
King Richard's army after leaving Haifa. Salih ed-Din would have
thus ridden ;j miles on this day.
Tell ee:-ZelzeZn (' Earthquake Hill') was apparently Tell el-Asnivir-
27h 11 II 4 I' B E F E L L S C ' L T A S Y C S C F .
- -- . -
being able to make presents. As evening drew in that
dhy they dccided t o diqpatch the baggage forthwith t o
IIejdel Y5ba.l
T h i ~ dhalt.-The Sultan remained where he was with a
small body of light cavalry, and did not set out till the
following morning, the 4th of the month. H e mounted
and rode t o the source of the river that flows down t o
C:~sarea,~where he made a halt. Here we had t o pay
four pieces of silver for a m?l (pound of twelve ounces) of
biscuit, and two pieces and a half for a quarter of a
measure of barley ; bread could not be obtained at any
price. T h e Sultan went to his tent and took a light meal,
then, after mid-day, having said his prayer, he mounted
and rode out alon: the road that the enemy would have
to follow, to search for a suitable site for a pitched battle.
H e did not return until after the hour of the as^ (after-
noon prayer). After that he held an audience for an hour,
took a little rest, and mounted his horse once more. IIe
gave the order for resuming our march, and had his tent
struck, and when evening fell the tents of the whole army
l~aclbeen struck.
Fourth halt.-The army marched towards a hill that lay
behind the hill we had just left. Whilst we were there
they brought two Franks to the Sultan who had been made
prisoners by the advanced guard. H e had them beheadcd
on the spot, and the soldiers cut their bodies to pieces to
satisfy thcir thirst for revenge. t I e spent the night in this
place and remained there throughout the morning of the
following day, for he had not yet received any intelligence
as to the march of the enemy. A s the want of provisions
and forage was very keenly felt by the troops, he sent
l'tbir is 2 8 miles S. of Tell el-.4sawir, a n d 1 2 miles E.N.E.
iM<jri~~Z
of JaKa.
T h e Crocodile River (n;nhr c;-Zerkn), K. of C z s a r e a .
11 1147 liE1 E L L SCLTAZ. I C S C F . 277
p
a n order to the baggage t o come up that night. Then,
at his usual time, he rode out in the direction of the
encmy, and covering Crcrarea. H e returned to the camp
about noon. We had just heard that the enemy had
not yet left el-Melliha. Two other Frank prisoners were
brought before the Sultan, who had been captured on the
flanks of the enemy's army. They were put to death in
the most cruel manner, for the Sultan was terribly wroth
at the massacre of the prisoners from Acre. H e then took
a moment's rest, and gave audience after the midday
prayer. I was in his presence when they brought in a
Frank knight, evidently a person of consequence, whose
dress indicated the high rank that he held among the
enemy. An interpreter was called that we might question
him concerning them, and we asked him what was the
price of provisions with them. H e replied that, on the day
they first left Acre, a man could satisfy his hunger for six
groats (~Yeriitfii,but that prices had gone on rising until
the same quantity now cost eight groats. H e was then
asked why the army remained such a long time in each
halting-place, and he replied that it was because they wcre
awaiting the arrival of the fleet, which was to brin, men
and supplies. When he was questioned as t o the loss they
had sustained in killed and \vounded on the day they set
out, he replied that it had been great. When asked what
number of horres had been killed that day, he made
anstl-cr, 'About four hundred.' T h e Sultan then commanded
that his head should be cut off, but forbade his body to be
mutilated. The prisoner asked what the Sultan had said,
and it was explained t o him, whereupon he changed
colour and said . 'Hut I will givc you one of the captives
in Acre.' The Sultan replied. 'God's mercy, but it must
be an emir.' ' I cannot get an emir set at liberty,' answered
the Frank. The interest shown in him by all present, and
280 R'HAT B E F E L L S C L T A N Y U S C F .
-- p~
~ ----pp ~-
his fine figure, all spoke in his favour. And, indeed, I
never saw a man so well made, with such elegant hands
and feet, and such a distinguished bearing. The Sultan
therefore postponed the execution of his commands, had
him put in chains, and reproached him with the treachery
of his fellow-countrymen and the massacre of the prisoncrs.
H e acknowledged that it was an abominable act, but said
that it was the king alone who had decreed and com-
manded it to be done. After the 'nsr, the Sultan rode out
according to his custom, and on his return ordered that the
prisoner should be put to death. Two other prisoners
were then brought in before him, whom he likewise
ordered to be put to death. H e spent the night in this
place, and at daybreak the next morning heard that the
Franks were marching on Cxsarea, and that their vanguard
was near the city; he therefore thought it best to with-
draw from the enemy's road and take up another
position.
Fzyth halt.-He removed with his troops to a place close
to the tell we had been occupying, and, after having the
tents pitched, set out t o examine the district through which
the enemy would have to pass, hoping to find a suitable
site for a pitched battle. H e returned towards mid-day,
and called his brother el-Melek e l - ' a d d , and 'Alern ed-
Din SuleimSn Ibn Jender, to consult them as to what
was t o be done. H e then snatched a few moments' rest,
and when the call to the zohr (mid-day) prayer was cried,
he attended its celebration. After this he mounted and
set out in quest of news of the enemy. Two Franks
who were brought before him were put t o death by his
orders; and two others, brought in shortly afterwards,
suffered the same fatc. Towards the close of the day
he had two others killed, who were brought before hirn
later on. On returning from his ride, he was present at
the celebration of the maghrib' prayer, and then held an
audience according to his custom. Afterwards he su~ll-
moned his brother el-Melek el-'Adel, and sending every-
one else away, remained closeted with him in conversation
until a very late hour. On the following day, the herald
announced that there would be a review, but of the guard
(halka) only. T h e Sultan rode out in the direction of the
enemy, and halted on (one) of the tells rising above
Cxsarea, which city thc enemy had entered on Friday,
the 6th of Sh1ab3n. H e showed himself there during the
morning, then halted and gave his officers a repast. H e
then got into the saddle again and visited his brother;
after the mid-day prayer he rested for a short while and
then held an audience. At this audience they brought in
fourteen Frank prisoncrs, and a woman of the same race,
who was the daughter of the knight mentioned before.
She had a Moslem woman with her whom she kept a
prisoner. T h e Sultan ordered the Moslem woman to be
set at liberty, and sent the others to prison. They hacl
been brought from Beirfit, where they had been taken with
a number of others in a ship. They were all put t o death
on Saturday, the 7th of Sh'ab3n. The Sultan maintained
his position, keeping constant watch for an opportunity of
attacking the enemy's forces on the march.
Sixth halt.-On the morning of the 8th the Sultan rode
out according t o his custom, and on his return received
news from his brother that the enemy were preparing
to move. T h e battalions' had maintained their sevcral
positions round Czesarea during the night. H e then ordcred
food, and the people ate. After this a second messenger
came in to announce that the enemy had commenced their
See p. 2 1 .
We use the words ' battalions ' and 'squadrons ' indiscriminately
to translate olliZb in the plural.
283 II'H.47' BEFELL SI.LT.I .\- YC-SCI.'.
-- .- ~~ p ~ - - ..-.. . . -~ --
march, whereupon the Sultan ordered his drum t o beat, and
mounted a t the head of his cavalry. H e then set out, and
I accompanied him close u p t o the army of the Franks,
when he formed his troops in line round the enemy, and
p v c the signal for battle. T h e marksmen were posted
in front, and the arrows shot by both sides fell thick as
rain. T h e enemy had already formed in order of battle ;
the infantry, drawn up in front of the cavalry, stood firm
a s a wall, and every foot-soldier wore a vest of thick fcltl
and a coat of mail so dense and strong that our arrows
made no impression on them. They shot a t us with
their great arbalists, wounding the Moslem horses and
their riders. I saw some (of the Frank foot-soldiers)
with from one t o ten ar:ows sticking in them, and still
advancing a t their ordinary pacc without leaving t h e
ranks. Their infantry was divided into two divisions, one
of which was posted in front of the cavalry; the other
was nor called upon to fight, and took its ease a s it
advanced along the shore. When the division that was
engaged was fatigued and the men were exhausted b y
their wounds, it was relieved by the other division, and
went ofi t o rest. T h e cavalry mas in the centre, and did
not quit its position except when it was ordered t o
charge. It was drawn up in three divisions. In the
first, which formed the van-guard, rode Geoffrey (sic)
t h e ex-king, followed by all the troops of t h c sea-coast
countries which had remaiticd faithful t o him ; the kings
of England and France' rode in the centre, and the
sons of the L a d y of Tiberias" were in the rear-guard with
a detachment (of Hospitallers). In the centre of their
army was a cart, on which was fixed a tower a s high as
See p. 367. This was called the gambison or pourpoint.
T h e King of France was not with the army.
3 T h e wife of Kaymond of 'l'ripoli, who held the castle of Tibet-ias.
W H A T U E F E L I , SGLT.4 S I-I'SCI,'. 2x3
. ~ -p~-p-- ~ ~~-~
a minaret, and from this floated t h e standard of the
people. This was the disposition of their forces, accord-
ing t o m y own observation, and t o information given m e
by some of the Frank prisoners and the merchants who
frequented their camp. Their troops continued t o advance
in t h e order we have just described, all the while main-
taining a steady fight.l T h e Moslems discharged arrows
a t them from all sides t o annoy them, and force them
t o charge ; but in this they were unsuccessful. These
men exercised wonderful self-control ; they went on thcir
way without any hurry, whilst their ships followed their
line of march along the coast, and in this manner thcy
reached their halting - p l a c e . V h e y never made long
marches, because they were obliged t o spare the foot-
soldiers, for those of them who were not engaged in
fighting used t o carry the baggage and tents, a s they
had so few beasts of burden. O n e cannot help admiring
the patience displayed by these people, who bore the most
wearing fatigue without having any participation in the
management of affairs, or deriving any personal advant-
age. T h e y fixed their camp on the bank of the river
furthest from Czsarea.
Seventh halt.-At daybreak, on the gth, the Sultan was
informed that the enemy was already in the saddle, and
ready to march. H e therefore mountcd his horse, drew
up his squadrons, and sent his marksmen t o the front.
Whilst he was marching to thc attack, the marksmen
surrounded they enem on all sides, and kept up a constant
discharge of arrows, but without making a n y impression
on them. T h e three divisions in which the army was
drawn up, as we have described above, commenced their
Literally, while the market of war was well thronged.
This camp was on the Nuhr. ~Z-,lfeJiy, 3 miles S. of Czesarea.
called the ' D e a d River' by De T'insauf.

284 II'HA T B E F E L L S C ' L T d N Y U S U F .
march, and if one of them proved unable t o resist us, the
nearest division came up t o its support. T h e y assisted one
another mutually, whilst the Moslems surrounded them on
three sides, and attacked then1 with the greatest energy.
T h e Sultan busied himself in bringing his battalions
forward, and I saw him ride between t h e marksmen of
the two armies, with the enemy's arrows flying over
his head, attended only b y two youths who werc each
leading a horse. H e hurried from one squadron t o another,
encouraging them t o advance, and commanding them t o
press on and come to close quarters with the enemy. W i t h
t h e roll of the drums and the bray of t h e trumpets were
mingled cries of the takkfl and the t a k b h (The?-e is 6 z ~ t
owe God! God is great!). But t h e enemy stood firm
without moving or turning aside. T h e Moslems charged
the Franks several times, but they had a number of men
and horses wounded by missiles from the arbalists, and
by the arrows discharged against them by the infantry.
W e kept on surrounding them, attacking them and charging
them, until they reached a river called N a k r eGKasab.'
where they pitched their camp. This was a t mid-day,
and the heat was overpowering. Our troops drew off and
discontinued the attack, knowing that they could not hope
t o gain any advantage over the enemy when they were
once encamped. T h a t d a y I s l l m lost one of its bravest
champions, a man named AiPz, surnamed el-TawPl, ' t h e
long man,' one of the Sultan's memloks. H e had been
fighting, and had killed several of the bravest of the
enemy's horsemen, who had left the ranks a n d engaged
L This stream, now called Aiihr Z s ~ ~ z ~ i ~ & r 8is
~ zj cmiles
h, S. of the
Dead River, and is called by De Vinsauf the ' S a l t liiver'; it is
marshy and reedy. The Franks reached it on September z, and
remained there till after the jth, which agrees with the present account
of the Nahr el-Kasab or 'reedy river.'
TVHAT B E I ~ E L I VI L I A N YVSL-T. 2s j
- -
in single combat in the space between the two armies.
AiPz had had several encounters of this sort with them,
and after awhile the Pranks avoided him. Hut he kept
on measuring his strength with them until a t last his
horse fell under him, and he testified (for the faith) on
the field of battle. T h e Moslems were terribly grieved
a t his death. H e was buried on a tell above el-Birka,l
which is a place where the waters of a great many streams
flow together. T h e Sultan ordered his baggage t o halt
in el-Rirka, and when the hour of the 'asr had passed,
h e had a meal served for his men, and gave them a n
hour's rest. H e then set out along the Nahr cl-Kasab,
and halted again somewhat higher u p the river, watering
there whilst the enemy watered lower down a t a very little
distance from the place where we were."t this halting
place the price of a quart of barley had risen t o four
dirhems (pieces of silver), but mc found plenty of bread
at half a dirhem a pound. T h e Sultan remained there,
waiting u n t ~ lthe Franks should resume their march, and
he could attack them again ; but as they spent the night
in their camp, we also remained where we were.
C H A P T E R CXVIII.
A FIGHT TAKES PLACE
A DIVISION of the Moslem army which had been detached
to watch the enemy's movements fell in with a body of
EL-BirAa is the 'pool' or swamp in the lower part of the Nahr
cl-Kasab. On the sand-hills immediately S.W. is the ruined monu-
ment called Mq'cthed Sheihhah, 'the place where chiefs fought in the
Holy War.' This is possibly the site of the tomb of AiBz.
Saljh ed-Din's camp was some 10 miles E. of that of Richard
near the head of the Nahr el-Kasab.
286 11 H.41' BEFELI. S L LT.4X > CSCF.
our adversaries that had also come out t o reconnoitre.
A s soon as our men could get near the Franks they
rushed on them and attacked them furiously. T h e enemy
lost a considerable number in the encounter, but as they
were reinforced by another body of Franks, who had seen
what was going on and had run u p t o their support, they
held their ground and kept on fighting. T h e Rloslen~slost
rivo lnenl and took three prisoners, whom they brought t o
the Sultan. When questioned b y him, these men stated that
the king of England had been informed b y two Bedawin,
who had visited him a t Acre, t h a t the Moslem army
was very small, and that it was their information which
had induced him t o take the field. T h e y added : ' Yester-
d a y evening-they referred t o the evening of Monday-
when he saw the Moslems fight so obstinately, and observed
t h e numbcr of their squadrons (taking also into consideration
that he had nearly a thousand wounded, and that several
of our men had bcen killed), h e was obliged t o remain
to-day encamped in the same place t o rest his troops.
'Then, when he thought of the battle which had just bpen
fought, and the host of Moslems he had t o fight, he sent
for the Bedawin and had them beheaded.' During all that
day, which was Tuesday, the 10th of Sh'abin (September 3,
1191) we maintained our position, because the enemy had
not left theirs.
Eightl~halt.-Towards noon that same day the Sultan
made up his mind t o march out in front of the enemy.
Our men nioved off t o the roll of thc drum, and made
their way intc the wood of Arstlf, with orders t o halt a t a
tell in its midst, close t o a village called Deir er-R5heb."
1 0i:r author takes plcasure in minimising the losses of the >loslelns.
3 Uii'i. c ~ ~ - l < ~ i h'Monk's
cb, monastery,' is probably the present
il.$217, a ruin in the woodland region S. of the 6 a h r Iskanderi~neh,
7 miles E. of the camp at Xahr el-FBlik.
CVIIA?' B E F E L L S L T L T J 4 Y C S U F . 2s j
~-~~ ~
~~ .
S i g h t surprised them, and the troops lost their way among
the thickets, so the Sultan nras obliged t o remain there till
Wednesday morning, the I ~ t of h the month, t o reassemble
then]. I I e then rode out t o look for an advantageous site
for a battle. I-Ie remained all that day in the position hc
had taken up, and v a s informed that the enemy had
remained on the banks of the Nahr el-l<asab, t o await the
reinforcements that were t o be sent them from Acre, in
eight great ships. The Moslem outposts picketed round
the Prank army kept us well supplied with intelligence,
and had an encounter with the enemy's foragcrs in which
several were killed on both sides.
CHXI'TER C X I X .
T H I l F.NII3lY S1:XI); TO CO1\I\IUKICXTE TVITH US T!li\T
SAME DAY.
T I ~ enemy
E informed our advanced guard that they wishcd
t o conlmunicate W-it11us, and begged that some one might
be sent t o confer with them. Therefore 'Xlenl ed-Din
Suleimiin Ibn Jender, who was in charge of the guard t h a t
day, sent a man out t o know what they had to say. H e
learnt that they wishcd to confer with el-hIelek el-'Adel.
W i t h the Sultan's permission, that prince went out to the
advanced guard and passed the night with them, having an
interview with the envoys. Their proposal, in brief, was a s
follows: ' T h e war between us has bcen maintained for a
long time, a n d a number of brabe warriors have fallen on
both sides. W e ourselves only came out to help the
Franks of the coast districts; make peace with thcm, and
let the two armies return each to its own country.' During
288 LI'AAT B E F E L L SCI,T lLV Y U S C F .
-- p--- --
the morning of Thursday, the 12th of the month: the
Sultan sent a letter t o his brother, saying : ' T r y to protract
the negotiations with the Franks and keep them where
they are until we receive the Turkoman reinforcements we
are expecting.' Indeed, at that moment they were very
close a t hand.
C H A P T E R CXX.
WFIEXthe king of England learnt that el-Melek el-',<del
had come t o the outposts, he sent t o him t o ask for a n
interview. ~ l - ' . i d e l consented, and the two princes met,
each attended by a magnificent cortt'ge. T h e son of
Honferi," mat1 of high rank in the countrics on the coast,
acted as their interpretcr. I had an opportunity of seeing
this young man on the day when peace was co~lcluded; he
was, in truth, a fine young fellow, but his beard was shaved
after the manner of his nation. T h e King of England
opened the conversation by expressing his desirc for the
conclusion of peace, and el-'adel replied : ' If you wish t o
obtain peace and desire me t o act a s your agent with the
Sultan, you must tell me the conditions you have in view.'
' T h e basis of the treaty,' said the king, 'must be this:
You must return all our territory t o us and withdraw into
your own country.' EI-'adel replied with scorn, and a dis-
cussion ensued, which resulted in their each withdrawing
t o his own camp. When the Sultan saw that the enemy
was on the move, he dispatched his baggage, but remained
The Franks were slill halting at the Salt River on September 5.
Humphrey of Toron, one of the chief barons of the kingdom of
Jerusalem.
p
1 1 fi I T R I I F E L L SCLT,I,\ Yi 7~~17. 289
-- -p pp-
where he was himself t o draw up his troops in order
of battle T h e small baggage had alrcady \tarted, and
was on the point of overtaking the heavy, when the Sultan
sent an order for its return ; but as night had now closed
in, the people were in great confusion all that n q h t
T h e Sultan then sent for his brother t o itnow what had
passed between him and the king, and had a private con-
versation with him. This was on the night preceding
Friday, the 13th of the month. T h e enemy resumed their
march and encamped in another place called eGBirkit? from
which they could see the sea. During the morning of
Friday the Sultan went out t o get news of the Franks.
On his ride they brought him two men who had been
taken prisoners b y the advanced guard, and h e ordered
their heads t o be struck OK. When he had ascertai~iedthat
the enemy would not leave their camp that dav. ,.
he dis-
mounted, and had a talk with his brother on the unwilling-
ness of the Franks t o move, and discussed the rneasures
that should be taken. H e spent the night in the same
halting-place.
C H A P T E R CXXI.
TlIE IIATTLE Ob X R S ~ F ,TYHICH W.\S A BLOW T O A1.I.
IIOSLE\I I IEAXTS.
ON Saturday, the 14th of Sh'ab2n (September 7, I I ~ I ) ,
the Sultan was informed that the enemy were marching on
ArsQf. I-Ie mounted forthwith, and drew up his troops in
order of battle, being resolved t o come t o close quarters
' Birhet R~z~>~iz((iZa, here intended, is a swampy lake, drained by a
cutting in the rocks, on the course of the NaAr cl-Fdiik, or River of
tht &left,' called A'oc/ietailZic by De Vinsauf. It is 9 miles S. of the
Salt River, and was reached by the Franks on September 6-a
Friday. Arsilf was a fortress on the shore five miles further S.
19
290 1l'NAT BEIiE1.L SLTLTAIV Y U S C F .
- -
with the enemy that day. The marksmen drawn from
each battalion went out in advance, and rained a shower of
arrows on the enemy, who were approaching the thickets and
gardens of ArsQf. The Moslem troops harassed them on
every side, some advancing, led by the Sultan in person,
others remaining in position t o cover them in case of
retreat. They charged the enemy furiously; the fire of
war burst from the marksmen, and killed and wounded.
T h e enemy were obliged t o hurry forward to try and reach
the place where they were to halt and encamp, and they
then found that they were in a most galling position, and
that we had them at our mercy. T h e Sultan rode from the
right wing t o the left, urging his men t o fight for the Faith.
I several times saw him, attended by only two pages, who
were each leading a horse ; I met his brother also with no
greater a following, and they could both see the enemy's
arrows falling t o right and left of them. The enemy's
progress was forced to become slower and slower, and the
Moslen~swere flattering themselves that it would prove an
easy victory, when the first ranks of the enemy's foot
reached the wood and the gardens of Arsi~f. Then the
enemy's cavalry formed in one body, and, knowing that
nothing but a supreme effort could save them, they resolved
to charge. I myself saw their knights gathered together
in the midst of a protecting circle of infantry; they put
their lances in rest, uttered a mighty war-cry, and the ranks
of infantry parted t o allow them to pass ; then they rushed
out, and charged in all directi0ns.l One division hurled
l T h e charge was begun by the Hospitallers in rear, and gradually
involved all the cavalry. According to De Pinsauf (IV., g-zj),
Richard had ~oo,ooomen in five divisions. T h e Templars led t h e
van ; the Angevins and Hretons came next ; then King Guy's forces
and those of Poitou ; then the Normans and English round the
standard on its truck ; and lastly the Hospitallers. A flanking party
o n the left (east) was led by Henry of Champagne.
LZ'HAT B E F E L L S U L T A X YC'SUF. 291
itself on our right wing, another on our left, and a
third on our centre, throwing our whole force into con-
fusion. I was in the centre, and when that body fled in
the wildest disorder, it occurred t o me that I might take
refuge in the left wing, which was the nearest to me. But
when I came up with it, I found that it, too, was
struck with panic, and had taken to its heels even quicker
than the other. Then I turned to the right wing; but
when I reached it, I found it in still greater confusion
than the left. I then turned t o the position occupied,
according to custom, by the Sultan's squadron, which was
always a rallying-point for the others. I there found only
seventeen men; but the standards were still flying, and the
drum continued t o beat. When the Sultan saw the dire
discomfiture of the Moslems, he returned to his squadron,
and found but very few men. H e stopped here, and,
perceiving that the whole neighbourhood was filled with
fugitives, he ordered the drums t o beat ~vithoutceasing,
and had all whom he saw escaping brought t o him. But,
in truth, he could not stop the people in their flight;
when the enemy charged, they gave way, and when he
drew rein for fear of an ambush, they also came to a stand,
and did battle with him. During the second charge, they
fought even while they fled, and haIted as soon as their
pursuers stopped; and in the third, in which the enemy
reached the top of the hillocks and rising ground that
happened to be in his way, they fled once more, but,
seeing him draw up, they also came to a stand. All those
who saw that the Sultan's squadron was still a t its post,
and who heard the drum beating, were ashamed to go on,
and, dreading the consequences if they continued their
flight, they came up, and joined that body of troops. A
number of soldiers had now rallied in the centre, and the
enemy, who had reached the top of the hillocks (tells),
19-2
292 LI'IIAT BEFELT, SCLTA.\- YUSUI;.
~
.-. ~~
halted, and turncd t o face their ranks. T h e Sultan, for
his part,occupied the centre of his squadron, and displayed
such energy in rallying the fugitives that h e finally suc-
ceeded in collecting the whole of his armjr together again.
T h e enemy, fearing that some ambush was concealed
in the woods, retired towards their halting-place, and
t h e Sultan regained some rising ground close t o the edge
of the wood, and thcre drew u p his troops ; having no tent
t o take shelter in, he stood in the shadow of a piece of
cloth. I stood beside him, erideavouring to console him ;
but h e would not listen t o me-he was so overwhelmed by
the events of the d a y : however, he took a little food that
we offered him. H e remained in this position, awaiting
the return of the horscs that had been taken t o water at
some considerablc distance, and while we were thus drawn
up, he had the woulided brought t o him to comfort them,
and t o see that their wounds were dressed. H e gave his
own horses t o those who had lost theirs. There were a
great number of killed and wounded this day on both sides.
Amongst t h e leaders who stood firm, the chief were el-Melek
el-'rldel, 1<8im2z en-Nejmi the eunuch, and el-h,Ielek cl-
Afdal, the Sultan's son. El-Afdal charged so furiously
t h a t a tumour h e had in the face burst, and his face was
drenched with blood ; but he suffered it with remarkable
patience. T h c squadron from Mosul displayed the greatest
bravery, and won the Sultan's thanks for its leader, 'A12
ed-Din. Our people sought for their comrades, and found
many a one who had dicd a martyr on the battle-field.
T h e bodies of persons of note were found, especially that
of Mfisek, the grand emir (of the ICurds), a chief renowned
for his bravery; that of K2imgz el-'.ideli, who was also
celebrated; and that of LighGsh, a brave officer, whose
death was a cause of great grief t o the Sultan. W e had a
large number of men and horses wounded, and the ene111y
-
on their side had a great many casualties. W e took on1)-
one prisoner, who was brought t o the Sultan, and beheaded
by his command. W e also captured four horses from them.
T h e Sultan then ordered the baggage forward (to the river)
el-'Ailja,l and I obtained his permission t o follow it, and
to precede him to the place he had appointed for our en-
campment. I left him seated, waiting until all his troops
were collected, and till intelligence came in regarding the
enemy, who were encamped close t o Arsilf.
Nilzth halt.- I set out after the mid-day prayer, and
when I reached the crossing, saw the baggage-train drawn
up on the further bank of the 'Auja in a beautiful spot
covered with grass. T h e Sultan reached the camp towards
the close of the same day, and whilst the soldiers wcrc
crowding together a t the head of the bridge,' he todc u p
a position on a hill commanding the river; then, instead
of coming t o the camp, he sent his herald t o proclaim that
the troops were t o cross the river again and come to the
place where he was standing. God alone knows the depth
of grief which filled his heart after this battle; our men
were all wounded, some in their bodies, some in their spirits.
On (Sunday) the 15th of Sh'abSn, the Sultan ordered
the drum to bc beaten, and mounted his horse ; then,
followed by the whole army, he retraced his steps of the
previous day, and advanced towards the enemy. When
he drew near ArsQf, he drew u p his squadrons in order
of battle, hoping t o draw the Franks from their position,
and t o get an opportunity of attacking them. But they
made no rnovernent that day, being worn out with fatigue
T h e 'At2j,z flows into the sea N. of Jaffa ; the camp (near Mejde!
YSba) was 10 miles S.B. from the battlefield.
This bridge ( f i s r eZ-AbBbizrL) was S. of the camping ground,
which was near Mejdel YBba. T h e Moslems appear to have beer.
flying beyond the camp.

294 W H A T B E F E L L SULTA,V YCSGE'. ~
P--
H e stood facing
and suffering severely from their w o u n d ~ . ~
them until evening came on, when h e withdrew t o the camp-
ing-place of t h e previous night. T h e next morning, the
16th day of t h e month, he again ordered the drum to
be beaten, and rode out a t the head of his troops in
the direction of the enemy. O n his way h e heard that
they were on the march t o Jaffa; h e then advanced close
t o them, drew u p his troops in order of battle, and sent
his marksmen forward. T h e Moslem army completely
surrounded the enemy, and discharged such a shower of
arrows that one could hardly see the sky, for they were
attacking them with all the fury of hatred. T h e Sultan
hoped by this means to provoke them t o charge, that his
men might have an opportunity of attacking them, leaving
it in God's hands t o give the victory t o whom H e would.
But the Franks would not charge ; they restrained them-
selves, keeping always behind the infantry, and continued
t o advance in their usual order of march. Proceeding in
this manner, they came t o the 'Alija, on the upper banks
of which river we were encamped, while they took u p a
position further down the stream. S o m e of their troops
crossed to the west bank: the others remaining on the east.
When our men saw that they were preparing t o encamp,
they withdrew, a n d the Sultan returned t o the baggage, and
when he reached his tent took food. T h e y then brought
him four Franks and a woman, who had been taken prisoner
by the Arabs, and h e ordered them t o be kept in strict
confinement. H e spent the remainder of the d a y writing
t o the provinces, commanding them t o dispatch the con-
tingents still t o come. T h e y brought him information
Sunday, September 8, 1191,was the feast of the Nativity of the
Virgin. The Franks, according to De Vinsauf, were g i v i n g thanlis
for their victory in the Church of Arsfif.
T h e 'Adja runs nearly N. and S. in the central part of its course.
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF.
295
(that same day) that the enemy had lost great numbers
of their horses in the action a t Arskf, for the Arabs who
had gone over the battle-field had counted more than
a hundred chargers. H e then dispatched the loads t o
Ramla, and I preceded them on their march t o that place.
H e himself spent the night in the place where we had
been encamped.
Te?zth h~nZt.-On the 17th of the month, a s soon a s he
had said the morning prayer, he set out for Ramlal with
the light baggage. Two Franks were brought t o him,
whom he ordered t o be beheaded. A messenger sent back
by the advanced guard brought him news t h a t the Franks
were marching from Jaffa ; h e then advanced a s far as
Ramla, where two more Franks were brought before him.
When these prisoners were questioned a s t o the enemy's
movements, they stated that their countrymen would pro-
bably remain in Jaffa for some days, for they intended
t o put the city into a good state of defence, and furnish
it with plentiful supplies of men and provisions. I-Ie there-
fore callcd the members of his council together, and asked
their opinion whether it would be better t o destroy the
city of Ascalon, or t o leave it a s it was. They decided
unanin~ouslythat a division of the army under el-Meleli
el-'Adel should remain behind, t o keep a strict watch over
the enemy's movements, and make constant reports thereon
to the Sultan, whilst the Sultan himself should set out
for Ascalon, and destroy it before it fell into the hands
of the Franks. For the enemy, a s soon a s they had
massacred the garrison, \vould probably make that city
the basis of their operations in an attack on Jerusalem,
and thus cut off all comn~unication with Egypt. T h e
Sultan wished t o prevent this, and, knowing that it would
L R,zmLA is 11n11les from hlejdel Ydba, where the camp of Sal%h
ed-Din was fixed.
296 LITHAT B E F E L L S U L T A N I'CrSEF,
- ~- ~ ~- ~p ~- . -- . ~ ~ -
b e impossible for the Moslems t o hold the city, with the
remembrance of Acre and the fate of its garrison fresh
in their minds, and being convinced, moreovcr, that his
soldiers would be afraid t o shut themselves up in the city,
he declared that h e intended t o embody all the forces a t
his disposal in t h e army under his command, and then
concentrate his attention on the defence of Jerusalem. I t
was therefore decreed that Ascalon should be destroyed.
So, as soon as night began t o fall, he dispatched all the
heavy baggage and commanded his son, el-Melek el-Afdal,
t o set forth a t midnight and folloiv it. I-Ie himself started
on the Wednesday morning, and I went with him.
Eleventh hait.-About mid-day on Wedncsday, the 18th
of Sh'abAn, the Sultan reached Ycbna,' where he gave his
people time t o rest, and then marched into the territory
of the city of Ascalon. His tent had already been pitched
a t some distance from the city, and he spent the night
there, though he slept very little, for the thought of being
obliged t o destroy the city filled his mind. I had left
him after midnight, but a t daybreak he summoned me
to him again, and began t o discuss his plans with me.
H e then sent for his son, el-Melek el-Afdal, t o consult
hini on the subject, and they talked together for a long
while. H e said t o me, whilst 1 was on duty in his tent:
' I talce God t o witness I would rather lose all m y
children than cast down a single stone from the walls, but
God wills i t ; it is necessary for the Moslem cause, there-
fore I a m obliged t o carry it through.' H e sought counsel
ndth God, and God made him see that it was necessary-
to destroy thc city since the Moslems were unab!e to
protect it. H e therefore sent for 'Alem ed-Din Isaisar,
the governor, one of his chief memlC,ks, and a man of good
Ye61iah(ancientja?iznia),called Ibel~nby t h e Franks, was 9 rn~le:
S.W. of Kamleh, rind I ? miles S. of JaRa, near the sho~e.
IC'IIsI T B E F E L L S C L T i l S I'CSUI'. 397
- ~ ~ - - ~ - -
judgment, who commanded that all the workmen in the
town should be gathered together. I myself saw (that
officer) walking u p and down the market-place, and going
from tent to tent to hire rvorkmen. H e assigned a certain
portion of the ramparts t o each group of labourers; the
task of destroying a curtain and tower was also given to
each emir and company of soldiers. When these people
entered the city there arose a great sound of mourning and
lamentation, for it was pleasant to look upon and delightful
t o the senses ; its lvalls were strong, its buildings beautiful,
a n d it occupied a most charming situation. T h e inhabitants
were overwhelmed by the news that their city was t o be
destroyed, and that they would have t o give up their
homes : they uttered loud lamentations, and began a t
once to sell everything they could not carry away with
them, giving for one piece of silver what was really worth
ten, and even selling ten hens for one dirhem. Great
distress reigned in the city ; the inhabitants repaired t o
the camp with their wives and children t o sell their house-
hold goods. Sonie of them set out for Egypt, some for
Syria ; numbers were obliged t o depart on foot, having no
money with which to hire beasts to carry them. This was
a horribie time during which terrible things occurred.
T h e Sultan, assisted by his son el-Melek el-Afdal,
spent his time in getting workmen together and en-
couraging them t o work well, for he was very apprehensive
that if the Franks heard what he u7as doing, they would
come up and prevent him from carrying out his intcntiori.
T h e troops, worn out by fatigue, both of mind and body,
spent that night in their tents. T h e same night a mes-
senger came from el-hIelek el-'gdel, informing the Sultan
that that prince had had a n interview on the subject of
peace with ambassadors from the Franks, and that h e
had also conversed on the same subject with the son of
29s II.H:IT B E F E L L SVLTA.\' YYCSUF.
- ~
Honferi, who had come t o visit him, and asked him t o
surrender t o the Franks all the cities of the districts on
the coast. T h e Sultan-whose troops were worn out and
weary of such constant fighting and warfare, besides being
broken down b y neediness-felt inclined t o accept this
proposal, and wrote t o el-'Adel to enter into negotiations
on the subject, granting him full powers t o make such
terms a s should seem best to him. O n the 20th of Sh'aban
the Sultan busied himself from early morning in urging
forward the work of demolition, and putting more work-
men on the walls. A s an encouragement t o them he gave
them all t h e corn t h a t had been stored there, and which he
saw it would be impossible t o carry away ; moreover, time
pressed, and he feared an attack from the Franks. By his
orders they set fire to all the houses and other buildings
in the city, and the inhabitants were obliged to sacrifice
whatever property thcy had still remaining, as they had
no means of taking it away. \Ve constantly received in-
telligence of the enemy's movements; they were now very
hard a t xvork repairing (the fortifications o f j Jaffa. We
were informed b y a letter from el-hlelek el-'Wdel that the
enemy did not know we were engaged in deinolishing thc
city (of Ascalon). ' \Ve are delaying matters a s much as
we can with these people,' the prince added, ' a n d we will
prolong the negotiations t o give you time to destroy the
city.' By the Sultan's orders all the towers were filled
with wood, and then set on fire. O n the morning of the
21st h e left the camp on horseback t o urge the labourers
on in their work; he kept them well occupied in their task
of destruction, and visited them periodically t o see that
they were a t work; h e was therefore very soon so ill
that for two days he was unable either t o ride or t a l e
a n y food. Every moment news of the enemy came in
with tidings of encounters with them-sometimes suc-
IC.HAT B E F E L L S U L T A N I'CSUF. 299
~ ~ p~ -~
~ ~
~
~-~-p--. - - -~ -.
cessful, sometimes disastrous-for there werc continual
engagements in the short space between them and our
advanced guard. (hlean~vhile)h e kept pressing forward
the demolition of the city, and brought the camp
closer t o the walls, which enabled the servants, the
camel and ass-drivers, and all the other camp-followers t o
take part in the work. Therefore the walls were soon
partially demolished, although they were most solidly
built, being from nine t o ten cubits thick-the thickness
varying with the position. O n e of the stonemasons in-
formed the Sultan in my hearing that (the wall of) one of
the towers which h e was then undermining was as thick a s
a lance is long. Demolition and fire laid the city low
during the whole of the month of Sh'aban. Towards the
end of the month a letter came from Jurdik, saying that the
enemy had begun t o make expeditions from Jaffa, and t o
overrun the neighbouring districts. This news inspired the
Sultan with the hope of being able t o punish the invaders.
H e resolved t o advance upon them and take them b y
surprise, leaving the miners a t Ascalon with a body of
cavalry t o protect them ; but h e afterwards thought it
best t o postpone his departure until after they had burnt
down the ' Hospitallers' Tower,' a building that com-
mandod the sea, and was a s strong a s a castle. I had
been in the tower, and gone all over i t ; it was so solidly
built that the vrorkmen's picks made no impression on it
ivhatcvcr, and they mere obliged t o set it on fire t o make
the stones more friable before the labourers attacked it
with their tools. On the 1st of Ramadan the Sultan gave
this task into the hands of his son el-Melek el-Xfdal a n d
his officers. I watched them carrying u p the wood to set
the tower on fire. I t burnt Tor two days and nights. T h e
Sultan did not ride out that day, in order t o spare himself,
and I, too, was scized with an indisposition that prevented

300 rI'H.AT C E F E L L SULTA3' YG'SUF.
- ~-~~
- -
m y attending him throughout the day. I n spite of the
important matters he had on his mind, he sent thrce tirncs
during the day t o inquire how I was.
C I I A P T E R CXXII.
TI-IE SULTAPi SETb O U T FOR RAX'ILA.
TH' Sultan started a t midnight on the and of Ramadan,
in order t o avoid the heat of the day, and spare himself a s
much a s possible. H e reached Yebna towards mid-day,
and dismounted, t o rest in his brother (el-'L&del's)tent, and
also t o obtain information regarding the enemy from him.
H e remained there an hour, and then rode off t o his own
tent, where he spent the night. O n the following day, the
3rd, h e set out very early for Ramla, arriving a t that place
about noon. Thcre he took u p his position with the heavy
baggage in a way that showed he intended t o remain for
somc time. H e then drew up his troops in order of battle,
by right wing, left wing, and centre; after which he gave
the people a meal, and then rested for a short while.
Between the afternoon and the four o'clock prayer he
visited Lydda,l and, observing that the church in that
place was a very fine budding, he ordered that it should
be destroyed, as well a s the castle of Rarnla. T h a t same
d a y several troops of workmen began the work of demo-
lition. All the straw and corn stored in the Government
granaries here was given up t o the people. T h e in-
habitants were obligcd to emigrate t o other centres of
population, and very few people remained in the place.
T h e labourers worked until the evening, when the
Sallh ed-Din destroyed all the castles on the plain, or near the
foot of the h~lls,according to Ue T-insauf.
II.H.4 2' B E F E L L SC:LT.:S YCSCl,.. 301
~ -~-
Sultan returned t o his tent. T h e following day, the
4th of RamadAn, he set the people to work again in
both places, and left them under the direction of super-
intendents, who wcre instructed t o ~ n a k cthem push on
with the task in hand. H e visited the works every even-
ing, and had a meal served after the nrnghreb prayer ; then,
when everyone had broken their fast,l they returned each
one t o his own tent. T h e idea of visiting Jerusalem
then occurred t o the Sultan, and he set out secretly with
a small folloming t o ascertain the condition of the city,
charging his brother el-&felek el-',idel t o take his place a t
the head of the army, and t o press forward with the work
of destruction. H e started a t night-fall for Beit-Nfiba,'
where he halted until the follorving day. A s soon a s
morning-prayer had been said, h e set out for the Holy
City (el-Kuds) which hc reached on the 5th of the month.
T h e remainder of the day hc spent in examining the con-
dition of the city-its fortifications and garrison, the state
of its supplies, the efficiency of its war-stores, etc. T h a t
same d a y the servants of KAim3z the eunuch brought him
two Christians they had stopped, with letters from the
governor (CfiiZi) to the Sultan. These letters, written
but a few days before, stated the needs of the city as
t o corn, military stores, and garrison. T h e Sultan read
them, and ordered all concerned t o be beheaded. H e
carried on his examination of the city until the 8th of t h e
month, on which d a y he took his departure a t noon,
leaving orders that the fortifications should be repaired ;
he spent the night a t Beit-Ndba, and startcd in the morn-
ing t o return t o the army. T h a t same day kI'oin ed-Din
Kaisar Shah, Lord of Malatia, son of lsilij Arslkn, came
t o bcg the Sultan's support against his father and brothers,
I Tieing R a m a ~ l i n the
, fast u.az only broken at sunset.
See p. I I.
302 I t H A T B E T E L I , SCLTA,\ 1 1CSCF.
P - - -
who were trying t o take the city from him. El-Melek
el- del wetit out from Lydda t o welcome him, and gave
him the most honourable reception. They pitched our
visitor's tent close t o Lydda. T h a t same day the enemy's
foragers scattered over the plain, and were attacked by our
advanced guard. A s soon as the enemy were informed of
this, they sent a detachment of cavalry to their support,
which was lllcewlse attacked by the guard. O n e of the
prisoners stated t h a t the king of England had ridden out
with this detachment, and that a Moslem was about t o
pierce him wlth his lance, when a Frank threw himself in
between, and received the blow, which caused his death ,
he h~mself(the king) was w0unded.l That, a t least, 1s
what we were told, but God alone knows the truth On
the 9 t h of R a m a d j n the Sultan rejoined t h e army, and
was received by all with great den~onstrations of joy.
W h e n I<illj ArslAn's son came before him, he dismounted
t o receive him, treated him with every mark of honour,
and welcotned him in his own tent. H e pressed forward
the work of demolition he had ordered with unrelaxed
energy. Meanwhile, intelligence of the enemy came in
very frequently. There had been several engagements
between the Franks and the advanced guard, and thc
Arabs had stolen numbers of their horses and mules
C H A P T E R CXXIII.
ARRIVAL O F AN AMBASSADOR FROM THE 3IARQUIS.
IN the meantime a n ambassador vvas sent b y the marquis
t o state that he would make peace with the Moslems on
King Richard was hawking when he fell into this ambush.-De
Vinsaol', v. 3:.
TC'HAT N E F E L L S C L T A Y Y U Y C F 303
- P-
condition that they gave up t o him the cities of Sidon and
Reiri~t. Under those circumstances he undertook t o make
a n open rupture with the Franks, t o lay siege to Acre, and
take it fro111 them, provided that the Sultan would ratify
t h e proposed conditions beforehand. T h e Sultan sent
el-'Ad1 en-Nejeb (the courier), who bore a reply accepting
the marquis's proposals. H e was very anxious t o make
the marquis break with the Franks, for he was a man
greatly to be feared, and accursed. T h e marquis, on his
side, saw that the Franks intended to deprive him of the
city of Tyre ; he had therefore shut himself up in that
place, which was strongly fortified. EI-'adel set forth on
the 12th of Ramadin, accompanied by an ambassador from
the S u l t a n : the offer made b y the marquis was t o be
accepted on condition that he should first openly declare
war against the Franks by making an attack o n Acre, and
that, as soon as that city was taken, he should release the
,(Moslem,! prisoners detained there, as well as those in
captivity in Tyre ; then, and not till then, would the Sultan
give him the two cities he had asked for. During the
evening of the same d a y the ambassador, sent by the king
of England to confer with el-Melek e l - ' i d e l concerning
the treaty of peace, was brought before that prince. On
the 13th of Ramadtin the Sultan thought it necessary to
withdraw to the neighbouring hills with his troops, so as t o
send the baggage-animals out t o collect forage: for Ramla,
where we were quartered, was too close t o the Franks for
us t o risk sending them out, lest they should be carried off.
H e therefore left that place and took up a position on a
hill adjoining that of en-Safrhn,l taking with him the
heavy baggage and the whole of the troops, excepting, of
course, the advanced guard. This rnanceuvre was carried
out after the demolition of Ramla and Lydda. A s soon as
304 i l H d T BEFELL SCI,1'.4S YCSL'F.- -
- ~p-- ~ ~- ~ -
he had taken up his position, he \vent aii round en-Natri~n
-a castle celebrated for its strength and massiveness-
and forthwith gave an order for its demolition, on which
they set to work at once. Messages were frequently sent
between el-Melek el-'Adel and the king of England. The
king's ambassadors declared that their master had the
greatest confidence in el.Melek el-'Adel, and trusted him
implicitly in the mattcr of arranging the terms of peace.
After this ten persons chosen by the Franks brought him
such satisfactory messages, that he at once communicated
them in ~vriting to the Sultan. This occurred on the
17th of the month. Among the news they brought was
intelligence of the death of the king of France, which had
taken place at Xntioch in consequence of an illness with
which he had been seized. They also informed us that
the king of England had returned t o Acre, having obtaincd
certain intelligence that the marquis had entered into
correspondence with the Sultan, broken all his promises to
the king, and undcrtaken to advance upon Acre. The
king, thercfore, had hastened back to that city, to break
off these negotiations, and get back the marquis's allegi-
ance to the cause. After this the Sultan rode out to
the advanced guard, and, meeting his brother at i y d d a ,
questioned him on the news he had received. In the
evening, about the hour of the 'asr prayer, he returned to
the camp, and two Pranks were brought before him who
had fallen into the hands of the advanced guard, These
men confirmed the news of the death of the king of
France, and the departure of the king of England for
Acre.'
' The king of France, who was ill, had left Palestine on August I.
Richard's visit to Acre was with the intention of coming to terms
with the French, who supported the claims of Conrad of Montierrat
as king of Jerusalem. Philip died in I--,
19' A.D.
W H A T B E F E L L SULTART YGSC'F. 305
C H A P T E R CXXIV.
EL-LIELEK EL-'KDEL VISITS JERUSALEM.
As it seemed necessary to make an inspection of the Holy
City and the state of its fortifications, el-Melek el-'Adel
was commanded to repair to that place. This was on the
29th of the month; he had just left the advanced guard,
having heard that the leaders of the Franks had withdrawn
from our neighbourhood, and he started on his journey
immediately. That same day a letter was reccived from
el-Melek el-Mozaffer Taki ed-Dfn, announcing the death
of Kizil, son of Aildekez, and king of Persia; his own
people had attacked and assassinated him. I t was said
that the murder had been committed a t the instigation of
his wife, who had joined the faction of Sultan Toghril.
This occurrence, which took place during the first third of
the month of Sh'abin that year, gave rise t o great dis-
turbances in the different provinces of Persia. EI-'Adel
returned frorn Jerusalem on the 21st of Ramadbn. T h e
same day a letter arrived from the August and Prophetic
Court (that is to say, from the Khalif's Chancery) refer-
ring to el-Melek el-X'ozaffer's expedition against Khelgt,
and expressing the greatest interest in Bektimor. They
interceded also on behalf of Uasan Ibn-l(afj;ik, kept
prisoner at Arbela by Mozaffer ed-Din, son of Zein ed-Din,
and begged the Sultan to give orders that he should be set
at liberty. They likewise requested that el-I(Bdi el-Fitdel
might be sent to the Khalif's Court to settle various ques-
tions and make divers arrangements. This letter was sent
to el-KAdi el-Fitdel for his information, with instructions
that he should write to Taki ed-Din.

C H A P T E R CXXV
INTELLIGENCE RECEIVED FROhI T H E OUTPOST STdTTONErl
BEFORE ACRE-ACCOUXT O F T I I E DOINGS OF SOIIE
.il<.1B THIEVES \VHO USED T O GET INTO. T l I B ESELIY'3
CL\Mk'.
O N the zznd of the month of Ramaclin some of our
thieves brought the Sultan a mare and mule that thcy
had carried off from the enemy's camp, into which they
had made their may. T h e Sultan had hired three hundred
Arab brigands, who used t o get into the enemy's camp
and steal their money and horses; they also carried off
living men. They proceeded a s follows: one of thcm
would enter the tent of some Frank whilst he xvas asleep,
and awake him by planting his dagger a t his throat.
When the sleeping man saw the robber armed with the
dagger, he did not dare to say a word, and would s u f e r
them t o carry him out of bounds of the camp. A few of
them who had called out had had their throats cut on the
spot ; others, finding themselves in the same circunlstances,
had not said a word, preferring captivity to death. This
state of things continued until peace was concluded. T h c
same d a y a messenger came in from the advanced guard
with the news that a body of tronps had left Acre and
marched out on the plain; the guard had attacked thern and
taken twenty of them prisoners; these prisoners had con-
firmed the report of the king of England's return t o Acre,
and stated that h e was ill; the garrison of .Acre, they added.
was very weak, provisions were getting scarce, and there
was no money. T h a t same day a large fleet, said t o have
come from Acre, and bringing the king of England,'
King Richard brought French and other forces to Jaffa, which
meantime was being rebuilt.
II'HdT B E F E L L SULT.4S I.CSCF.
307
-
anchored alongside the enemy's camp, and disembarked a
great number of troops, who, according to one report, were
t o garrison Xscaion ; according t o anothcr, were to be led
against Jerusalem. O n the 24th of the month the pri-
soners we noticed above arrived from ez-Zib,' and their
presence i n . t h e camp n7as a source of great joy to the
kIoslems. T h e same day an ambassador arrived who had
been despatched by I(izil shortly before his death ; whilst
another came on behalf of his nephew, Ainrij. During t h e
evening a messenger came from the king of England
bringing a horse as a present from that prince t o el-Afelek
el-',ldel, in return for the gifts he had received at his
hands. W e also received tidings that day of the death o i
IIossrim ed-Din (;lIuhamrnad Ibn 'Omar Ibn) Lajin, son o i
one of the Sultan's sisters ; h e had died a t Damascus in
consequence of an illness that had attacked him very sud-
denly. T h e Sultan was much grieved a t this loss. T h a t
same d a y h e received a dispatch from S i m a (the com-
manding officer), saying that the prince (of Antioch) had
made an inroad into the districts of Jebela and Laodicea,
t h a t his troops had been routed and he himself obli,fled t o
seek shelter in his city aftcr having lost a great number of
men, and utterly failed in his undertaking.
C E I A P T E R CXXVI.
EL-MELEK EL-'.\DEL SENDS A ~ I E S S A G E TO THE ICING OF
ESCLASD.
O N the 26th of Ramadrin el-Melek el-'Adel, who was then
on duty in command of the advanced guard, Ivas invited
by the king of England t o send a messenger t o him.
El-hlelek sent hirn es-Sani'a Ibn en-Nahhil, a fine young
The Biblical Achzib, S: miles N. of Acre.
20-2
308 IVHAT B E F E L L SCLTAN Y U S b F .
- - - p - - - --
fellow, who acted a s his secretary. T h e interview took
place a t Yazfir,' whither the prince had gone with a large
detachment of the infantry, which was then scattercd over
the plain. T h e y spent a considerable time talking of the
peace, and the king uttered these words : ' I will keep the
promise I have given t o m y friend and brother,' referring
by these terms to el-Melek el- del : he then sent the
same messenger back t o him with the proposals he had to
make t o us. H e also wrote and forwarded by the same
messenger a letter for the Sultan, couched in the following
terms: ' You are t o greet him, and say that both the Mos-
lems and the Franks are reduced to the last extremity;
their cities are destroyed, and the resources of both sides
in men and stores brought t o nought. A n d since rlght
has been done in this matter, we need speak only of
Jerusalem, of the cross, and of the land in question. A s t o
Jerusalem, we are fully resolved never to give it up, even
though we had but one man left ; touching the land, you
must restore it t o us a s far as the other s ~ d of
e Jordan ; and
lastly, a s regards the cross-to you it is nothing but a piece
of wood, but it is very precious in our eyes, and if the
Sultan will graciously give it into our hands, me will make
peace and breathe again after continual cvcariness.' When
the Sultan had read the contents of this letter, h e called
his councillors together t o consult them on the answer that
should be made. Afterwards h e wrote t h u s : 'Jerusalem
belongs t o us just a s much a s t o you, and is more precious
in our eyes than in yours, for it was the place of our
Prophet's journey, and thc place tvhere the angels gatherid.
Therefore, d o not imagine that we shall give the city up to
you, or that we shall suffer ourselves t o be persuaded In
t h e matter. As regards the land, it belonged originally t o
us, and you came t o attack us ; if you succeeded in getting
' See p. 32.
i V H A T DEFELL S C I - T A X Y C S U F . 3%7
.- ---m
possession of it, it was only because you came unexpectedly
and on account of the weakness of the Moslems who then
held it ; as long as the war lasts God will not suffer you t o
raise one single stone upon another in this country. Lastly,
a s concerns the cross, its possession is a great advantage t o
us, and we cannot give it up except we could thereby gain
some advantage t o IslSm.' This was the answer that the
messenger took back t o the king of England.
CHAPTER C X X V I I .
S H I K K ~ HIBN BAICHEL, T H E KURD, MAKES HIS ESCAPI?
FROM ACRE, WHERE HE mrls KEPT A PRISONER.
DURISGthe last days of the month of RamadAn, Shirkfih
Ibn Hakhei, one of the emirs imprisoned in Acre, came
into the camp. H e had been successful in concealing a
cord under his pillow, and emir Hasan Ibn BdrPk had
hidden another in the privy. They had made arrange-
ments t o escape together, and got out of the window of
the privy and let themselves down from the t o p of the
first wall by means of their ropes. Shirkiih climbed over
the outer wall and succeeded in getting clear without
accident ; but I b n B$rPk, who was following him, had the
misfortune to fall, the cord giving clray under his weight.
ShPrkiih found him, stunned by his fall, and spolie to him,
but could get no answer; he then shook Pim, in the
hope of reviving him and taking him with him, but all his
efforts were in vain. Then, seeing that if h e stayed with
his comrade thcy would both be taken, he left him, and,
in spite of his fetters, ran till he came t o the hill of el-
'Aiddiya. T h e sun was just beginning t o rise, so he hid
himself there, and remained concealed until the day was
 I17NAT BEI.'ELL S U L T A h r I'L'SUF.
3 '0 --
~ - ~ - ~ -
p p-p-
p ~ ~ p--p--... ~ ~
well advanced. By that time he had managed t o break oTf
his fetters; so he set out once more and succeeded, under
the protection of God, in reaching our camp. H e pre-
scnted hi~nsclf before the Sultan, and informcd him,
amongst other things, that emir Seif ed-Din el-bleshtitb
was being kept in very close confinement, and that he had
undertaken to pay a heavy ransom in horses, mules, and
precious things of all kinds. H e said also that thc king
of England had been to Acre and taken away with him
all that belonged to him-servants, memli~ksand portable
property, leaving nothing whatever behind. H e added
that the farmers (Fellahin) on the mountains were supply-
ing him nit11 provisions. H e also stated that Toghril, one
of the Sultan's chief memlilks and his sword-bearer, had
made his escape before him.
C H A P T E R CXXVIII
EL-MELEli EL-',^\DEL SENDS hZE ON A RIISSION TO T H E
SULTAS, BTTENDCD UT; SET-ERAL ElIIRS
O x the 29th of Ramadan el-Melek el-'hdel sent to
summon me, with 'Alem ed-Din Suleimrin Ibn-Jendrr,
S%bel; ed-D?n Lord of Sheizer, 'Izz ed-Din Ibn el-
Mokaddem, and FTossim ed-DEn Rishara. H e informed
us of the proposition made by the king of England t o his
messenger, which was a s folloc-s : that el-Melek e ~ - ' ~ k d e l
should marry the prince's sister, whom h e had brought
with him from Sicily, on his way t o Palestine, after the
death of her husband, king of that island ; she nras t o live
in J e r u s a l e n ~ ,and
~ her brother nould give u p t o him those
The English chroniclers say nothin: of this extraordinary pro-
posal. It was not regarded as serious by either side, if indeed it was
ever proposed. See pp. 3 2 5 , 326.
i[711.<TR E F E L L S G L T A S 1'L7SL-F. 311
.-p-p--.. ---p- .
. --
cities of the S$l!el (coast) mhich belonged t o him, to ~ i t ,
Acre, Jaffa and Ascalon and their dependencies ; the
Sultan, on his side, \\.as t o grant el-Melek e~-'~&del all the
cities he possessed in the SBl?el, and proclaim him king of
those districts. ~ l - ' ~ i d cwas
l to retain all the cities and
fiefs he then held ; the cross of the crucifixion was to be
given back t o the Franks ; the villages and stronghoids
belonging t o the Templars and Hospitallers were to bc
theirs. &AI1 the Moslem and Franlc prisoners were to
be set at liberty, and the king of England was t o take
ship and return to his own country. The king suggested
that matters could be very well settled in this way. \Vhen
el-'L&del knelt. this, he acted on it, and he summoned us,
and instructed us to lay the message he had received before
the Sultan. I was to act as spokesman of the embassy
and inform the Sultan of the interview with the king. If
he approved of the arrangement, and thought it ivould be
advantageous to the lfoslems, I was t o take my colieagues
t o witness that the Sultan had given his consent and appro-
bation; and if hc rejectcd the proposal, now that the
negotiations for peace had assumed a definite shape, I was
in like manner t o call upon them t o bear ~vitnesst o his
refusal. \Ve presented ourselves before the Sultan, and I
spoke, setting forth all that had taken place a t our intcr-
view ; then I read (el-hlelek ei-'Adel's) letter in the presence
of my above-named colleagues. H e consented to the pro-
posals on the spot, for he knew very well that the king of
England \vould not carry them out, and that it was nothing
but trickery and mocking on his part. H e gave his formal
consent at my request, saying ' Yes' three several times, and
calling all who were present t o witness his promise. \Vhen
we had ohtained his consent, cve returned t o el-Melek el-
Adel, anll informed him of what had taken place. My
, A
colleagues stated that I had several times warned the
312 1I'HAT liEFEI.1, SULTA-V 1'CSUF.
. - -. - p -- -p- - -
Sultan that I should call witnesses t o his assent, and that
he had not hesitated t o give his entire approval. T h e
proposals, therefore, could be accepted with his full con-
sent.
C H A P T E R CXXIX.
A MESSENGER TAKES EL-'ADEL'S ANSWER TO THE KING
O F ENGLAND'S PROPOSAL.
ON the 2nd ShawPl (October 24) Ibn en-Nahh91 was sent
t o the enemy's camp on the part of the Sultan a n d el-
Melek el-'Adel. A s soon a s the king heard of his arrival
h e sent t o tell him that the princess had been greatly
enraged when she heard of the projected marriage, and
that she had formally refused her consent, declaring she
would never give herself t o a Moslem. Her brother added :
' If el-Melek el-'Adel will consent t o become a Christian,
we will celebrate the marriage.' By this means he left a
door open for further negotiations. When el-',idel received
this message, h e wrote t o his brother informing him of the
position of affairs. On the 5th of Shawal we heard t h a t
t h e Moslem fleet had captured several ships from the
Christians, one of which was known as being (covered over)
and carried more than five hundred men. They were all
killed, with the exception of four important personages.,
T h i s news gave us the greatest pleasure, and was pro-
claimed to the sound of music. On the 6 t h of S h a w i l the
Sultan called his chief emirs and councillors together t o
consult on the measures t o be adopted in case the enemy
should take the field ; for repeated messages had arrived,
stating that the Franks had arranged t o come out and
attack the Moslem army. T h e y thought it best to main-
II'HAI' HEFELI. SCI-?-.4A7 I-LiSC1'. ;I:
~ p-- - .- - - -
tain their position and begin by sending away the heavy
baggage, which would leave them prepared t o meet the
Franks in case of an attack on their part. During the '
evening of the same day two deserters from the Franks
came in t o the camp and informed us that the enemy in-
tended t o come out, t o the number of more than ten
thousand horse; but they did not lcnolv what direction the
army was t o take. According to a Moslem prisoner, who
had managed t o make his escape, they were going t o march
first upon Ramla, and decide upon their further move-
ments when there. When the Sultan had satisfied himself
of the truth of this information, he commanded the herald
t o proclaim that the troops were t o take their light arms
and set out with the standards, for he had made u p his
mind t o maintain his position in face of the enemy if they
came o u t ; then, on the 7th of the month, he advanced,
and encamped south of ltamla church,l where he spent the
night.
C H A P T E R CXXX.
T H E FRANKS COME O U T FROM JAFFA.
IN the morning of the 8th of ShawPl our troops formed in
order of battle, and el-Melek el-'Bdel, who had been ap-
pointed t o the command of the advanced guard, went
forward t o join that body, with all the volunteers who
offered to g o with him. Amongst them was a body of
men who had come from Asia Minor (er-Rzim)with a view
of taking part in the Holy War. A s soon as el-Melck's
detachment approached the enemy's camp thc Sultan's
rnemliiks, relying qn their courage, their excellent horses,
The church of St. hlary, Ramleh, n o w a mosque.
 514 TITHATB E F E L L S C L T A S YC'SCF.
and their being so used t o fighting the Franks, rushed for-
ward and discharged a flight of arrows a t the enemy. T h e
' volunteers from Asia Minor, led astray by the rashness of
the memlcks, followed their example. T h e Franks, angry
and irritated by the close attack, rode from within the
camp and charged on them like one man, uttering a mighty
shout. Those only of our men escaped who were borne
out of danger by their horses, or who were predestined to
save their lives by the swiftness of their own limbs. l'he
enemy took a great nuruber prisoner, and on their side had
three mcn killed. T h e Franks then removed their tents
t o Y2zilr; and the Sultan that night was a t their halting-
place till dawn.
C I I A P T E R CXXXI.
DEATH OF EL-MELEIi EL-RIO%AkB.EI<TAIL1 E D - L ) ~ x .
OX t h e I ~ t of
h the month the Sultan set out in thc direc-
tion of the enemy, and, after having examined their position,
returned t o charge me - t o tell el-hlelek e ~ - ' ~ k d ethat
l he
wished t o see him, together with 'Alem ed-Din Suleimkn
Ibn Jender, Siibel; ed-Din Ibn ed-D2ya, and 'Izz ed-DEn
Ibn e l - h f ~ l ~ a d d e m When
. they came into his presence he
ordered a servant t o send everyone away excepting those
ernirs and myself, and t o cause everyone t o withdraw froin
the vicinity of his tent. I l e the11 drew a letter fi-om his
cloak, the seal being broken ; when he read it, we saw the
tears flow down his cheeks. T h e n he gave way t o his grief
and wept and lamented until we wept also, though we
knew not why. When h e told us that this letter was to
inforrrl him of t h e death of el-Melek el-Mozaffer, we all
began once more to groan and weep. I then spoke to
IT'IIA T B E F E L L SC'LTA .\' I.I.SUI.'. 315
--- --
him, and bade hini remember Almighty God, and subrnit
t o what had been determined and preordained. He
replied : ' I ask pardon of God '; we m-E His, and t o Him
WE Y ~ ~ Z L (Kurirl
Y ~ L ii. 131). ' W e must keep this news
secret, lest the enemy learn it whilst they are close upon
us.' H e then ordered a meal t o be served for all who were
present, and after partaking of it \VC withdrew. Taki ed-
DPn had died on his rcturn from Kheikt t o Blilfkrekin.
His body was taken to that city, and later on was trans-
ferred t o a rnausoieum within a college, now very well
known, that was founded in his honour, close t o Hamah.
I myself ha\-e visited his tomb. His death took place on
Friday, the 19th of RamadLn, ;S7 (October 10, 1191).
CHAPTER C X X X I I .
OX the 13th of ShawAl the Sultan received a letter from
his officers a t Damascus, enclosing a despatch from
Baghdad, sent from the August and Prophetic Court. I t
contained observations on three several matters: first, it
expressed disapprobation of the conduct of el-Melek
el-Mozaffer (Talii ed-Din) in marching against Rektimor,
disavowing his action so strongly that it was formally
stated the K h a l i f s Div2n would not salute that prince;
secondly, it disapproved of the conduct of Mozaffer
ed-Din, son of Zein ed-Dfn, in keeping Fiasan Ibn I<afjlil:
in captivity, and commandcd that thc prisoner should be
put in possession of ei-KerkhAni.1 This is what had
Heh3 ed-llln's IZerkhhi, or kerkhlni, is probably identical with
the Kerkhini of the author of the ' Nerksed el-Ittila,' and of Ibn el-
r-lthir (' I<amel.'vol. xii. of Tornherg's edition). It lies 6.of the Tigris,
and is apparently Kirfiuk, the chief town of the Shehrizor Sanjak; ?.nd
:In important Turkish military statior.
316 W H A T H E F E L L SULTA,V Y U S U F .
- - ~-
~
- P
happened with regard t o Ibn Kafjkk: he had marched
against the city of Urumiahl with Sultan Toghril, who had
visited him with t h e view of obtaining assistance after his
flight from Persia. H e had first assisted the Sultan, and
given him his sister in marriage, and then, in the hope of
being made that prince's atabeg (guardian), and governor
of the country a s such, h e had marched upon Urumiah,and
was reported to have put all its male population t o the
sword, and carried off its women and children into
slavery. H e used t o make his headquarters in the strong-
hold of el-Kerkhani, and from thence he issued forth t o
way-lay caravans and'ravage the country round. Sultan
ToghrP1, seeing that Ibn KafjBk was growing formidable,
left him, and returned t o his own country, whilst his former
protector continued his depredations. Mozaffer ed-Din,
Lord of Arbela, succeeded in gaining the man's confidence,
enticed hitn into his city, treated him as a confidential
friend, and then made him prisoner. When Ibn Kafjkls
found that Mozaffer ed-Din had seized his dominions, he
wrote t o inform the Khalif's Divrin, hoping t o earn the
Khalif's goodwill and favour by imploring his intervention.
In t h e third place, the despatch commanded that el-Klidi
el-Ffdel should be sent t o Baghdad as an ambassador t o
settle the preliminaries of certain agreements, and to be
informed b y the DivBn on certain points. T h e Sultan
sent an answer in the following terms : I n the first place,
\ire gave no instructions in the matter of which you com-
plain. T h e prince crossed the river with a view of raising
troops for the I-Ioly War, and returning forthwith ; but as
circumstances obliged him t o remain some time, we sent,
commanding him t o return; in the second place, you had
been informed a s t o Ibn I(afj3k's character and his depre-
dations, and instructions had been sent t o Mozaffer
' Uuunzinh, W. of Lake Urumiah in Kurdistan.
W H A T B E F E L L SC L T A S 1.C'SCF. 517
-
ed-Din t o take him with him into Syria, where he was t o
assign him a fief, in order that his whole energies might be
absorbed in the Holy W a r ; in the third place, el-K2di
el-FBdel cannot possibly g o t o you ; he is almost always an
invalid, and is not strong enough t o undertake the journey
t o Irak.' This was the purport of his answer.
C H A P T E R CXXXIII.
THE LORD OF SIDON COMES ON AN EMBASSY FROM
THE \lARQUIS.
ON the 13th of S h a w i l we were informed that the Lord of
Sidonl had arrived as an atnbassador from the marquis,
Lord of Tyre. W e had already had frequent disc~~ssions
with him, which resulted in his declaring that they wished
t o break with the Franks, and join us against them. T h e
cause of this defection was a quarrel that had arisen
between the marquis and the other princes of the Franks,
concerning a marriage which he had contracted with the
wife of King Geoffrey's3 brother. This marriage was
T h i s was Renaud, Lord of Sidon, who, after having escaped from
the defeat at Tiberias, and then played upon Salih ed-Din's credulity
in the matter of surrendering the castle of Shakif (see above, pp. 150-
153), had been made prisoner by the Sultan, and sent to Damascus.
Having subsequently recovered his freedom, he joined the faction of
Conrad, Marquis of Montferrat.
Isabel, second wife of Conrad of Montferrat, a n d daughter of
King Amaury of Jerusalem, by hlaria, grandniece of the ICmperor
Manuel Comnenos, of Constantinople, was related to the first wife of
Conrad-also a Greek princess. T h e marriage was thus within pro-
hibited degrees; and, in addition, Hurnpbrey of Toron, stepson of
Renaud of Chatillon, a n d first husband of Isabel, was still alive, a n d
the question of the divorce was controverted. These were the causes
of scandal. But Beha ed-Din is wrong, not only as to the king's
name (Geoffrey for Guy), but as to the relationship. Isabel was half-
sister of King Guy's wife, not wiie of his brother.
318 II'HA T B E F E L L SI.:LTdIS I'C'SCF.
--
declared a scandal on religious grounds, and \+.as the cause
of great dissensions. T h e marquis, apprehensive for his
personal safety, took advantage of night to escape t o Sidon,
taking his wife with him. H e then addressed himself t o
the Sultan, and endeavoured t o obtain the support of t h a t
prince. T h c marquis's rupture with the Franks was a good
thing for the Moslems, for the enemy lost in him their
most energetic leader, their most experienced warrior, and
their cleverest counsellor. When the Sultan was informed
of the arrival of his ambassador, he commanded that he
should have a most magnificent reception. X tent was
pitched for him within a canvas enclosure, furnished with
cushions and carpets lit for kings and great men. Ry the
Sultan's orders, he was invited t o dismount where the
baggage was drawn up, so that he might rest a little before
the interview.
CHAPTER CXXXIV.
A I I B U S ~ I ITITEKE X I Y - ~ ZEL-XIEIIRKNI TI~STIFIES(FOR
THE rhITH).
OX the ~ G t hof Shawal the Sultan ordered his bodyguard
t o conceal themselves in the hollows of thc vallejrs round,
and t o take command of a number of Arabs. ,4s soon as
they had taken u p their position, the Arabs, according t o
their custom, began t o keep watch on the enemy, who used
t o come out t o forage and get wood near their encamp-
ment, so as t o seize the bcst opportunity of attacking
them. When the foraging-party of the enemy came up,
the Arabs began t o shoot furiously a t it. T h e y defended
themselves, and the enemy, hearing their cries of alarm,
sent out a detachment of cavalry t o charge the A r a b s
who gave way, and retreated in the direction of the am-
L1'Hd4T I j E F E L L SLLTII-Y YL'CSl-I-. 319
-- ~
buscade. T h e enemy follo\ved them, thinking t h a t they
could soon overtake them, when all of a sudden the
A'Ioslem foot and horse rushed from their hiding-place,
with a mighty shout. I t was now the turn of the Franks
t o retreat, and they fled back towards their camp. Their
countrymen, as soon as they heard the ;\Ioslems had
charged, sent a large body of troops t o the scene of the
action. The fight began anew ; the fight became serious,
and both sidcs suffered heavy losses. T h e enemy had a
number of men wounded ; rve also took several prisoners
and a quantity of horses. T h a n k s t o the measures takcn
b y thc Sultan, this action terminated (fortunately for us) :
h e foresaw what would happen, and had cornmantied A k h a r
Aslem, Seif ed-Din Yrizkoj, and sevcral other officers on
w h o n ~ he could rely, t o take up a position in rear of,
and supporting the Moslems. ' I f you see the troops in
ambush are getting the worst of it,' he said, 'show your-
selves.' When the eir~irssaw the superior strength of the
enemy's forces, they ordered their foot and horse forward.
A s soon as the Franks saw the Moslem battalions bearing
down on them, they turned back, and made for their camp,
our men rushing after them in hot pursuit. T h e fight was
over a little before mid-day. I attended the Sultan that
morning when he rode out t o get news of the battle, and
we met the first of the soldiers who were returning from it.
They proved t o be the whole of the Arabs, who had left
the field before thc action was finishcd, bringing with them
five horses they had taken. Meanwhile, t h e scouts and
messengers had kept us constantly informed of what
was going o n : the enemy had upwards of sixty men
killed ; a certain number of thc Moslems had been
a~ounded,and Airiz el-Mehrrini, a warrior renowned for his
valour, had fallen on the field, covered with wounds ; a
young man in el-Gheidi's service, n a q c d Jirvali: had met
330 II.H.4T Ht.FELL SCiLTAS Y C S U F .
. - -
with the same fate ; they had taken prisoner two impor-
tant knights of thc Franks, and two deserters came over
from them, bringing their horses and arms. T h e Sultan
returned to his tent, and gave the horses to those who had
lost their own, and ordered that the greatest care should
be taken of the wounded. Towards the end of the day,
el-Melek el-'adel received a message from the king of
England, complaining of the ambush, and begging for an
interview with him.
C H A P T E R CXXXV.
EL hIELEI<'S INTER\-IE\i- WITH T H E KING OF ENGLAND.
O N the 18th of Shaw21, el-Melek el-'hdel joincd the ad-
vanced guard, where a large tent was erected to receive
him. H e had brought with him all snrts of dainties and
delicacies, various kinds of drinks, and beautiful gifts and
presents fit for one prince to offer to another. When he
made presents of this kind, no one could outdo him in
magnificence. When thc king of England came to visit
him in his tent, he met with the most honourable reception
a t his hands ; then the king took him to his quarters, and
had a repast served, consisting of such dishes peculiar to
his country as he thought would be most agreeable t o his
palate. ~ l - ' h d e lpartook of them, and the king and his
suite ate of the dishes provided by el-'A\del. Their inter-
view lasted during the greater part of the day, and they
parted from one another with mutual assurances of perfect
goodwill and sincere affection.
TVHAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y C S U F . 321
C H A P T E R CXXXVI.
T H E KING OF ENGLAND'S MESSAGE TO T H E SCLT.$N.
THAT same day the king of England asked el-Melek el-
'idel t o procure an interview for him with the Sultan.
When a message was brought to Salah ed-Din upon the
subject, he co~~sulted his advisers as to the answer that
Ile should make. None of the various opinions expressed
coincided with that held by the Sultan, who couched his
reply in the following terms : ' I t would be a disgrace for
kings to strive with one another after they had met.
Let the question a t issue between them be arranged first.
Only after matters have been settled would it be fitting for
them to have an interview, and talk over serious business.
Besides, I do not understand your tongue any more than
you understand mine ; therefore we should require an inter-
preter whom we could both trust to act as our go-between.
A s soon as some definite arrangefnent has been concluded,
we will have an interview and lay the foundation for a
sincere friendship between the two nations.' The king of
England much admired this reply, and saw that he could
.only accomplish the object he had in view by conforming
t o the wishes of the Sultan.
C H A P T E R CXXXVII.
THE LORD OF SIDON IS RECEIVED BY T H E SULTAN.
ON the 19th of Shawil the Sultan held a reception, and
ordered the Lord of Sidon to be brought before him that
he might converse with him, and be informed of the
21
322 . W H A T B E F E L L S U L T A Y YCTSGF.
p. p - -- - -
object of his mission. I was present when the ambassador
and his suite were introduced. T h e Sultan accorded
him a most honourable reception, addressed a few
words t o his followers, and then o r d e ~ e d a magnificent
banquet t o be served for them. After this h e remained
alone with them. T h e y asked the Sultan to conclude a
treaty with the marquis, Lord of T y r e ; several influential
leaders among the Franks had lately joined his faction,
such as the Lord of Sidon, and other well-known chiefs.
W e have already given an account of his affairs. T h e
Sultan replied that he was very willing t o conclude peace
with him, but only on condition that he should openly and
actively oppose the Franks from beyond the seas. H e
would b e induced t o take this step b y the fears h e enter-
tained, and by their attitude towards him in t h e matter of
his marriage. T h e Sultan promised t o accept this treaty,
but only on conditions calculated t o sow disunion among
the Franks, and ensure that the efforts of one faction
would neutralize those of the other.
I T h e best thing t o do is t o persevere in the Holy W a r until
C H A P T E R C X X X V I I I.
r2h. ARIBASSADOR ARRIVES FROM T I I E KING O F ENGLAND.
Is the evening of t h a t same day, the son of Honferi, one
of the greatest among princes and princes' sons of the
Franks, came t o the Sultan's camp with a message from
the king of England. I n his suite was a man said t o be a
hundred and twenty years old. T h e king's message ran as
follows : ' I like your sincerity, and desire your friendship
You said that you would give your brother all the districts
on the sea-coast, a n d I a m anxious that you should judge
between him and m e in the division of the land. But we
II'H1T R E T E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F .
- 323
-
-- - - - - ----
must absolutely have part of the city of Jerusalem (el-
Kuds esh-Sherifl. I t is my wish that you should divide
(the land) in such a way that your brother shall be acquitted
of all blame b y the iLIoslems, and that I shall incur no
reproach from the Franks.' T h e Sultan answered this
message a t once with promises of compliance, and im-
mediately dismissed the ambassador, whose message had
made a profound impression upon him. Directly they had
departed, h e sent after the deputation to speak t o them
on the subject of the prisoners, a business t o be settled
separately. They replied that, if peace were made, it would
embrace all; if not, there could be no question of the
prisoners. T h e Sult,ln's object was t o prevent the con-
clusion of the peace. A t the close of the audience, when
the envoys had withdrawn, the Sultan turned t o me, and
\aid : ' I f we make peace with those people, there is
nothing to protect u s against their treachery. If I were
t o die, it might be difficult t o get a n army together such a s
this, and jmeanwh~le)the enemy would have waxed strong.
Lve have either driven them all from the coast, or we our-
belves die in the attempt.' That was his own opinion, but
he w a i over-persuaded to conclude peace.
C H A P T E R CXXXIX.
A COUNCIL IS H E L D AS T O W H E T H E R IT LVILL BE BETTEII.
T O TREAT W I T H T H E KING O F ENGLAND OR T H E
>v.r,Qurs.
O N the 11th of Shaw91,l the Sultan had summoned his
emirs and councillors of state t o lay before them the
marquis's proposals, which he was much inclined t o accept.
' The narrative reverts from 19th to I rth Shawdl (November 4).
324 11.HAT B E F E L L SCLTAL\ Y U T C F .
P P -
- P
I t was a question of allowing him t o take possession of
Sidon, on condition that he would openly break with the
Franks, and join us in actively opposing them. The Sultan
then set forth the proposals made by the king of England
a s the basis of a treaty. He asked for a certain number
of towns in the coast.districts, which he specified by name,
while he gave up the hill-country to the Moslems, or else
that the towns should be held half and half by either side,
in either case, the Christians were to be allowed to have
priests in the monasteries and churches of the Holy City.
T h e king gave us the choice of these two proposals, and
the council was t o consider which should be adopted. H e
then submitted to the emirs the conditions of the treaty of
peace desired by the king, and the terms of the treaty the
marquis was desirous of concluding, inviting them to give
their opinions on the subject, and to consider which were
t o be preferred-the king's proposals or those of the mar-
quis. H e also charged the111 to determine which of the
two proposals suggested by the king should be chosen.
T h e council declared that, if peace were t o be made, an
arrangement should be concluded with the king: for an
honest alliance between Moslems and the Franks (of Syria)
could hardly be counted on, and they must expect to be
betrayed by them. The meeting then broke up, and the
subject of the peace was continually discussed. Messengers
kept on passing t o and fro until the preliminaries of the
treaty were finally arranged. T h e principal condition lvas
that the king should offer his sister in marriage to el-?uZelek
el-'Adel, on condition that the pair should be put in pos-
session of all the cities of the coast-districts held by either
Moslems or Christians ; the latter were to be given to the
princess in the name of her brother the king, the former to
be granted to el-'Adel in the Sultan's name. In his last
message (to el-'Kdel), the king expressed himself as follows
W H A T R L l b I I, S C L T d 4 N Y U S U r 32 j
p
--p
on this point: 'All the Christians cry out against nle
for thinking of marrying my sister to a Moslem without
having obtained permission from the pope, who is the head
of our religion. I am therefore sending an ambassador t o
him, and I shall have an answer in six months. If he gives
his consent, the arrangement will be carried out ; if not, I
will give you my brother's daughter t o wife, for which we
should not require the pope's permission.' In the mean-
time hostilities were kept up, for a state of war seemed t o
have become a necessity. The Lord of Sidon rode out
sometimes with el-'idel, and they would go up a hill to
wrvey the disposition of the forces of the Franks. When-
ever the enemy saw them together, they made fresh efforts
to get the peace signed, for they were in the greatest dread
lest the marquis should conclude a peace with the Moslems,
and thus rend asunder the chief bond of strength of the
Franks. Things remained in this condition until the 15th
of Shaw;il.
C H A P T E R CXL.
THE SULTAK ENCAMPS ON TELL EL-JEZER.
ON the following Friday the Sultan rose with the intention
of removing the camp. H e called his councillors together,
and asked them what reply should be made to the proposals
of the enemy ; he submitted to the meeting the various
propositions that had been made, and informed them fully
a5 to the motives which governed the Franks in their
offers. H e then introduced the envoys from the Franks
who had come from abroad, the son of Honferi acting as
their interpreter. H e arranged with them that two com-
missioners should accompany them on their return-one t o
represent himself, the other to represent el-Melek el-'Adel,
who was the person most interested in this business. T h e
326 11,-HAT B E F E L L S C L T d N Y U S L ' I ' .
message from the Franks stated, among other things, that
if the pope approved of the matrimonial alliance, t h r
arrangement would be carried o u t ; if not, me will give
the daughter of the king's brother to el-Melck cl-'ddel in
marriage. She is a virgin, and although, according t o our
religion, the pope's consent is necessary for the marriage
of a king's daughter who is a rvido~v,such is not the case
with an unmarried princess; the family may dispose of
the maiden's hand a s they please.'l T o this answer rva5
made as follows : ' I f the marriage is permissible, let the
arrangement we have made be carried out, for rve will not
break our engagements ; if, however, it is impossible, you
need not select another woman for us.' This statement
brought the meeting t o a n end. T h e envoys then rcpaired
t o el-Melek el-'Bdel's tents t o await the ambassador the
Sultan was t o send to the king, who was engaged in pre-
paring for his mission. Some time afterwards a messenger
came from the advanced guard, bringing news that a large
body of foot had left the city, and scattered over the plain
without any apparent hostile intentions. T h e Sultan had
gone t o Tell Jezer: and everyone packed up and follorced
him. T h e hour of noon had hardly passed before r11e
army was established in its new camp. A s soon a s the
Franks heard that the Sultan had changed his position,
they beat a retreat. After making a halt on this hill, the
Sultan set out in the direction of Jerusalem, and the Franks
began t o march back t o their own t e r r i t o r y . V V i n t r y
weather now set in, and rain fell in torrents; the Sultan
A second marriage would require an indulgence. King Richard
had no grown-up nieces in 119~.
Gezer. See p. 76.
j The retreat from Beit Nkba began early in January, I 192. Richard
was then busy rebuilding Ascalon, which he reached January 20, and
he then went to Acre. Beha ed-DEn does not describe the rebuilding
of Ascalon.
1VfIAT BEFELL SULTAN YUSD'F. >-/
-9-
therefore set out for the Holy City, and dismissed his
troops. W e spent the winter in Jerusalem. T h e enemy
retired into their own territory, the king of England
returning t o Acre, where he remained some time, having
left a garrison in Jaffa. H e sent us a message at this time,
saying : ' I am anxious t o have an interview with el-Llelek
el-'hdel t o discuss a matter t h a t would be equally advan-
tageous for both sides, for I hear that the Sultan has en-
trusted the business of negotiating peace to vzy b6rot/le?;
el-Xelek el-'$del.' But it was thought that el-'ddel ought
t o g o and collect the troops we were then keeping in
the GhBr, Kaukab, and other places in that part of the
country, and that therefore he should send t o the king,
saying : ' W e have had a great many interviews without
any good result t o either side. I t is useless for us t o meet
if the conference you now propose is t o be like its pre-
decessors, and unless you show m e that there is a liltelihood
of a speedy settlement of the question.' I t was also arranged
that el-'hdel should conclude peace if he found it possible
to d o so, and if not, that hc should prolong the negotia-
tions so as t o allow our provincial contingents time t o join
the army. El-Melek el-'Bdel then desired t h a t a document
should be drawn up and delivered t o him, stating the
utmost limits of the concessions he would be empowered
t o make in order t o come t o a final settlement. T h e
provisions of this document required t h a t the different
cities and districts should be divided equally, and held
half-and-half by either side; t h a t if the king insisted on
the possession of BeirClt, a condition should be made that
the citadel was t o be demolished, and not rebuilt, and the
same for el-Keimfin (or el-KAitin) if they wished t o build
on the rocks ( W'ara) ; that the cross of the crucifixion
should be restored t o t h e m , that they should have their
own priests in the K o ~ ~ l i n z(Church
n of the Resurrection) ;
328 W H A T BEFELL SULTAN Y C S L T .
- - --
and that they should be allowed to make pilgrimages
thither, but unarmed. W e were induced to make such
concessions by the state of our troops, worn out by the
fatigues of continual war, harassed by want of money, and
pining at their long absence from their homes, although
there were some among them who followed the Sultan
without thinking of asking for lcavc of absence.
C H A P T E R CXLI.
EL-'ADEL set out from Jerusalem in the afternoon of Friday,
the 4th of Rabi'a I., 588 (March 2 0 , I 192). On his way h e
wrote to us from Klsan, saying that (the son of) Honferi
and Abu Rckr, the chamberlain, had come to meet him
with a message from the king of England. The king sent
to say : ' W e consent to the division of the country. Each
side shall keep what they now hold. and if one side
more than the half that is their just share, they shall gtre
the other side a proper concession. The Holy City to
belong to us, but the Sakhra shall be reserved for you.'
Such were the contents of the letter. The Sultan laid it
before his emirs, and one of them, Abu el-Heija, declared
that it was a very satisfactory proposal. This opinion
seemed to the others to coincide exactly with el-Jlelek
el-';\del's, and they thought the arrangement would b e t a
good one. An answer in this sense was dispatched to
h Rabi'a I., iZbu Rckr, the chamber-
el-'Adel. On the I ~ t of
lain, one of el-Melek el-'hdel's suite, came to inform us
that the king of England had left Acre for Jaffa,l and that
King Richard went to Acre to see the Marquis of XIontferrat,
who met him at Casale Imbert. The king returned to Ascalon on
Tuesday before Easter. The advice of the Templars and Hospitallers
was that Ascalon should be rebuilt before Jerusalem was attacked.
IVHAT B E F E L L SULTAA' YCSC'I. 329
-- - p
el-i\.lelek el-'hdel saw no necessity for any further inter-
views with the king unless there were any fresh condition
t o be discussed. T h e chamberlain added that he himself
had had several interviews with the king, with the result
that that prince had relinquished some of his demands,
and consented that the Sakhra should be given up t o us,
that the citadel should remain in our hands, and that the
rest should be equally divided (between the Franks and
the Moslen~s);that any Frank specially mentioned should
not reside there, and, finally, that the villages in the districts
belonging to the Holy City, as well as the whole of the
city itself, should be equally divided. On the 16th of the
month Rabi'a I., el-Melek el-'Hdel arrived on his return
from the GhBr, and was received by the Sultan, to whom
he gave all the information we have set forth above.
Towards the close of the same day, a messenger came in
to say that the Franks had attacked the camp of some
Arabs near ed-DArOn,l and had carried off several men, as
well as about a thousand of their sheep. The Sultan was
much annoyed a t this news, and sent a detachment of
troops against the marauders, but they did not succeed in
coming up with them.
C H A P T E R CXLII.
YOSUF,the Lord of Sidon's page, had come, on behalf of
the marquis, to negotiate a treaty of peace, and the Sultan
had given his consent, but only on the following con-
Dd?-liiz, or L)tz~z~m
(see p. I I ~ ) was
, the only fortress in the plains
not destroyed by Salah ed-Din. It was taken by Icing Richard after four
days, accord~ngto De Yinsauf.
330 1T7Hz1f B E F E L L SULTA,\ Y O S LT.
- -- - P
ditions : After the ratification of the treaty, the marqui.
was t o break with his countrymen and make open war
upon them ; he was t o be allowed t o retaln all the land he
might capture from the Franks by his omn unaided efforts,
while all we ourselves might take was, in like manner, to
belong to us ; the people of a n y c ~ t ywe might take by a
combination of our forces were t o be given t o the marqulq,
\vhile we were t o have the Aloslem prisoners and the
treasure that happened t o be in the captured cities; the
marquis was t o set a t liberty all the Moslem prisoners in
his dominions ; if the king of England were t o grant him
the government of the country, b y any arrangement that
might be made between them, peace was t o be maintained
on t h e terms of the treaty concluded between us and the
king of England, the city of Ascalon a n d the districts be-
yond not being included ; the plains were t o belong t o the
marquis, and what w e then occupied t o be ours, and that
which lay between to be ha1ved.l T h e envoy took h15
departure as soon as he had received a statement of these
conditions. O n Monday, the 28th of Rabi'a I., -Asad
ed-Dfn, son of Xuhammad, and grandson of the (great)
Shirkith, came into the camp with an escort of light
cavalry, having pushed on in advance of the contingent h e
was bringing.
C H A P T E R CXLIII.
SEIF ED-DfN E L - I I E S HKLCOVERS
T~~ HIS FRXEDOhI.
IT was on Thursday, the 1st of Jomada II., that this emir
arrived in the Holy City. T h e Sultan, who happened t o
b e with his brother, el-Melek el-'Adel, and caught sight of
el-Meshffib quite unexpectedly, was greatly delighted t o
The country in the low hills was t h e debateable land.
IVHAT B E F E L L SULTdL\' YYGS1-F. 331
- ---- .- ~p~-
~.
~ ..~~ PP-- ~P
see him, and rose up to embrace him. H e then had the
room cleared, and entered into conversation with him,
talking of what the enemy was doing, a n d of their opinion
of the peace, in the course of which he learnt that the king
of England said nothing on the subject. T h a t same d a y
thc Sultan sent a dispatch t o his son, el-Melek el-Afclal,
bidding him cross the Euphrates and take possession of
the provinces occupied by el-Melek el-Man+-, son of el-
Melek el-hlozaffer (Taki ed-Dfn). T h a t prince, fearing
the Sultan on his own account, had declared himself in
open rebellion ; but he trusted in el-Melek el-',$del, and
besought him t o intercede on his behalf. This made a
very bad impression on the Sultan's mind ; he was greatly
incensed a t such proceedings among members of his own
family, for he had never suspected any of his family, nor
had h e required proof of their fealty. This was the reason
why the king of England put off the conclusion of peace,
for the discord that had broken out (in the Sultan's family)
seemed likely t o give him a distaste for the war, and would
force h i n ~t o accept whatever conditions he himself might
choose t o impose. T h e Sultan therefore commanded el-
Melek el-Afdal t o enter the country (of the rebellious
prince), and wrote t o el-Nelek ez-Z%her,Prince of Aleppo,
t o go, if necessary, t o the assistance of his brother (el-
Afdal), and t o lend him a strong detachment of troops.
E!-Afdal took his departure laden with honours, and on
his arrival in Aleppo received the most cordial welcome a t
the hands of his brother, ez-Z2her. H e set a splendid
banquet before him, and made him presents of great value.
132 11 H A T B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F .
-- P - - P
P
C H A P T E R CXLIV.
RETURN OF TIIE AMBASSADOR FROM (THE LORD OF)
TYRE.
OX the 6th of Rabi'a II., gSS (April 21, I I ~ " , the
ambassador Yilsuf returned to resume negotiations on
behalf of the marquis. ' A n arrangement,' he said, 'is on
the point of being concluded between him (the marquis)
and the Franks ; if this comes off shortly, the Franks will
take ship for their own country ; therefore, if you delay
any longer, you may look upon all the negotiations on the
subject of peace as though they had never taken place.'
T h e Sultan was very anxious with regard to ~vliatI V ~ S
going on in the East, and was apprehensive lest (cl-llelek
el-Many;fir), son of Taki ed-Din, should make an alliance
with Hektimor, which would have precluded all possibility
of carrying on the Holy War. This made him desirous of
closing ~viththe marquis's proposals, for he thought that a
treaty with him would be an advantage. H e therefore
ordered an agreement t o be drawn up, embodying the con-
ditions set forth above, which answer he delivered t o the
envoy Yhsuf, who took his departure on the 9th of the
same month.
C H A P T E R CXLV.
A5SASSIX.ITION O F T H E hIAI<()L IS.
O N the 14th of the month Rabi'a 11. (May we
I , 1192)
received a dispatch from our envoy accredited to the
marquis, announcing that that prince had just been
assassinated, and his soul hurled by God into hell-fire. I t
W H A B~E F E L L S C L ~ A VY C srl. 333
- - - -
came about in the iollo~vingmanner :l On Tuesday, the
13th of the month, he had dined with the bishop, and left
his house with a very small escort. Ttvo of his servants
then rushed on him, and kept on stabbing him with their
daggers until life left the body. They were at once
arrested and questioned, when they declared they had been
suborned by the king of England. Two of the marquis's
oficers then assumed the command in chief, and provided
for the protection of the citadel, until information of the
occurrence could reach the Christian princes. Matters
were then arranged, and order was restored in the city.
C H A P T E R CXLVI.
CONCLUbIOX O F THE EUSILLSS O F E L - J I E L E G EL-
AIAXSCK,' A X U 1\7H.IT HAI'PENEL, 10 IIIM.
"
WHENthis prince was informed of the Sultan's displeasure,
he sent a messenger to el-Melek el-'ridel, beseeching him
t o speak in his favour, and to ask that he should receive
either the cities of Harrdn, Edessa, and Someisdl, or, fail-
ing that, the cities of Hamah, Manbej, S a l e m f ~ a ,and
~
Ma'arra, and also that he should be appointed guardian to
The bishop of Beauvais, grandson of Louis VI. of France, was
then in Tyre. According to De Vinsauf (v. 6-31), the murderers
acknowledged that they were Assassins, acting by order of the Sheikh
of the Mountain. Ernoui (289, 290) says that Conrad had previously
pillaged a ship belonging to this sect at Tyre. The French suspected
K ~ n gRichard. -4letter from the Sheikh, absolving him, and said to
be written in 1193 to the duke of Austria, is believed to be a forgery.
-Rahricht, Regesfa Rey. ffie~osol.,No. 7 1 5 .
Muhammad el-Melek el-hlansfir N h r ed-Din was the grandson of
Shahanshah, the elder brother of Saial? ed-Din. He died in 1221.
3 Snlalldyn is placed by Abu el-Feda two days from Hamah, in the
desert to the east.
334 lt7HAT BEFELL SCLTAN Y L SUF.
p --- P P .-P - p-..pp-
his younger brothers. ~ l - ' h d e made
l several applications
to the Sultan (in support of these requests), but obtained
no conces5ion from him. The Sultan gave way at last to
the representations of all his emirs, who constantly inter-
ceded on the prince's behalf, and he felt ashamed of hi5
obstinacy; then, yielding to his natural generosity, he
swore to fulfil a deed by which he made over to el-Man5i1r
the cities of Harran, Edessa, and Someis$t. This deed
provided that the young prince should be put in possession
of the placen he had solicited as soon as he should cross
the Euphrates (and leave Syria) ; he was t o have the
wardship of his brothers, and t o give up (to the Sultan) all
he then held (in Syria). El-hIelek el-'8del undertook to
be responsible for the due performance of thc appointed
conditions, and asked the Sultan to append his sign-
manual (to the deed). T h e Sultan refused, and hc i n -
sisted.. Then the Sultan tore the document into little
pieces. This occurred on the 29th of Rabi'a II., and put
an end to the negotiations. T h e business had been
arranged through my intervention. T h e Sultan was in-
censed a t the thought that one of his children's children
(that is t o say, his great nephew) should have dared to
make such a demand.
C H A P T E R CXLVII.
ARRIVAL OF THE GREEK i1?IBrlSSA4DOR.
O Y thc 1st of Jomada I. an arnbassador came from Con-
stantinople the Great, and was received with the greatest
honour. On the 3rd of the month he was introduced into
the pesencc,; and delivered his message. H e asked,
among other things, that the cross of the crucifixion
should be given to him ; secondly, that the Church of the
11-HAT B E F E L L S L 7 L T A N Y U S G F . 335
~ p p
Resurrection and all the other churches in the Holy City
should be made over to priests of his party; thirdly, that
an alliance, offensive and defensive, should be concluded
between the two peoples. H e also askcd the Sultan's co-
operation in an expedition against the island of Cyprus.
H e stayed with us for two days, and took his departure,
accompanied by Ibn el-Bezz2z the Egyptian, who had
bccn appointed our ambassador. A negative answer was
returned to evsry one of his demands. I t is said that the
King of the Georgians offered two hundred thousand gold
pieces [dr*izif;-S]
to obtain possession of the cross, and that
his proposal was refused.
CHAPTER CXLVIII.
AFTEK el-Rlelek el-Afclal had set out for that country, el-
hIelek el-'Adel suceeeded in softening the Sultan's heart
and obtaining pardon for the son of Taki ed-Din. This he
effected only after numerous inte@iews on the subject.
Then the Sultan instructed me t o go and ascertain the
opinion of the emirs in el-Afdal's service upon the
matter in hand. That prince called them all into his
presence, acd I informed the meeting of the motive with
which the Sultan had sent me to them. Emir HossSrn
ed-Din Abu el-Heija then spoke, and made answer in the
following terms : ' W e are the servants and slaves of the
Sultan. I t may be that the young man, being afraid, will
form an alliance with another. I t would be quite im-
possible for us to carry on two wars at the same time, one
against Rloslems, and the other against the infidels ; if the
336 l V H A T BEFELL S U L T A N Y CSCI'.
-- p p-
--
Sultan wishes us t o fight the Moslems, he must let us
make peace with the infidels ; then we will cross the
Euphrates and fight, but it must be under his leadership.
If, on the other hand, he wishes us to keep on the Holy
War, let him pardon the IVIoslems and grant them peace.'
All present applauded this answer. T h e Sultan then re-
lented, ordered a fresh deed to bc drawn up, which he con-
firmed by oath and sent t o the son of Talcf ed-Din, append-
ing his sign-manual to the document. El-'hdel then
asked of the Sultan those provinces (of Syria) which had
still remained in the possession of Taki ed-Din's son after
his assertion of independence. Negotiations, in which I
acted as go-between, then opened between the two side.;
a s t o what the Sultan should receive in return for the
provinces he was t o give up. I t was finally arranged that
he (el-Melek el-'Hdel) should receive the provinces he
asked for, and should make over (to the Sultan) his
possessions in Syria near the Euphrates. T h e castles of
el-Icerak, csh-Shbbek, and es-Salt, the district of el-Bell~~,l
and the appanages held by the prince in Egypt were to be
excepted, but he was to give up el-JizaLto the Sultan. H e
was, besides, to furnish the Sultan with sixteen thousand
sacks of corn annually, to be sent from es-Salt and the
Belkri to Jerusalem ; the crops of the current year he was
t o retain, except those in the districts beyond the
Euphrates, which were to belong to the Sultan. Salgh
ed-Din signed this agreement, and on the 8th of the
month Jomada I. (el-'Adel) set out to conclude the busi-
ness with Taki ed-Din's son, and to set that prince's mind
a t rest.
I T h e b'elha, or 'empty land,' was the m u n t r y beyond Jordan, in
Gilead and Moab. Bs-S~dt(the Saltz~sHirniiicus) is the capital of
Gilead, S. of the River Jabbok.
Gizelt, S. of Cairo.
C H A P T E R CXLIX.
T H E F R 4 S K S SEIZE E D - D , ~ K ~ N .
TIIE Franks-may God confound them !-seeing that the
Sultan had sent his troops away, went up and attacked
ed-Dzrfin, in the hope of taking it. The governor of this
place was 'Alcrn ed-Din Kaisar, and it was then held by
his lieutenats. On the 9th of Jomada I. (May 24, 1192)
the enemy's infantry and cavalry began to storm the place
smartly. Sappers belonging to Aleppo and attached to
the outpost on guard before Acre had been suborned by
the king of England, and they now succeeded in driving
a mine under the fortress and setting it on fire. Upon
this the garrison asked for an armistice to allow them tirrle
t o communicate with the Sultan, but the enemy disregarded
tllcrn, and attacked the place furiously until they carried it
by storm. Those of the garrison whom God had pre-
ordained to martyrdom there met their death, the rest
were made prisoners. God's bidding is a decreed decree!
' (Kurgn xxxiii. ;S.)
C H A P T E R CL.
AFTERhaving taken the necessary steps and established a
garrison of picked men in ed-D$rfin, the Franks marched
off and halted at a place called el-Hesi,' close t o the
mountains of el-Khalfl (Hebron). They arrived there on
the 14th. They spent the day there, and then, having
Tell el-Hesi, the ancient Laclzish, is 14 miles S.E. of Xscalon, and
24 miles N.E. of Darum, at the foot of the Hebron hills.
22
made their preparations, they nmarched in the direction of
a stronghold called Rlejdel Y,?ba.l They made their ap-
pearance before that place lightly-armed, for they had left
their tents a t el-Hesi. T h c garrison left by the Sultan in
1li.jdel Yaba came out and engaged the enemy, and in t h e
furious fight that hllon.ed they killed a c o u ~ l tof gre?.t
Icrionn among the Franks. T h e Moslems lost only one
man ; he had dismounted t o pick up his lance, and \:.as
trying to remount his horse, which 1vas very restivc. :vliet:
the Franks swooped down on him and I;illcd 1ii11:. The
enemy thcn returned to their carnp, which they reached
the same evening, having failed to csecute their desig11-
God be praised !
C H A P T E R CLI.
Oh' the 16th of Jomada I. we received a dispatch from
Emir Hoss5m ed-Din Rishi,ra, informing us that the
garrison left in Tyre, and consisting of one hundred horse-
men, had been reinforced b y about fifty men from Acre,
after which they had made a n incursion into Moslctn
territory in search of booty. T h e detachment of troops
left to guard that part of the country had fallen upon the
invaders and killed fifteen of them, without losing a singit:
one of their number. T h e enemy's plans had becn
frustrated, and they had been obliged to retreat.
MejdeZ E;idia is 40 miles S. of Tell e!-Hesi. T h e stronghold m?.!-
be the castle of Mirabe!, at RBs el-'Hin. 2 iniles \V, of the vi!laye,
which, however, had been dismantled by SaISh ?&Urn.
C H A P T E R CLII.
.\i:I:I\.iL 01, IIOILEU TROOP5 T O T A k E l'A1:T I N T H E
IiOL\ VAI<
SEEING that the enemy's troops had begun t o over-run
the open country, the Sultan sent out on all sides t o
summon own soidiers back. T h e first of the leaders
to arrive was Bedr ed-Din Dolderim, who brought with
him a great number of Turkomans. T h e Sultan went out
t o meet him, and received hiin with every mark of honour.
Then, on the 17th of the month of Joniada I., 'Izz ed-Din
Ibn el-hlol~adderncame in, with a fine army and ~vcli-
appointed engines of war, whereat the Sultan \!-as greatly
pleased. T h e enemy left cl-Hesi, and cncamped a t the
place where the road divides, leading in one direction t o
Ascalon, in the other to Beit-Jibrin,l and several strong-
holds belonging t o the Moslems. 1TThen the Sultan was
informed of this, he gave an order for the army t o advance
in the direction of the Franks. Hbu el-Heija (nick-named)
the Fat, Bedr ed-Din Dolderim and Ibn el-Mol!addem, set
out one after another a t the hcad of their troops ; but the
prince himself, who was suffering from illness, remained
behind in Jerusalem. A s soon a s the confounded enemy
perceived that the Mosle~n army was advancing, they
retreated as speedily as they could mithout striking a blow.
Letters from our emirs subsequently informed us that the
Franks were marching upon Ascalon.
Beitjibr2n is 11 miles N.E. of Tell el-Hesi. I t was fortified by
Icing F~illcin 1134 A.D.
340 W H A T E E F E I L S C I I l\ I U S b F .
- P-
p
C H A P T E R CLIII.
T H E E N E M Y MAKES PREPAR:ITIC)Xb TO ADV.\NCE A G h I N > T
JEI<USAI.EM.
0 s Saturday, the z j r d of Jornada I., a courier came from
the army, bringing news that the enemy had come out mith
their cavalry, infantry, and a large number of followers,
and had encamped on Tell es-S8fia.l T h e Sultan im-
mediately despatched a messenger t o the Moslem army,
warning them t o keep a good look out, and summoning
the cmirs forthwith t o Jerusalem t o hold a council of war,
and decide what was to be done. On the 26th of Jomada I.
the Franks left Tell es-Sifia, and took up their position
t o the north of en-NayrGn. A body of Moslem Arabs,
who had been on a pillaging expedition in the neigh-
bourhood of Jaffa, had halted for thc night to divide
t h e spoil, when they were attacked by the enemy's
troops whom they did not kilow to be on the march.
They were all taken prisoners, excepting six men, who
ran t o carry the news t o the Sultan. .$ccording t o the
reports of our spies and watchmen, the enemy were
waiting a t e n - N a ~ r c nfor provisions and engines of war,
which they would need during the siege. A s soon as they
had received all that was necessary, they were to advance
upon Jerusalem. O n Wednesday an envoy arrived from
thc Franks, accompanied by a former servant of el-
Meshtfib's, whom they had kept with t h e m ; he came
on a mission with regard t o I(ar2kGsh and the peace.
Tell es-Sdj is 7* miles N.W. of Beit Jibrin, and was the Blanche
Guarde of the Franks, built by King Fulk in I 144, but dismantled by
Saltb ed-Din. En-Natrdfz is I I miles to the N.E. from Tell es-S%?,
o n the Jerusalem road. See p. 32.
117HAT E E F E L I . SCLII'AN Y U S U F . 34 1
- - -- - p- pp--
C H A P T E R CLIV.
T I I E EA'EbIY HALTS AT B E I T - N ~ B A .
OX Wednesday, the 27th of Rabi'a I.,l the Franks left
en-Natr-An, and moved their camp to Beit-Nitba, (a village)
in the p1 'n, a day's journey from the Holy City. O n
"Ik
receiving t is news, the Sultan called his emirs together,
and took counsel with them a s t o what should be done.
I t was decided that each emir should be entrusted with
the defence of a certain portion of the walls ; and that the
Sultan should command the rest of the troops, who were
to be lightly armed, in their engagements with the enemy.
Each division of the garrison, knowing the part of the
walls it was to defend, was t o hold itself in readiness
t o receive the cnerny. I n case of need these troops
were to make sorties, but otherwise they were t o remain
a t their posts. Proclamations containing instructions
were dispatched t o all the emirs. T h e road from Jafia
to the enemy's camp was constantly crowded with
convoys of provisions for the Franks, and the Sultan
commanded the advanced guard t o take every oppor-
tunity of attacking them. Bedr ed-Din Dolderim, who
was (at that time) on duty a t the head of the advanced
guard, posted a goodly number of picked men in ambush
on either side of this road. A detachment of the
enemy's cavalry, acting as escort t o a convoy of pro-
visions, charged the men in ambush, thinking they had t o
d o with a small body of Moslems only. A desperate
conflict ensued, in which the enemy was worsted, having
thirty men killed and a number taken prisoner. T h e
'- The story goes hark to April I;.
342 T1.HdT I3lSFEI.L SGLT.-iS 1 ' C C i ~ F .
-- ~- ~ -.p-p- --p--. ~- -
latter were taken to Jerusalem, and entered the city on the
19th of Jomada I., where their arrival created a profound
sensation. This blow disconcerted the enemy, whilst it
gave fresh courage t o the advanced guard, inspiring then)
even t o charge the whole Frank army, and to take u p
a position close t o the enemy's camp. A s the convoys
continued t o come in, a detachment of our men, with
a strong force of Arabs, was sent out t o lap an ambush.
A convoy, escorted b y a large body of soldiers, came
along, and the Arabs advanced t o stop it. T h e y were
attacked by the cavalry of the escort, and gave way,
retreating towards the spot \vhere the ILIosle~ns were
concealed. T h e latter, who were Tu;ks, rushed from
their ambush and hurled themselves on the enemy, killing
several men, and making a number of prisoners. Thcp
themselves had a good number wounded. This encounter
took place on the 3rd of Jomada 11.
C I I A P T E I I CLV.
THE CARAVAN FROXI C G I PT I b C1PTL I X D .
THESultan had commanded the Egyptian army t o begin
its march, and t o keep a constant look-out as soon as
i t neared the enemy. These troops halted a t Bilbeis
for several days, until the convoys were collected. T h e
whole train then set out for Syria, never suspecting
that A r a b miscreants were keeping the enemy informed
of its movements. When (the king of England) received
certain information that the caravan was close at hand,
h e commanded his army t o keep a good look-out and
to hold itself in readiness, while a thousand horsemen
set out, each of whom took a foot-soldier in front of
J1'HAT li'Ej--ELL SCLTA.\ YLTSCT. 313
~ - ~ ~~ - - ~~ --
h i . I n this way it (the army) came t o Tell es-S;ifia,
where it spent the night; and h e proceeded t o es-Safin,
nhere ' h e ordered a good number (of foot-soltiiers) to
be taken on the horses of the cavalry, and advanced
as far as the water east of el-Hesi.l T h e Sultan, who
had received intelligence of the enemy's movements,
sent to \varn(lfhe caravan. Those who were sent on
this service were Akher Aslem, Altonba el-'Adli, and
other .eminent officers. They had instructions t o take
the cara\.an through the desert, and t o avoid the neigh-
bourhood of the Franks, for an encounter was to be
dreaded above all things. T h e y brought the caravan
by t h e road which they had just followed, thinking
that there xvas nothing t o fear, a s they had performed
the journey in safety. They were also anxious t o take
the shortest roa-l. When they came t o the water called
el-Khu\veiifa,' everyone was allowed t o disperse in order
t o water the beasts. The enemy, who were then posted
at the spring head of el-Hesi, were informed of this
by the Arabs. They lost not a moment in setting out,
and surprised the caravan a little before dawn. Felek
ed-Din, el-Mclek el-'idei's own brother, who was in
command of the Egyptian troops, had been advised bjr
Lmir Aslem t o set out during the night, and gain the
top of the mountains b y 3 quick march ; but he had not
followed the suggestion, fearing lest the caravan should
get scattered in a night-march. H e had given orders
: King .Richard brought supplies from Ascalon. According to De
Vinsauf, h e himself slept a t Galatia (jele&yeyEl'1), 6 miles W. of Tell es-
S&. There is a s:rea:n at Tell el-Hesi, which is iz miles %W. of
Tell es-Slti.
El-Khz~weii/;~A, .
called the Kaund Cistern ' by De Vinsauf (v. 4)j
has round masonry wells like those at Bscrsheba. It lies a t the foot
of the Hebron hills, 1 1 miles X.of Ueersheba, and 11 miles S . E . o i
Tell el-Hesi.
341 W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF.
- - - - ~
that no one was to start until the following morning.
We were told that when this was reported to the king
of England he did not believe it ; but he mounted, and
set out with the Arabs and a small escort. U'hen he
came up to the caravan, he disguised himself as an Arab,
and went all round it. When he saw that quiet reigned
in their camp, and that everyone was fast asleep, lie
returned, and ordered his troops into the saddle. A t
daybreak he took the great caravan unawares, falling
on it with his infantry and cavalry. Those arnong them
(Egyptian troops) who passed for brave men were glad
to owe their lives to thc siviftriess of their horses. All the
people fled towards the caravan, closely pursued by the
enemy, who, when they saw the caravan, turned back to
attack it from their fight with the escort. This caravan
had originally been divided into three parts, the first of
which, under the escort of a detachment of Arabs and
el-Melek el-'Adel's troops, had taken the road by el-
Kerak ; the second, also escorted by Arabs, had taken
the road leading through the desert; the third was the
one seized by the enemy. Camels, bales. everything
belonging to the travellers, and the traveliers them-
selves,,were carried off by the enemy. Thi5 was a mr'st
disgraceful event ; it was Icing since Islam had sustained
so serious a disaster. There were (nevertheless) sevcral
chiefs of great renown-such as Khoshtekln el-Jeriji,
Felek ed-Din, and the sons of el-Jiareli - with the
Egyptian army on this occasion. According to one
report we received the enemy had about one hundred
horsemen killed ; according to another account they lost
only ten men. No one of importance on the Moslem side
was killed, excepting Yfisuf, the chamberlain, and the
younger son of el-Jkweli. A baggage train belonging to
thc Sultan, in the charge of Aibek el-'Azizi, was so bravely
TI'IIAT B E F E L L S U L T . 1 N Y U S U F . 315
~~ - ~ p
-
~
~.
defended by that officer, that it escaped the general
disaster. This advanced him very greatly in the prince's
favour. The people were scattered in the desert, throwing
away all the valuables they had, and he was fortunate who
managed to escape with his life. The enemy collected
all they could find-horses, mules, camels, property of all
sorts, and everything that had any value-and forced the
camel-drivers, the muleteers and grooms, t o go with their
respective beasts. The king set out to rejoin his army,
laden with spoil ; he halted at el-Khuweilfa t o take water,
and then made his way to el-Hesi. I have been told by
one of those he took prisoner that that night a report was
spread amongst the Franks that the Sultan's army was
advancing, and that they thereupon took to flight, abandoo-
ing their booty ; but as soon as they found it was a false
alarm, they returned t o their spoils. However, during their
absence, a number of the NIoslem prisoners had succeeded
in making their escape, the man in question being among
the number. I asked him what number of camels and
horses he thought the enemy had taken, and he replied :
'About three thousand cameis, and about the same number
of horscs. A s t o the prisoners, there were five hundred
of them.' This disastrous occurrence took place on the
morning of Tuesday, the 11th of Jomada 11. 111 the
evening of that day I was seated in the Sultan's tent,
when one of the young memlilks attached to the stables
came in, and informed him of what had just happened.
Never was the Sultan more grieved or rendered more
anxious. I tried to calm and comfort him, but he would
hardly listen to me. This is what occurred. Akher
Xslem had advised that the caravan should be taken
up to the top of the hills; but his advice was not
taken. He himself went up into the mountains with his
colleagues, and was there at the time the caravan was
3-16 E17FI,IT IjEFELJ, SCLT.4.V Y~~SCI~'.
---p~~ -~ p- -~ ~ - - -
surprised. T h e enemy did not suspect his being there,
and riot a single one of them appeared in the place
where he was. T h e Frank cav.;ilry pursued the >Ioslems
iri their headlong flight, while their foot-suldier5 were en-
gaged in collecting the property our men had abandoned.
Tile 3Iaster of the IIorse, seeing the cavalry of the FI-anlis
at a distancc from their foot, came down with the horsemcl1
he !lad with him, and fell on the foot-soldiers unawares,
.1;'1111ng several of them, and carrying off some of the
'
baggage animals. T h e n ~ u l e ridden by tire messeliger
hi~r~self (who brought the news t o the Sultan) was part
of the booty. T h e enemy then marched back t o the
camping-place (of the main body of their army), which
they reached on Friday, the 16th of Jomada II., a day
o i great rejoicing among them. After that t!lcy rlroved
their tents back again t o the plain of Beit-Niiba, and then
came t o the serious detern~ir~ation
of marching on Jerusalem.
Their spirits were raised by having taktn such store o i
treasure, such numbers of carnels and other baggage
animals, as to enable them t o transport their various
supplies. They posted a detachment of troops close t o
Lydda, to protect thc road by which their convoys were
t o travel, and they sent Count Henry t o brillg in all the
soldiers then in Tyre, Tripoli, and Acre. When the Sultan
saw that they were preparing t o march upon Jerusalem,
he apportioned the defence of the walls among his emirs,
and bade them get everything ready to ~vithstand a
siege. H e also took care t o pollute all the water ncar
the Holy City, t o stop u p the springs, destroy the cisterns,
and fill up the wells ; and this he did so energeticaily
arid with such thoroughness that in all the neighbour-
hood there \\!as not left a drop of water fit to drink. O:re
must bear in mind that it is no use t o sink wells for
drinking-water anywhere near Jerusalem, for this great
11~IIA7'CEI.'lIl.I, .S1'T,7'.4S I'l:.SCf. 347
p - ~. ~~- --
~p
mountain is of the hardest rock. T h e Sultan also sent
to all the provinces, commanding that troops should be
jormarded t o him.
CHAI'TI7.R C L V I .
W I ~ E el-3lelek
X el-Af~lalreceived the Sultan's conrluands
t o return (see Chapter C X L I I I . ) , he had just reached
Aleppo. H e started a t once, heart-broken and intvardly
vexed a t the message, and came to Damascus. There he
stayed, indulging his feelings of cliscontent by not returning
t o duty. T h e news with regard t o the Franks having now
become very serious, the Sultan sent a messenger t o
summon him. El-Afda! could delay no longer, and set
out with the troops he had brought with him from the
East (the districts round the Euphrates;, reaching
(Jerusalem) on Thursday, the 19th of Joinada 11. T h e
Sultan went out to mect him, and dismounted at el-
'Azeriyal to receivc him, and t o gratify his \vounded
feelings by this mark of honour. El-Afdal then took u p
his position on the ridges ncar Jerusalem to ~ v a t c h the
enemy, having under his command the Sultan's son, el-
ilfelek ez-Zafer, and Icotb ed-Din.
C H A P T E R CLVII.
T I I E E N E I I Y \VITHDl<:\\V 151'0 T H E I R iJ\Yh 'YEHI<ITC~f<Y;
CAUSE OF THEIR KETRE.41'.
O S the night preceding Thursday, the 19th of Jomada II.,
the Sultan summoned his emirs to him. A b u el-Heija
.
El-'Arcv~eA, Place of the Lazar-house.' is Bethany, on Olivet,
one mile E. of Jeru.;alem.
34s LI'H;I T BEFELL SULTAM Y U S U F .
.p-.-pp- ~~- ~~
- .
the Fat, who could hardly move, and was obliged t o sit in
a chair in the Sultan's tent, came t o the council, as did
also el-MeshfGb, the officers who had formerly served
under Asad ed-Din (ShirkQh), and all the other leaders.
T h e Sultan then commanded m e t o address them, en-
couraging them t o continue the Holy War, and I spolce t o
them such words as God suffered me t o call t o rnind on
that subject. I said among other things : ' W h e n the
Prophet-pray God for him !--was suffering great tribula-
tion, his comrades swore t o fight for him t o the death.
T h a t is an example which it behoves us, above all others,
t o imitate. T h e n let us meet together a t the Sakhra and
swear to stand b y one another t o the death. Perhaps the
'
sincerity of our purpose will obtain for us the boon of
seeing the enemy driven back.' All who were present
applauded m y suggestion, and promised t o put it into
practice. T h e Sultan remained for some time without
speaking, in the attitude of a man who is reflecting, and
everyone respected his silence1; -then h e spoke in the
following terms : 'Praise be t o God and a blessing on His
Messenger l You to-day are the army and the support of
Islim. Remember that the blood of the Moslems, their
treasures and their children, are under your protection.
and that there are none besides yourselves among Moslems
who can stand u p against this enemy. If you give way-
which may God forbid ! -they will roll up this land like the
rolling up of a scroll (Kurfin xxi. 104). and you will be
answerable, for it was you who undertook to defend i t ;
you have received money from the public treasury, and on
you alone depends the safety of Moslems throughout the
land. I wish you well.' Seif ed-Din cl-MeshtQb then
spoke, saying : ' M y lord, we are your servants and slaves.
Lit., 'and the people were as still as if a bird was on thelr hends.'
You have been gracious t o us, and made us great, and
mighty, and rich; we have nothing but our necks, and
they are in your hands. By God ! not one among us will
turn back from helping you till we die.' All who were
present gave utterance t o the same sentiment, and their
path reassured the Sultan's mind and solaced his heart.
I-3e then ordered the usual meal t o be served, after which
the officers withdrew. T h e close of that Thursday saw
everyone hard a t work and preparations in full swing. I n
the evening we went t o the Sultan's tent as usual on duty,
and sat up with him part of the night, but he was not a s
cheerful a s usual. W e said the night prayer together,
which was the signal for everyone t o withdraw, and I was
leaving with the rest, when he called me back. I remained
standing before him, and h e asked me if I had heard
the latest news. I replied that I had not. H e then
said : ' l have had a communication from A b u el-Ileija
' t h e F a t ' to-day, reporting that many of the memlGks
had come t o him, and that we had been censured for our
decision respecting the siege, and proposing t o shut our-
selves up in the city. They said that no advantage could
result from such a course, and that if me shut ourselves u p
in the citadel we should meet t h e same fate a s the garrison
of Acre, whilst in the meantime all the Moslem land would
fall into the hands of the enemy; that it would be better
t o risk a pitched battle; then, if God grants us t h e
victory, we should be masters of all they now hold; that
if not, we should lose the Holy City, but we should save
the a r m y ; and that our forces used t o be able t o protect
Islsm without having possession of the Holy City.' Now
the Sultan had a n affection for Jerusalem that almost sur-
passes imagination ; this message therefore was a great
grief t o him. I spent the whole night with him, and it
was one of those that we spent in the path of God. T h e
35.' II'IIAT U E I ' E L L SC'LT.1S YCSC-F'.
message which had been sen: to him contained t l ~ cfoilojv-
ing passage : ' If you wish us t o remain in the IIoly Cirj-,
you n1~1ststay with us; or CISC leave some member of your
fanlily in command ; for the Icurds will not obey the
Turlis, and the l'url<s in like manner will ncvcr obey the
u r It was therefore determined that the Sultan
should leave his (great-nephew), Mejed ed-Din, son o i
Fer:.itkl-i-Shah, and Lord of B'albek, in Jerusalem. H e
had a t first propnscd t o shut himself u p in tl:e cit)~,but
was obliged to give u p this idea on account of the great
clanger that tile cause of Islarn \\~ould thereby run. I
found him still \vatclling a t d a ~ r n; it gave me great con-
cern t o sec him, and I begged him t o take an hour's rcst. I
had hardi>- left him before I heard t l ~ c71iuc.z:ii~calling
t o prayer, and I had barely time t o \\.ash, for d a y was
already beginning t o brcak. A s I used soinetimes t o say
the morning pra>.er with the Sultan, I repaired once mol-e
to him, a n d found him washing again. When we had
perforrrlcd the prayer together, I said : ' I have a n idea :
have 1 permission t o tell you what is in m y mind T' H e
r a v e me leave. ' Y o u r Highness,' I said, 'is xreighed
down with anxiety, your soul is overburdened with care.
you can hardly bear up. Earthly means are useless; you
can only turn t o God Aimighty. To-day is Friday, the
most blessed d a y in the week, thc day when prayer is
most heard, and we are here in the most blessed of places.
L e t t h e Sultan perform ablution, atid then distribute alms
in secret, so that n o one linows from whence they comc ;
then say a prayer of two refin between the nzdn and the
Z ~ ~ ? J Z L beseeching
I, your Lord under your brcath, a n d coti-
fiding all your anxieties, confessing your o w t ~inability t o
carry out what you have undertaken. I t may be that God
will take compassion on you a n d will grant your I~ra)-er.'
Xow the Sultan held a sincere belief in all t h e doctrirles of
1l.II-lT UEI-'ELL S C L T A S I'CSLI.'. 35'
- - ~
- ~
the faith, and 1)ractiscd absolute submission t o all the pre-
cepts of God's lax-. I then left his presence. Afterwards,
a t the !~i:ne of p r a j w in tltc mosque, I prayed a t his side
ill the Xi,sa, and h e said two rck'a,ar~d bowed himself,
prayil~:: i11 a low voice ; his teal-S rolled down on t o his
prayer-carpet. Then the congregation ~vitiidrew. During
the evening- of the same clay rve \yere on ciuty with him a s
u.iu;ll, and behold ! he r e c c i ~ c d a dispatch frotti Jurclili,
who was a t that time in c o m m a t ~ dof the advanced guard.
I t contained t h e follon;ng words : ' T h e whole of the
enemy'sforces came out on horsebacl; and took u p their
position on the top of the t Z Z , after which they returned
to thcir camp. II,'e have sent out spies t o ascertain \\,hat
is going on.' On the Saturday morning another despatch
arri\,ed, which ran as follows : ' O u r spy has returned, and
brings intelligence t h a t discord is rife among thc e n e m y ;
one party is anxious to push 011 t o the Hall- C i t ~ - ,
the others r\:ish t o return to their own territory. T h e
French insist upon advancing on Jcrusalcm' : " W e left
our olx7n country," tllcy say, " o n l y for t h e sake of thc
Holy City, and we will not return until we have talcen it."
T o this the king of England replies : " A i l t h e springs in
the neighbourhood of the city have been polluted, so t h a t
there is not n drop of water t o be had ; where, then, shall
we find water ?" T h e y said : " W e will drink the strcam
of Tel;L'a,Vvhich is about a parasang from jerusaletn."
" I l o w could we water there?" said he. " IVe mill divide
the a r m y into two sections," they replied ; " o n e will ride
' Accoidirig to U e Vinsauf, Richard alone was anxious :o reach
Jerusalem. a n d the French were not.
TeLz2'iz (Tekoah of the Old Testament) is 10 miles S. of Jerusaleti:.
T h e water intended was perhaps that of the aqueduct, which has its
head W. of TekC'a, a n d which may h a r e been a v a ~ l a b l enear Ileth-
lehem.
352 il H A T EEFL1.L 5 0 L I . 1 V l'L7SCF
- - P - - P
P
out to the watering-place, while the other wlll remain close
up t o the city to carry on the siege, and we will go to
water once each day." T o this the English king made
answer : " As soon as one division of the army has gone tn
tlle watering-place with their beasts, the garrison will sally
out from the city and attack the troops that remain, and
destroy all Christendom." They finally determined to
elect three hundred from among the chief men, who in
their turn were to elect twelve, who were to choose out
three of their number to finally decide the question. They
spent the night awaiting the decision of the three.'l
On the morning of the iollowing day, the 2rst of
Jomada II., they broke up their camp in consequence of
the decision that was given, by which they had undertaken
.
t o abide. They took the road t o Ramia, that is to say, re-
treated in the direction whence they had come ; but their
troops, armed from head to foot, occupied the position
until the rvhole of the baggage had been removed. When
the Sultan heard from several different quarters that the
enemy had returned to Kamla, he rode out at the head of
his troops, and everyone gave way to the greatest rejoicing.
Still, a s he knew the enemy had secured a number of
camels and other baggage-animals, he grew apprehensive
for Egypt, for the king of England had been plainly
inclined to invade that country on several former occa-
sions.
The Franks retreated from Beit Niiba on July 6, 1192, by ~ d v i c e
of a council consisting of five Frenchmen, five Templars, five 130s-
pitallers, and five nobles of the kingdom of Jerusalem. The policy
recolnmended was an attack on Egypt, as Salah ed-Din feared.
CI'IfAT B E F E L L S U L T A N Y U S U F .
353
C H A P T E R CLVIII.
C O U N T H E X R l T S E N D S A N AhIB4SShDOR.
T H E Sultan, relieved from anxiety by the enemy's retreat,
ordered to be brought before him the ambassador of Count
Henry, who sent saying, ' T h e king of England has given
me all the land on the coast, and it is now in my hands.
Now give me back my other lands, and I will make peace
with you and be as one of your children.' These words
put the Sultan into such a rage, that he meditated using
violence to the ambassador. H e commanded him t o
rise. But he said, 'Wait and listen to this : the Count is
anxious to know how much of the country that is now in
your hands you will give him ?' The Sultan replied by
reprimanding the ambassador, and commanded that he
should be led away. On the 23rd of Jomada 11. he sent
for him, and addressed him as follows : 'All negotiations
between us must be restricted to Tyre and Acre, and
must proceed on the basis of the conditions accepted by
the marquis.' After this H i j i YClsuf Sahib el-MeshtOb
came from the Frank camp ; he stated that he had been
sent by the king of England as well as by Count Henry,
and that the king, when the council had left, had addressed
him as follows : 'Tell your lord you and I can go on. no
longer, and the best thing for us to do is to put an end t o
the shedding of blood. But d o not think it is because I
am weak; it is for our common good. Act as mediator
between the Sultan and me, and do not be deceived by the
mancruvre of withdrawing my carnp; thc ram backs for
butting.' The king had sent two men with the HAji
(Pilgrim) who listened to el-Meshytlb's words.
T h e ostensible object of this embassy was to negotiate
23

for the liberty of B e h i ed-Din I<ariki~sh,but thc real
motive underlying this was the arrangement of a treaty of
peace. T h e H i j i informed us that the 1:ranks had left
Ramla on their way t o Jaffa, and that they were too
exhausted t o undertake any enterprise \vhatever. El-
Meshtab had becn summo~ledfrom h'a ti11.1~t o hear this
message, and the following was the answer : ' W e will make
peace with Count Ilenry as Lord of ilcre,l since that city
has bcen granted t o him ; but, as t o the rest of the land,
tic must let us (make our arrangements) with the king of
England.' T h e Sultan had stationed a detachment of
troops close t o Acre, t o prevent the enemy from making
incursions on the country round- But on the zznd of the
month a body of men left the city t o over-run the neigh-
bouring districts. This manceuvre did not escape the
watchfulness of the Xloslems; they planted ambushes in
several places, and succeeded in killing and taking prisoner
a goodly number of the marauders.
C H A P T E R CLIX.
TIIE FRANKS S E N D r H E l R A\IU.$SShDOK ONCE &TORE TO
N t C O T I A T E A PE4CE.
OX Friday, the 26th of the month, the ambassador from
the Franks returned, conducted b y Haji Ydsuf, who was
charged with the message in presence of their Lord, and it
Acre was part of the royal domain. T h e rest of the lands, in the
fiefs of Czsarea, Jafla, and Xscalon, conquered by King Richard,
were, to a great extent, the property of the Templars and Hospitaliers,
who only obeyed the Pope. Henry of Champagne had married
Isabel, heiress of the kingdom, on the death of the marquis, and was
acknowledged king of Jerusalem in place of Guy of Lusipnan, by
French, English, and Syrians alike.
1I.HzIT B E F E L L S O L Y ' J I N Y C S C F . 355
-
.
-
.
-
.
p ~
was ' T h e king of England says, I am anxious t o deserve
your friendship and goodwill ; I have no desire to be a
Pharaoh t o rule over this land, and 1 d o not suppose you
wish to be so either. I t is not right for you t o allow all
the ;\loslems to perish, nor for me t o suffer all our Franks
t o be killed. Now, there is Count Henry, my sister's son,l
whom I have put in possession of all these districts; I
c o ~ n m c n dhim and all his troops to you. If you invite
him to accompany you on an expedition t o the East, he
wili be willing.' T h e king said further : ' O n many occa-
sions monks who have been turned out havc pctitioned
you for churches, and you have never shown yourself
niggardly, and now I beg you t o give me a church. I
. promise to renounce all that was unpleasing t o you in m y
former negotiations with el-Melek el-'hdel, and t o relinquish
all ~ d e aof it. Will you not, then, give me a barren spot,
and the ruin of its shrine ?'2 After this message had been
dclivcrcd, the Sultan summoned his councillors together
and asked them what rcply should be sent. They one
and all advised him to be compliant and t o conclude peace,
for the &Ioslems were worn out with fatigue and anxiety,
a s weli as overcvhelmed with t h e burden of their needs.
I t was therefore determined t h a t an answer should be sent
in the following terms : ' Since you trust us with such
trust, and as one good turn deservcs another, the Sultan will
treat your sister's son like one of his own sons, of which
you shall shortly receive proof. He grants you the largest
of all the churches- the Church of the Resurrection
($omk~~za), and he will share the rest of the country with
' Henry of Champagne was the son of the eldest daughter of
Louis VII. of France by Eleanor of Guienne, mother of Richard I.,
through her second marriage with Henry 11. of England. H e was
thus the son of Richard's half-sister, and nephew of Philip of France.
King Kichard meant the ruined site of Calvary.
2 3-2
356 W H A T B E F E L L S r L T A N YUSUE.
P---
you ; the cities of the coast-districts, which you now hold,
shall remain in your possession ; the strongholds we occupy
in the hill country shall continue in our hands, and the
country lying between the mountains and the coast-districts
shall be shared equally between u s ; Ascalon and the
places beyond that city shall b e demolished, and belong
neither t o you nor t o us. If you are desirous of a grant of
some of its villages you shall have them. W h a t has heen
most bitter has been the decision as t o Ascalon.' On the
28th of the month, which was the day after his arrival, the
ambassador took his departure, perfectly satisfied. After
he had returned, we heard that the Franks were marching
towards Ascalon, on their way to Egypt. W e also received
an ambassador from Korb ed-Din, son of Kilij-ArslAn, w h o
brought the following message from his master : ' T h e
pope is marching on Constantinople at the head of an
immense multitude ; God Almighty alone knows how
many they may be'-here the ambassador added that
h e had killed twelve horsemen on his way-' send m e some
one,' the prince continued, ' t o whom I may give up my
kingdom, for I am not strong enough t o defend it.' T l ~ e
Sultan did not believe the statements of this message, and
did not trouble himself about it.
CI-I APTER CLX.
T H E FRANK A M B A S S A D O R R E T U R N S F O R T I I C TllIRD
TIRIE.
O N the 29th of the month H&ji Yasuf S$hib el-Mesh~ilb
came t o us, accon~paniedby Geoffrey, the ambassador from
the king of England,l and said : ' T h e king thanks the
This Geoffrey was perhaps the brother of King Guy.
W H A T BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF. 357
Sultan for his kindness, and says : " I beg your permission
t o lodge twenty of my soldiers in the citadel a t Jerusalem,
. anrl that the Christians and Franks dwelling in that city
may not suffer any ill-treatment. A s t o the rest of the
land, the plains and lowlands will be ours; the hill-country
will be yours." ' T h e ambassador informed us that, of his
own accord and of good will t o us, the king had given up
all claim t o the Holy City, excepting only the right of
pilgrimage thither, but that he had said it was not on
account of his being weak. T h e ambassador spent all
Monday with us, which was the last day of the month.
W e further learnt from him that everyone (in the Frank
camp) was anxious for peace, a n d that the king was abso-
lutely obliged t o return to his own country. O n this occa-
sion he had brought the Sultan a present, consisting of
a couple of falcons. T h e Sultan called all his emirs
together to consult them as t o the answer that should
be sent t o this message. They decided to inform the
ambassador that they could grant the king no rights in
Jerusalem excepting that of pilgrimage. Then, when the
ambassador demanded that pilgrims should not be subject
t,) any tax, they made it clear that they agreed with
him on that point. A s regards Ascalon and the places
beyond, he was told that they must absolutely be de-
molished ;l and when h e observed that the king had spent
large sums of money upon repairing t h e fortifications, el-
Meshffib said t o the Sultan : ' L e t him have the corn-lands
and villages as an indemnity for his losses,' t o which the
Sultan gave his-consent; but he demanded that ed-Dirtin
and other places should be demolished, the territory belong-
ing t o the cities destroyed t o be shared equally between
the two sides. A s touching the other cities and their
dependencies, they agreed t o assign all those between Jaffa
Ascalon having been rebuilt by King Richard.
358 bI'Hil l iihl E L L S U L T A N Y V S U F
pp -.
and T y r e to the Franks, adding: ' I n every instance, when
we cannot agree as to the possession of a village, we will
divide it in half.' This was the answer sent t o the king's
message. T h e ambassador took his departure on Tuesday,
the 1st of the month of Rejeb, taking H2ji Yfisuf with
him. H e had made a request that someone should b e sent
with him, t o swear to the ratification of the treaty of peace,
as soon as its prelin~inarieswere settled; but the Sultan
refused, saying t h a t he would send someone as soon as tiic
treaty was definitely concluded. H e loaded the ambassadr,r
with rich presents for the Franks in return for those they
had sent him, for no one could outstrip him in the matter
of presents; his heart was so large, and his generosity :o
great.
C H A P T E R CLXI.
THE AMBASSADOR RETURNS.
AT a late hour of the night preceding the 3rd of Rejeb,
H2ji Yfisuf and the king's ambassador returned. T h e
former was received that night, and gave the Sultan his
news, and on the morning of Thursday, the 3rd, the
ambassador was introduced into the Sultan's presence.
H e delivered t o t h e Sultan this message : ' T h e king begs
you t o allow him to keep those three places1 a s they are,
and not t o demolish them ; of what importance can they
be in the eyes of so powerful a prince? T h e king is
forced t o persist in his request by the obstinacy of the
Franks, who refuse t o consent to their being given up.
He has abandoned all claim t o Jerusalem, and will not
insist on keeping either monks or priests there, except
only in the Church of the Resurrection. Therefore, if you
The three places \rere Ascalon, UrlrCn, and Gala.
1CHi17' D E F E L L SL7LTA.*i I'L'SL'P. 35')
-- ~~
- ~ ~ ~
will give him the cities in question, peace can be made on
every point. T h e Franks will keep all they now possess
from D M i n t o Antioch, and you will retain all that is in
your hands ; in this way everything can be settled, and
the king will be enabled to depart. If peace is not con-
cluded, thc Franks will not suffer him to go, and he could
not withstand them.' See the cunning of this accursed
man ! T o obtain his own ends, he would employ first
fdrce, and then smooth-speaking; and, although he knew
he was obliged to depart, he maintained the same line of
conduct. God alone could protect the hIoslems against
his miles ; we never had among our enemies a man more
crafty or bolder than he. When the Sultan received this
message, he summoned his emirs and councillors together
to discuss the answer that he should make, and this was what
they finally decided : ' A s regards the people of Antioch,
we arc already engaged in negotiations with them direct
concerning that city. Our ambassadors are now there,
and if they return with a satisfactory answer, we shall
include that place in the peace; otherwise, it will not be
included. Touching the cities the king wishes t o possess,
it is not a matter of great moment t o us, but the Moslems
will never consent t o give them up. A s regards the fortifica-
tions of Ascalon, let the king accept Lydda, a city in the
plain, to indemnify him for the expenses he has been at.'
T h e ambassador was dismissed on the morning of Friday,
the 4th of Rejeb. O n t h e following day, the Sultan's son,
el-Melek ez-Ziher, prince of Aleppo, came t o visit his
father. T h e Sultan was very fond of him, and showed a
marked preference for this son, for he saw in hirn all the
signs of a man favoured by fortune, and gifted with great
talents, together with a great capacity for administering
affairs. H e therefore went out t o meet him, and met him
near el-'Azeria, for the young prince was coming up from
360 W H A T CEFELL SULTAN YUSUF.
the valley of the Jordan. When he saw hlm, he dismounted
t o d o him honour, took him into his arms, and kissed hi,
forehead ; then he assigned hirn the house of the Hos-
pitallersl for his lodging. O n the 7th of the month Haji
YBsuf came back alone, and informed us that the king had
said t o him: ' W e cannot possibly allow a single stone t o
be thrown down from the fortifications of Ascalon; we
cannot suffer such a thing t o be said of us in this country.
A s t o the boundaries of the country, they are well defined,
and admit of no debate.' I n consequence of this informa-
tion, the Sultan set preparations on foot for an expedition
against the enemy t o convince them by this energetic step
that he was determined t o continue the struggle.
C H A P T E R CLXII.
T H E SULTAN'S EXPEDITION.
THESultan was informed that the Franks had taken the
field and were marching on Reirilt ; on the 10th of Rejeb
he therefore left Jerusalem, and made a halt a t a place
called el-Jib."n the morning of the following day, the
11th of the month, el-Melek el-'Xdel arrived in the Holy
City from the country near the Euphrates. H e visited the
Sakhra, and offered prayer there, after which he set out to
rejoin the Sultan. T h a t Prince had already left cl-Jib, and
was then a t Beit-Nilba, from which place he had sent t o
Jerusalem t o summon his troops. I rejoined the Sultan
at Beit Nilba, for I had not been with him the evening h e
made preparations for his departure. On Sunday, the
13th of Rejeb, h e set out for Ramla, and came t o a halt a
T h e Mztristdn, or Hospital of St. John.
RZ-]tb (Gibeon) is 5t miles N.W. of Jerusalem.
II'HAT B E F E L L S C L l d h Y U S b E ' . 36 1
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P -
- -
little before mid-day on the Tells between that city a n d
L y d d a ; there he spent the remainder of the day. T h e
next morning, very early, the light armed troops rode t o
Yiztir and Beit-Jibrin, threatening Jaffa, and then returned
to the previous halting-place, where he had spent the rest
of the day. H e called a meeting of his councillors, and
with their unanimous advice, resolved to lay siege to Jaffa.
CHAPTER CLXIII.
S I E G E O F JAFFA.
DURINGthe morning of Tuesday, the 15th of Rejeb, the
Sultan started or1 his march for Jaffa, and encamped there
a little before noon the same day. His army was drawn
up in three divisions, the right and left wings resting on
the sea ; the Sultan himself was in the centre. T h e right
wing was commar~ded by cl-Melek ez-Zsher, the left by
el-Alelek el-'Adel ; the rest of the troops were placed
between the two wings. O n the 16th of the month the
army began to attack the city, which they thought would
fall an easy prey. T h e Sultan drew up his troops in order
of battle, and ordered the mangoneis t o be brought forward,
and t o be set up in position facing the weakest part of t h e
walls, which happened 'to be on the side of the east gate;
he then sent his miners forward t o effect a breach in the
wall. Then a great clamour was raised, and mighty
shouts ; a smart attack was begun, and the miners com-
menced a mine t o the north of the east gate towards
an angle of the curtain. This portion of the wall had
been destroyed b y the Moslems in the former siege, but
the Franks had rebuilt it. T h e miners took possession of
the mine they had sunk, and everyone thought the city
362 II'EIAT B E F E L L S V L T A S Y CSUT'.
--~
-p-pp-p. -.-p- ~.
would be taken that very day. T h e king of England had
just left Acre and was going t o ReirClt, and it was the news
of his movements that had induced the Sultan to lay siege
to Jaffa. An obstinate struggle was maintained until the
end of the day, the enemy displaying a hardy valour and
a determined resistance that discouraged the besiegers.
Meanwhile, the miners were just finishing their mine,
when the besieged found means to destroy it in several
places ; and the miners were obliged to make what haste
they could in escaping. When the Moslem troops saw
that it would be a matter of difficulty to capture the city,
and that the attacking forces would have to be greatly
increased before they could hope for success, they began
to relax their efforts. Then the Sultan formed a resolu-
tion worthy of himself, and commanded that the mine
should be carried through the rest of the curtain from
the tower to the gate, and that the mangonels should
be brought to bear on that part of the wall that was
already undermined. A third of the night had gone
before he returned to the camp, which was on a teZZ
facing the city, and at a little distance from it. By the
following morning two mangonels had been set up, and
during thc day they succeeded in mounting a third. The
Sultan rose, determined to storm the city; but he observed
great want of energy in the ranks, for they thought the
mangonels that were being set up cou!d not possibly
produce any effect for several days to come. T h e Sultan,
seeing his men irresolute and but little disposed to sup-
port him, was obliged t o drive them forward and force
them to fight. The siege waxed hot and the garrison
suffered greatly. As soon as our men saw that the city
must fall they one and all lost every other feeling but a
longing to get possession of it. The besiegers, however,
had many wounded, both by arrows and by the missiles
IVH.17 B E F E L L SULTAN YCSCI;. 363
--
shot from the arbalists. tlrhen the besieged saw the situa-
tion in which they were placed, they sent two ambassadors
to the Sultan to negotiate for peace. One of the ambas-
sadors rvas a (native) Christian, the other a Frank. H e
consented to receive the surrender of the city on the same
terms, and with a stipulation for the same contribution, as
had been imposed on the Holy City. They accepted these
conditions, but aslced for an armistice until Saturday, the
19th of Rejeb,l saying, if they had not received succours
by that time, they would carry out the terms of the treaty.
The Sultan refused to wait and the ambassador took his
departure. T h e besieged made a second attempt t o obtain
a respite, but with the same result. When the Moslems
saw the cnvoys going backwards and forwards, they lost
the eagerness that had inspired them, and fought half-
heartedly, growing more listless than usual. Rut at this
juncture the miners finished their mine, and were corn-
manded by the Sultan to fill it with combustibles; these
were set on fire, with the result that half the curtain was
brought down. The enemy had found out beforehand
where the fire would break out, and they had collected a
great heap of wood behind that point, to which they set
fire the moment the wall gave way, thus precluding any
attempt to effect an entrance through the breach. T h e
Sultan conducted the attack on the besieged with the
greatest conceivable energy; but what fine soldiers they
were! how brave and how courageous! In spite of all
they had suffered, they did not barricade the gate, but
came out to fight incessantly. Our men maintained a
desperate struggle with them, till night intervened and put
an end to the fighting. I t was useless to light fires in the
mines that had been sunk under the walls that were still
standing, for we could not take the place that day. T h e
King Richavd landed on August I, just at the expiry of this truce.
$4 WHAT B E F E L L SULTAN YUSUF.
.-.-p - pp - p
Sultan was very much vexed, and, torn by conflicting
thoughts, he regretted not having accepted the conditional
surrender. ~ ' spent
e that night in the camp, and deter-
mined to increase the number of mangonels t o five ; these
were playing on the curtain, now weakened by the mines,
by fire, and by the operations on their side.
C H A P T E R CLXIV.
CAPTUliE OF J A F F A ; EVENTS I N THAT CITIT.
BP the morning of Friday, the 18th of Rejeb, the man-
gonels had bccn set up, and a great quantity of stones
collected (to be hurled from these engines) ; these had to
be brought from the ravines a n d other places a t some
distance, for there was no stone anywhere near the city.
T h e y were brought into play on that part of the wall that
had been undermined ; the Sultan himself, as well a s his son
el-Melek ez-ZLher, took an active part in the attack, whilst
el-Melek cl-'Adel, at the head of the troops of the left
wing, attacked the city on the opposite side. ~ l - ' A d e was
l foot-soldier for foot-soldier. T h e old people shall pay the
ill a t the time. Then a mighty shout was raised, the
drums sounded, the trumpcts blared, the mangonels hurled
their stones, and the enemy saw nothing but disaster
threatening them on every side. T h e miners were actively
engaged in setting fire t o the mines, Bnd the day had
hardly reached its second hour, when the wall fell with
a fall lik-e the end of all things. A t the cry, heard by all
the people, that the curtain had fallen, there was none,
however small his faith, who did not fly t o the assault,
and the heart of every one of the enemy trembled. T h e y
rushed on ; none flinched ; all were determined ; all were
consumed with longing for the most glorious and noble of
TI'HAT B E F E L L SULTAIZ' Y U S U F . 365
deaths. A cloud of dust and smoke arose from the fallen
wall, that darkened the heavens and hid the light of day,
and none dared t o enter the breach and face the fire.
But when the cloud dispersed, and disclosed the mall of
halberds and lances replacing the one that had just fallen,
and closing the breach so effectually that even the eye
could not penetrate within, then indeed we beheld a
terrifying sight-the spectacle of the enemy's unwavering
constancy, a s they stood undaunted, unflinching, self-
controlled in every movement. I myself saw two men
standing on the path of the rampart driving back those
who were trying t o climb through the breach. O n e was
knocked down by a stone from a mangotlel, and fell back-
ward inside ; his comrade took his place a t once, regard-
less that he was exposing himself t o the same fate, which
overtook him in the twinkling of an eye, and so that none
but the quickest sight could have distinguished one from
the other. W h e n the enemy saw how it must end, they
sent two ambassadors to the Sultan t o ask for their lives.
H e made answer: ' Knight shall be exchanged for
(Moslem) horseman, Turkopole for light-armed soldier,
ransom paid by those a t Jerusalem.' When the envoys
saw that the fight in the breach was raging hotter than
the fierccst furnace, they asked the Sultan t o put a stop t o
it, in order that they might return t o the city. ' I cannot
prevent the Moslems from continuing the fight,' he said.
' Return to your own people, and tell them to retreat into
the citadel a n d surrender the city to the Moslems, for
nothing will prevent them from making their way in.'
T h e envoys returned with this answer, and the enemy
withdrew into the citadel of Jaffa, losing some on the way,
who were killed by mistake. Our men made their \tray
into the city, sword in hand, and took a great quantity of

366 TI'HAT BEFELL SL7i,?'AN >'USLTF.
--~
spoil; stores of fine stuffs, abundance of corn, furniture,
alid even the remains of the booty taken from the caravan
from Egypt-all fell into their hands. T h e armistice was
accepted on the conditions laid down b y the Sultan,
Lluring the afternoon of Friday-always an auspicious d a y
-the Sultan received a letter from I(3im3z en-Najmi, who
was stationed close to Acre t o protect the adjoining districts
from the sorties of the garrison; this officer stated that the
news of the siege of Jaffa had caused the King of England
t o abandon his project of going t o Beirfit, and that he had
decidcd to come t o the aid o f ' t h e besieged city. O n
receipt of this news the Sultan resolved t o bring matters t o
a speedy conclusion by insisting on the surrender of the
citadel by men who could hope for no relief, for the fall of
the place seemed imminent. Moreover, it was a long time
since our troops had taken a n y booty, or won any ad-
vantage over the e n e m y ; they were therefore most eager
t o take the place by storm. I was amongst the number
who pointed out the necessity of forcing the enemy t o
evacuate the citadel, in order that we might occupy t h a t
fortress before the enemy received reinforcements. This
also was the Sultan's wish; but his troops, worn out by
fatigue, by their wounds, by the heat and the smolic from
the fire, could hardly move, and were but little disposed t o
carry out his commands. Still, he never ceased urging
them on till a late hour of tlie night ; then, seeing that
they were really too weary t o do anything more, he
mounted and rode off t o his tent, which had been pitched
close t o the baggage. Those of his officers who were on
d u t y joined him there, and I afterwards went t o lie down
in my tent, but I could not sleep, m y mind was so
oppressed with dread. A t daybreak we heard the sound
of t h e Frank trumpets, and heard that succours had come
in t o them. T h e Sultan sent for me at once, and said :
II'IIAT TIEFELL SULT.-IS Y U S U F . 367
- ~~- ----pp - - . ~~
' T h e succours have come, it is true, by sea, but there is a
strong erlough force of lkloslem troops on the beach t o
prevent their landing. This is what we must d o : Go and
find cl-hIelek ez-Zgher, and tell him t o take up a position
in front of the south-cast gate (of the city) ; you must
make your way into the citadel with a few picked men,
and bring out the garrison ; you will take possessioti of the
treasures and arms that are there, making an inventory of
them, which you will write with your o ~ u nhand ; this
document you will send to el-Melek ez-Ziher, who will be
outside the city, and \trill forward it to me.' H e then gave
me 'Izz ed-Din Jurdik, 'illem ed-Din Isaisar, and Derbris el-
Mehrini, as colleagues to hclp me in this undertaking. I
set out forthwith, taking Shems ed-Din, the treasurer, with
me. SVhen I reached the position occupied by el-Llelek
ez-%$her, I found him with the advanced guard a n a tell
near the sea. H e was sleeping in his coat of mail (yelba),
wrapped in his wadded tunic,l and armcd a t all points for
the fight. May God not leave unrewarded the good deeds
of all these warriors who toiled in the cause of IslAm ! I
awoke him, and he got up, still half asleep, and mounted
his horse. W e rode together t o the place where he was t o
take up his position by the Sultan's instructions, and on
the way he made me explain t o him the object of m y
mission. After that I entered the city of Jaffa with my
m e n ; we made our way to the citadel and delivered the
order t o the Franks to evacuate tlie place. They made
answer that they would obey, and began t o make their
preparations for departure.
Our author calls this sort of protective garment by the Persian
name i(z;r&hend Geoffrey de Vinsauf tells us that the LTaze,uanz
was a iorbr const~ttr. See the collection by Gale and Fells, vol. ii.,
p. 407. Also 11.de Wailly's Vi!Ieha~tL;,zi/z,notes, p. 40. On p. 39 of
tirat work the same garment is cailed ,~nii:doiso/z. Henry de Valen-
cienne3 writes <ytiz~:i,,un.
308 11-HAT B E F E L L S U L T A .V Y U S U k .
P
C H A P T E R CLXV.
HOTV THE CITADEL IZER.lt\INED I N T H E E N E ~ I Y ' S
HANDS.
JUST as they were on the point of going, 'Izz ed-Din
remarked that we ought not t o allow them t o depart until
we had withdrawn the people from the c i t y ; otherwise,
they would probably rush on the Franks, and take all they
had. In truth, our troops were eager t o pillage the city.
Jordfk then set out t o beat our men off; but as they were
no longer under control, and were scattered about in d i f f e r e ~ ~ t
places, he was unable t o get them all away. Still, in spite
of my remonstrances, he kept on struggling with their
obstinacy until a t last it was broad daylight. Seeing how
time was going, I said t o him : ' T h e succours will get in,
and the best thing we can d o is to effect the evacuation of
the citadel a t o n c e ; that was the Sultan's chief object.'
\$'hen he saw why I was so impatient, h e gave in to what
I wanted. W e took up our position a t the gate of the
citadel next t o that where el-Melek ez-ZAher was stationed,
and we got forty-nine men, with their horses and mives, t o
leave the fortress, and go. But a t this juncture, those who
were left took courage, and hardened their hearts t o oppose
us. Those who had gone out had thought that there mere
only a fern ships come t o their relief, and that these would
not bc able t o give them any assistance. T h e y did not
know that the king of England was there with all his
men ; and as they saw the hour of noon approach without
any attempt being made t o land, they feared that their
comrades on the ships dared not venture, and that they
the~r~selves would therefore be taken and put to death.
T h a t is the reason why some of them left the citadel.
W H A T B E F E L L SL'LT.1N Y U S U P 36Y
- - . P - -
But when the rescuing fleet drew nearer, and they could
see that it consisted of five-and-thirty vessels, those who were
left behind took new heart of grace, and, by unmistakable
signs, made it very evident that they meant t o renew
hostilities. O n e of them came out t o tell me that they
had changed their minds; they donned their cuirasses once
more, and seized their shields, and were now manning the
walls that had only just been rebuilt, and which were stand-
ing unfinished wlthout battlements or parapets. Seeing
the turn things were taking, I left the hillock on which I
had taken my position, and which was quite close t o the
gate of the citadel, and went t o 'Izz ed-Dfn Jurdik, who
was posted further down the hill with the men under his
command. I put this officer on his guard, telling him that
the besieged had changed their minds. A fern moments
afterwards I was outside the city talking t o el-Melek ez-
Zaher, when the besieged mounted, and sallied out of the
citadel; they charged down in a body on our men, and
drove them out of the city. T h e fugitives crowded together
so closely in the gateway that some of them only narrowly
escaped with their lives. A great number of camp followers
had stopped in some of the churches-what they were
doing there is not known; the Franks rushed in and killed
some of them, taking others prisoners. El-Melek ez-Zkher
had sent me t o inform his father of what was going forward,
and as soon a s the Sultan heard the news, h e commanded
the herald t o sound the call t o arms. T h e drums beat t h e
charge, our soldiers ran up from all sides t o take part in
the fight, rushed into the city, and drove the enemy back
into the citadel. VVhen the besieged found some delay
was taking place in landing the succours, they thought
death was inevitable; so they sent their patriarch and the
chatelain, with a n y nuniber t o guard them, to bear their
excuses t o the Sultan, and beg that a truce might be
24
370 Il.'flAl B E F E L L S U L T A A k L 5 L 7 E-
P
.-
granted them on the same terms as before. These envoys
were obliged t o make their way through the hottest of the
fight in order t o reach our camp. T h e delay in the dis-
embarkation of the succours was occasioned b y the appear-
ance of the city ; lloslem standards were floating in evcry
quarter, and they were afraid that the citadel had already
been taken. T h e noise of the waves, the yells of the com-
batants, and the shouts of the f~zhlfland the taR6i~(l%t:rc
is 6 1 ~ tone God! Godisgwnt!), prevented those on board
from hearing their own countrymen's calls. A furious
attack was made on the garrison, and when they saw that
in spite of the strength of the rescuing fleet, they hesitated
t o effect a landing, they felt convinced that those on board
believed the citadel t o he already taken. T h e fleet con-
sisted of more than fifty vessels, among which were fifteen
swift galleys, the king being on board of one of the galleys.
A t this point one of the besieged committed himself into
thc keeping of the Messiah, and jumped from the citadel
on t o the pier; he came down unhurt, for it was sandy.
I-Ie then ran to the edge of the water, and got into a galley
which put out for h i m ; this put him on board the king's
galley, and t o him the man csplained how things stood.
-4s soon as the king heard that the citadel was still holding
out, he made all speed for the shore, and his galley-which
was painted red, its deck being covered with a red awning,
a n d flying a red flag-was the first t o land the men on
board. In less than an hour all the galleys had landed
their men under my very eyes. They then charged the
Moslems, xattering them in all directions, and driving
them out of the harbour. A s I was on horseback, I started
off a t a gallop t o tell the Sultan. I found him engaged
with the two envoTs, pen in hand, just about t o write,
giving them grace. I whispered t o him what had happened ;
then, without writing anything, he turned t o then?, and
II'NAT RE>-ELI. SL'LTZIS YCSCI.'. 371
~-
---- ~
began to talk t o divert their attention. A few moments
afterwards some of the KIoslen~scame up, flying before the
e n e m y ; he a t once called t o his troops to mount, had the
envoys arrested, and ordered the baggage and the supplies
t o be transported t o Ykzilr. T h e troops set out on their
march, abandoning an enormous number of bales in which
'ivas packed the booty taken a t Jaffa, and which they had
no means of carrying away. T h e heavy baggage was sent
off, and the Sultan remained where he was, spending the
night there with a detachment of light cavalry. T h e king
of England came right u p t o the position the Sultan had
occupied during the attack on the city; and, as the garrison
had come out by his orders t o join him, he found himself
a t the head of a large body of troops. Many of our mem-
ltrks were with them, and he had several interviews with
them.
CHAPTER C L S V I .
FI:ESI1 N E G O T I A T I O l s C O S C E R N I S G PEACL.
ABU BEICR,the chamberlain it1 el-Melck el-'ldel's service,
then received an invitation t o visit (the king). rlibek, a
follower of el-Melek cl-'Azi~,Sonhor, one of el-MeshtCib's
followers, and several others were with him. H e found
several memlfiks of high rack,' who were treated with
great cordiality b y the king, a n d whom he often sum-
moned to his presence. H e found also several of our
emirs there, such as Redr ed-Din Dolderirn, and others.
When all had met together in his presence, h e spoke half
seriously and half in joke, and, among other things, hc
s a i d : ' T h i s Sultan is mighty, and there is none greater
or mightier than him in this land of Isl2rn. \Thy, then,
Beha ed-Din omits to say that they were prisoners.
24-2
373 l V H A T B E F E L L SL%2;lAT I T S C F .
~p ~
~~ - -.
did he make off a t my first appearance? Gy God! I
was not even armed or ready to fight ; I am still wearing-
only the shoes I wore on board. Why, then, did you
retreat ?' And again he said : ' Great and good God ! I
should have thought he could not have taken Jaffa in two
months, and yet he made himself master of it in t w o
days !' H e then turned to Ablr Bekr, and addressed him
as follows : ' Greet the Sultan from me, and tell him that I
beseech him, in God's name, to grant me the peace I ask
at his hands; this state of things must be put a stop to ;
my own coutltry beyond the seas is being ruined. There
is no advantage either to you or me in suffering the present
condition of things to continue.' The envoys then took
.'
their leave, and Abu Bekr came before the Sultan t o
inform him of what the king had said. This was on the
evening of Saturday, the 19th of Rejeb. Then, when the
Sultan had taken the advice of his council of state, he
commandcd that an answer should be written t o the king,
couched in the following terms : 'Irou began by asking for
peace on certain terms, and at that time the question of
Jaffa and Ascalon formed the rnain point at issue; Jaffa
now is in ruins ; you can have the country from Tyre to
Casarea.' Abu Rekr took this answer back to the king,
and returned accorupanied by an envoy from the Franks,
who carile t o the Sultan t o say : ' T h e king sends you this
answer : Among the Franks it is customary for a man to
whom a city has been granted to become the ally and
servant of the giver; if, therefore, you give me these two
cities, Jaffa and Ascalon, thc troops I leave there will be
always at your service, and, if you have any need of me, I
will hasten to conic to you and be at your service, and you
know that I can serve you,' T o this the Sultan returned
the following answer: ' Since you trust with such trust in
me, I propose that we sharc the two cities. Jaffa and
1I:IIA T BE>'ELL S C J L T ~ I VI - G SL'F. 373
- - - p ~ ~
- ....
what is beyond it shall be yours, whilst Ascalon and what
is beyond it shall be mine.' T h e two envoys returned, and
the Sultan went to join the baggage at Yizilr, where the
camp had been pitched. H e then resolved t o demolish
that place as well as Beit-Dajan,l and left his miners there
for that purpose under the protection of the advanced
guard. H e came to Ramla on Sunday, the 20th of Rejeb,
and there received a visit from the Frank ambassador,
who came in company with Abu Bekr, the chamberlain.
By the Sultan's orders the ambassador was received with
great honour. He was charged t o deliver the king's thanks
for the concession of Jaffa, and to renew his request for
the possession of Ascalon. I r e added that, if peace were
concluded within six days, the king would have no occa-
sion to spend the winter in Syria, and would return to his
own country. Without a moment's hesitation the Sultan
returned the following answer : ' I t is absolutely impossible
for us to give up Ascalon, and in any casc the king will be
obliged to spend the winter here. H e knows full well that,
if he departs, all the country he has conquered will fall
into our hands without fail ; that will most certainly
happen, please God, even if he remains. If he can
manage to spend the winter here, far from his people, and
two months' journey from his native land, whilst he is still
in the vigour of his youth and at an age that is usually
devoted to pleasure, how much easier is i t for me to remain
here not only during the winter, but during the summer
also ? I am in the heart of my own country, surrounded
by my household and by my children, and able to get all I
want. Moreover, I am an old man now, 1 have no longer
any desire for the pleasures of this world; I have had my
fill of them, and have renounced .them for ever. The
Bcit Uejm is 6 rniles S.E. of Jaffa, liizz2~j$
3il IIFHAT BEFELT, S G L T A S Y C S G F .
- - p - . -P-- p-~-~ .-~ Pp
soldiers who serve me in the winter are succeeded by
others in the summer. And, above all, I believe that I am
furthcring God's cause in acting as I do. I will not cease
therefrom until God grants victory to whom H e will.'
After having received this answer, the ambassador asked
and obtained permission to visit el-Melek el-'Adel. H e
travelled to his tent, which was in rear, because he was ill,
at a place called MBr Samwi1,l and the envoy had many
persons with him. Soon after this the Sultan received
intelligence that an army of the enemy had set out from
Acre in order t o succour the city of Jaffa ; he therefore
called his councillors together, and, with their unanimous
advice, determined to oppose the enemy, and whilst the
rest withdrev; with the baggage t o the mountains, the light-
armed troops were to march against the Franks, and to
avail themselves of any opportunity that might offer,
otherwise they were to return; this would be better than
t o give the Franks time to collect their forces, when our
men mould have t o retreat towards the mountains, looking
as if they fled, whereas now they would appear to be the
attacking party. I t was on the evening of Monday, the ~ 1 s t
of Rejeb, that the Sultan issued the order for the baggage to
be transported t o the mountains. On the following morn-
ing he set out with a small escort for the 'Auja, and had
conie to a halt on the banks of that river when intelligence
was brought him that the enemy's forces had entered
Cxsarea. This put a stop to any idea of surprising that
a r m y ; but he learnt that the king of England was
stationed outside Jaffa with a very small body of men, his
camp consisting of nothing but a few tents; he therefore
determined to seiz:: this opportunity of surprising that
camp, and thus realizing, at any rate, part of his plan. I n
' N c d i Sarii.iufl (Montjoie of the Franks) i s 44 miles N.\t7. of
Jerusalem.
l V f I A T h'El"liLL S C L T A S I-ZiSUF.
.. - 37;
pursuit of this design, he set out as soon as night began
t o close in; preceded by a few Arabs, who acted as
guides, he marched all through the night, and reached the
vicinity of the camp early in the morning. When he saw
that it consisted of only about a dozen tents, he entertained
a strong hope of capturing it as it stood, and charged
headlong down on the enemy. But the Franks displayed
such hardihood in the face of death that our troops lost
heart at their sturdy resistance, and were obliged to draw
off, and to content themselves with completely surrounding
the camp, though at some little distance. By the will of
God I was not present a t this fight, being kept behind
with the baggage by an attack of illness from which I was
suffering; but I learnt from a man who was there that,
according to the largest computation, they had but seven-
teen horsemen, while, according to the lowest reckoning,
they nurnbcred but nine; their infantry \\,as under a
thousand ; other accounts say three hundred ; and others,
again, give a larger number. The Sultan was greatly
chagrined at what had happened, and went from squadron
to squadron making them the most liberal promises if they
would return to the charge ; but no one responded to his
appeal excepting his son, el-Melek ez-Zgher, who was pre-
paring to rush on to the enemy when he was held back by
his father. I have been told that on this occasion el-
Meshtfib's brother, el-Jenil?, said to the Sultan : ' Send for
your servants who beat the people on the day we took
Jaffa, and who took away the booty from them.' I t must
be noted that the terms granted on the surrender of Jaffa
had been a cause of great annoyance throughout the army,
for it had deprived them of the opportunity of pillage.
When the Sultan saw the temper of his men, he realized
that he could not remain in face of this handful of Franks
and do nothing, for that would have been a grievous blow
576 It HAT BEFELL SULTAN YUSUF.
- - - -. --
to his reputation. I have been assured by men who were
there, that on that day the king of England, lance in
hand, rode along the \\,hole length of our army from right
to left, and not one of our soldiers left the ranks to attack
him. T h e Sultan was wroth thereat, and left the battle-
field in anger for YSzOr, where he came t o a halt on
Wednesday, the ~ 3 r dof Rejeb. Our troops spent the
night where they were, acting as advanced guard. On
Thursday morning the Sultan rode on and took up his
position at en-Natrhn, summoning the army to come to
him there. Towards the close of the day, which was
Thursday, the 24th of Rejeb, we advanced to that place
and spent the night encamped there. The following day
he set out t o visit his brother, el-Melek el-'Adel, who was
still ill ; then he repaired to Jerusalem, and celebrated
Friday prayer in that city. H e also inspected the various
works in hand there, and gave instructions as to the way
in which they were to be carried out. After that he took
his departure from the city and returned t o the camp a t
en-Nayran, where he spent the night.
C H A P T E R CLXVII.
(NEW) FORCES ARRIVE.
THEfirst of the chiefs to arrive was 'Alb ed-Din, son of
the Atabeg, Lord of Mosul, who joined us about noon on
Saturday, the 26th of Rejeb. T h e Sultan rode out a con-
siderable way to meet him, welcomed him with every mark
of honour, and brought him back to his own tent, where he
had made splendid preparations for his reception. After
the prince had received a handsome present, he withdrcw
to his tent. That same day the king (of England's)
I C H A I BEFELI S C L r A v I L S U F 377
p p
ambassador, accompanled by Abu Bekr, the chamberlain,
set out on his return to Jaffa, bearing a letter with which
el-Melek el-',&del had entrusted him for the king. Very
soon afterwards Abu Bekr returned, and presented himself
before the Sultan, saying : ' T h e king would not suffer me
to enter Jaffa, but came out of the city to see me, and
these are the words he used : " How long am I to go on
making advances t o the Sultan that he nrill not accept? I
was anxious above all things to be able to return t o my
own country, but now the winter is here, and the rain
has begun. I have therefore decided to remain here, so
that question no longer remains to be decided between
US." ' 011Thursday, the 9th of Sh'abkn, the Egyptian
troops came in, and the Sultan set out from en-Natri~nto
meet them ; they followed (his son), el-Melek el-Moweiyed
Mas'ild. With them were Mejed ed-Din Helderi, Seif
ed-Din YBzkoj, and all the Asadfyeh (those who had been
Asad ed-Din ShirkXn's memlfiks). They arrived in
splendid array, the flags and banners flying; it was a day
of rejoicing. T h e Sultan received them, in the first piace,
in his own tent, and spread a banquet before them, after
which he sent them to the positions appointed for them.
C H A P T E R CLXVIII.
THISprince had taken possession of the cities that had
been promised to him, and on Saturday, the 11th of
Sh'abgn, he came to Mar Samwil, where el-Melek el-'$del
was at the time, and dismounted to visit him. T h e same
d a y el-'Adel wrote to the Sultan, informing him of the
37s W H A T BEFEI,I, SC:LT.4S 1-GSUF.
p-
~ ~ - --
arrival of his kinsman, and begging him to be lenient to
the youth, and to give him an honourable reception. El-
Melek ez-Zkher, on his side, as soon as he heard of el-
Melek cl-Manyfir's arrival, obtained permission to go out
and meet him, and to visit el-'Adel to make inquiries con-
cerning his health. H e found el-Mansfir encamped at
Beit Ntiba ; he dismounted in front of his tent, expressing
the greatest joy at their meeting. This occurred on the
Sunday. H e made him come with him, and, attended by
light troops. they came to the Sultan's tent, where I was
on duty at the time. When the Sultan saw el-Manitir, he
advanced to meet him and folded him in his arms. Tears
came into his eyes, and all who were present wept in
sympathy. H e then put the young prince completely at
his ease by addressing him in the most kindly tones,
asking him how he had fared on his journey. After this
he gave him permission to withdraw, and sent him to
spend the night in the tent of his own son, el-Melek ez-
ZAher. T h e next morning, Monday (el-Mansfir) returned
t o his troops, who received him with colours flying. The
fine appearance of these men gave the Sultan the greatest
pleasure, and that same day - Monday, the 13th of
Sh'abBn-he assigned them a position near to Ramla, close
to the vanguard of our army.
THE SULTAS GOES 1'0 KAAILA.
WHEN the troops had all come in, the Sultan called his
emirs together and addressed them as follows : 'The King
of England is very ill, and it is certain that the French
will embark very shortly and return to their own country.
IVHAT B E F E L L S G L T A N YCSCI;. 379
- - ~ ~
~ ~~ ------p
Now that they have exhausted all their resources, the
enemy are weighed down by the mighty hand of God. I
am therefore of opinion that we ought t o march against
Jaffa and take that city by surprise, if we can get a favour-
able opportunity ; if not, we will march by night and fall
upon Ascalon ; and then, if our courage does not fail us,
we will carry our purpose through.' T h e plan was ap-
proved by the council. H e therefore gave an order to 'Izz
ed-Din Jordik, and Jemkl ed-Din Farej, and several other
emirs, t o march upon Jaffa during the night of Thursday,
the 16th of Sh'abBn. There they were to take up their
position as though they were acting as an advanced guard,
and to send out spies to ascertain the effective force of the
garrison in infantry and cavalry. Meanwhile the king
constantly sent messengers t o the Sultan for fruit and
snow, for all the while he was ill he had a great longing
for pears and peaches. The Sultan always sent him some,
hoping by means of these frequent messages to obtain the
information of which he stood in need. I n this way he
managed to ascertain that there mere three hundred
knights in the city, according t o the highest computation,
or two hundred reckoning them a t the lowest numbers re-
ported ; he also learnt that Count Henry was using every
endeavour t o persuade the French t o remain with the
king, but that they were one and all determined to cross
the seas. H e heard, moreover, that they were neglecting
the walls of the city, centring all their attention on getting
the fortifications of the citadel into good order, and the
king of England had expressed a wish to see Abu Rekr
the chamberlain, with whom he had become very intimate.
A s soon as he had received trustworthy confirmation of
this. news, he marched on the Thursday morning to Ramla,
and encamped in that place about noon the same day.
He then received the following message from the detach-
380 TT7HAT B E F E L L S U L T A N YL'SUF.
-. p
ment of troops sent forward to over-run the country:
' We made an expedition against Jaffa, and they sent only
about three hundred knights against us, the greater part of
whom were riding on mules.' The Sultan sent them an
order t o remain where they were. Very shortly after this
Abu Bekr the chamberlain came to the camp, bringing
a i t h him a messenger from the king, sent t o thank the
Sultan for his kindness in sending him fruits and snow.
Abu Bekr related that on one occasion, when he happened
to be alone with the king, he had said to him : ' Beg ~ r y
6 ~ 0 t h e rel-Melek el- del to consider what means can be
used to induce the Sultan t o make peace, and ask him to
request that the city of Ascalon may be given to me. I
'
wlll talce my departure, leaving him here, and with a very
small force he will get the remainder of their territory out
of the hands of the Franks. My only object is t o retain
the position I hold amongst the Franks. If the Sultan
will not forego his pretensions to Ascalon, then let (el-
'idel) procure me an indemnity for the sums I have laid
out in repairing its fortifications.' When the Sultan re-
ceived this message, he sent the chamberlain and the
messenger t o el-Melek el-'Kdel, and he privately instructed
a confidential servant t o go to el-'adel and tell him : ' If
they will give up Ascalon, conclude the treaty of peace, for
our troops are worn out by the length of the campaign,
and have spent all their resources.' I t was on Friday, the
17th of Sh'abAn, that they departed.
CHAPTER CLXX.
T H E K I N G AGREES T O GIVE U P ASCALON
AFTER sunset on the evening of Friday, the 17th of
Sh'abbn, a letter came from Bedr ed-Din Dolderim, who
l V H A T B E F E L L S C L L 4 S YC'SUF. 38 r
- ~~~~
~p
was then with the advanced guard, saying : ' Five men-
one of whom, called HuSt,' is of high rank in the king's
service-have come to us from the city, and have expressed
a desire for an interview with us. Shall we hear what they
have to say, or not ?' The Sultan sent them permission,
and at the hour of the last night prayer Bedr ed-Din him-
self came to the camp t o inform us that the Icing agreed to
give up Ascalon, that he surrendered his claim to compensa-
tion on that score, and that he had a most hearty desire
for peace. The Sultan ordered this message to be repeated
to him, and then sent a plenipotentiary to the king to take
his hand on this matter. H e was to say : ' Now that the
Sultan has collected all his forces together, I cannot take
back any message to him, until I have obtained an assurance
from you that you will keep your word.' Bedr ed-Din
took his leave after receiving these instructions, and wrote
an account of what was going forward to el-1LIelek el-',&del.
On Saturday, the 18th of Sh'abAn, we received the follo\v-
ing dispatch from Bedr ed-Din : ' I have received the king's
promise (Lite~nZh,hand) through the plenipotentiary ; the
boundaries of our respective territories are to be those
established in the former agreement with el-Melek el-'Xdel.'
T h e Sultan's ministers (LitE?.nL&, diur;in), when summoncd
to a council, decided that the city of Jaffa and its depen-
dencies should be made over to the king, with the excep-
tion of Ramla, Lydda, Yebna, and hlcjdcl YBba; Cresarea
also, with its dependencies, was t o be his, as well as Arsdf,
Ifaifa, and Acre and their dependencies, with the exception
of Sazareth and Seffdrieh. This decision was recorded in
writing. The Sultan scnt a letter in answer to Hcdr ed-
Din's dispatch, and Toron!ai set out to carry it to the
emir in company with the king's ambassador. That envoy
Perhaps HzciEt is for ' Hcward.
 jS? I1'H:lT B E F E L L SULT.-14- I'CSCF.
- ~ -
---
arrived in the afternoon of Saturday t o conclude thc peace
with Bedr ed-Din, and he said to t h e ambassador: ' These
are the boundaries fixed t o your territory. If you accept
peace on the terms, well and good. I will give you my
hand upon our promises. L e t the king send a man (to
thc Sultan) empowered t o swear (in his name), and let
this be done the d a y after to-morrow. Otherwise, we shall
believe you are only temporizing t o gain time, and we
shall break off all negotiations.' After they had come t o
an agreement as t o t h e terms, they set out together on the
Sunday morning. T h e hour of the last prayer on that
Sunday, the 18th of Sh'ahkn, had gone by, when they came
to the Sultan t o announce that Torontai and tlic king's
ambassador had returned. Only Torontai received per-
mission to come into the Sultan's presence. H e stated
that, when the king was informed of the tenor of thc
written resolution of the council, he called out that he had
never given up the compensation (he claimed), whereupon
the men who had been sent to Dolderim declared to the
king that he had given it up without a doubt. ' If I did,'
the king had said, ' I will not break my word. Tell the
Sultan from m e that it is well; t h a t I accept the treaty,
but trust mysclf t o his generosity, and Itnow that, if h e
does anything further in m y favour, it is t o his kindness
I shall owe the boon.' T o r o n ~ a iwent that night to bring
the king's ambassadors, who waited until the Monday
morning before they were admitted t o the Sultan's presence.
T h e y then stated what had been agreed upon by their
prince, after which they withdrew t o their own tents. T h e
Sultan held a council a t which a final decision was taken
and the preliminaries of the arrangement settled. Emir
Bedr ed-Din Dolderirn then set out for el-Melek el-'ildel's
tent, taking the king's ambassadors with him, with the
intention of asking that Ramla might be granted in addi-
Il'IIA T KBFEI,I. SC'1,I'B.Y YUSL'F. jS3
p
. - ~p~
tion. He returned after the last evening prayer on Monday,
and a convention was then drawn up, by the terms of which
peace was t o be made for three years, commencing from
the datc of the document, that is t o say, from Wednesday
the aznd of Sh'abBn, 588 (September z,I I ~ z ) and , Ramla
and Lydda were t o be made over t o the Franks. E]-'idel
was then dispatched with the following instructions : ' If
you can induce (the king) t o be contented with only one
of those cities, or t o agree to share them equally (with us),
d o so, and do not enter upon the question of thc posscs-
sion of the hill-country.' T h e Sultan thought it desirable
t o make peace, because his troops had suffered a great
deal; and all their funds were exhausted ; he knew also
that they were very anxious t o return to their horncs, and
did not forget the un\villingness they had shown before
Jaffa, when he had ordered them t o advance t o t h e attack,
and they had refused t o move. Reflecting, therefore, that
if h e came t o need them, h e might find they had gone off,
h e felt obliged t o give them sufficient time t o rest, and t o
forget the state t o which they were now reduced. H e was
also anxious t o set about the re-organizing of the country,
and to furnish the Holy City with all the war-stores hc
could command, and t o obtain time to put her defences in
good order. One of the clauses of the treaty provided that
Ascalon should be demolished, a n d that our soldiers should
co-operate with theirs in razing the walls ; for they were
afraid that, if we received the city as it stood, we should
neglect to demolish its defences. ~ l - ' ~ A d eset l out t o
negotiate on this basis, and demanded that all hloslem
countries should be included in the treaty; the Franks, on
their side, obtained a promise that the Lord of Rntioch
and Tripoli should be included in the truce, besides the
treaty of peace which we had made with him. These pre-
liminaries arranged, the ambassadors took their departure,
$4 W H A T LIEfiELL SLLTiI.\' YUSUF.
-- pp-pp -
having received a n intimation that they would have t o
make up their minds either for peace or for war. For we
were afraid that these negotiations were like the former
ones-nothing but a means employed by the king t o gain
tirne ; and by this time we were well acquainted with his
methods. T h a t same day a n ambassador came from Seif
ed-Din Bektimor, Lord of K h e l i f , with a message that his
master put himself a t the Sultan's disposal, offered his
support, and promised to send him troops. A n ambassador
also came from the Georgians, with instructions relative t o
the places of pilgrimage maintained by that people in
Jerusxlem, which they were anxious t o keep in good
order. T h e y complained that they had been dispossessed,
and begged the Sultan t o have compassion on them, and
order that the places in question might be restored t o
those in charge of them. T h e Lord of Erzeriim also sent
in his submission t o the Sultan, with offers of service.
CHAPTER CLXXI.
PEACE IS CONCLUDED
O N el-'Adel's arrival (at Jaffa) they made him halt a t a
tent outside the city. T h e king was informed of his
coming, and, although he was very ill, he had him brought
before him with the others. When el-'adel put into his
hands the draft, h e said : ' I am not strong enough t o
read i t ; but I solemnly declare that I will make peace,
and here is my hand.' T h e ambassadors then met
together with Count Henry and the son of B2rezan
(Balian 11. of Ibelin), and the other members of the
council, and informed them of the provisions of the treaty.
H11 the conditions were accepted, even that regarding the
:I'N;I T D E 1 7 E L L SITLTA.V 1.C'SC'I;'. 38s
equa: division of Rarnla ancl Lydda, and it n.as decided
that it should be confirmed by oath on the Wednesday
morning. F o r the Franl;s said they were unable t o swear
t o it on the spot, bccause they had eaten (that day), and
it was their custom never to take an oath except fasting.
>I- ,Aldel
I'7 * sent a courier t o the Sultan with the news. O n
Wednesday, the ~ 2 n dof the month Sh'abhn, the members
of the enlbassy were summoned into the king's presence,
and he gave them his hand, while they, on their side,
pledged themselves t o him ; he excused himself from
taking an oath, saying that ltings never did m,l and the
Sultan accepted this declaration. All \v110 were present
then toolr the oath with Count Henry, son of the king's
sister, who was t o succeed Iiinl in the SRl>el, and wit11
B%liC~n,son of Bsrezan, Lord of Tiberias. T h e Hospi-
tallers, Templars, and all the leaders of the Franks gave
in their adhesion. In the evening of that same day the
Sultan'; envoys set out t o return t o their master, and
arrived in .the camp about the tirlle of the last evening
prayer, a c c o ~ n p a n i ~by
d the son of I-Ionferi, t h e son of
Ebrezdn, and several other chiefs. T h e Frank envoys
were received with great honour, and rvere lodged in a
tent pitched for that purpose, and befitting their rank.
EI-'-$del then presented himself before tllc Sultan, and
informed him of all titat had tal;en place. 011the morning
of the following day, the 23rd of Sh'abhn, the king's
ambassador was introduced t o the Sultan, and, taking his
royal hand, declared that he accepted pcacc on the pro.
posed conditions. H e and his colleagues then asked that
an oath t o observe the trcaty sho.uld be talcen by el-Meleb;
e~-'~$del, el Rlelelr el-Afclai, el Melek cz-Zdhcr, 'Ali Ibil
Rhrncd el-Mesh!itb, Gedr ed-Din Doldciim, el hlelek
St. Louis was in like manner excased fro111 an oath when taken
prisoner in Egypt.
2 -5
386 LVIIlIT B E F E L L S U L T A S Y U S U F . -~
-
- -~ ~-
~ ~
~
el-Mansi~r, and all the other leaders, such as Ibn el-
Mol~addemand the Prince of Sheizer, whose dominions
bordered on those of the Franks. T h e Sultan prqmised
t o send a commissioner with them t o the last-named
leaders t o receive their oath. H e also swore (peace) w i t h
the Lord of Antioch and Tripoli, stipulating, howcver,
t h a t his oath should b e null and void unless that princc
would give a like pledge t o the I\iIoslems, otherwise he
should not be included in the treaty. H e then ordered a
proclamation to be made in the camp and in the market-
places, t o announce that peace was made throughout the
land, that free passage was t o b e allowed t o Christians
through hloslem territory, and that the Moslems were a t
liberty to go into the dominions of the Christians. I t was
also proclaimed that the Hajj road (to Mekka) was now
open from Syria, and he resolved himself t o make the
pilgrimage. I was present a t the council when he so
decided. After this he ordered a hundred miners t o be
sent t o Ascalon t o demolish the walls of the c i t y ; he put
them under the command of an emir of high rank, who
received instructions t o see that the Franks were with-
drawn. A detachment of Franks was to accompany the
miners, and t o remain on the spot until the fortifications
had been entirely destroyed, for the Christians were
afraid that t h e JIoslems would leave the place standing.
I t was a day of rejoicing ; God alone knows the boundless
j a y of both peoples. I t Lvas known, however, that the
Sultan had not made peace altogether of his own free will.
W i t h regard t o this, he said t o m e in one of our con-
versations : ' I a m afraid of making peace, a n d I d o not
know what may happen t o me. T h e enemy will increase
their forces, and then thcy will come out of the lands we
are leaving in their possession, and recapture those we
have taken from then]. You will see that each one of
II'HrlT BEFELT, S C : L T I ~ SYCSCJF. 387
~- ~.
-
~ ~ - - ~ p - ~
them will make a fortress on some hill-top; I cannot
dram back, but the Lloslems tvill be destrsyed by this
agreement.' S o he spoke, and what he said afterwards
came t o pass1; but he saw that a t that juncture it would
be advantageous to make peace, for the troops had lost
heart and were abetting one another it1 disobeciience.
Got1 saw that peace must be for our good, because the
Sultan's death occurred shortly after the ratification of the
treaty; had h e died in the midst of the struggle he had
carried on, Islbm would have been in the greatest danger.
I t was therefore by the special providence of God, and in
accordance with his usual felicity,. that the Sultan was
enabled to conclude the peace hiniself.
D E l I O L I T I O N O F ASCALOS.
O S the 25th of the month Sh'abBn the Sultan commanded
' h l e m cd-Ilin I$aiyar to set out for Ascalon with a body of
miners and masons t o dernolish that city. I t had been
agreed that the king should send people from Jaffa t o
accompany this officer, to watch the progress of the work
of demolition and t o see t o the evacuation of the place
by the Franks who mere there. T h e following day
they prepared t o set to work immediately on their
arrival ; but the garrison prevented them, saying that the
king owed thcm arrears of pay, and that they ~vouldnot
leave the city until the money was in their hands. ' L e t
him pay us,' they said, ' a n d we will leave the city;
or, if you like, pay us yourselves.' But an ofiicer came,
Fro111 about 1218 A.D. onwards t h e Franks erected several new
castles. In r?zg the Ernper0.r Frederic 11. entered Jerusalem as
king.
25-2
 jS8 IIIJ.4T CE1,'BLL S U L T A N YCSCF.
- ~ ~
b c a r i ~ ~ag con~missionfrom the Icing t o force them t,,
evacuate the place. I t was the 27th of Sll'abkn when the
work was begun, and it was carried on without a n y inter-
ruption. H e (the king) had written t o his people t o take
their share in the work of demolition, and the razing of a
certain portion of the walls \?as assigried to each side.
' Wlicri you have demolished it,' the order ran, 'you will
have leave t o depart.' On the 29th of the month tile
Sultan set out for ell-Na!rGn, and the two a r ~ r ~ i e~ninglcd
s law forbids us t o hinder them.' Very soon after this t h e
one with another. X coinpany of Moslcms repaired to
J a f f a to buy goods in that city, and a number of Franlis
(Zifc/,ai(y of the enerny) went up to Jerusalcm t o perforn~
the pilgrimage. T h e Sultan oper~ed the way for them
(Zz'ier~zZbthe d o o r ) ; he even sent guards with ti~erri to
protect them on their way, arid to accompany them on
their rcturtl t o Jaffa. These pilgrimages became \.et): fre-
quent, and \t7ercpromoted by the Sultan, bscause lic knew
that thc Franks \ ~ o u l dmalte haste t o depart home as soon
as thcy had visited t!le l i ~ l yplaces, ~vherchythe k1oslc1;ls
would bc delivered froin their presence, wliich was always
a source of danger. T h e Icing (of England) was much
vexed t o see s o great a number of pi!grim ; hc sent to aslc
the Sultan t o put what hindrance he could ill their way,
only allowing those to pass who presented some symbol to
bc agreed upon or a passport issued ill his na1ne.l T h e
ljranlcs were vcry indignant a t this, and it only i-iiac!e them
the n o r c eager t o perfosn~the pilgrimage. Day after day
crowds of pcople catlle ill-chiefs, people of lowcr rank,
and princes in disl:uise. T h e Sultan then began t o give
hongurablz e n t e r t n i ~ m e n tt o such of the pilgrims a s he
Ricliard sent to Salih cd-Cin, a.king hi111 not to allow any pilgrim
to go to Jerusalem w ~ t h o u a
t passport from himself, and hc took care
not to give a passport to a n y Frenchmen, to punisli the111 for havi:;;:
refused to assist him at Jaffa.-Geofirey de Vinsauf.
.I . -
t 1311T ijEFEi,I> ,S L-1-2-A .Y l':',S U F . 3 89
chose; he received them at table, and entered into familiar
conversation with them, taking care to let them know that
he should thereby incur the reproaches of the king. H e
uscd then t o give them permission t o continue their
pilgrimage, declaring he took no notice of the prohibition
he had received. I I e sent thc following message t o the
king t o excuse himself on this score : ' There are men here
~ v h ohave come from afar to visit the holy places, and our
Icing's illness became so serious that a report was circulated
of his death. I i e nevertheless set out for Acre on the
night preceding the 29th of the month, accompanied by
Count Henry and all the rest of the enemy, leaving only
thc sick and old in Jaffa.
CHAPTER C L X X I I I .
As soon a s this business was settled and the treaty con-
cluded, the Suitail gave his troops permission t o depart.
T h e first of the contingents t o set out was that from
Xrbela; they started on their march on the 1st of the
month of Ranladan. T h e following d a y saw the departure
of the contingent furnished by the cities of Mosul, Sinjhr,
and Hisn Iceifa. T h e Sultan had announced his pilgrim-
age (to LZekka), and he now turned all his thou,nhts t o
carrying out what he had undertalcen. It was I who had
suggested the idea t o him thc day that peace was con-
cluded. My words made a deep impression on him ; he
issued a n order that everyone in the army who decided t o
undertake the pilgrimage \\,as to havc his name put down,
being anxious to ascertain by that means the number of
peoplc likely t o accompany us. Lists were drawn up of
 390 l V H A 7 ' nlTFI3I.L SL-I,TAN l'(,;SI,.l;
~ ~~- ~.p- ~ - - ~
everything that \vould be rcqcircd for the journey-to wit,
utensils, clothing, provisions, and other things. Thcse
documents were sent into the country in order that every-
thing that was necessary might be prepared. After the
Sultan had dismissed his troops, and had heard that the
enemy had sct out preparatory to their return home, h e
determined to repair t o Jerusalem t o make every arrange-
ment for the work of its restoration, and to exarnir~cits
condition, a s well a s to malce preparations for his pi!grim-
age. He set out from en-Xatrfin on Sunday, the 4th of
Itamadzn, and went first t o MAr Sam~vElt o visit el-illelek
el-'Hdel. But that prince was no longer there ; he had
just returned to Jerusalem, and I was with him, having
been sent with a message from tlie Sultan, together with .
Bedr ed-Din Dolderim and el-'Adel. F o r some time el-
Melek el-'$del had been obliged to live apart from his
brother on account of his illness, but hc was now quite
convalescent. When me informed the prince that the
Sultan was (going) to M2,r SamwEl t o visit him, he made a
great effort of will, and came with us t o rncet the Sultan,
whom we met just as we reached Mar Samwi!, and before
he had dismounted. ~ l - ' ~ k d ewent
l forward t o him, got
down from his horse, kissed the ground, and then re-
mounted. T h e Sultan told him t o come near, and asked
him about his health. T h e y then rode together to
Jerusalem, where they arrived towards the end of the same
. day.
CHAPTER CLXXIV.
ARRIVAL OF AN .\hlBASSAUOR FROhI 13AGHDr\l)
O N Friday, the ~ 3 r dof the month RamacjLn, el RIelek
el-'hdel received the Sultan's permission to g o t o el-Kerak
after having assisted a t the public prayer that day.
l Y N A T B E F E L L SULTAiV Y G S U F . 39'
- ~
---- --- - ~ - ~. -- ~ - - .- -~ p
was to inspect that fortress, and then make the best of
his way t o the country to the east (of the Euphrates),
where he was t o take upon him the government which had
been entrusted t o him by the Sultan. I-Ie had just bidder]
his brother farewell, and was encamped at el-'Azeriya, when
hc was informcd that an ambassador from Baghdad had
come to see him. H e thercfore sent a courier t o the
S u l t a ~ to
i inform him of this, saying he was going to receive
the a~nbassadorwith a view of ascertaining the object of
his mission. On Saturday, the 24th, he came to visit the
Sultan, and told him that the ambassador came from
Ibn en-Slfedh, who had been made assistant of the Vizier
of Bag-lldad. I-Ie came t o deliver a letter from his master
'
t o el-'idel, begging him t o use his influence with the
Sultan and persuade him t o show respect t o the Khalif,
and urging him t o act as mediator between the Sultan
and tlie Khalif's Divin. T h c same messenger brought a
reprimand to the Sultan for having delayed to send envoys
t o the threshold of the Khalifate, and was instructed t o
require him t o send el-1l;acli el-l;k,?el to the Khalif's Divkn,
t o conc1ud.e certain negotiations of the Sultan with the
Divan which hitherto had led to nothing. (On this
occasion) the Divan made the most splendid promises
t o el-Melek el-'$del, that in case hc should be successful
the service he would thereby render to the Divan would
thenceforward give him the grcatest influence, with other
considerations of a like nature. When el-'Adcl spoke t o
the Sultan on the subject, he showed no disposition t o
send an ambassador t o receive the orders of the D i v h , or
t o suffer it to appear that the Khalifs interference had a n y
influence with him at all. T h e discussion was interrupted
and resumed morc than once; they had several conversa-
tions, more or less lengthy, on thc subject, until at last
IIe the Sultan decided t o dispatch ed-Dig esh-Sheherzilri
393 I17HAl' BEILELL SCLTA,\T YCSCF
p-- -- p - --P-
--
(to Eaghdad).l As soon as el-'tide1 had arranged this
business, he returned to his cam:, at el-'Azariya, and niade
known the Sultan's answer,-that he had coniented to send
an ambassador t o the K h a l ~ P sDivin. On the ( f o l l o i ~ l n ~ )
hYonday he set out for el Iccraic, and on Tuesday, t!ie
26th of ICa:na~ihn,ed-Dla started for Baghdad.
CHAPTER CLXXV
EL-LIELEI: E Z - Z ~ ~ I I ISETS
: R O U T ON 111s I:ETURS TO HIS
OJVS I)OMINIOSS, BUT TIIE SULTAX IS AKXIOUS 4TiOCT
FII1\1.
OX the morning of the 27th: el-Melek ez-Zdher-may his
glory increase !--set out, after going t o the Sal;llra to say
his prayers and implore the favour cf God. I I e rode out
and I rode in attendance, when he turned t o me, saying:
' I have just recollected something I must speak t o the
Sultan about.' H e sent forthwith t o ask pcrmission t o
corne into his father's presence, and as soon a s the per-
mission was granted tooli me with him into the audience-
chamber. Everyone else rvithdrerv, after which the Sultan
addressed him as follows : ' I cotnmend you t o God
Almighty. H e is the source of all good. D o the xvill of
God, for that is the way of peace. Be\vare of bloodshed ;
trust not in that, for spilt blood never sleeps. Seck t o
gain the hearts of t h y subjects, and watch ovcr all their
interests, for t h ~ uart only appointed by God and by me
to look aftcr thcir g o o d ; endeavour to gain the hearts of
t h y emirs, thy ministers, and thy nobles. I have become
great as I a m because I have won the hearts of men by
gentleness and liindncss. Never nourish ill-feeling against
any man, fcr death spares nnne. He prudent in thy
L Dis ed-IlEn esh-Sheherzi~ri (El-Kiiein IIln Ynhya) was appointed
K l d i of 1)amascus about :he vear 572 (A.D. I 176-1177).
T1-H.! T i : E I ' I : L I , SUT.T.4 S 1.i.Sl.i'. 393
-- ~ - .
dealings with other men, for (God) will not pardon unlcss
thcy fol.;;i\.e y o u ; but as to that wl~icll is betn-een God
and tl~ysclf,1-Ie ~villpardon the pel~itent,f,,r 11:: is gracions.'
1~Ieadded other injunctions, but this is all I coulti rr-
mcmbei- after we had left thc Sultan's presence, for a great
part of the night had gone anci dawn had lie:,.t~nto appear
befol-e nrc left the audience-charriber. I I e finally gave us
leavc to i\:itliclraw, and rose I'rcm llis seat t o bid the princc
farewell; he dismissed him with a kiss on the check, and,
placing his hand on his son's head; comrrlitred him t o the
care of God. T h e princc n c n t to sleep in the wooden
alcove b::longing to tile Sultan, and vre remained with him
until daybreak. Ez-Zilier then started on his journey,
and I rode with him some n a y before bidding him
farewell; he then continued on his road under God's
protection. Very shortly afterwards el -l'iclek el- Afclal
dispatched his baggage, but t t e busirlcss he was trans-
acting with thc Sultan tlirough me detained him till the
4 t h of the month of Sha\v:ll. I i e sct out on his journey
that evening, towards the middle of thc night, after having
suffered a reprimand from the Sultan. Instead of folio\\,-
in;: the road through the valley of the Jordan, he started
across country \vith a liglritly-armed escort.
TIIE Sultan was occupied during his stay in Jerusalem in
granting fiefs, in dismissing his troops, and making pre-
parations for his journey into Egypt. His intention a s tu
the pilgrimage \<.as interrupted, so the most important of
profitable things was lost t o him. H e spent his tirne in
this way until he heard for certain that the ship had sailed
394 IT'HAT B E F E L L SULT.IAr I'CSGF.
~- . -
~ ~
p-p--
p p ~ -~--p
on mliich t h e king of England had embarkcd, on his
return t o his own country ; this was on t h e first d a y of the
month of S h a i d ! (Octobcr 10, 1 ~ 9 2 ) . H e then dctermined
to ride through t h e districts on the coast with a small
escort, with a view of inspecting t h e maritime fortresses,
and reaching Damascus by way of BBoi2s. H e proposcd
to rernain only a few d a y s in that city, returnin:: thence t o
Jerusalem, preparatory t o starting for Egypt. H e meant
t o examine into t h e condition of that country, t o make t h e
necessary arrangements for its government, and to t a k e
various measures of public utility. According t o his com-
mand I was to remain in the H o l y City until his return, t o
superintend the erection of a hospital he had ordered t o b e
built, and to press forward t h e completion of a college, t h e
foundations of which h e had laid. H c left Jerusalem on
Thursday, t h e 6th of Shawiil, and I rode with hirn to bid
him farewell, which I meant to d o first a t cl-Rira,l where
h e halted for dinner ; h e continued his journey t o N.iblus,
and I went part of the way with him. H e halted for t h e
night, and then started for that citj-, where h e arrived about
m i d - d a y on Friday, t h e 7th of Shaakl. A crowd of peoplc
came out to meet him, t o complain of e l - R l e s h ~ a band t h e
oppressive way in which h e govetmcd them. H e resolved
t o inquire into t h e matter, and thercfore remained a t
N i b l u s until t h e afternoon of Saturday, when h e set out for
S e b a ~ t i e h ,t ~o examine into t h e state of t h a t city. He
then tooli t h e road to Kaulcab, where h e arrived on Mon-
day, t h e l o t h of t h e month. I-Ie made a n inspection of
t h c fortrcss, and ordered t h e nccessary repairs. Rchk ed-
Din Karikilsh, who had recovcred his freedom, came t o
pay his respects t o t h e Sultan on Tuesday, t h e 11th of
ShawB1. H i s conring gave t h e Sultan t h e greatest pleasure,
j;lit~h,S4 miles K. of Jerusalem.
7 S jin.tr-ia.
1I.RAT E E F E L L S C ' L T A S L'CSCI-. 395
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arrd, indeed, h e had many titles to his prince's favoul-, and
had rendered great service to t h e cause of Islbm. I l e
obtained his sanction t o g o t o Uarnascus to procure t h e
mcney necessary for his ransom, which was fixed, a s I have
becn told, but God knows, a t two hundred thousand (gold
pieces I).LVhen the Sultan was a t Reirfit, h e received a
visit from the prince, Lord of Antioch, who came to
salute him and t o ask a favour. H e gave liiln a n lionour-
able reception, and entertained him hospitably, grant-
ing him t h e territory of el-'Amlil-corn l a ~ i d s ,t h e crop
bringing in an annual return of fikten thousand gold
pieces (dinirs) annually. E l - M e s h t t ~ bhad been left a t
Jerusalem with t h e other emirs who had remainrd there,
but the government of t h e city had not been entrusted to
him ; 'Izz ed-Din Jurdilc eserciscd authority a s governor,
having been appointed b y t h e Sultan o n t h a t I'rince's
rcturn to t h e city after t h e conclusion of peace. Before
appointing him t o that post, t h e Sultan had employed m e
t o ascertain t h e opinion of el-hlcleli el-'Xdel, el-Mclek el-
Afdal, and el-Melek ez-Ziher upon t h e subject. Jurdik
was, moreover, electcd a s governor by t h e voice of all
religious anti just men, bccause h e n a s dependable in
character, and protected all honest mcn. O n e Friday, a t
t h e Sakhra, in accordance with the Sultan's commands, I
installed Jurdili in his office. After t h e conclusion of
public prayer I invested t h a t emir with his new dignity,
urging him very specially t o d o his d u t y faithfi~lly,and
acquainting h i ~ nwith t h e high csteenr in which he was held
b y t h e Sultan. H e acquitted himself of the duties of his
position in t h e most praiseworthy manner. El-Rlcsh!fib
remained in t h e city in company with t h e other emirs, and
died there on Sunday, t h e 23rd of Sliau.,?ll (November I ,
396 i17H.-1T iiI?T,?i,L S ( . L T A S Y C S C F .
~- ~- ~- ~~ ~ - -~ -
J 1I ) . Prayers wcrc said over his body in the
Mesjed el-Aliia,l and 11e was buried in his own house.
THC S U L T A N 1:hlLI:rZS TO D.\ll.\SCTS.
T ~ r i :Sultan inspected all the strot:gholcls lie posseszed in
t h e S&l,xl (Western I'alcstine), and ordered the necessary
repairs to be earl-ieci out ; he then turned his attention to
the condition of the troops composing their garrisons, and
filled each one of the fortresses with infantry and cavalry.
O n the morning of lVcJnesday, the 26th of Shawil. he
entered Damascus, and thcrc be fouriil el-l'leleli cl-Afclal,
cl-Melel: ez-%&her, el-Melek ez-Ziifer, and his younger
children. H e preferred this city as a place of abode t o
a n y other. O n the Thursday mornitig, the 27th of the
month, he held a public reception, to which evcryonc was
allowcd to come an? satisfy their thirst t o see him. People
of all classes wcrc admitted, and poets recited poerns in his
praise : 'that he spread the wings of Justicc over all, and
raincd down boons on his people from the clouds of his
munificence and kindness.' For he held audiences a t ap-
pointed times a t which he gave ear t o the complaints of
the oppressed. O n Monday, the first day of the rlionth
of Zu el-Ic'ada, el-3Ielek el-Afclal gave a great dinner
t o el-hZelek ez-Ziher, who had come t o Damascus on
hearing that the Sultan intended t o stay in that city. H e
had stayed there in the hope of having the pleasure of
seeing his father once more; it seemed as though his noble
heart had a presentiment t h a t his father's death was a t
hand. I n the course of the evening he returned several
times t o bid him farelvcll. I n the banquet that el-Afclal
T h e Haram enclosure.
-
ga1.c his hsotller, he disjilayed a ma~iii6ce:ice and good
taste worthy of his fine character. I-Ic intended it a s a
token of gratitude for the splendid reception ez-ZRher had
giver1 h i n ~on his visit t o illeppo. T h c great oficers of
State, both civil and ecclesiastical (literally, the lords of
this world and the sons of that a-hich is hereafter), mere
present a t this assembly. T h e Sultan also went, a t el-
Afclal's invitation, t o gladden his lrcart. S o a t least I habe
been told.
I:L-?.IEI,T.I; E L - ' ; ~ ~ E Thad
. bccn t o inspect thc fo2-tress o r
el-Kerali and t o give ordcrs fur the improvc:~!entshc con-
sidered necessary, after rrhich he set out on his return t o
his do~ninivnson the Eupl~ra:cs, and on lf~c(lr;csda):,thc
17th of the month of %U el-!('ads, he entered the territory
of Damascus. T h e Sultan went out t o meet him, and
remained hunting in the districts between (;Ii~bhghck)~ zrid
c l - K i s l ~ c htill 11e came, and they set out together fcr
Daniascus, and entered the city on the evening of Sunday,
the ~ 1 s oS t the month. The Sultan stayed a t D a m a s c ~ ~ s ,
h u ~ i t i n gill company with his brothcr and sons, amusing
himself in the country of I ) a ~ n a s c uand in the haunts o f
ti:c gzzelle. I t serrned to afford him the rest of mi!!d that
his co!ltinual fatigues-tvorlting by day and watching by
nigh-had rendered absolutely necessary for him ; but lie
did not think that he was the11 bidding faren~ell t o his
c!ii!dren and the scenes of his pleajurcs in the chase. T h e
pressure of business and thc number of projccts in hand
him from thinking of revisiting Egypt. I was
still in Jerusalem \vhen I received a ictter summoning m e
I This place i5 cbout r q n:i;:,s S.of Ilamnsci~s.~
 398
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~- ~~.
to rejoin him. Rain mas falling in torrents, and the roads
were so deep in mud that I was nineteen days in accomplisll-
ing the journey. I set out from Jerusalem on Friday, the
23rd of Moharretn, 589, and did not reach Damascus till
Tuesday, the 12th of Safer, just as the first pilgrims \\,ere
nearing the city, which the Sultan had reached in the after-
noon of Monday, tlie I ~ t of h Safer, so r~iyappearancc ivas
delayed. In the northern ante-chaniber the emirs and
high functionaries were thronging round el-Melek el-Afilal,
awaiting audience of thc Sultan. Hut mhcn he heard I
was there, he ordercd that I should be admitted bcfore all
the others t o a private interview with him, and he rose
from his seat to greet me. Never before had his face
expressed such satisfaction a t tlie sight of m e ; liis eyes
filled with tears, and he folded me in his arms. May God
have mercy upon him !
CHAPTER C L X S I S .
THE SULTAN GOES O L T T O h l E E T T H E HA]
O N RTednesday, the 13th of the month of Safcr, he sent t o
summon me, and when I mcnt t o him, asked me who was
in the antechamber. I replied that el-hlelek el-Afiial \\,as
sitting there, waiting t o b e permitted t o pay him his
respects, together with a crowd of emirs and people, \v110
had come for the same purpose ; but he sent J e m d ed-Din
Ikbdl t o inform them that he could not receive them. T h c
ncxt morning hc sent for me again early, and I found him
sitting in a summer-house (Soff'a) in the garden, surrounded
by his younger children. He asked if there Here anyone
waiting for him, and when he heard that some envoys had
come from the Franlcs, and mere waiting t o be admitted,
together with his emirs and chief officers, he commanded
TT-HA T BEI'ELI. SLTLT.4X YC'SCF. 599
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that the ambassadors should be introduced into his presence.
O n e of his young chiltirc11, Emir Abu nekr, of whom he
was very fond, and with whom he was playing, happened
t o b e there. A s soon as he saw these men, with their
shaven chins, their close-cropped hair and stranjic garments,
he was frightened and began t o cry. T h e Sultan tnade
liis cscuses to the ambassadors, and dismissed them with-
out hearing the message they had brought. H e then said
t o me, spea!;ing in his usual ltindly way : ' I t is a busy day.'
Then he added : 'Bring us whatever you havc rcady.' They
brought him rice coolted in milk and other light refresh-
ments, and he a t e of them, but without much appetite as
it seemed t o me. I-Ie had latterly omitted holding his
receptions, and excused himself, saying it was a great
trouble t o him t o move ; indeed, hc was suffering from
indigestion, lassitude, and wcakness.l \\:hen we had
finished our meal, he asked me if I had heard anything
of the Hkj. I madc answer : ' I met some of the travellers
on the road; if there were not so much mud they would
have been here to-day ; hut thcy will come in to-morrow.'
f I e then said : ' IVe will go out, please God, t o meet
them ;' and he gave an order that their road should be
cleared of the water, for it as very rainy that year and
there were streams of water in the roads. After this I
withdrew, noticing that he no longer had the good spirits
I knew so well. On the Friday morning early he set out
on horseback. I followed shortly with the paclc animals,
and came up just as he met the HAj. Among the pilgrims
were SSbcli ed-Din and Tsarbla el-Yiri~ki,and the respect
for these Sheikhs was very great. El-Xelek el-Aidal then
came out to join him, and took me aside to spealc to me.
A t that moment I noticed that the Sultan was not wearing
I All symptoms of typhoid fever.
403 I!.IIA1' B E F E L L SL'Ll'A,V Y ( ; S G l ; .
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liii kn;;~?:dzazti,' v;ithout mhic11 he iievcr wtnt riding. I t
vias a magnificent sight t h a t day, for the inhabitants of t h e
city came out in crowds to meet and to look at the Sultan.
I could not co~itrol myself any longer, and hastened up t o
him, telling him he had forgotten his fia.~$g/trrrtd: H e
seemed lilcc a man \vakitig out of a dream, and asked for
the garment, but the master of the wardrobe could not be
found. i t appeared t o me very serious. I said t o myself:
' T h e S u l t a i ~is asking for scrnething he 'neocr u . 4 t o be
without, and h e cannot get it !' This filled my llcart
with apprehension, and I considcrcd it as a bad omen. I
then turned t o him and aslccd if there lvcre not another
way, less crovded nrith people, by which he could return
to the city. I l e replied that there was, and tilrned into
a path bet\veeti the garden.;, leading in the direction of
el-Muneib'a.? W e followed him, but 1 was heavy a t heart,
for I feared very much for his health. Wlien lve came t o
the castle, he entered by crossiilg the bridge as usual, but
this \\:as the last tirnc he rode over it.
ON the Friday evening the Sultan suffered from esireine
lassitude, and a little before midnight he liad an attack of
bilious fever, n~hichwas inteynal r ~ t h e rthari external. On
Saturday morning, thc 16th of Safer, 589 ( ~ 1 sof t February,
A.D. 11931,lie was in a very lorv state in consequence of
the fever, although it was suppicssed. I went to visit hi111
See above, p. 367.
E!-Bfuneih'a means ' ? h e little spring.' The place that bears t h i s
namc lies in the Ghi~taof Ua:nascus.
II.HAT B E F E L L S C L T A S Y C S C T ; . 401
-p-~p~~
with el-l(ridi el-F;i~jcl,and tve entered his room at the
same time as el-i\Ielelc el-Aiclal, his son. W e had a long
conversation with h i m ; he complained a t first of the bad
night he had had, but after that he seemed to take pleasure
in tallcing to 11s. This lasted till noon, when we withdrem,
leaving cur hearts with him. 1Ie told us to g o and par-
take of thc meal in attendance on cl-Melek cl-Aidal. El-
Khdi el-FBclel was not accustomed t o that, and he therc-
fore returned (home) ; I, for m y part, went iuto the great
southcrn hall, and found the tnblr laid, and e!-Af&l seated
in his father's place. A s I could not cndure this sight, I
withdrew without sitting down t o table ; and several
others, seeing his son seated in his place, held it a s an
omen of ill, and shed tears a t the sight. From that time
thc Sultan's illt~essgrew more and morc serious, and me
never omitted visiting him both morning ariii evening.
El-Kh(,li el-Phclel and I uzed t o go into the sick-room
several times a clay, whenever a lull in the paiu he
suffered allotved him to receive our visits. I t was in his
head that he sulkred most. O n c of the things from \vhich
we augured that his life would be talcen rvas the absence of
his ciiicf physician, who knew his constitution better than
anyone, having always attended him, both in the city and
on his jourlleys. On tkle fourth day of his illness the other
physicians thought it necessary t o bleed him, and from
that moment he grew seriously worse, and the humours of
the body began to cease their flo\v. His condition was
aggravated by the predominance of this dryness, and he
was reduced t o the last degree of mea1;ness. On the sixth
d a y lye got him to sit up, propping hirn u p a t the back
with a pillow ; we then brought him a cup of lukewarm
water to drink, which was t o act as an emollient after the
medicine he had taken. H e tasted it and found it LOO
h o t ; another cup was brought him which 11e thought too
26
403 VVHAT B E F E L L SULTA:V Y U S C F .
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cold, but still he did not get vexed or angry, but only
said : ' 0 God, perhaps there is no one who can make the
water of the right temperature !' El-FAdel and I left him
with the tears streaming from our :yes, and he said t o me :
' W h a t a great soul the Moslems will lose ! By God, any
other man in his place would have thrown the cup at the
head of the man who brought it !' During the sixth,
seventh, and eighth days the illness increased, and then his
mind began t o wander. O n the ninth day he fell into a
stupor, and was unable t o take the draught that was
brought t o him. T h e whole city was in commotion, and
the merchants, being afraid, began t o carry away their
goods out of the bazaars ; it is inlpossible t o give any idea
of the sorrow and trouble with which one and all were
oppressed. Every evening el-I(i~1i el-Ffidel and I used t o
sit up for the first third of the night together, and then we
would go to the gate of the palace ; and if we found means,
we took a look a t him and withdrew a t once, and if not,
we still learned liow he was. When we came out we used
t o find the people waiting to gather from the expression of
our faces what was the Sultan's state. On the tenth day of
his illness they treated him twice with a clyster, wllich gave
him some relief. After that it gave the greatest delight t o
all t o hear t h a t he had drunk some barley-water. T h a t
night, as usual, we waited some hours, and then we went
t o the palace, where we found JemSl ed-Daula 1l;bEtl. On
our asking as to the health (of the Sultan), he went in and
sent us word from el-Melek el-Mo'azzem TurLn Shah-
God increase his power !-that perspiration was visible in
both legs. W e gave thanks to God for this news, and
begged him to feel the rest of the body, and to let us ltnow
of any perspiration else~vhere. He, did as we asked him
a n d came back t o us, saying the perspiration was profuse.
\Ire then departed with lightened hearts. On the follow-
I.1'HAr HELLLT, S U L 7 , l S PCSCT. -to3
- -
i n g day, n h ~ c l iwa> Tuesday, the eleventh day of the
illness and the 26th of the month of Safer, we went to the
gate to ask for news. They told us that the perspiration
was so profuse that it had gone right through the mattress
and the mats, and the moisture could be seen on the floor,
and as the drynesi of the body had increased to such a
degree, the dqctors were astonished a t h ~ strength.
s
C H A P T E R CLXXXI.
EL-AFDAL RECEIVBS TIIE OATIIS O'r ALLEGIASCE.
WHEN el-Melek cl-12fdal saw his father's condition, and
all men realized that there was no hope of his recovery,
h e made all haste t o secure the oaths of allegiance of the
people. H e hcld a reception for that purpose in the
Recl~vkn palace, so called because Netlrvbn (one of the
former princes of Aleppo) had resided there. H e then
summoned the I.;kilis and instructed them t o draft a brief
forrn of oath, promising fidelity t o the Sultan a s long as h e
lived, and after his death t o el-Af<!al. T h e prince excused
himself t o thc people on the ground that the Sultan's ill-
ness was most critical, and that onc could not tell mllat
might happen, and that it was necessary t o provide for
any event after the manner of princes. T h e first he cnlietl
upon to swear was S'ad ed-Din h,Ias7Ctd,brother of Uedr
c.
cd-Din Mauditd and Shihrla (or governor of D a 1;
he took the oath \vithout any hesitation and quite uncon-
ditionally. N k r ed-Din, governor of S a h y i ~ n (near
Laodicea), then came forward and took the oath, but
made it a condition that the fortress he commanded should
be his. S i b e k ed-Din, Lord of Sheizer, a l m swore, but
not by thc (triple) divorce ; ' for,' said he, ' I have ncver
36-3
 II'HAT B E F E L L S U L T d X Y L - S C F .
404
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P
-P
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taken an oath that contained such a condition.' Khosh-
terin I c ~ s e i n jernir of the) Haltlii~ri (Kurds) swore n e x t ;
then came ?;fisl~eraw~~n ez-Zerziri (another Icurdish emir),
who, however, made it a condition that he should be
grantcc! a suitable fief. 'Alk.:l,n and Mi1l;Cln (two other
Kurdish emirs) also took t h e rccjuired oath. il banquet
was then served of xvhicli the whole nssen~b1.i;partook, and
after the 'nsr (prayer) thc ceremony of the taking of t h e
oath was resunled. blaimiun el-T(+i-i-God be merciful t o
him ! L a u d Shcms ed-Din (Sonl~or)t!le elder swore, but
conditionally ; they exacted a promise that thcy should
never be callcd up011 t o draw sword against a n y of el-
Afilal's brothers : ' In a n y other case,' said MaimCn, ' I
will answer ivith rrry Iread.' Sonl5or began b y refusing t o
take the oath ; afterwards he said : ' I wiil s n c a r allegiance
t o you in nly capacity as governor ot'cn-NayrC~n,and on t h e
condition that that place shall remain mine.' Then Shma
came forward and raid : ' IVhy should I swear? I h a r e
no fief.' They then tallietl t o him awhile, and he swore
as the others had clot~e,but on condition of receiving an
adequate fief. Sonl;or, the Scarred (el-Meshyfib), sluore,
but conditionally ~ ~ p ohis n receivirig tlie grant of a satis-
factory fief. Aibeic el-Afyas-God have mercy on hiin !--
took the oath ivith the proviso that he should get what he
wanted, but lie omitted the (triple) divorce clause. IJossirn
ed-Din Hish2ra, the ,superior officer of all tlie above emirs,
also took the oath. Xone of the Egyptian emirs were
present a t this ceremony, nor. indeed, had they been re-
quired. T h e others had only been required to take the
oath ~vitlia view of maintaining order, and possibly the
formula of their oath is not well known. T h e t e s t of
t h e oath was as folloms : ' Cinuse T . Froni this moment
farth, with singic aim a n d unflinching purpose, I vow m y
allegiance t o el-hle!ek e n - S i s r (SalBh ed-Din) a.s long as he
1l.IId T LIEFELL SCLT.4 .V Y L - S U F . 405
-
~~
p-
--
lives, and I will never relax my efforts t o uphold his
government, consecrating to his service my life and wealth,
my sword and my m e n ; I will obey his commands and
conform t o his mill. r2fter~vardsI will keep t h e same faith
wit11 his son, el-Afclal 'Ali, and the heirs of t h a t prince.
1 take God to witness that I \vill obey him and uphold his
government and land, consecrating t o his service m y life
and ~vealth,my smord and m y men ; I will observe his
commands and prohibitions, and I swear that m y private
resolr~tionsc o r r e s p ~ n dwith m y oath. I call upon God to
be witness of m y \cords.'l
C H A P T E R CLXXXII.
I)EATI.I OF T I I E SULTAX->I.lXT GOD DIAVS AIERCY U l ' O S
FiJM, A N D SAXCTIFY 131s SOUI.!
T H Eeve of Wednesday, the 27th of Safer, in the year 589,
was the twelfth night of t h e illness. H e grew worse,
and his strength failed ; and from the first there was
n o hope. H e remained sometin~eswith us, and some-
times wandering; but that night they sent for me, a s
well a s el-KBgi cl-Fadcl and I b n ez-Zeki,%nd it was
not the usual time for our being present. El-Melek
ei-Afda! wished us t o spend the night with him, but the
158cii objected, because people used t o wait for us on onr
return from the castle, and he feared that if we did not
make our appearance, a n alarm might spread through the
Our author omits the second clause containing the penalties
a t ayhed, a n d which must have run somewhat a s follows : ' I f I break
my oath, I swear that by that fact alone my wives a r e divorced,
Iny slaves set free, a n d I must go, barefoot, on the pilgrims, me to
Mecca,' etc.
See p. 40.
 406 IVH.4 T B E F E L L S L - L T A N I'CSCF.
~ - p - p p - ~ ~
city, and they might begin pillaging. H e therefore thought
it best for us t o leave. El-ACdaI then decided t o summon
Abu J'afer, im&~+z of the KellLsa, and a man of lcnomn
rectitude, in order that he might be a t hand in the castle
if God should call the sick man to Himself that night.
Hut he lived on, half attending to him, and half wandering,
while the confession of faith and of God ALmighty was
repeated t o him. T h e l & I i and I took our departure,
both ready t o have laid down our lives for his. H e
remained all night in the state of one going t o God, and
Sheikh A b u J'afer read t o him passages from the Kursn,
and reminded him of God Almighty. Since the ninth
d a y of the fever the Sultan had been wandering, and his
brain was clear only a t intervals. T h e sheikh afterwards
assured us thus : ' I was reciting the Divine Word to him
-He is the God thart wko?n theve is no other God; who
Knows the unseen and the visible (lix. 2 2 ) , and I heard
hini say-God have mercy on him--" It is t ~ n e ! " And
this a t the time of his passing away, and it was a sign
of God's favour t o him. God be thanked for t h a t !' T h e
Sultan died after the hour of morning prayer, on Wednesday,
the 27th of Safer, in the year g8g (March 4, 1193 A.u.).
El-I(d?i el-FAdel had hastened back to the castle before
dawn a t the time of his passing away, and I went too,
but he was dead, and had entered into God's favour, and
the piace of His goodness and grace. I was told that
while Sheikh Abu J'afer was reading from the Divine
Word-Those ir no God 6zrt He ! in Hill2 rla 1 t ~ n s f
. mid-day prayer was over, the bier was brought forth, covered
(ix. 130), the sicl; man smiled, his face grew radiant,
and he went in peace to his Lord. Never since Isldm
and the Moslems lost the (four) first khalifs, ncver, from
that time, had the faith and the faithful suffered a blow
such as that they received on the d a y of the Sultan's
dcath. T h e castle, the city, the whole world, were thereby
I V H d T B E F E L L SLLTA,\' I'GSIIF. 407
plunged into gr~ef,of which God alone could fathom the
intensity. I had often heard people say they would lay
down their own lives for that of someonc very dear t o
them, but I thought it was only a manner of speaking,
from which a good deal must be deducted in reality ; but
I swear before God, and I am sure that had we been
asked that day, ' W h o will redeem the Sultan's life ?' there
mere several of us who would have replied by ofering his
own. El-Blelek el-Afdal then held a reception in t h e
north hall, t o receive the condolences of his officers; but
h e placed a guard a t the entrance t o the castle, and only
admitted crnirs of high rank, and doctors of law (Literal&,
' m e n of the turban'). I t was, indeed, a melancholy d a y ;
everyone was so entirely given u p t o sorrow and anxiety,
to tears and lamentations, that they thought of nothing
else. No poet was admitted to the audience chamber t o
recite elegies ; no preacher appeared t o exhort the people.
T h e Sultan's children went out into the streets t o excite
the compassion of the public, and the sorrow of the piteous
sight almost killcd all who saw them. This went on till
the mid-day prayer ; they were meanwhile busy in washing
the body, and putting it in its shroud. We were obliged
t o borrow money to purchase everything necessary for the
funeral, even down t o things t h a t cost but a halfpenny,
such a s the straw t o be mixed with the clay (to make
the bricks).l Ed-Di~l'ai,the jurist, was charged with the
task of washing the body. They asked me t o superintend
this operation, but I was not strong enough to bear it. When
with a piece of striped cloth. El-IZBdi el-F$del had provided
this, and the garments necessary t o cover the corpse, and
he had been careful to select such as were proper and
I I t is well-known that t h e tombs of people of high rank are lined
with sun-baked bricks.
408 1~1'1311T B E F E L L S I : L T d S I-CSLrP. TT-H.: T L:EFEI.T, SL-LZ'il X Y CSLTI;. 409
p~
P - ~- - P- ~pp ~- ~-

suitable. LVhen the crowd saw the bier, they raised cries l3ch8, cd-Din Abu el-Melidsan Yi~sul, ibn RXfi, ibn
of sorrow, and the air resounded with their mailings. T h e y Ternirn, k6<1i, lawyer, irnim and grand I~idi,with the per-
.vere so distracted by their grief, that instead of regular mission of the (Ithalif) Commander of thc Faithful, adds :
prayer the people could only exclaim. T h e 1<8cii llIohi It was my plan to gather together information regarding
ed-Din Ibn cz-Zeki was the first t o say the regular prayer. el-hlelck ea-NR3r (the prince strong t o aid) Xbu el-
T h c body was then brought round to the palace in the Mozaffer Yilsuf, son of Ayiib, and I have cnded my
garden, rvhere tile Sultan had lived during his illness, and collection a t the day of his death-may God have mercy
it was buried in the west Sqfiz (or summer-house). I t upon him! AIy object has been to earn the fx,.our o f
was a little before the hour of the 'asr prayer ~vhetl the God, and t o urge men t o pray for him, and t o remember
Sultan was committed to the grave. hlay God snnctify \\?hat is good.
his soul, and shed light upon his tomb ! During the d a y
his son el - hZelelr ez - Zlifer went out into the city to
console the people, and t c calm the minds of the inhabi-
tants, but the pcople were too much taken up with weeping
t o think of pillaging or making any disturbance. Everyone
was heartbroken. All eyes were filled with tears, and
there were very few xvlio did not weep. After this everyone
went home with death in their very souls, and no one
appeared again (in the streets) throughout the night. W e
alone went to visit and t o recite passages from the Kuriin
over the grave, and renewed our grief. El-3,Ieleli el-Afdal
spent the whole of the day writing to his uncle (el-Melek
el-'Adel) and his brothers, informing them of the sad event,
and offering theril his consolation. T h e next day h e held
a public reception t o receive the condolences of the people,
and threw open the gate of the city to the doctors of law
and the 'ubma. Sermons were delivered, but no poet
recited any elcgy, and shortly after mid-day the assembly
broke up. T h e people went t o the tomb in crowds from
~ n o r n i ~till
~ gnight, reciting passages from the liurhn, and
imploring God's blessing on him. El-Melek el-Afcjal spent
the remainder of the day dictating dispatches to be sent
t o his brothers and his uncle.
' S O passed those years and m e n , and seem,
130th years and nle.1, to be a dream.'

INDEX.
AHII EL ~ . ~ O I I S & Nthe
, High Ad-
miral, 1.1
Abu Gekr, the Chamberlain, 371-
373, 377, 379, 380
Abu el F+th Ghazi Ahu Mansilr
el Melek ez Zaher Ghiath ed
IXn: Saladin's son, elsewhere
called Ez Zaher, I I
4 b u el Futuh Yahya Ibn Habash
es Suhraverdi, 10
Ahu el Heja, the Fat, 233, 347,
110
~ b ; ; ' ~ ' a f e r ,iiiii~iiz of the KellLsa.
406
Abu a1 Rlaali hlohamtned MDhi
ed Din, 40
Achzib, 154, 307
Acre, 25, 28, 35, 141, 1.17, 148;
the plain of, so, 27 ; battle in
the plain of, 2 2 ; taken by the
Saracens, 116 ; siege of by
Christians, I j4 syy.; taken by
Christians, 266, 267 ; Henry of
Champagne, Lord o f , 354
Adiaman, 78
E l Adid, 61
E l Adl en NejeH, the Courier, 303
Afamia (Apamea), I 33
E l Afdal el Melrk. Lord of Alexandroschene, :53
Damascus, Saladin's m n a n d All i b n Ahmed el Meshtub, 185
successor, 163, I 76, 181, 100, Altonba el Adli, 341
224>347, 385, 393, 395-407
Aferbela, g I
E l AiAdiya, 155, 160, 164, 16;,
176, 213, 223, 245.247, 259, 273,
3C9
Aiaz t.t Tawil, t h r long man, 227
Aibek el A f t ; i ~404
, 395
Anastasi?, church of the, at Jeru- el Babein, battle of, 47, 49
aalem, 239, 328, 335, ,338, 35 j, Eaghche Pass, 78
358 Baghdad, 83, 171 ; the Khalif of,
An], Catholicos of, 189 329-337, 391. 392 ; the writing
Antaradus, rzj, 127 1 of, 199 ; despatch from, 31 5
Antarsus. 1 2 ~ 127. . rli I Baghras, castle, 136, 191
Antinch. 14;)' 3 8 j : g a i n of, 38, BaGatn, feast of, 2 5
jg; : lake of, 78 : lord of, 395 ; Baldwin, A r c h b ~ s h o pof Canter-
Aprrnea. 133, 190; Zeugma, 72 bury, 195
Anhek. I ~ K167 . Baldwin IV. and V. of Jerusalem,
Aranl k a c i r a i m , 83 108
~ ~ . -
Ararat. Mount., 69,
~
Araxes, river, 83
Balian I. of Ihelin, zr
1 Balian 11. of Ibelin, 384
.i\rbalists, 57, 128, 206, zr j, etc. Bambyce (ATembi~),73
Arbela, j1, 52, 80. 98; Lord of, iianils.47, 141. 142, 153. 194
51, 73, 94, 171, 782, 218 1 ljarbarossa, the Ernpenor Frede-
Aibek el Azizi, 344 A r j ~ s hIn Armenia, on the north rick, 170, 182, 18;
E l 'Aid, 132 shore
- ~~ of I.akr
~ Van. ~ 16 -
~ ; Barezan. Lord of T ~ b e r i a s 385
,
Aildekiz, Icing of Persia, 30; 'Arka, north of Tripoli, 62 tkirin, 71
Aina!, 307 Armenia. Lesser, 78 13arka (Cyrene),
. - nomad Arabs of,
,
'Xin el Uakar, 248 Arnlt, Prince (Reoaud de Chbtil-
'Ain Bassa. 154 17 .
Ion), 7j:,113~ 1 1 5 Bar h r ~ k u rHen Basil, 189
'Ain Jalud (Goliath's spring), 89 Arses (;\rjlsh), 16 Basil, Archbishop of Ani, 189
'Ain el blobAraka, 72 AI-slan Hogha, 163 Rasse Poulaine ('Ain Basm), 154
AintAb, 63 Arsuf, 286, 289, 290, 293-29;. 381 Battering-ratn, 214, 216
i i n Tub'aun, 90 Asad ed Ilin (Skirkoh), 4.. j, 47- Beauvais, Bishop of, 333
h i s a the jurist, 76, loo, 126, 167 56. 89, 163, 348, 377 ; junior, Bedr ed DPn Uoldrrim, Lord of
8
r72
- ,a -,/, 265
9*- Tell el Iia-her, 224, 265, 339,
, 206
Aisa the swimmer., 20q. .
Ascalon., 2 ; . zh., 140. .- 295-
. . Id:,
300. 326, 339, 3jh, 383 ; taken
.- 3.11, 271, 3% 3x19 382, 3x5,
390, 403
.
bv Saladin. 117 . ;. dismantled. Beha ed Ilin Abu el hlehisan
Yusuf Ibn R ~ f i i .Ibn Temim,
397
Ashem, Emir, 343 the histor~an.409
Ashtaroth Carnn1111,58 Beha ed Din Icarakush, 141, 209,
'Ashtera, 58, 109, 110 209, 353, 304
Asassination of Conrad of Mont- Rehesne.
- - d7
ferrat, 332 Uchneri (kesne), 63, 71
As-acsins, the, 74, I r 3, 333 12ehranl esh S h l ~ i l j h90
,
Aswan (Assouan), 66 Ueilan pass, 136
Alamfit in Irak, 74 Atabep, 105 Urirfit, X?, 204, 250, 327, 395 ;
Alem e d Din Icaisar, 367 -Atlih.
-...~, 40, taken by Saladin, 117
! Aleppo, 25, 42, 53, 58, 61, 65, e t Atropatene, 83 I Brisan, 89,91, 97
me$. 'Auja, river, 293, 29". '71 ken by
Alexandria, 10, 66, 67, 7;, 77, etc. Aurelian, 38
Ayuh, Saladin's father, 4 #41,346,
Amalric or Amaury, Iiing of
'Ayfin el t\ssaair, 276
'*\fin el Bass, 224, 225, 226
A&, castle, 74, 75, 86
1 Bef,":,3<tken by S.lladin, 132,
I 133
Jerusalem, 49, j r , 57 : Guy d e Azerbijan, 39, 83. r o j l Hekt~mor, Lord nf Iihelat, 85,
Lusignan's brother, Constable ICO, 305, 315%3x5
el Aderija, 347, 353, 391
of Jerusalem, 113 Rrled.
- ford ot the rlerls. 61
1 Amida, Diarbekir, 19, 8;
Baalbec, 4, 47, 57, 137 ; Lord of, Belfort, 141, 142. 15.1, 174
el '.i\rnk, plairl of Antioch, 38, 240 lielfreys, o r movable toaers, 57
Bnb, or Bap, j j l el Uelka, 336
412 11-HAT B E F E L L S U L T A N I - U S C F .
Hrius, liver, 29, I j5, 224, 226
Belvoir (I<aukab el Hawa). z j ;
siege of, 122-124 ; taken by
SaI<~din,I jS, I 39
1lerri)a ( L a Xcrr~c).j 1
Ilesne, 63
Betenot~le,I I
Bethnny, 347. See el :lzerCya
Xethlehr~u,j j i
H~lbeis,51
Bir, 73
Eire,), 5114
l:irejlk, 86
cl Iltrka. 285
I l i r k c t - I i a ~ i o d a rzSc,
, Damietta, 57- j9
Ilirtha, 335
Ijiz?t'a, 53
Alanche (;arde, 340
iilitanis, I 32
Uohe~iiondI. of Antioch, 71
Ilohrmnncl I I., 42
liosra, Lord of, 224
Iidtaa, a great ship, 67
Czcsarea, 36, 281, 285, j81 ; taken
by S a l a d ~ n ,I 16
C?imonr, 224
Cairo, j 6
C,ilv*ry, 355
Calycadnus (Geuk Su), 183, 188
.Camel, battle of rne, 229
Canterbury, hrcl~biahopof, 2 j 6
Capitulation of Acre, 266
Ca~itulationof 1eru.aleln. 118
~ a i a v a nfrom f 2 ! p t =aptbred by
Richard I., 343
Casale Imberri, 328
Cat, si-ge engine so-called, 214
C;ttholicos ol ttic Armrniarls, 185
Caytnon, or Cayrnont, 224, 276,
277
2-,
Champagne, Henry, Count of,
35, 197, 293, 353-356, 370
ChLtillon, Kcnaud de, 42, 75,
113-11;
Cistcrn, the round, j41
Copgeshaie, Raool, I I 3
Comnmcs, hl.inuel, 42
. . Marauis of Mont-
Conrad of Tvre.
ferrat, 144, 207, 212, 254, 267,
304, 3 17, 328-330, 332 ; assas-
slnatlon or, 333
Constanct, heiress of 13ohetnond
11. of hntioch, 43
Coilstnntlnople, 334
Crac des c l i e s a l l t r ~ ,12;. 126
Cross, Holy, 270, 271, joS, jog,
1 311, 327, 334
e r Acre, L j 6
Crusaders r r ~ u ~ t at
Cursed tolrfer at Acre. ~ 4 8
I Cyprus, j j , 341, 242, 353
~ y r e n e ,107
Damascus, ;S, 47, 6;, 68, etc. ;
Kadi of, 40 ; Llttle Damascus,
1 6 ; a man ol I)amascus, I j
llaphne, I j z
U a r ~ h a m 46
, rclieves Jaffa, 368, 370 ; rides
Dirun, or Uarum, 328, j57, 3 j 9 ;
taken by Sdladin, 117 ; idken
by the Franks ttlider Riclrard I.,
337
i D';tuk bridge, 226,227
1 Dausari.1, jg
Ueir, 60
Deir el BelLh (Darum),
Deir er KLheb, 2x6
Derhas el Mehrani, 367
Ilerbesak, 1 3 j
ed D i i esh Sheher-Ztri,
Diarbekr, 19, 73. 79, 8 j,
Dinar, Tyrlan, 7
llira'a. a Fame., 6d
Dirhem, j
. el Fdkh\~Lna,165
Uolderim, Bedr ed Din el Yaruki,
Lord of Tell el Xasher, 86, 224,
339, 34'
T)onci,er, 99
Dovin, 4
ed Uulal, 407
Lcdippa, I j4
Edeasa, 73, 82, 99, 218, 333, 334 :
Jocelyn of, 18;
Egypt, 47, e t S"@.
Eleanor of Gulenne, mother of
Kichard I., 355
Eleutherus, river, 62
Emesa, 56, 62, 104 ; siege of, 70 ;
prince ot, 103
England, Richard I., King of,
arrives before Acre, 348 ; takes
a great ship, 249. 250; sends
ambassadors to Salaciin, 256 ;
asks Saladin for trult a n d
snoiz, 263 ; m;tssacres prisor~ers Filleh, 90, r ro
after the fall of Acre, 272, 273 ; Fulke l., Icing of Jerusalem, 56,
marches upon Ierusalem, 2 7 ~ - ;l9
- -.
302 ; rcturbs to-here; 30i, 306; l
negotiates wirt~ ei hlelek el Galatin (Jelediye!~),3+1
;\del, 311, 330. 321 ; sends an ' ~ a m b i j o n , ' o rpourpotnl, worn by
etnbassv to Saladin,. -722; offers Crusaders, 787
his sis:er in marriage to el
hlelck el Adel, 324, 326; is Gazn, 338
accused of procuri~igthe assas- GeoFircy d e \-insauf. 182, 383,
sination of Conrad of 1lor.t- 284, 289, 290, 344, 300, 320, 341.
ferrat, 3 3 j ; prepares to march 351, 361, 307, ;SS
upon Jerusalem, 340 ; captures Geotirey d e L u s ~ g n a nKinz
, Gu!'.
the caravan fl-om Egypt, 342- hro:her, 113. 235, 3j6, 357
346; reryeat., j j r , 3 5 3 ; negoti- Georg~nns,384
ates w ~ t h Saladin, 3j4, 560 ; C;erma~:s,leader ni!hp, 1.~6;Kin::
of the, 183; 183, 213, 2 1 3 ; son
a l o n ~the whole Saracen army. of the liin!: died before Acre,
376 ; fi~ilsill, 378 ; 1s supplied 236, 237
\vitli fruit and snow hv Saladin, (;euk Su, river, 71;, 17n
379; tliakes peace, 384; tries Gezrr. battle at. :o
to prwent Fr;lnl<s going to Glial~igheh,31;j
Ieru,alem a s wilerim?.
. . > , :85
- : Ghazza. taken bv the Saraccns.
~311sa\Vay, 393, 394 I I7
I?rzeroum. Lord of. ?SA Giaortr Llieh.
I , , I ?< 42
Esli slinkif (~eltb;),' r j z , 1.~8, ) Gibeon (el J!l>>. 360
1 j 4 : the Lurii of, 148, I jo-I j j ;
Gu~nishtikin,68, 69. 72, 76
scrrender of, 174 Guy de Lusignan, litng of Jeru-
1 3 S ~ ~ o g132 r, salem, taken prisoner by Sala-
Euphrates, 53, 334 din at FIattEn, I I 3 ; reg-iins his
I liberty, 143 : besieges Acre,
F'lkhr ed Din Abd el Slesih (the
i 153, I I ;G; is jealous of
the Germans, 2 1 2 ; rode with
I7izier), 74 , King 1:ichard on his march,
Fairon, a wniir, belon,rrinx to the 1 292 ; f ~ ~ ~ t g:itl iAraGf,
t 250; Ueha
King of France, 241 ; Richard '
ed Din m;:ke< rnisxali~sa h n ~ i t
1,'s falcons, 357 ! hirn, 317 ; Henry of Cllam-
el Fawar, 89, 91 pagnc acknowicdged Ring of
I'elek ed I)in, 311, 343, 344 Jerusalem in his stead, j j ~ ,
Felus, 1lei-j ei, 141
La Fhve, 90 Haifa, Kichard I. landed at: 35 ;
FT!la, 132 S:lladin took il. I 16 ; el hIelek
Fik (Apliek), the ascent to, 220 el Adcl acnt s!iips to ilcre from,
Flanders, l'hilip, Coont of, 241 a34 ; Franks cross the river at,
lleer, S;rladin's, destroyed at ' 27; :,ceded by Snladin, 381
Tyre, 121, 122 H i j i l u 3 u f Siliib el MashtGh,
Fly-tower at Acre, siege of the, 353-360
310-212, 21 j, 217 Hajj roan, the, 386
I:orbelet, 91 Iiamadan, Prince of, 98
France, Icing of, 14, 240, 253 ! IIarnah (Hamath) taken by SGr
Frederick, Duke of Swabia, 212 ed Din, 47 ; Nix ed Din met
Frederick (Emperor Barbarossa), his brother, I<olbed Din (Prince
r70, IS?, IS; of 1losul), there in 1167, j r ;
Frederick II., Emperor, 387 l Izz ed Din defeated at the
414 W H A T IIEI-ELL SULTAN PI'SCF.
-p--. - -
' H o r n s ' of, by Saladin, 71 ;
Saladin did not halt there on
his way to 'Ain Jiltid, S9 ; the
Lord of, 190 ; besieged by '
Count I'hilip of Flanders, 241 ; '
mausolclim and college founded
there in honour of its Lord, E l
Slelrk el Rlozaffer Taki ed
Din, 31 j
Harenc, 76. See H i r i m
Hirini, 76, log, 241
H a r l h , near Seriij, 53 ; Seif ed
Din gave it to &lorafler ed Din
(Kukbtiri) a s a gift, 73 ; ' t h e
city of Nahor,' 82 ; Saladin at,
98 : deprives blozaffer ed Din
(1;ukbilri) of the castle of, 99 ;
Saladin all but died there, 102 ;
recovered, 103 ; h.Iozaffer ed
Din Lord of. 190 ; the Sultan
gave him the government of
Arbela, and took Harl-in, etc.,
in exchange, 7-18 : el blelek el
XIansi~rasked for it, 33; ; Sala-
din refu5ed it to him, 334
H a r t ~ ncr Kasliid,l1isblrtliplace,33 i
Harzem, near Mardin, 8 j
Hassan Ihn Birik, 309
Hattin, battle of,11o-115; Kenaud 1
deChatillonand liingCuytaken '
prisoners, 42, 43 ; tIozaffer ed I
Din (liukbtiri) fought there, 73;
' I
descriotionofthe battle. 1 1 0 - I I A
~ebron,'~37
Henry, Count, of Champagne,
marched upon Taffa, 35 ; arrived I
a t Acre wiih a F r e a t force, 197 ;
a t the battle of Arsi~f, zgo;
gathered soldiers for the attack
of Jerusalem, 346 ; tried to '
keep the French Crusaders in
Palestine, 379 ; one of the
Council which made peace with
Saladin, 3x4, 385
Henry VI., Emperor, 184, 213
Henry I[. ol England, 355
HekkAr, Icurds from, 22;
Hesban ilIeshbon\. ,, 4,.7 ,
Hesi, Tell el, 337, 341, 345
el Hisn (Ninevehl. ,, 61
Hisn &fa, j89
Hisn Mansfir, 78
Holy Cross,. 270.
3i1, 3'7
. . 271,
. ?OS,. ?OQ,
,.
pp- -.
Holy Sepulchre, church of tlie,
239, 328, 335
Horns, 56, 62. See Emesa
Torns of Hamah, 71, 73
Hosn el Akrad (Crac), 125, 126
Hospital of St. John a t Jerusalem,
]<nights, their for-
tress of Sired. 31 ; they fought
with Amaury I. in Egypt, ; I ;
their Grand Master slain a t
Hattin, r r o ; their chief taken
prisoner, I r; : all prisoners put
to death by,Salndin, I 14 ; their
chief negotiates, 263 ; accom-
panied CEUI de L~on'smarch
fro"? Acre, 282 ; chal-ged at
"mi~f, ?go ; their great tower
at Ascalon, 2yg ; advised the
, rebudding of Ascalon before
attackingJerusalem, 328; owned
a great part of the coast of
( I1
Palestine, 354 ; gave tiieir con-
sent to the peace with Saladin,
$5
I,
HossWm ed Din, a warrior slain
at el Aisdiya. 160
Hosstni ed Din Abu el Hija, a
Kurdish emir, in command at
Acre, 202. See Xbu el Heja
,
Hosstm ed llin Uish%ra, Lord of
K-niBs, 141, 224, 404
HossAm ed Din Ibu Laiiln, . . Lord
1 of Kiblus, 163, 224
IIossAm ed Uiu Lulu, Chamber-
lain and Commander o i the
fleet at Xcrc, 209
Hossani e d I)in Sonkor el 'Alkh-
I%ti, 156
Hours, the appointed, for prayer
accordinc to the Moharnniedan
i religion, 7, ?-I
HuBt (Howard), 381
Hugh, Lord of Jioeil, 113
Huleh,lake(watcrs of Meromi. 11j
Humphrey of Torou, 43,I I j, I 39,
288, 317
i .
Hfinin, in U .o ~ e Galilee,
r 52
I
I Ibelin iYebnah). the Lord of, 21,
,384385
Ihn Laon, 78, 183, 184, 188-192
I
Ibn el RIokaddem, 339, 386
Ibn ez Zeki, lo! 405, 408
Ibrahim Ihn Sherwa, Governor of Jelediyeh, six miles \V. of Tell es
Harim. 88 Safi. 711
~ c o n i u m . ' ~183,
~ , 186 ~ e m a l ' & ' ~ . r u l Ikbal,
a 402
lmad e d DEn. Lord of Siniar and Temal ed Din Fare;J) S / Y
Alepbo, 28; 71, 81, 86-i8, 180, j ~ n i n(En (;annlrn), 5);
190, 222, 224, 328 JerAblus, on the Euphrates, 79
lmad ed Din, son of Iiara.'lrslBn, Tend, 64
993 Ioo
Iron br~dge,135
Isaac Angelus of Constantinople,
' 1, ,
Jerhro's tomb, I I 3
ezlrat Ibn Omar, 94-96, Ior, 180,
224
186, 200 Jezreel, go, 91
Isahel, daughter of Atnaury I.,
heiress of the kingdoin of Jeru-
1 el Jib, 360
Jibeil, 113, 117, 124
!
salem, 317,354 Jihum, 187
Iskanderuna, r 5 j Jisr el AbBhneh, 293
Ism'ailiya, the assassins, 74 Jisr el Hadid, I 3 j
Isma'iliyat, place called, gg Jisr es Senn,iha, I I I
Izz e d DPn, Atabeg Prince of Jisr es Sidd, 111
Mosul, 102 Joan, sister of Richard I., zg;
Izz ed rlin Ferrukh Shah, 74, 81
Izz ed Din Jurdik, I 5, 87, 89, 224,
367.369, 3799 395
, Jocelyn 11. of Edessa, 82, 18;
, Jokneam, 224, 276, 327
Izz ed DCn I<ilij, 77 KBdi el Fadel, X, 391, 401, 4 " ~
Izz ed Ilin Mas'tid, brother of Iiadi Mohi ed Din Ibn er Leki.
Seif ed Din, Prince of Mosul, ' See Ibn er Zeki
70, 77, '24 j Iiahwana, 165
J'aber, on the Euphrates, 53
1
Kaimas en Xejmi, cl Tawashi,
163, 366
Jaffa, Saladin marched to, 32 ; Iial'at Uaghras. See Ilaghras
Henry of Champagne threa- 1 Kal'at el Harun, 137
marches from Natriln, 36 ; /
tened, 35 ; is t w o r t h r e e long Iial'at el Hosn. S e e Crac des
Chevaliers
Franks marched to, qi, 295 ; Iial'at el Aleleli a t Acre, I jS
made expeditions from, ?qg ; Iial'at el >[udik, I;? .J
from .Acre, and rebuilt it, 706 ; 1:
Iiing Kirilard brought force; to, Ical'at er M m , on the Euphrates,
18;
Arabs taken prisoners near it, Kal'it es Subeibeh, I j3
340 ; Saladin's siege of, 361 Kal'at es Sultsn: 132
.spp.; its walls' beaten down, ) Icaleh J'aber, ji
36; ; Icing Richard relieves it, I<alus, hlerj cl, 141
367-371 ; granted to the Franks.
372, 373; Saladin attacked Iiing
Richard at, 374-376 ; Saracens
rnarch upon. 379 ; Saladin gave
sicned there, 384, 385
( rais, 107
it up to the Franks, 381 ; peace , har'ila el Yiriikli, 399
liara Su; 3?, 78, I;;
Jaelijagha Su, 60 ' Kasimiyeh (T.eontss) rivcr, 144
el Jilfit, 89 1 Iiaukab el llawa (Belvoir), de-
l scription, 25 ; held out after
Jaulin, the, 109
Taweli, a memluk who had served the battle of Hattin, 138 ; s i e ~ e
Shirlcoh, Sg of, 122-134 ; taken by Saladin,
Jebel el Akra, 132 1 I 39, rdo ; garrisoned by Sara-
Jebela, 123, 128, 137, 307 1 cens. 327 ; Saladin inspected
Jebel Singar, 60 ' it, 394
416 IVHAT BEFEI,L \.I D E X . 417
~ - - --P . --

Iiazaghend, Ptrsian word for 'mail 1
shirt,' 367 ; Saladin'?, 4co
Iiefr i<enna, I ro
Kefr Litha, 86
Iiefr Tzb, 71
Iiefr Zimmir, 101
el Kcimfin, 224, 376; 327
Kellasa, the, 406
Keneh, W
I<er;rk, Alelel; el :\del, governor
of. a5 ; :<en;lud cle ChStilio~,
Lord of, 42 ; description of, j 6 ; I
blockaded by hrur ed I%, ;S ;
Saladin made an abortive ex- 1
pedition against, 92 ; a second i
expedition by S:lladin, 95-97 ;
thirdexpeditio~,108; itsl'rince,
Kenaud, t:~kenat Ilattin, 113 ;
suxendrred to gain his liberty,
1.39 ; given to el Velek el Aclel,
336 ; the road by, 344 ; hleiek
el Adel sent there, 390 ; in-
spccted the fortress, 397
Iierkhani, 31 j
cl Tierz, the traitor, 6 j
Kerzein, S6
I<habi,r, province of, 83
I<i:iln, Tell, 214, 223, 231, 273
;
1
Iiishon. brook., 226.. 2 ..
?l liis\;eh, 397
7;
1 lionia (Iconium), 77, 183, 186
Iioptos, on the Nile, 66
Iiosseir. 66
ICotb i d Din en Nisabhri, a
learnid doctor, G
Kotb ed Din, son of ITur cd DIn,
1 a n d Prince of A!osul, ;I, 70,
79, 163 (?)
Iiotb ed Din, son of Iiiiij Arslan,
jj6
Iiul'at et hIelek, a t Acre, 158
IComeitera, IOS
I ~ E Ion~ ,the Yile, 66
el liuscir, 89, g4
Iiuyunjik (,Nineveh), 61
Lachish, 337
I.~dder of Tyie, the, r j j
~ Llodicea. 125, 129, r j o , 137, 207,
2-11
Larisea (Cxsarea near Apamea,
I on the Orontes), 190
1 1.arranda. r 71, 18s
/ Latiiin. See Satriln
Illanuel Comnenos, Emperor of
Constant~nople,42, 51, j7, 317
hlarhgha In A~erhljan,ro
hIar'ash. 117. 62
hlardin, 85, 109
Xlaria, grand-niece of Rlanuel
Comnenos, 51
Marquis of hlontferrat, Conrad,
144, 207, 228, 254, 267, 301,
3023 328-3338 353
M3r Samwil, 374, 377, 390
Massacre of nIaslems at Acre,
272
Masild, Prince of Mosul, 181
XIaudGd, 180, 219
\ l e ~ d a nel Akhdar, 86,87
Mejahed Sheikhah, 285
Mejdel Yiba, 278, 293, 338, 381
Mejed ed Din, Ibn ed Daya, 58
Mejed ed Din, son of Ferrukh
Shah, and Lord of Baalbec,
$o~silii
el Mclek el Afdal. See Afdal
LI'oin ed Din Iiaisar Shah, Lord
I of Malrtia, son of Ii1l11 Arslan,
301, 302
nlojihed ed Din Berenkash, 163
Moizlli. Kmir., 16:.". 167
,
~ f & sCasius, 132
Montferrat, hIarquis of, 144,. See
Conrad and llIarquis
RIontjoie, 374, 390
1
Montreal, 56 ; fall of, 143. See
Shobek
hfopsuestia, 187
PIosul, 28, 51,60-62, 77, 79, 84,
94, 98-102, 171, 255, 292
hlount Tabor, go
el Moweiyed hlarud, el Melek,377
hZozaffer ed Din (Iiakbfiri), son
of Zain ed Din Ali, crcated
Lord of Arbela on his brother's
dcath, 73. 81, 218
Mozaffer, el Melek, Taki ed Din,
Lord of Hamah, 163, 190, 208,
220, 305, 314
Muzatier ed Din, son of Zein ed
Din, So, I 56, 163, 177, 190
el Muezzer, city of, 218
el Illuneiba, 400

i
Khalif, the, :oj, 391 Leo 11. of Armenia the Lesser, el hlelek el Mozaffer, Lord of el Afuneitera, 50, 51
lihaoazir. See Khanzir 184, 187 Hamah, 208. See Mozaffer &Iuristan, the, 360
Khan LIinsth, I jj Leontes river, 144 el Melek es Saleh, 67-79. See Musard, Mount, 158
Iihanzir, part of a mangonel, 31, , Lighiish, a brave ofticer, 292 Saleh
. -.-- hlyos Hormos, 66
Louis VC.. Icing of France, 331 el hlellriha, 277, 279 Mygdonius, 60
Louis VIII., Icing of France, 35; Membej, 47, 53, 74, 77, 190, 333
169, 224, 226, 227, 245 Liihia, 1 1 2 Merj 'Apiln, 33, 148, 150, 175 I\Tfihlus, taken by the Saracens,
I<helC: (Akh1:lt on the shore of Lusigna;], 3;. See Gay a n d Merj el Berghfith, on RIount Her- 97, I 16 ; Lord of, 163
Ln!<e Van), 16, 84, IGO, 103, Geoffrey d e mon, 141 N a h r el Aswad, 78, 135
106, 31 j Lydda, joo, 302, 305, 346, 359, nlerj el Felus, on hlount Hermon, Nahr el Azrak, 78
I<hositkiri cl jeriji, 344 331, $2 14: Nahr el FOlik, 286, 289
Iihoslerin Kosein. leader of the Merj es Soffer, 107 Nahr el Halu, 115
Hakhari Iicrds, 235,404 Ma'arra, r n Nu'rnBn, 71, 333 hlerziman Chai, 185 Nahr Iskanderuneh, 284
Khur!)et RI:llh-rh, 277 1 lZneander, 183 el %IeshtGb, 348, 371, 394, 395 N a h r el Kasab, 284, 285, 287
el Khuaeilfa (round cistern), 341, i Mail shirt, $7 Metatnir, grain-pits, 42 Nahr el Mefjir, 28;
343, 345 AlaimCn el hosri, 404 Mirifarekin, :or Nahr N'amein, 226
Icilij Arslan II., Sultan of Roum, Malati;i, Lord of, 301 hfihrani, Kurds from, 225 N a h r Thathar. 60
77-79,81, 183, 186, 187, 301, 302 Malmistra, 42 Minya (Khan Zlinyeh), 155 Naira, 109
King of England. See England, i hIanazgeid, 29 llirabel, 338 NuKus,the, 23
IGng of h'Ianbij. See XIemhij Misr, 47, 48, 64 Nasr ed Din, son of Taki ed Din,
King of France (Philrp II.), 310, hlangonels, 57, j9, 67, 72, 96, Missis, 187 L90
341, 3j3, , 270; (Louis \!I.), 116-135, 130, 118, 139, 205-704, el nio'azzem Turbn Shah, 402 en Nasr ed Din Illah Abu el
333 ; ( L O U IVIT.),
S 3; j 206, 215, 243-249, 3 j 5 , ~ 8 8 , 3 6 1 , . -.
el Mobriraka, the blessed spring. Ahbas Ahrnud. Khalif of Bagh-
I c i n ~of Jerusalem. See G u y d e 265 ; dcscriptiori of. 31 72, 106 dad, 171
Lusignin 3lanaio Piatanus, 132 RIo'ezz ed Din, surnamed Sinjar Nasri dirhem. 7
King of Persia, 3 o j el ivransur, el hIelek, 377, 378, Shah, Lord of Jezirat Ibn Omar,
Iiirkuk, 3 I j 8 386 219, 234
418 WHAT BEFELL S U L T A N Y U S U F . )EX. 419

Nazareth, 28,38,110,116,224,381 Roche Tallhe, 289 Shadhbakht 41i, 68 Tabor, Mount, 90, IIO
Nebi Samwil, 374,377,390 e r Roha, 82 Shahanshah, 218 'I'abriz, 39,S3
Nebi Shu'aEb, I 13 Round cistern, 311,313,348 Shakif ilrnfin, 141,142,150.155, Tadmor, 57
en Kew8kir. I < ? R u m Icaleh, 185,189 174, 317 T a j el Moliik, S7
~ice~horiuk, shin^, galleys, 67 Taki ed Din, Saladin's nephew,
Nisahur, 6 es Sabbbghin, 276 Sharon. Plain of.' 176 . 15, 190, 218, 219, 3oj ; his
Nishapur, district, 6 Sabek ed Din. Lord of Sheiser, Shawen, 46,47,;j; his death, 54 death, 314; his son, 377
Nisiba, 72,82,104 190,3993 403 Shechem. 07 Tarida, transports, 67
Nisibin, 60 S'ad ed Din (Gumishtikin), 68 ~ h e f r ' a m ;;R
; Tarsus, 183,184
Nur e d Din Ibn Z e n ~ h,i .47,
.. -50,. S'ad ed DTn hlns'hd, 403 Shefr 'Xmr. 226 Tekrit, 4,60
60,61,64 Safed, note on, 31 ; taken by S h e h e r ~ u rcity,
, 218 Tekua, 351
Nusherawan ez Zerzani, a Kurdish Saladin, 138,139 Sheiier, 190,386 Tell el 'AlPdipa, 155, 160, 245,
Emir, 404 Safi, Tell es, 341 Sherns ed Uaula (Tfirbn Shah), 75 247,2.59,273
Sihel, the, 5 5 Shems ed Ilin I b n e l Mokaddam, Tell el Ajjul, 28, 176,223

1
Old man of the mountain, 333 ~ a h ~ b rn3 0, - 69 Tell cl Asaair, 276.278
Omar lchavyam, 6 Sajur. river, 79 Shems ed Din (Senkor), 404 Tell Ashterah, 58,109;I I ~
Orfa, 82. See Edessa Salasi Kuleh, 58 Shems ed Din, the Treasurer, 367 Tell Basher, 58,86,324
el Orima, 127 Salerniya, 333 Sheref ed Din, son of I<otb ed Tell el Fodfil, 243
Ortokid dynasty, 3, 19,85 Salt, fortress beyond Jordan, 336 DEn, 84 Tell el Fj>khkh:LrjI 56
Osrhoene, 83 Salt river, 284,288,289 Shihor. 207 Tell el Hajl, 28
Onltre Jourdan, 42 Saltus Hieraticus, the capital of Shu-koh, k s a d ed Din, 4, 5, 13, Tell el Hesy, 337,345
Gilead, -z:6- 40, 103.377 Tell Jezer, 325,326
Palmyra, 57 Samosata, 29,73 Shirkuh Ibn Hakher. the Iiurd. Tell Keimiln, 276
Peace, treaty of, between the Saone, a fortress of the HOS- 309 Tell Khhled, 77
Franks a n d Saladin, 185 pitallers, taken by Saladin, 130- Shobek (Montreal), 36, 63, 89, Tell Icisan, 155, 214, 'q,231,
Pehlevan, 83,100,1oi,>63 132 I 13, 1 I4 ; capitulated to Sala- 273
Persia, King of, 305 Saruj, 83 din, 143; granted to el Melek Tell Kurdineh, ZZG
Philip, Count of Flanders, 241 Scandalion, 153 el Adel, 336 Tell el hlosalliyin, 156
Philoteras Dortus. 66 Seffilria, :. 10 Esh Shugr, 132 Tell es Safia, 340, 341
Platanus, 132 Seffurieh, 281 Sicily, 310 ; Iiinp U'illiam of, 154 Tell es SultPn., ro?
a
Prayers, Friday, among Moslems, Seif ed Din Ali Ibn Ahmed el Sidon, taken by Saladin, 116; the Tell Tesil, 109
7. See also 13 Meshtub, leader of the ]curds Lord of, 174,321,325,329 Tell ez Zelzela, 277
Pyramuq 187 from Rlihrani and Hakkbr, 225 Siege of Acre; 143-182,201.206, Teniplars. Knights, jr, 110, 1r4,
Seif ed Din Bektimor, Lord of 209-279 1152 191%290,328,3543 385
e r Kafamiya (Raphanera), 71 Khelbt, 384 Siege of Alexandria, 66,67 Temple, Marshal of the, I 10
Rakka, on the Euphrates, 60,81 Seif e d Din Ghazi Ibn Maudfid Siege of Damietta, 56-59 Tesil, 109
Ram. battering, ziq-216 Ibn Z e n ~ h i ,180 Singara (Sinjar), 60,61 'Thapsacus, 60
Ramlah, 14, 75, 117,295, 300, Seif e d Din, Lord of Mosul, 61, Sinjar, 60,61, 70, Sr. 84 ; troops Tiberias, III.116,154,220; the
313,381,382 70-72,74 ; his death, 77 ; his from, 163 : the Lord of,. 28, . Lady of, 282 ; the Lord of, 384
Raoul Coggeshale, I 13 son, 180,219 171,224 Tibnfn (Toron), 116,155 ; s k ~ r -
Ras el 'Ain (Mirahel), 98,338 Seif ed D i n Ali el Meshtub, 260, Sinjar Shah, Lord of Tczirat Ihn mish at, 148,149
Kas el Ma, $7,225 348,394,395 Omar, 102, 171,180- TimGr, 63
Ratl, weight, 216,278 Seif ed DPn Yazkoj, 163,227,377 Sinnabri.~,I I I Tizin. I ~ C128 .
Ravendal iir Rawendin), 104 Selef, river, I S8 Solei~ne r Iiazi, 33 s i l t a n , 316
Rawendin, 104 Selefke, 188 Someisat, 218,333,334 et Tor (Llount Tabor), 90
Raymond of Tripoli, I I I - I 13,282 Seleucia, 170 Sonkor the Scarred (el Meshtuh), Toron, 116, 155 ; skirmish at,
tiedwan salace, 407 Senja, river, 79 404 I I Humphrey of, 42,
Renaud d e Ch$till<n, 42,75,I 13- es Sennabra. I I I Sonkor (Shems ed Din), 404 113,288, 317 ; Toron of the
115. 117 1 Sepulchre, t h e c h u r c h of the Holy, Subbarin, 276 Knights, 32
Rhagae, ancient name of Rhey, 33 139,335,338. See Anastasis Silti. 39 Toronmi, 381,382
Iihey, near Teheran, 33 I S e w , 53 Suhraverdi, JO,39 Tortosa, 127,143
Rhupon II., Baron of Lesser Seraj (Serug, Gen. xi. 20), 53 Surneisat (Samosata), 63,73 Tower of Flies, at Acre, 210-212,
A r m e i ~ a 78
, SermAn~va,133 Swabia, Duke of, 212 215, 217
Kichard I. See England, King of SermEn, 133 Syria. 25, ef snep. Towers at Acre, 368
420 WHAT BEFELL SULTAN Y U S U F .
Tripoli, i 14, 209, 237, 283 ; Lord
of. 116. 186
~ubania,' 60
Tiira. six miles S. of Cairo. 4o
~urb;ssel (Tril Hasher), gS
l'urcopoles, 273
Turkoman's well, 73
Turk<, 49
Tyre, Franks assemble at, 25 ; ez Zafer, el Melek, Lord of Bosra,
abortive siege of by Saladin,
no-1.2 ; Icing Guy marches
to, 144; Conrad of. 212, 213,
267, 332 ; his murder, 333
Tyrian dinar: 7
Urumiah, 316
Vinsauf, Geoffrey de, 156,
225, 273, 283, 2841 290, 3001
3419 3517 3678 388
Vitry, Jacques de, I I O
Wady el GhazBI, 49
Wady Halzfin, 227
Wadv lehennum. 118
w a d i k a l e h , 9;
el Waleh (Wadv Walehl. 4 7
White fal'con, b e ~ o i ~ i n g ' i othe I Zered R'gana, 263
King of France, 241
William, Icing of Sicily, 2 j j
Wooden bridge, near Damascus, ,
891 96
- -
el Yarukiya, 53.-
YAzhr, 32, 137: 314%361, 371, 373
Yebnah ( I b e i ~ ~ i z) ,r ; taken by
the Saracens, 117 ; Saladin
" . halted there, zq6 : riot restored
at the peace; 38r
Yemen, 64, 75
Saladin's son, 224, 347, 396,
40s
ZAher. ed Dfn, brother of Iloctor
'Aisa, 167
%>hered Din Ibn el Bolenkeri,
161 -
ez ZBher, Saladin's son. Princ: of
Alrppo, I I, 170, 190, 208, 224,
359, 361, 364, 367. 369, 375,
378, 385, 39% 393, 395-397
Zein ed Din. Hli Kuchuk. Lord of
Arbela, his son, 5 1, 74; his son
and his slave. Abu Mansfir, 80:
/ his son, 177; his arrlval at ~ c r e ;
182 ; his death, 218
I
Zenghi, Imad ed Din, j, 47, 49,
1 60 : his grandson.> ara.
I zenobia, 3 8
I Zer'ain (Tezreel'l.,, or
,
I Zeugma, 72
I ez % ~ (Achzib
b or Ecdippa), 154,
307
Zulf Endaz, 232, 233

THE ENC.

-- - - -- -- -- - -
BILLING A N D SONS, PRINTEKS, GUILDCORU.