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.

This put a stop to any idea of surprising that army; but he learnt that the king of England was stationed outside Jaffa with a very small body of men, his camp consisting of nothing but a few tents; he therefore determined to seize this opportunity of surprising that camp, and thus realizing, at any rate, part of his plan. In pursuit of this design, he set out as soon as night began to close in; preceded by a few Arabs, who acted as guides, he marched all through the night, and reached the vicinity of the camp early in the morning. When he saw that it consisted of only about a dozen tents, he entertained a strong hope of capturing it as it stood, and charged headlong down on the enemy. But the Franks displayed such hardihood in the face of death that our troops lost heart at their sturdy resistance, and were obliged to draw off, and to content themselves with completely surrounding the camp, though at some little distance. By the will of God I was not present at this fight, being kept behind with the baggage by an attack of illness from which I was suffering; but I learnt from a man who was there that, according to the largest computation, they had but seventeen horsemen, while, according to the lowest reckoning, they numbered but nine; their infantry was under a thousand; other accounts say three hundred; and others, again, give a larger number. The Sultan was greatly chagrined at what had happened, and went from squadron to squadron making them the most liberal promises if they would return to the charge; but no one responded to his appeal exceptmg his son, el-Melek ez-Z&her, who was preparing to rush on to the enemy when he was held back by his father. I have been told that on this occasion elMeshtiib's brother, eUJenah, said to the Sultan: ' Send for your servants who beat the people on the day we took Jaffa, and who took away the booty from them.' It must be noted that the terms granted on the surrender of Jaffa had been a cause of great annoyance throughout the army, for it had deprived them of the opportunity of pillage. When the Sultan saw the temper of his men, he realized that he could not remain in face of this handful of Franks and do nothing, for that would have been a grievous blow to his reputation. I have been assured by men who were there, that on that day the king of England, lance in hand, rode along the whole length of our army from right to left, and not one of our soldiers left the ranks to attack him. The Sultan was wroth thereat, and left the battlefield in anger for Yazur, where he came to a halt on Wednesday, the 23rd of Rejeb [5th August 1182]. Our troops spent the night where they were, acting as advanced guard. On Thursday morning the Sultan rode on and took up his position at en-Natrdn, summoning the army to come to him there. Towards the close of the day, which was Thursday, the 24th of Rejeb, we advanced to that place and spent the night encamped there. The following day he set out to visit his brother, el-Melek el-'Adel, who was still ill; then he repaired to Jerusalem, and celebrated Friday prayer in that city. He also inspected the various works in hand there, and gave instructions as to the way in which they were to be carried out. After that he took his departure from the city and returned to the camp at en-Natrun, where he spent the night.