The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 06 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countriesMonstrelet, Enguerrand de
History
The chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, Vol. 06 [of 13] : $b containing an account of the cruel civil wars between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, of the possession of Paris and Normandy by the English, their expulsion thence, and of other memorable events that happened in the kingdom of France, as well as in other countries
Monstrelet, Enguerrand de
Europe -- History -- 476-1492 -- Sources; France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
The king of Cyprus marched his army without much order for some time,
and at last came in sight of the Saracens near to a town called Domy.
He had near him his brother the prince of Galilee, the constable of
Jerusalem, two german counts, and the flower of his own chivalry.
The king charged the Saracens very gallantly and rapidly, insomuch
that at the onset they suffered much; but fortune seemed unwilling
to continue her favours, for the king's horse fell under him to the
ground and burst the girths of the saddle; so that when the king was
remounted, and engaged in the combat, the saddle turned, and he fell
to the ground: the horse galloped off, and necessity forced him to
mount a small horse of one of his esquires, named Anthony Kaire, for
the boys had fled for fear with all the war-horses. By reason of this
accident, most of the Cypriots believed their king was killed, and
were panic-struck. The Saracens were beginning to retreat toward the
coast, but, observing some disorder in the enemy's army, recovered
their courage, and with their main body charged the Christians with
such vigour that the king was obliged to retire to Citolye, whence he
had departed; but when almost close to it, he was surrounded by the
Saracens, and his entrance cut off.
The Christians were now discomfited, and began to fly on all sides as
fast as they could. The king retired to an eminence, alway attended by
his brother the prince of Galilee, who said to him, 'My lord, you see
clearly that your men are flying, and that all resistance against the
enemy is vain: deign, therefore, to save yourself, and take compassion
on your kingdom, for should you be made prisoner we shall all be
ruined. Take with you therefore some of your most faithful servants,
and retire to a place of safety. In the mean time, I will remain here
with the banners until I shall be sure that you have escaped, and will
then save myself in the manner God shall be pleased to point out to me.'
The king, on hearing these words, looked with much tenderness on his
brother, and replied, 'Fair brother, God forbid that I should separate
myself from you: go, and comfort and rally my people, and urge them to
the assistance of their natural lord and sovereign in his distress.'
The prince of Galilee departed, but was met by a large body of
Saracens, by whom, after displaying acts of valour worthy of a prince,
he was slain and left dead on the field. On the other hand, the king
was so hardly pressed that, finding himself abandoned by his men,
he descended the eminence and made for a small valley; but he was
pursued, wounded in four places, and at length struck off his horse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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