THE THIRD CRUSADE
In the time of William Rufus, Peter the Hermit travelled from country
to country calling all Christian men to follow him to Palestine; for
the holy places where Christ and His disciples had lived had fallen
into the hands of fierce men, the Mohammedans. The pilgrims had been
tortured and forbidden to enter Jerusalem, and their number was great,
for men of all nations went sometimes in sorrow and carrying rich gifts
to make their prayers at the tomb of Christ where, it was said, many
wonders were done. Those who had sinned much sought forgiveness, those
who were sick desired health and others came to pray for friends and
patrons.
Therefore the preacher asked of the rich that they should give all that
they had, and of the strong and valiant that they should fight for the
banner of the Cross.
And many set out for the war--peasants and princes, French, Italian,
English and Austrian--to rescue the land that some held dearer than
their own. In that great company was Robert of Normandy, who had sold
his dominions to his brother that he might go.
The way was long and perilous, through forests, over mountains, by
strange towns and across the treacherous sea, and many died of hunger
or of fever on the journey. Twice did the Christian armies march to
Jerusalem, yet though they took the city, they could not keep it. Then
Richard of the Lion-heart, son of Henry II, planned to join the Third
Crusade, for he was a great soldier and loved war.
The King begged money from everyone for his journey. He invited his
barons to join him and bring their best men, and from those who would
not come he asked large sums of money, promising to pray for them when
he reached Jerusalem.
He seized the treasure of the Jews, for they were a people who worked
hard and spent little. The Jews were much hated, and when the news went
abroad that the King had taken their money, the English thought to do
him service by killing them; but the King was angry, for he had only
wanted their money.
Then Richard sold the chief offices in his court to those who could pay
well, caring little how they ruled while he was away. When he had
gathered treasure enough, he set out with the boldest of his barons,
and John, his brother, was left to govern England.
After many adventures, he arrived at Acre, and there he found the
French King and the Austrians and others surrounding the city. Then
Richard besieged it and took it and the great army made him their
leader, for they admired his prowess. The French King was much angered
and returned home, and the Austrian Duke was envious and led his troops
back to their own land. But Richard marched towards Jerusalem. Over the
burning desert went the soldiers in their armour, so heavy that if a
man fell from his horse, he would be stifled to death unless a comrade
were near to raise him; and the horses found it heavy work in the
shifting sand. At the rear of the army rode the Knights Hospitallers,
who had made vows to succour the wounded and those who fell by the way,
and for this service they were held in high esteem.
The enemy watched in hiding to cut off the stragglers by the way.
Mounted on swift Arab steeds and clothed in light garments, they moved
rapidly, and the poisoned arrow was a deadly weapon. When the tired
soldiers came in sight of Jaffa, it was the season of oranges and the
time of vintage was at hand, so there they made a camp.
Much refreshed they marched within twelve miles of Jerusalem, but the
weather was bad and their tents were torn up and whirled away. The
horses perished of cold and the stores were spoiled and their armour
grew rusty and many fell ill from long sojourn in this land. There,
too, Richard received a letter telling him that his brother John was
plotting to take away his inheritance and that the King of France
intended to make war on Normandy.
Reluctantly he turned his back upon the Holy City, for he had desired
above measure to take it. When one of the knights would have pointed it
out to him in the camp, he snapped the switch he held in his hand and
cast his surcoat over his head, praying with tears, "O Lord God, suffer
not mine eyes to behold Thy Holy City, since Thou wilt not suffer me to
deliver it out of the hands of Thine enemies."
Now the Mohammedans held Richard in great awe. When the officers
returned to their master after a battle, he asked them mockingly
whether they were bringing Richard in chains and they answered, "Know,
O King, for a surety that this Richard of whom you inquire is not like
other men. In all time, no such soldier has been seen or heard of; no
warrior so stout, so valiant or so skilled; his onset is terrible, it
is death to encounter him, his deeds are more than human."
Then Richard made a truce with the valiant Saladin, the ruler of the
Mohammedans, and this was to last three years and three months and
three days and three hours, and once again pilgrims were allowed to
visit the tomb of Christ. Now the King dared not return through France
for fear of the French monarch, therefore he pretended he was a rich
merchant, and hiring two ships he sailed for Austria, hoping to make
his way through that land in disguise. But the Duke of Austria hated
him almost as much as did the French King.
One evening, Richard sent his page into a city for food, and by mistake
he carried the King's gloves in his belt and on them was embroidered
the golden lion of England. And the lord of the castle happening to be
in the market place saw these and gave orders to follow. Then Richard
was captured and cast into a donjon to await the Duke's pleasure. The
Duke demanded a ransom for the King so large that he thought the
English could not pay it. But Eleanor, the King's mother, rested not
till she had raised the money, and the English paid gladly.
When the Crusaders returned to their own lands they spoke of the
strange things they had seen and of the courage of Christian soldiers
of many nations. Then also the people began to desire spices and silks
from the East more than ever before, and they must often have longed
for oranges, figs, grapes and dates, such as these adventurers
described.