Richard I by Gillingham John

Author:Gillingham, John.
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780300094046
Publisher: Yale University Press

Not everyone was so optimistic. Saladin continued to send out patrols and raiding parties, concentrating on the Jaffa road. Imad al-Din reports a particularly successful ambush on a Frankish caravan near Ramla on 3 January 1192; from Ambroise's account of the same incident it seems that Richard himself lay in wait during the night in an attempt to ambush the ambushers and did at least manage to inflict some losses.63 Incidents such as this only served to highlight the problems.

After Epiphany (6 January) a meeting of the army council was held. Those who knew the country well, foremost among them the Templars and Hospitallers, pointed out that if Richard laid siege to Jerusalem, he would almost certainly be caught between the garrison and a relieving army. What hope was there of escaping from that trap when they were so far from the sea, and when their supply line would come under even heavier attack? And if they did take Jerusalem, what then? The enthusiastic crusaders, pilgrims to the Holy Sepulchre, would all go home, their pilgrimage completed, their vows fulfilled. How many could be persuaded to live in Jerusalem and defend it? The answers to these questions were obvious. Instead the army should go, as Richard had originally wanted, to Ascalon.64

Observers on the Muslim side were well aware of the problems Richard faced. ‘Richard said to the Franks of Syria who accompanied him, “Draw me a map of the city of Jerusalem for I have not seen it.” They drew one for him. He saw the valley which surrounded it on all sides except for a small section in the north, and asked questions about the valley and its depth.’ Armed with this information he then demonstrated that, even discounting the risk that the vital supply line to the coast would be broken by Muslim attacks, a successful siege of the city was impossible while Saladin was still active – at least according to Ibn al-Athir, who presents the reader with what is said to be Richard's analysis of the situation.65 On 13 January Richard gave the order to return to Ramla. To most of the ordinary soldiers, the pilgrims, it was a bitter blow. Despite the mounting difficulties they had never quite abandoned their dream of saving Jerusalem. The weather conditions, which had been bearable while they were marching forward to the Holy City, were now intolerable. Even the elements seemed to be mocking them:

When they were burdened with a load

Of goods and through the thick mud strode,

They stumbled to their knees and fell.

Then to the devil down in hell

Men cursing gave themselves. My lords,

Think not that these are idle words:

Never was goodly company

So deeply sunk in misery.66

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