Battle of Arsuf

Battle of Arsuf is in 1190-1200 Crusade and Richard I Captured.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. Advancing by ordered marches, the army at length reached, after many harassments inflicted by the Turks, the river commonly called Rochetaille. The army of the Turks, gathered from the whole pagan world and estimated at three hundred thousand men, had assembled not far from that place and was waiting, ready to meet the Christians in battle. Therefore, on the vigil of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin [7th September 1191], King Richard drew up the Christian army, numbering no more than one hundred thousand men, in battle formation. He himself, together with the duke of Burgundy and a chosen company of knights, moved about here and there, carefully observing on every side, both to the right and the left, the disposition of the Turks, so that according to what he judged expedient he might direct the advance of the army. When the forces met, a fierce battle was joined, and they fought for a long time in uncertain combat. But, with God's help, victory came to the Christians: the Turks were put to flight and slain, and great spoils were gained. Those who returned to the place of battle reported that they had counted thirty-two Turkish admirals among the dead that day, and of others seven thousand, besides the wounded who had withdrawn from the fight and afterwards, scattered across the fields, died where they had fallen. From the Christian army, however, not even a tenth part, or even a tenth of a tenth, had fallen in comparison with the Turks. When Saladin heard this, he ordered all the fortresses to be destroyed except Jerusalem, Kerak, and Darum.

Pervenit autem exercitus ordinatis dietis progrediens, post multas a Turcis illatas molestias, ad fluvium qui vulgo dicitur Rochetaille. Exercitus autem Turcorum ex omni paganismo congregatus, qui æstimabatur ad trecenta. millia hominum, ascendens haud longe a loco exspectabat, paratus bello accipere Christianos. In vigilia itaque Nativitatis beatæ Virginis, rex Ricardus cum Christianorum exercitum, qui centum millia hominum non excedebat, ordinasset per acies, ipse una cum duce Burgundiæ et electa militum sequela hinc inde oberrans, undique observabat a dextris et a sinistris, sollicitius Turcorum perpendens habitudinem, ut juxta quod videret expedire producendum exercitum castigaret. Congressis itaque agminibus dira pugna committitur, ac in marte ancipiti diutius dimicatur; sed auxiliante DEO provenit Christianis victoria, qui, fugatis Turcis et interfectis, spolia plurima sunt adepti. Referebant qui ad locum certaminis redierant, se numerasse Turcorum admiralios repertos occisos eo die triginta duos, de aliis vero septem millia, exceptis vulneratis, qui divertentes a certamine, sparsim postquam defecerant, jacuere per arva defuncti. De exercitu vero Christianorum non ceciderat in bello Turcorum comparatione saltem pars decima, vel etiam decima decimæ. His auditis, Saladinus præcepit omnia castra dirui, præter Jerusalem, Erek, et Darum.

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L’Estoire de la Guerre Sainte by Amboise. 7th September 1191.

Deus jorz sujornanz illoc furent	For two days they remained there at rest,
Et al tierz endreit tierce murent,	And on the third, around terce, they set out,
Trestot conreé de bataille;	All drawn up in battle order;
Car l'en lor dist que la chenaille,	For they were told that the rabble,
Li mescreant, li neir oscur,	The unbelievers, the dark host,	6095
ErenL en la forest d'Arsur	Were in the forest of Arsuf,
E qu'en cel jor l'alumereient ,	And that that day they would set it alight,
E que si grant feu en fereient	And kindle such a great fire there
Que l'ost en sereit arostee;	That the army would be brought to a halt;
Mais ele erra tole aprestee	But it went on, fully prepared,	6100
Par la foret d'Arsur sa voie;	Along its road through the forest of Arsuf.
Si ne cuit pas que nus hom voie	I do not think that any man could see,
Ne qu'en un liu nul ost veist	Nor that in any place any army was ever seen
Plus bel errer que illoc fist;	To march more splendidly than it did there.
Nonques n'orent arestement,	They never came to a halt,	6105
Ainz errerenl tot quitement :	But marched on entirely unhindered.
Mont d'Arsur le jor trespasserent	That day they passed Mount Arsuf
E tote la forest passerent,	And traversed the whole forest,
E vindrent hors a la champaine	And came out into the open country
Herbergier soi en une plaine	To encamp upon a plain	6110
Sor le flum de Rochetaillee,	Beside the river of Rochetaillée,
Mal gré a la gent retaillee,	In spite of the shaven-headed people,
Qui de tanz lius iert apleue	Who had assembled from so many places
Que cil dil. qui l'ost ol veue	That the man who had seen the army,
E sorveue e esguardee	Looked it over and examined it,	6115
E, dreit al suen viaire esmee	And, according to his own judgement, reckoned
Qu'a treis cent mile les esma,	Their number at three hundred thousand,
Ou que de poi les mesesma;	Unless indeed he underestimated them;
E nostre cristien pas n'erent	While our Christians were no more
Plus de cent mile, co esmerent.	Than a hundred thousand, as they reckoned.	6120
Sor le flum de Rochetaillee	Beside the river of Rochetaillée
La jut l'ost Deu e sa maisnee;	The army of God and His household lay.
La se herberja un joesdi,	There it encamped on a Thursday,
E sujorna le vendresdi.	And rested there on the Friday.
Le samedi a l'enjorner	On Saturday, at break of day,	6125
Lors veissiez gent atorner Itiner,	Then you would have seen men making ready,
Chescon por sa leste defendre; eri	Each to defend his own head;
Car l'en lor fist le jor entendre uml	For that day they had been informed
Qu'il ne poreient sanz bataille rangés	That they could not proceed without battle
Pas errer vers la cuverltaille, il	Against that accursed people,	6130
Qui de totes parz aprismouent	Who were drawing near on every side
Et lor batailles conreouent;	And arranging their battle divisions.
Et por ico l'ost erisliene	And for this reason the Christian army
Se guarni si vers la paiene	Prepared itself so well against the heathen
Qu'il n'i ot as eschieles faire	That in the ordering of its divisions	6135
Que reprendre ne que refaire.	There was nothing to correct or rearrange.
Richarz, le preuz reis d'Engletere,	Richard, the valiant King of England,
Qui tant saveit d'ost e de guerre,	Who knew so much of armies and warfare,
Lors devisa a sa maniere	Then determined in his own manner
Qui ireit. devant e deriere :	Who should go in front and who behind.	6140
Duze batailles conreerent	They formed twelve divisions
E par conreiz les deviserent	And distributed them in ordered formations,
De tels gens que, tant com cels covre,	Of such men that, wherever these gave protection,
Ven eust tant de greinur ovre;	There would be all the greater achievement.
De lor cuers furent bien fichié	In their hearts they were firmly resolved	6145
En Deu servir e afichic.	And steadfast in the service of God.
Li Temples fist cel jor l'anz guarde	The Templars formed the vanguard that day,
E l'Ospital la riere guarde;	And the Hospital the rearguard.
Breton e Angevin ensemble	Bretons and Angevins together
Errouent aprés, co me semble;	Marched after them, as I believe;	6150
Li Peitevin e li reis Guis	The Poitevins and King Guy
Erent aprés, si con jo enquis;	Came after them, as I learned;
Normant e Enpleis chevalchouent	Normans and Englishmen rode
Aprés, qui le dragon portouent;	Afterwards, carrying the dragon;
E l'Ospitals errot deriere,	And the Hospital marched at the rear,	6155
Qui fist cel jor la guarde riere.	Which formed the rearguard that day.
La riere guarde fud guarnie	The rearguard was strengthened
Le jor de haute baronie,	That day with great baronage,
KE fud par conreiz conreee	And was arranged in ordered ranks,
Tot coste a coste e devisee	All side by side and in divisions,	6160
Issi serré que d'une pome	Packed so closely that with an apple
Ne ferissiez fors beste ou home;	You could have struck nothing but beast or man.
E durot de l'ost sarazine	And the Saracen army extended
De si que a val la marine.	Right down towards the sea.
La veissiez tantes banieres	There you would have seen so many banners	6165
Et tantes genz od visles chieres :	And so many men with eager faces.
La iert li coens de Leicestre,	There was the Earl of Leicester,
Qui ne volsist pas aillors estre:	Who would not have wished to be elsewhere;
E si esteit de Gornai Hues,	And Hugh de Gournay was there,
Qui aveit genz bien coneues;	Who had well-proven men;	6170
Si i ert Guillames de Borriz,	William de Borris too was there,
Qui de la terre esteit norris;	Who had been brought up in that land;
Si 1 ert Guaquelins de Ferieres,	Walkelin de Ferrers was there,
E genz de diverses manieres;	And men of many different kinds;
Si 1 ert de Toeni Rogiers	Roger de Tosny was there	6175
Od grant plenté de chevaliers;	With a great company of knights;
Si 1 ert li preuz Jakes d'Avesne,	And there was the valiant James of Avesnes,
Qui Deu mist le jor en son regne:	Whom God that day received into His kingdom.
Si i ert li coens Robert de Dreues	There too was Count Robert of Dreux,
E plusurs genz qui erent seues:	And many men who were his followers.	6180
S'i iert l'evesques de Biavez,	The Bishop of Beauvais was there,
Qui vers son frere s'esteit trez;	Who had drawn close beside his brother.
Cil de Barres, cil de Gerlande	The men of Barres and of Garland
\| raveient compaine grande;	Likewise had a great company;
Guillames et Dreu de Merlo,	William and Dreux de Mello	6185
Cil n'en raveient mie po;	Had no small following either.
Li lingnage ensemble errouent	Those of the same lineage marched together
Et ensemble se recovrouent,	And supported one another,
Si que l'ost en iert si liee	So that the army was so closely bound
Qu'a paine fust desaliee.	That it could scarcely have been broken apart.	6190
Li coens Henris, cil de Champaine,	Count Henry of Champagne
Gardoit l'ost devers la montaine :	Guarded the army on the mountain side.
Icel jor fist la guardecoste,	That day he formed the flank-guard
E tozjorz chevalchoit encoste,	And continually rode alongside it,
E li serjant de pié esteient	While the foot-serjeants were	6195
Derieres l'ost, qui la cloeient.	Behind the army, enclosing it.
Le herneis e les guarnestures,	The baggage and equipment,
Chareltes, somiers, trosseures,	Carts, packhorses and loads,
C'ert encontre val el rivage,	Were down towards the shore,
Qu'il n'en eussent grant damage.	So that they might suffer no great harm.	6200
Issi errot la gent seure,	Thus the army marched securely,
Soef e petite aleure;	Gently and at a slow pace;
Issi erroient li conrei;	Thus the divisions proceeded.
Li dux de Burgoine od le rei	The Duke of Burgundy with the king
E prude gent hardie e fiere,	And worthy men, bold and fierce,	6205
Alot devant l'ost e ariere	Went before and behind the army
E en costé destre e senestre,	And along its right and left sides,
Por veoir les Turs e lor estre	To observe the Turks and their dispositions
E por l'ost conduire e mener;	And to guide and direct the army.
E mult les en covint pener,	They had great difficulty in doing so,	6210
Car endreit tierce avant une hore	For about an hour before terce
Lor veneient tuit li Turc sure,	All the Turks came upon them,
Plus de deus mile od ares traiant,	More than two thousand shooting with bows,
Qui si vont l'ost Deu embracant.	Who went on surrounding the army of God.
Apres venoit une gent noire :	After them came a black people,	6215
Les Noirez ont non, co est la voire;	Called the Blacks, in truth,
E Sarazins de la berrue,	And Saracens from the wilderness,
Isdos e neirs plus que n'est sue.	Hideous and blacker than soot.
À pié od ars e od roeles,	On foot, with bows and round shields,
Trop vistes genz e trop isneles.	Very swift men and very nimble.	6220
Cil feseient a l'ost tel presse	These pressed the army so hard
Qu'il n'aveient ne fin ne cesse.	That there was neither end nor respite.
La veissiez par la campaine	There you would have seen across the plain
Des Tures tante riche compaine,	So many splendid companies of Turks,
Tanz penuncels, tantes enseignes,	So many pennons, so many standards,	6225
Tantes banieres od enseignes,	So many banners with devices,
Tanz bials conreiz si acesmez,	So many fine formations splendidly arrayed,
Plus de trente mil Turs esmés	More than thirty thousand Turks, by estimate,
Venir tant acemeement	Coming in such fine array
Droit a l'ost desreeement	Straight towards the army in disorder,	6230
Sor chevals isnels come foldre!	Upon horses swift as lightning!
Devant lor piez iert grant la poldre;	Great was the dust before their feet.
Devant les admiralz venoient	Before the emirs came
Cil qui les buisines tenoient,	Those who carried the trumpets,
Li autre timbres et taburs :	Others with kettledrums and drums.	6235
Ne faisoient altres laburs	They had no other occupation
Fors taburer e noise faire	But to beat the drums and make a din,
Et huer et crier et braire.	And to hoot and shout and yell.
La n'oist l'om pas Deu tonant,	There no man could have heard God thunder,
Tant il i ot taburs sonant.	So great was the din of sounding drums.	6240
La chenaille l'ost engressa	The rabble pressed upon the army
Et assailli et empressa:	And attacked it and crowded it hard;
De deus liues tot environ	For two leagues all around
Ne veissiez plein mon giron	You would not have seen a lapful
De terre voide ne de place,	Of empty ground or open space,	6245
Ne de rien fors de male estrace;	Nor anything except that evil race;
E devers mer e devers terre	And from the sea side and the landward side
S'en alouent si prés requere,	They came upon them so closely,
Od tel force e od tel oltrage,	With such force and such fury,
Qu'il lor faiseient grant damage	That they did them great harm	6250
Des chevals qu'il lor ocieient;	By killing their horses;
Car trop de morz en i cheoient.	For very many fell dead there.
Mult eurent cel jor grant mestier	That day there was great need
En l'ost li bon arbalestier	In the army for good crossbowmen
E li bon serjant qui traioient.	And good serjeants who were shooting,	6255
Qui deriere l'ost se tenoient.	Who kept behind the army.
Cil quiderent estre enpercié,	They thought they would be pierced through,
Car il esteient si chargié	For they were so heavily pressed
Qu'il ne quidouent hore vivre,	That they did not think they would live another hour,
N'eschaper s'en sain ne delivre;	Nor escape from there safe and free;	6260
E si sachiez bien tut de veir	And know this certainly as truth,
Que li coard par estovoir	That the cowards, driven by necessity,
Ars e saetes jus jetouent	Threw down their bows and arrows
E dedenz l'ost se rebotouent.	And thrust themselves back within the army.
E li hardi qui remaneient,	And the brave men who remained,	6265
Qui l'ost deriere sostenoient,	Who supported the army from the rear,
Aveient tel presse as talons	Were so hard pressed at their heels
Que ralerent a rebursons	That they went backwards
Icel jor plus qu'autre aleure.	That day more than they went forwards.
En l'ost n'aveit gent si seure	There was no man in the army so confident	6270
Qui ne volsist par bon eurage	Who would not gladly
Aveir fait son peregrinage;	Have had his pilgrimage completed;
Mais de co ne me merveil mie,	But at this I do not marvel,
Car l'ost estoit si estormie	For the army was so fiercely assailed
El costé destre e el senestre	On the right side and on the left	6275
Qu'onques ne fist home Deus nestre	That God never caused a man to be born
Qui veist gent si achenee	Who had seen men so hard pressed
Ne ost a tel paine menee.	Nor an army brought to such distress.
La veissiez les chevaliers,	There you would have seen the knights,
Quant il perdouent lor destriers:	When they lost their warhorses,	6280
Tot a pié odles serjanz traire;	Go on foot and shoot with the serjeants;
Si vos puis conter e retraire	And I can tell you and recount
C'onques pluie ne neif ne graisle	That neither rain nor snow nor hail,
Par grant yvern quant el s'esvelle	When a great winter storm breaks,
Ne vola plus espessement	Ever flew more thickly,	6285
(Co sevent plusor si ge ment)	and many know whether I lie,
Que lor pilet illoc voloient,	Than their darts flew there,
Qui les chevals nos afoloient:	Which were disabling our horses;
E la les peussiez coillir	And there you could have gathered them
A bracees e recoillir,	And gathered them again by the armful,	6290
Come l'em colt chaume en estoble,	As men gather stubble in a field,
Tant i traient de la gent troble,	So many did that foul people shoot.
Sor noz conreiz tant s'espresserent	They pressed so hard upon our formations
Que par un poi que nes plaiserent.	That they almost broke them apart.
Lors manda l'Ospital al rei	Then the Hospitallers sent word to the king	6295
Qu'il grevouent trop lor conrei,	That their division was being pressed too hard,
E que plus soffrir ne poreient	And that they could endure no longer
En manere s'il ne poigneient.	Unless they were allowed to charge.
Li reis manda qu'il se tenissent	The king sent word that they should hold firm
E que lor meschief sustenissent:	And endure their hardship;	6300
Et il a force le sustindrent	And by force of will they endured it
Et a meschief lor voie tindrent.	And in great distress kept to their course.

The Life of Saladin by Behâ ed-Dîn. Chapter 121. The Battle of Arsuf, which was a blow to all moslem hearts.

On Saturday, the 14th of Sh'abàn [7th September 1191], the Sultan was informed that the enemy were marching on Arsüf. He mounted forthwith, and drew up his troops in order of battle, being resolved to come to close quarters with the enemy that day. The marksmen drawn from each battalion went out in advance, and rained a shower of arrows on the enemy, who were approaching the thickets and gardens of Arsüf. The Moslem troops harassed them on every side, some advancing, led by the Sultan in person. others remaining in position to cover them in case of retreat. They charged the enemy furiously; the fire of war burst from the marksmen, and killed and wounded. The enemy were obliged to hurry forward to try and reach the place where they were to halt and encamp, and they then found that they were in a most galling position, and that we had them at our mercy. The Sultan rode from the right wing to the left, urging his men to fight for the Faith. I several times saw him, attended by only two pages, who were each leading a horse; I met his brother also with no greater a following, and they could both see the enemy s arrows falling to right and left of them. The enemy's progress was forced to become slower and slower, and the Moslems were flattering themselves that it would prove an easy victory, when the first ranks of the enemy's foot reached the wood and the gardens of Arsüf. Then the enemy's cavalry formed in one body, and, knowing that nothing but a supreme effort could save them, they resolved to charge. I myself saw their knights gathered together in the midst of a protecting circle of infantry; they put their lances in rest, uttered a mighty war-cry, and the ranks of infantry parted to allow them to pass; then they rushed out, and charged in all directions.¹ One division hurled itself. on our right wing, another on our left, and a third on our centre, throwing our whole force into con- fusion. I was in the centre, and when that body fled in the wildest disorder, it occurred to me that I might take refuge in the left wing, which was the nearest to me. But when I came up with it, I found that it, too, was struck with panic, and had taken to its heels even quicker than the other. Then I turned to the right wing; but when I reached it, I found it in still greater confusion than the left. I then turned to the position occupied, according to custom, by the Sultan's squadron, which was always a rallying-point for the others. I'there found only seventeen men; but the standards were still flying, and the drum continued to beat. When the Sultan saw the dire discomfiture of the Moslems, he returned to his squadron, and found but very few men. He stopped here, and, perceiving that the whole neighbourhood was filled with fugitives, he ordered the drums to beat without ceasing, and had all whom he saw escaping brought to him. But, in truth, he could not stop the people in their flight; when the enemy charged, they gave way, and when he drew rein for fear of an ambush, they also came to a stand, and did battle with him. During the second charge, they fought even while they fled, and halted as soon as their pursuers stopped; and in the third, in which the enemy reached the top of the hillocks and rising ground that happened to be in his way, they fled once more, but, secing him draw up, they also came to a stand. All those who saw that the Sultan's squadron was still at its post, and who heard the drum beating, were ashamed to go on, and, drcading the consequences if they continued their flicht, they came up, and joined that body of troops. A number of soldiers had now rallied in the centre, and the enemy, who had reached the top of the hillocks (tells), halted, and turned to face their ranks. The Sultan, for his part, occupied the centre of his squadron, and displayed such energy in rallying the fugitives that he finally suc- ceeded in collecting the whole of his army together again. The enemy, fearing that some ambush was concealed in the woods, retired towards their halting-place, and the Sultan regained some rising ground close to the edge of the wood, and there drew up his troops; having no tent to take shelter in, he stood in the shadow of a piece of cloth. I stood beside him, endeavouring to console him; but he would not listen to me—he was so overwhelmed by the events of the day: however, he took a little food that we offered him. He remained in this position, awaiting the return of the horses that had been taken to water at some considerable distance, and while we were thus drawn up, he had the wounded brought to him to comfort them, and to see that their wounds were dressed. He gave his own horses to those who had lost theirs. There were a great number of killed and wounded this day on both sides. Amongst the leaders who stood firm, the chief were el-Melek el--Adel, Káimáz en-Nejmi the eunuch, and el-Melek el. Aídal, the Sultan's son. El-Afdal charged so furiously. that a tumour he had in the face burst, and his face was drenched with blood; but he suffered it with remarkable patience. The squadron from Mosul displayed the greatest bravery, and won the Sultan's thanks for its leader, 'Alà ed-Din. Our people sought for their comrades, and found many a one who had died a martyr on the battle-field. The bodies of persons of note were found, especially that of Máüsek, the grand emir (of the Kurds), a chief renowned for his bravery; that of Kàáimáz el-'Ádeli, who was also celebrated; and that of Lighüsh, a brave officer, whose death was a cause of great grief to the Sultan. We had a large number of men and horses wounded, and the enemy on their side had a great many casualties. We took only one prisoner, who was brought to the Sultan, and beheaded by his command...We also captured four horses from them. The Sultan then ordered the baggage forward (to the river) el-'Aüja,² and I obtained his permission to follow it, and to precede him to the place he had appointed for our en- campment. left him seated, waiting until all his troops were collected, and till intelligence came in regarding the enemy, who were encamped close to Arsüf.

Note 1. The charge was begun by the Hospitallers in rear, and gradually involved all the cavalry. According to De Vinsauf (IV., 9-25). Richard had 100,000 men in five divisions. The Templars led the van; the Angevins and Bretons came next; then King Guy's forces and those of Poitou; then the Normans and Enjlish rouad the standard on its truck; and lastly the Hospitallers. A flanking party on the left (east) was led by Henry of Champagne.

Note 2. The 'Auja flows into the sea N. of Jaffa; the camp near Mejdel Yàba was 10 miles S.E. from the battleteld.

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