Lord Geoffry of Sarginei

At sun-rising my Lord Geoffry of Sarginei went into the city, and caused the city to be given up to the emirs. The >0!dan’s flags were hoisted on all the towers of the city. The Saracen knights got into the city, and began to drink the wines, and were soon all drunken; whereupon one of them me to our galley, and drew his sword all reeking with blood, and said that for his part he had killed six of our people.

Before Damietta was surrounded, the queen had been received into our ships, together with all our people who were in Damietta, save the sick only. These last the Saracens, by their oath, were bound to keep and guard; but they killed them all. The king’s engines of war, which they were also bound to preserve, they knocked to pieces. And the salted meat, which they were bound to keep for us, inasmuch as they do not eat pork, they did not keep. They made a pile of the engines, and a pile of the bacon, and another of the dead people, and they set fire thereto; and the fire was so great that it lasted the Friday, the Saturday, and the Sunday.

THE MASSACRE OF THE PRISONERS IS CONSIDERED

The king, and all we who were there, should have been set free at sunrise, but the Saracens kept us till sunset; and we nad nothing to eat, nor the emirs either, and they were quarrelling the livelong day. And one of them spoke in this wise for those who belonged to his party: “ Lords, if you will listen to me, and to those who are of my party, you will kill the king and the men of note who are here; for then, for the space of forty years, we need fear nothing, seeing that their children are young, and that we hold Damietta; wherefore we can do this with the greater security.”

Another Saracen, whose name was Sebreci, and who was a native of Mauritania, spoke contrariwise, and said this: “ If we kill the king, after we have killed the Soldan, it will be said that the Egyptians are the most evil people in the world, and the most disloyal.” And those who desired that we should he killed, rejoined: “ It is sooth that we have too wickedly rid ourselves of our Soldan, whom we put to death; for we have therein gone counter to the commandments of Mahomet, in that he commanded us to guard our lord as the apple of our eye. And behold in this book, here is the commandment written.

But listen,” said he, “ to this other commandment of Mahomet, that comes after.” And with that he turned over the leaf of a book that he held in his hand, and showed them another commandment, which was to this effect: “ For the assurance of the faith, slay the enemy of the law.” “ Now have we disobeyed the commandments of Mahomet, in that we have killed our lord; but we shall do worse if we do not kill the king, whatever promise of safety has been given to him, seeing that he is the most powerful enemy of the pagan law.”

Count of Artois

It had been so ordered that the Templars were to form the vanguard, and that the Count of Artois should have the second division after the Templars. Now it so happened that as soon as the Count of Artois had passed over the stream, he and all his people fell upon the Turks, who fled before them. The Templars notified to him that he was doing them great despite in that while his place was to come after them, he was going before; and they besought him to suffer them to go before, as had been arranged by the king. Now it chanced that the Count of Artois did not venture to answer them, because of my Lord Foucand of Merle, who held the bridle of his horse; and this Foucand of Merle was a very good knight, but heard naught of what the Templars were saying to the count, seeing that he was deaf, and was crying, “Out on them, out on them!” Now when the Templars saw this, they thought they would be shamed if they suffered the count to outride them; so they struck spurs into their horses, helter-skelter, and chased the Turks, and the Turks fled before them, right through the town of Mansourah and into the fields beyond towards Babylon.

When they thought to return, the Turks threw beams and blocks of wood upon them in the sleets, which were narrow. There were killed the Count of Artois, the Lord of Couci, who was called Raoul, and so many other knights that the numbers was reckoned at three hundred. The Temple, as the master has since told me, lost there fourteen score men- at-arms, and all mounted.

JOINVILLE, WOUNDED AND SURROUNDED BY THE SARACENS, IS DELIVERED BY THE COUNT OR ANJOU

I and my knights decided that we should attack some Turks who were loading their baggage in their camp to our left; and we fell upon them. While we were driving them through their camp, I perceived a Saracen, who was mounting his horse; one of his knights was holding the bridle. At the moment when he had his two hands on the saddle to mount, I gave him of my lance under the arm-pits and laid him dead. When his knight saw that, he left his lord and the horse, and struck me with his lance as I passed, between the two shoulders, holding me so pressed down that I could not draw the sword at my belt. I had therefore to draw the sword attached to my horse; and when he saw that my sword was so drawn, he withdrew his lance and left me.

When I and my knights came out of the camp, we found some six thousand Turks, as we reckoned, who had left their quarters and retreated into the fields. When they saw us, they came running upon us, and killed my Lord Hugh of Trichatel, Lord of Conflans, who was with me bearing a banner. I and my knights set spurs to our horses, and went to deliver my Lord Raoul of Wanou, who was with me, and whom they had struck to the ground customized daily istanbul tours.

Lord Everard of Siverey

While I was returning, the Turks pressed upon me with their lances. My horse knelt under the weight and I fell forward over the horse’s ears. I got up as soon as ever I could, with my shield at my neck, and my sword in my hand; and my Lord Everard of Siverey God have him in grace! who was one of my people, came to me and said that we should draw of near to a ruined house, and there await the king, who was coming. As we were going thither, part on foot and part mounted, a great rout of Turks came rushing upon us, and bore me to the ground, and went over me, and caused my shield to fly from my neck.

When they had passed on, my Lord Everard of Siverey came back to me, and led me thence, and we went to the walls of the ruined house; and thither returned to us my Lord Hugh of Ecot, my Lord Frederic of Loupey, my Lord Renaud of Menoncourt. The Turks attacked us on all sides. Some of them entered into the ruined house and pricked us with their lances from above. Then my knights told me to hold their bridles, and so I did, for fear the horses should run away. And they defended themselves right manfully; and afterwards received great praise from all the right worthy men of the host, both those who were there and witnessed the deed, and those who heard tell thereof.

JOHANNIZZA RAISES THE SIEGE OF ADRIANOPLE

Johannizza, the king of Wallachia, who had besieged Adrianople, gave himself no rest, for his petraries, of which he had many, cast stones night and day against the walls and towers, and damaged the walls and towers very greatly. And he set his sappers to mine the walls, and made many assaults. And well did those who were within, both Greeks and Latins, maintain themselves, and often did they beg the Emperor Henry to succour them, and warn him that, if he did not succour them, they were utterly undone. The emperor was much distraught; for when he wished to go and succour his people at Adrianople on the one side, then Theodore Lascaris pressed upon him so straitly on the other side, that of necessity he was forced to draw back.

So Johannizza remained during the whole month of April (1207) before Adrianople; and he came so near to taking it that in two places he beat down the walls and towers to the ground, and his men fought hand to hand, with swords and lances, against those who were within. Also he made assaults in force, and the besieged defended themselves well; and there were many killed and wounded on one side and on the other.

SKIZA AGAIN BESIEGED BY THEODORE LASCARIS THE EMPEROR DELIVERS THE CITY

The emperor, with as many men as he possessed, had pre-pared to go to Adrianonle, when tidings came, very grievous, that Escurion, who was admiral of the galleys of Theodore Lascaris, had entered with seventeen galleys into the straits of Abydos, in the channel of St. George, and come before Skiza, where Peter of Bracieux then was, and Payen of Orleans; and that the said Escurion was besieging the city by sea, while Theodore Lascaris was besieging it by land. Moreover, the people of the land of Skiza had rebelled against Peter of Bracieux, as also those of Marmora, and had wrought him great harm, and killed many of his people istanbul daily tours.

When these tidings came to Constantinople, they were greatly dismayed. Then did the Emperor Henry take council with his men, and his barons, and the Venetians also; and they said that if they did not succour Peter of Bracieux, and Payen of Orleans, they were but dead men, and the land would be lost. So they armed fourteen galleys in all dili gence, and set in them the Venetians of most note, and all the barons of the emperor.

In one galley entered Conon of Bethune and his people; in another Geoffry of Villehardouin and his people; in the third Macaire of Sainte-Menehould and his people; in the fourth Miles the Brabant; In the fifth Anseau of Cayeux; in the sixth Thierri of Loos, who was seneschal of Roumania; in the seventh William of the Perchoi; and in the eighth Eustace the emperor’s brother. Thus did the Emperor Henry put into all these galleys the best people that he had and when they left the port of Constantinople, well did all say that never had galleys been better armed, nor manned with better men. And thus, for this time, the march cn Adriannple was again put off.

Those who were in the galleys sailed down the straits, right towards Skiza. How Escurion, the admiral of Theodore Lascaris’ galleys, heard of it, 1 know not; but he abandoned Skiza. and went away, and fled down the straits. And the others chased him two days and two nights, beyond the straits of Abydos, forty miles. And when they saw they could not come up with him, they turned back, and came to Skiza, and found there Peter of Bracieux and Payen of Orleans; and Theodore Lascaris had dislodged from before the city and repaired to his own land. Thus was Skiza re lieved, as you have just heard; and those in the galleys turned back to Constantinople, and prepared once more to march on Adrianople.

BALDWIN’S REPLY TO THE MESSAGE OF TEE CRUSADERS

The Emperor Baldwin journeyed so day by day that he met the messengers sent by those of Constantinople. One of the messengers was a knight belonging to the land of Count Lewis of Bl .s, and the count’s liegeman, his name was Bigue ot Fransures, and he was wise and eloquent. He spoke the message of his lord and the other barons right manfully, and said: “ Sire, the Doge of Venice, and Count Lewis, my lord, and the other barons who are in Constantinople send you health and greeting as to their lord, and they complain to God and to you of chose who have raised discord between you and the Marquis of Montferrat, whereby it failed but little that Christendom was not undone; and they tell you that you did very ill when you listened to such counsellors. Now they apprise you that the marquis has referred to them the quarrel that there is between him and you, and they pray you, as their lord, to refer that quarrel to them likewise, and to promise to abide by their ruling. And be it known to you that they will in no wise, nor on any ground, suffer that you should go to war.”

The Emperor Baldwin went to confer

The Emperor Baldwin went to confer with his council, and said he would reply anon. Many there w’ere in the emperor’s council who had helped to cause the quarrel, and they were greatly outraged by the declaration sent by those at Constantinople, and they said: “ Sire, you hear what they de claret to you, that they will not suffer you to take vengeance of your enemy. Truly it seems that if you will not do as they order, they will set themselves against you.”

Very many big words were then spoken; but, in the end, the council agreed that the emperor had no wish to lose the friendship of the Doge of Venice, and Count Lewis, and the others who were in Constantinople; and the emperor replied to the envoys: “ I will not promise to refer the quarrel to those who sent you, but I will go to Constantinople without doing aught to injure the marquis.” So the Emperor Bald win journeyed day by day till he came to Constantinople, and the barons, and the other people, went to meet him, and received him as their lord with great honour.

Greek emperors at that time

By common consent of Franks and Greeks, it was settled that the new emperor should be crowned on the feast of our Lord St. Peter (1st August 1203). So was it settled, and so it was done. He was crowned full worthily and with honour according to the use for Greek emperors at that time. After wards he began to pay the moneys due to the host; and such moneys were divided among the host, and each repaid what had been advanced in Venice for his passage.

ALEXIUS BEGS THE CRUSADERS TO PROLONG THEIR STAY

The new emperor went oft to see the barons in the camp, and did them great honour, as much as he could; and this was but fitting, seeing that they had served him right well. And one day he came to the camp, to see the barons privily in the quarters of Count Baldwin of Hainault and Flanders. Thither were summoned the Doge of Venice, and the great barons, and he spoke to them and said: “Lords, I am emperor by God’s grace and yours, and you have done me the highest service that ever yet was done by any people to Christian man. Now be it known to you that there are folk enough who show me a fair seeming, and yet love me not; and the Greeks are full of despite because it is by your help that I have entered into my inheritance.

“ Now the term of your departure is nigh, and your fellow-ship with the Venetians is timed only to last till the feast of St. Michael. And within so short a term I cannot fulfil our covenant. Be it known to you therefore, that, if you abandon me, the Greeks hate me because of you: I shall lose my land, and they will kill me. But now do this thing that.

St. Michael

I ask of you: remain here till March, and I will entertain your ships for one, year from the feast of St. Michael, and bear the cost of the Venetians, and will give you such things as you may stand in need of till Easter. And within that term I shall have placed my land in such case tha.t 1 cannot lose it again; and your covenant will be fulfilled, for 1 shall have paid such moneys as are due to you, obtaining them from all my lands; and I shall be ready also with ships either to go with you myself, or to send others, as I have covenanted; and you will have the summer from end to end in which to carry on the war against the Saracens.”

The barons thereupon said they would consult together apart; knowing full well that what the young man said was sooth, and that it would be better, both for the emperor and for themselves, to consent unto him. But they replied that they could not so consent save with the common agreement of the host, and that tney would therefore lay the matter before the host, and then give such answer as might be devised. So the Emperor Alexius departed from them, and went back to Constantinople. And they remained in the camp and assembled a parliament the next day. To this I parliament were summoned all the barons and the chieftains of the host, and of the knights the greater part; and in their hearing were repeated all the words that the emperor had spoken.