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part of the city was not besieged, but there was a free communication open
to the enemy. Our men, anxious as to their movements, liked not this
freedom of entrance and exit; but the extended circuit of the walls and the
paucity of soldiers allowed not of a continued blockade. They therefore
divided their forces into troops, and by turns watched the approaches of
the city in arms; and thus, for some days, obstructed the passage of those
who would go out. The Turks, however, issuing from city and camp, and
having collected their strength from all quarters, attacked our men and
prevailed; for a divided line of battle is easily broken through, and
scattered strength quickly yieldeth. On that day the Hospitallers were on
guard, and on giving way, were relieved by the Templars, who checked the
enemy, and hindered them, though pressed severely, from bursting into
the camp. Moreover, day by day the army of the faithful increased; and a
multitude of ships coming together, struck no small terror into the

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Itinerary
44
Mahometan army. But Saladin, by means of a fiction, lessened the fears
thus excited, asserting that the Christians took away their ships by night,
and brought them back again at dawn of day as if they were newly arrived,
for the purpose of making a display of strength. He himself was not,
however, ignorant of the real state of the case, and grieved bitterly at our
daily increase of strength; but, dissembling the cloud on his mind under a
haughty aspect, he exhibited a calm and fearless countenance.
Chapter XXIX. Ñ Of the arrival of the French, English, and Germans,
Very many indeed had already come from the kingdom of France;
and amongst others the bishop of Beauvais, a man more devoted to the
camp than the closet, and one who gloried in warfare and strove to be like
Turpin if he could but find a Charles. There is a part of France called
Champagne; and though the whole country is famous for the pursuit of
arms, this one, by a sort of privilege of chivalry, excels and surpasses the
rest. Hence its warlike youth marching out in power displayed the strength
which it had exercised in the gymnasium with greater boldness against the
foe; and having laid aside the playful game of battle, they turned their
bellicose spirits to the realities of war. So, indeed, English as well as French
are led on by the warmth of their devotion, so that not waiting for their
own kings they march forward to perform their duty to the King of kings.
From Germany, also, there came an illustrious and powerful man, whom in
their language they call Landgrave;
13
 which, according to the sense of the
word, appears to mean count of the land, as if so entitled par excellence. He
persuaded the marquis, who had a difference with King Guy, to repair to
Acre, though at first he had declined to do so on account of the
disagreement. We know that the rules of history sometimes require us to
commit to writing, seriatim, the names of the chiefs who assist in the
management of affairs, to which, indeed, they themselves, in a sort of itch
13This was Lewis III., landgrave of Thuringia, who had accompanied or followed the
emperor to the crusade.

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Itinerary
45
for glory, sometimes lay claim; whilst, on the other hand, the fastidious
reader may think the work too long in this particular, and so reject a
narrative which runs to wearisomeness. We therefore will be as brief as
possible in enumerating the chiefs. But when the course of affairs shall
offer an opportunity, we will mention the illustrious actions of each. After
the numbers of the faithful were considerably increased, and when the
army was fitter for setting about its arduous undertaking, it was
unanimously determined to attack the neighbouring camp of the
unbelievers. A certain mount stood opposite to Mount Turon, which we
have before described; here the enemy had pitched their pavilions, and a
large intervening space of plain presented far and wide an area well
adapted for battle. Hither the army descended from the camp to the plain;
and there being put in array, were divided into troops so that the light-
armed soldiers with the bowmen and arbalesters went first; next to them
followed the body of the army, glittering with horses, arms, and the
various insignia of war. Their countenance and bearing indicated the
disposition of their minds; the faithful had recourse to prayer, whilst the
enemy trembled. There were those who, abandoning themselves to
excessive exultation at the sight of the battle-array, presumed to say, Ñ
ÒWhat power shall prevail, what multitude shall withstand us? Let the
Lord assist neither us nor our adversaries; the victory rests in our own
valour.Ó Certainly a most impious and utterly detestable sentiment, for it
placed the issue of the battle in man and not in the Deity, when man can do
nothing without God; which, indeed, the issue of affairs proved by sad
experience.
The Turks stood resolute for the defence of their camp but when our
men approached nearer, they opened the body of their infantry who stood
first, and boldly charged the enemy with their horse. The unbelievers were
put to flight, and abandoned their camp; the Christians desisted from the
pursuit, and were eager after the spoil; the cords of the pavilions were cut,
and the tent of the sultan himself was seized upon by the fiery Count de
Bar. Meanwhile, an immense multitude of the enemy burst out from the
city, and marching from that part which was not besieged, proceeded
towards the mountain by a circuitous path. Indeed, they purposely

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