ACRE.
AT the time when King Louis, sad but unsubdued, left Damietta and
steered for the Syrian coast, Acre, situated on a promontory at the foot
of Mount Carmel and washed by the blue waters of the Mediterranean, was
a place of great strength, and renowned throughout Christendom for
riches and splendour. For a long period previous to its destruction by
the Mameluke Sultan--indeed, from the time of the seizure of Jerusalem
by Saladin the Great--Acre was regarded as of higher importance than any
city in the Christian kingdom of which Jerusalem had been the
metropolis; and thither, when driven from other towns which they had
called their own in the days of Godfrey and the Baldwins, most of the
Christians carried such wealth as they could save from the grasp of
sultans and emirs. Acre had, in fact, come to be regarded as the capital
of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and by far the finest of the cities in
Syria.
Naturally enough, a capital so wealthy was rather tempting to men bent
on conquest. But Acre had the advantage of being strongly fortified. On
the land side it was surrounded by a double wall, with towers and
battlements, and a broad and deep ditch, which prevented access to its
ramparts, and towards the sea by a fortress at the entrance of the
harbour, by the castle of the Templars, and by a stronghold known as
'The King's Tower;' and on the whole, the fortifications were such that
no foe, not even such as Bibars Bendocdar, could have calculated on
finding the place an easy prey.
Nor could the aspect of the city seem otherwise than strange and
picturesque to such of the armed pilgrims as landed with the saint-king
beneath its white walls, washed by the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
The interior was chiefly occupied by the houses of traders and artisans;
but, between the two ramparts that defended the city on the east, stood
the castles and palaces of the King of Cyprus, the Prince of Antioch,
the representatives of France and Germany, and other men of high rank.
The houses were built of square stones, all rising to an equal height;
and most of them were surrounded with a terrace; and inside they were
luxurious and resplendent, and lighted with windows of painted glass,
which modified the glare of the oriental sun. Even the greatest kings in
Europe could boast of nothing to compare with the pictures and marbles
and rich furniture which the mansions of the magnates of Acre presented
to the eyes of the weary and desponding Crusaders.
And Acre was not without busy life and striking ceremonies to give
variety to the scene. The port was crowded with ships from Europe and
Asia; the warehouses were stored with merchandise; the market-place was
lively with bustle and excitement; monks, sailors, pirates, pilgrims,
merchants, and warriors appeared in the streets; the squares and public
places were screened from the heat by silken coverings; and there on
certain days the magnates of the city, wearing golden crowns and
vestments glittering with precious stones, walked to show themselves to
the people, attended by splendid trains composed of men varying in
language and manners, but unfortunately separated by jealousies and
rivalries that frequently led to riot and bloodshed.
Around Acre, the country was fertile and fair to the eye of the gazer.
Outside the walls were beautiful gardens where the citizens were wont to
repair for recreation; and farther away groves and pleasure houses, and
scattered villages and orchards, gave variety to the landscape.
Such was Acre when King Louis landed there with his queen and the
remains of his once brilliant army; and when Walter Espec, penniless and
pensive, but still hoping to hear tidings of his lost brother, leapt
ashore with Bisset the English knight, and returned thanks to heaven for
having escaped from the power of the Saracens and the perils of the sea.
'Sir knight,' said Walter, who was in a desponding mood, 'we have now,
thanks be to God reached a place of safety; and yet, beshrew me if my
heart does not fail me; for we are in a strange land, without money,
without horses, almost without raiment befitting our rank.'
'In truth,' replied the knight, 'I own that our plight is not enviable.
But it is not desperate. Still I am in the service of King Louis, and
have claims which he cannot disregard; and, credit me, a king's name is
a tower of strength. As for you, for lack of a more potent protector,
attach yourself to me as squire, and we can struggle together against
adverse fortune. So droop not, but take courage, my brave Englishman;
and we will, with the aid of God and our lady, so contrive to make the
best of our circumstances as to turn matters to our advantage.'