Heroines of the CrusadesBloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
History
Heroines of the Crusades
Bloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
Crusades; Crusades -- Biography; Women -- Biography
The eight days' truce was over, and Philip, recovered from his illness,
again led the assault to the walls of Acre. Richard, also slowly
convalescing, was borne to the scene of conflict, where he directed the
operations of his warlike engines, offering a reward for every stone the
soldiers dislodged from the tower Maledictum. The French had a machine of
great power which they called "Bad neighbor," and the Turks, on their
side, opposed to it a similar one named "Bad brother." These engines were
plied day and night, and the tower became the scene of every variety of
fierce attack and resolute defence, both by single combat and united
effort. One morning a gigantic Turk, wearing the armor of Count Alberic,
showed himself upon the wall in an attitude of defiance, when Richard, who
had yielded to the representations of the chiefs, so far as to refrain
from personal encounter, seized an arblast and sent an arrow winged with
death to the heart of the Infidel. The exasperated Turks ran together to
avenge his fall. The Christians met them with equal alacrity, and a
slaughter ensued which continued till the darkness of night separated the
combatants.
The Christians had commenced undermining the tower, and had proceeded to
some distance under the wall, when they encountered a party of Turks who
were mining for egress in the opposite direction. The noise of the digging
and the uncertain light had prevented each from discovering the other,
till the earth, suddenly giving way between them, the foes stood face to
face, mattocks and shovels in hand. But when the astonished Turks saw that
they had thus assisted the Christians to enter the city, they fled with
great precipitation, and at once closed up the entrance. That night a part
of the tower Maledictum fell, and the Saracens perceiving that all further
resistance would be vain, offered conditions of peace. They agreed to give
up the city of Acre with all the treasures contained in it, both in money,
arms, and clothing, to pay over two hundred thousand Saracenic talents,
and restore the true cross which had been taken by the Moslems in the
battle of Tiberias. After much debate the council of chiefs acceded to
these proposals, and all the Paynim noblemen in the city were given up as
hostages till the conditions should be fulfilled. The preliminaries
arranged, the gates were thrown open, and the Turks with grave but
cheerful countenance and undaunted demeanor passed out of the city through
the Christian camp towards Tiberias.
SELECTED FROM VINESAUF.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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