Heroines of the CrusadesBloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
History
Heroines of the Crusades
Bloss, C. A. (Celestia Angenette)
Crusades; Crusades -- Biography; Women -- Biography
"At last when all the Turks had departed, the Christians with the two
kings at their head, entered the city without opposition through the open
gates with dances and joy, and loud vociferations, glorifying God, and
giving Him thanks, because he had magnified His mercy to them, and had
visited them and redeemed His people. Then the banners and various
standards of the two kings were raised on the walls and towers, and the
city was equally divided between them. They also made a proportionate
division of the arms and provisions they found; and the whole number of
captives being reckoned, was divided by lot. The noble Caracois, and a
large number fell to the lot of the King of France; and King Richard had
for his portion Mestoc and the remainder. Moreover, the King of France had
for his share the noble palace of the Templars, with all its
appurtenances; and King Richard had the royal palace, to which he sent the
queens with their damsels and handmaids; thus each obtained his portion in
peace. The army was distributed through the city, and after the
protracted contest of so long a siege, gave themselves indulgence, and
refreshed themselves with the rest they needed."
* * * * *
No sooner were the Crusaders settled in the city than new troubles arose.
Leopold, Duke of Austria, being a relative of Isaac Comnenus, who had
joined the Templars, insisted that the Cypriot lady should be transferred
to his custody; but Berengaria having become tenderly attached to her,
refused to give her up. The quarrel ran high, and the exasperated Richard,
in a moment of wrath, tore down the banner of Austria from the walls of
Acre. This indignity gave rise to a mortal enmity, which hindered the arms
and embarrassed the counsels of the croises during the whole campaign. The
Christians, however, repaired the shattered walls and dwellings of the
city, the clergy rebuilt and consecrated the altars, and the army watching
for the fulfilment of Saladin's promises, rested from their fatigues in
the enjoyment of security and luxury. Before the expiration of the period
granted for the redemption of the hostages, Philip Augustus, feigning
illness, but in reality suffering with a consuming jealousy of the
superiority of his rival, declared his intention of returning to Europe.
The chiefs assembled in council protested against this unworthy desertion
of the common cause, since Saladin, depressed by the fall of Acre, was in
no situation to contest their route to Jerusalem. When Richard heard of
Philip's determination, he outdid himself in the curses and maledictions
he called down upon the recreant prince, and peremptorily refused to hold
any communication upon the subject: but at last having expended the
violence of his anger, he compromised by giving his consent to the measure
on condition that the Duke of Burgundy and a large part of the French
should remain in Syria, and that Philip should make oath to leave the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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