Jerusalem, the City of Herod and SaladinBesant, Walter
History
Jerusalem, the City of Herod and Saladin
Besant, Walter
Jerusalem -- Description and travel; Jerusalem -- History
The neighbourhood of Jerusalem was covered with light brushwood, but
there were no trees; there had been grass in plenty, but it was
dried up by the summer sun; there were wells and cisterns, but they
had all been closed,—“the fountains were sealed.” Only the pool of
Siloam was accessible to the Crusaders; this was intermittent and
irregular, and its supply, when it did flow, was miserably
inadequate for a host of forty thousand. Moreover, its waters were
brackish and disagreeable. And the camp was full of sick, wounded,
and helpless.
On the west, east, and south sides of the city no attack was
possible, on account of the valleys by which it was naturally
protected. The Crusaders pitched their camp in the north. First in
the post of danger, as usual, was the camp of Godfrey, Duke of
Lorraine. His position extended westwards from the valley of
Jehoshaphat, along the north wall. Next to him came the Count of
Flanders; next, Robert of Normandy, near whom was Edgar Atheling
with his English; at the north-west angle was Tancred; and lastly,
the camp of the Count of Toulouse extended along the west as far as
the Jaffa Gate. Later on, however, Raymond moved a portion of his
camp to that part of Mount Sion stretching south of the modern wall.
But the only place where an attacking party could hope for success
was on the north. Bohemond was not with the army. He cared less
about taking the city than wreaking his vengeance upon the Greek
emperor. Meantime, within the city was an army of forty thousand
men. Provisions for a long siege had been conveyed into the town;
the zeal of the defenders had been raised by the exhortations of the
Imams; the walls were strengthened and the moats deepened.
Communication and relief were possible from the east, where only
scattered bands of the Christians barred the way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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