The History of the Crusades (vol. 1 of 3)Michaud, J. Fr. (Joseph Fr.)
History
The History of the Crusades (vol. 1 of 3)
Michaud, J. Fr. (Joseph Fr.)
Crusades
Scarcely had Godfrey, who, followed by fifty knights, had preceded his
army, mixed with the combatants, when the sultan sounded a retreat and
retired to the heights, where he hoped the Crusaders would not dare
to follow him. The second body of the Christian army soon arrived on
the plain smoking with the blood of the Christians. The Crusaders,
recognising their brothers and companions stretched in the dust, became
impatient to revenge their death, and with loud cries demanded to
be led to the fight. Even the combatants who had been fighting from
morning, now would not hear of repose. The Christian army immediately
formed in order of battle. Bohemond, Tancred, and Robert of Normandy,
placed themselves on the left; Godfrey, the count of Flanders, and the
count of Blois led on the right wing. Raymond commanded the centre,
and the rear-guard, or body of reserve, was placed under the orders of
Adhémar. Before the leaders gave the word, the priests passed among the
ranks, exhorting the Crusaders to fight manfully, and giving them their
benedictions. The soldiers and the leaders, drawing their swords, and
threatening the enemy, cried with one voice, “_It is the will of God!
It is the will of God!_” and this animating war-cry was repeated by the
echoes of the mountains and the valleys. At length the Christian army
advanced, marching full of confidence against the Turks, for whom the
rocks and the hills appeared to be a sure place of refuge.
The Saracens remained motionless on the mountains, and had apparently
exhausted their arrows. The nature of the ground did not allow them to
perform their rapid evolutions or pursue their usual tactics. Neither
were they animated by the hopes of victory; but, in an attitude which
expressed fear, they awaited their enemies in silence. The count of
Thoulouse, who attacked them in front, broke through their ranks at the
first charge. Tancred, Godfrey, Hugh, and the two Roberts, attacked
them on their flanks with the same advantage. Adhémar, who had gone
round the mountains, directed his attack upon the rear of the enemies,
and completed the disorder. The Saracens found themselves surrounded
by a forest of lances, and became only solicitous to secure safety by
escaping over the rocks and through the woods. A great number of emirs,
three thousand officers, and more than twenty thousand soldiers, lost
their lives in the battle and the flight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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