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Itinerary
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tower.Ó ÒPlease God, then,Ó replied the king, Òby whose guidance we have
come, we will die with our brave brothers in arms, and a curse light on him
who hesitates.Ó The word was forthwith given, the galleys were pushed to
land: the king dashed forward into the waves with his thighs unprotected
by armour, and up to his middle in the water; he soon gained firm footing
on the dry strand: behind him followed Geoffrey du Bois and Peter de
Pratelles, and in the rear came all the others rushing through the waves.
The Turks stood to defend the shore, which was covered with their
numerous troops. The king, with an arbalest which he held in his hand,
drove them back right and left; his companions pressed upon the recoiling
enemy, whose courage quailed when they saw it was the king, and they no
longer dared to meet him The king brandished his fierce sword, which
allowed them no time to resist, but they yield before his fiery blows, and
are driven in confusion with blood and havoc by the kingÕs men until the
shore was entirely cleared of them. They then brought together beams,
poles, and wood, from the old ships and galleys to make a barricade; and
the king placed there some knights, servants, and arbalesters, to keep
guard and to dislodge the Turks, who, seeing that they could no longer
oppose our troops, dispersed themselves on the shore with cries and
howlings in one general flight. The king then, by a winding chair, which he
had remarked in the house of the Templars, was the first to enter the town,
where he found more than 3,000 of the Turks turning over every thing in
the houses, and carrying away the spoil. The brave king had no sooner
entered the town, than he caused his banners to be hoisted on an eminence,
that they might be seen by the Christians in the tower, who taking courage
at the sight, rushed forth in arms from the tower to meet the king, and at
the report thereof the Turks were thrown into confusion. The king,
meanwhile, with brandished sword, still pursued and slaughtered the
enemy, who were thus enclosed between the two bodies of the Christians,
and filled the streets with their slain. Why need I say more? All were slain,
except such as took to flight in time; and thus those who had before been
victorious were now defeated and received condign punishment, whilst
the king still continued the pursuit, shewing no mercy to the enemies of

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Itinerary
265
ChristÕs Cross, whom God had given into his hands; for there never was a
man on earth who so abominated cowardice as he.
Chapter XVI. Ñ Of the severe conflicts by which the king made Saladin raise the
siege, and fixed his own tents where those of Saladin had been.
But the king had only three horses with him, and what were three
among so many? If we examine the deeds of the ancients, and all the
records left us by former historians, we shall find that there never was a
man who so distinguished himself in battle as King Richard did this day.
When the Turks leaving the town saw his banners floating in the air, a cry
was raised on right and left as he sallied forth upon them, and no hail-
storm or tempest ever so densely concealed the sky, as it was then
darkened by the flying arrows of the Turks. Saladin, hearing of the kingÕs
arrival, and of his brilliant contest with the Turks, of whom he had slain all
who opposed him, was seized with sudden fear, and like that timid animal,
the hare, put spurs to his horse and fled from before his face. The king,
with his men, still continued the pursuit, slaying and destroying, whilst his
arbalesters made such havoc of the horses, that for two miles the traces of
their flight were visible. He now therefore pitched his tent in the same
place where those of Saladin had been, and thus by the divine grace so
small a body of men had defeated this large army of the Turks. Saladin
called together his admirals and thus addressed them: ÒHas he then beaten
all of us? Has the Christian army returned from Acre to slaughter and
defeat us thus? By what superior disposition have they been able to
accomplish this? In infantry, as well as cavalry, our army was decidedly
superior.Ó To these words, one of those perverse ones who were present,
conscious of the state of our army, replied: ÒMy lord, it is not as you think;
they have neither horses nor beasts of burden of any kind, except three
horses only, which their wonderful king found in Joppa. I think, however,
that the king himself could easily be surprised, for he lies almost alone in
his tent, and fully worn out with fatigue. Whoever seizes him will at once
put an end to our labours and to the whole campaign.Ó It was then given
out among the Turks what a reproach it was to them, and lasting scandal,

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