The Knights TemplarsAddison, C. G. (Charles Greenstreet)
History
The Knights Templars
Addison, C. G. (Charles Greenstreet)
Templars
whelps; and his position and demeanour in the midst of the throng of
infidels, he likens to that of the wild boar when surrounded by dogs
whom he is tearing with his tusks. Every blow of this furious man, says
the worthy abbot, “despatched an infidel to hell;” but with all his
valour Jacqueline de Mailly was slain.
In this bloody battle perished the Grand Master of the Hospital and
all the Templars excepting the Grand Master, Gerard de Riderford, and
two of his knights, who broke through the dense ranks of the Moslems,
and made their escape to Nazareth. The Mussulmen severed the heads of
the slaughtered Templars from their bodies, and attaching them with
cords to the points of their lances, they marched off in the direction
of Tiberias. This disastrous engagement was fought on Friday, the 1st
of May, the feast of St. James and St. Philip. “In that beautiful
season of the year,” says Abbot Coggleshale, “when the inhabitants of
Nazareth were wont to seek the rose and the violet in the fields, they
found only the sad traces of carnage, and the lifeless bodies of their
slaughtered brethren. With mourning and great lamentation they carried
them into the burial-ground of the blessed Virgin Mary at Nazareth,
crying aloud, ‘Daughters of Galilee, put on your mourning clothes, and
ye daughters of Zion, bewail the misfortunes that threaten the kings of
Judah.’”
Whilst this bloody battle was being fought, the Lord Balian d’Ibelin
was journeying with another party of Templars from Naplous to join the
Grand Master at Nazareth, and the following interesting account is
given of their march towards that place. “When they had travelled two
miles, they came to the city of Sebaste. It was a lovely morning, and
they determined to march no further until they had heard mass. They
accordingly turned towards the house of the bishop and awoke him up,
and informed him that the day was breaking. The bishop accordingly
ordered an old chaplain to put on his clothes and say mass, after which
they hastened forwards. Then they came to the castle of La Feue, (a
fortress of the Templars,) and there they found, outside the castle,
the tents of the convent of Caco pitched, and there was no one to
explain what it meant. A varlet was sent into the castle to inquire,
but he found no one within but two sick people who were unable to
speak. Then they marched towards Nazareth, and after they had proceeded
a short distance from the castle of La Feue, they met a brother of the
Temple on horseback, who galloped up to them at a furious rate, calling
out, ‘Bad news, bad news;’ and he informed them how that the Master of
the Hospital had had his head cut off, and how of all the brothers of
the Temple there had escaped but three, the Master of the Temple and
two others, and that the knights whom the king had placed in garrison
at Nazareth, were all taken and killed.” “If Balian d’Ibelin,” says
the chronicler, “had marched straight to Nazareth, with his knights,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account