The Crusades: A History From Beginning to End by Henry Freeman

Author:Henry Freeman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, pdf
Tags: History
ISBN: 2940152854244
Publisher: Hourly History
Published: 2016-02-14T13:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Four

The King’s Crusade

It was on Friday October 27, 1187 that Jerusalem finally found its way into the eager and capable hands of Sultan Saladin. Once this news reached Europe, it led Pope Gregory VIII to call for another Crusade; sometimes known as the “King’s Crusade,” this massive expedition was led by many of Europe’s most important leaders including, Philip II of France, Richard the Lionheart of England, and Emperor Frederick of the Holy Roman Empire.

It was the German Frederick who initially worked as a buffer between the sometimes contentious relationship of Richard the Lionheart and France’s King Philip, but his role as intermediary would not last long, since as fate would have it, Emperor Frederick would drown before ever reaching the shores of Israel, causing his own army to give up their mission. The early demise of Frederick also created an unstable relationship between the English and the French, but regardless, the two nations tried their best to march on. The Crusaders finally landed at the Port of Acre in 1191.

In total the English and French forces are said to have totaled 600,000. These men laid siege to the city of Acre and after a prolonged struggle finally managed to get the city to surrender. Meanwhile, while this was taking place, Saladin received word of the invading Crusaders and quickly summoned up an army of reinforcements, but his efforts proved to be too late and Acre was firmly in the hands of the Crusaders.

Soon after their capture of the city however, the tensions between the English and French Kings soon boiled over and in a huff of disagreement, Philip II departed back to France, living the entire crusading army in the hands of Richard the Lionheart. It was here that the British King walked onto the stage of world history and after many fierce battles, became the stuff of legend and romantic heroism. But it wasn’t the exploits of Richard the Lionheart alone that were so remarkable.

Rather than heroism, it was a romance of another kind that was well documented on both sides of an apparent budding “bromance” between Richard the Lionheart and the dashing Muslim leader Saladin. Against all odds, these two who were supposed to be deadly enemies, engaged in a terrible ideological struggle, steadily grew to greatly respect each other, and not only that, by all accounts; actually liked one another.

There are several instances of kindness that the great Muslim leader showed King Richard. Such as the well documented case of sending him medicine and special fruit when he was sick. But if a get well fruit basket wasn’t enough, Sultan Saladin was reported to have even given Richard an expensive Arabian Stallion when he heard that Richard’s horse had been killed in battle.

Showing just how complex human relations could be, these two men who were both esteemed as kind hearted (as well as lion hearted), would soon once again find themselves fighting to the death at the gates of Jerusalem. Richard, however, was

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