The History of Chivalry; Or, Knighthood and Its Times, Volume 1 (of 2) — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The History of Chivalry; Or, Knighthood and Its Times, Volume 1 (of 2)
John Stuart Mill · en
While these volumes were passing through the press, the Tales of the
Crusaders appeared. In the second of them is contained a series of
supposed propositions from Saladin for peace between his nation and
the English. The conclusion of those propositions is thus
expressed:--"Saladin will put a sacred seal on this happy union
betwixt the bravest and noblest of Frangistan and Asia, by raising to
the rank of his royal spouse a Christian damsel, allied in blood to
King Richard, and known by the name of the Lady Edith of Plantagenet,"
vol. iv. pp. 13, 14. Upon this passage of his text the author remarks
in a note: "This may appear so extraordinary and improbable a
proposition that it is necessary to say such a one was actually made.
The historians, however, substitute the widowed Queen of Naples,
sister of Richard, for the bride, and Saladin's brother for the
bridegroom. They appear to be ignorant of the existence of Edith of
Plantagenet. See MILL'S (MILLS') History of the Crusades, vol. ii. p.
61."
In that work I observe, that "Richard proposed a consolidation of the
Christian and Muhammedan interests; the establishment of a government
at Jerusalem, partly European and partly Asiatic; and these schemes of
policy were to be carried into effect by the marriage of Saphadin
(Saladin's brother) with the widow of William King of Sicily."
M. Michaud, the French historian of the Crusades, makes a similar
statement. He says that Richard "fit d'autres propositions, auxquelles
il intéressa adroitement l'ambition de Malec Adel, frère du Sultan. La
veuve du Guillaume de Sicile fut proposée en marriage au Prince
Musulman." Hist. des Croisades, vol. ii. p. 414.
Whether or no "the historians" are ignorant of the existence of "Edith
of Plantagenet" is not the present question. The question is, which of
the two opposite statements is consistent with historical truth. The
statement of M. Michaud and myself is supported by the principal
Arabic historians, by writers, who, as every student in history knows,
are of unimpeachable credit. Bohadin, in his life of Saladin, says,
that "the Englishman was desirous that Almalick Aladin should take his
sister to wife. (Her brother had brought her with him from Sicily,
when he passed through that island, to the deceased lord of which she
had been married."[6]) To the same effect Abulfeda observes, "Hither
came the embassadors of the Franks to negotiate a peace; and offered
this condition, that Malek al Adel, brother of the Sultan, should
receive the sister of the King of England in marriage, and Jerusalem
for a kingdom."[7] That this sister, Joan, the widowed Queen of
Sicily, was with Richard in the Holy Land is proved by a passage in
Matthew Paris, p. 171. She and the wife of Richard are mentioned
together, and no other person of royal rank.