Campaign chairs were brought on to the killing ground between the two armies. With the massed ranks looking on, the most powerful men in Europe gathered to hear the contents of Father Alun’s missive.
At King Henry’s invitation, and without any sense of trepidation, Father Alun rose to describe the current situation in the Holy Land. There was not a murmur from his immediate audience, nor from the two armies on the periphery. When he gave the details of Saladin’s army and its gains, there were looks of horror all round. For almost a hundred years, the Holy Places had been under Christian hegemony, which now seemed to be under severe threat.
Then Father Alun unfurled his scroll. In a clear voice that echoed out to both armies he prefaced the statement with his own introduction.
‘Pope Alexander has decreed that plenary indulgences for all sins of this earth will be granted to all who rise to the challenge in Palestine and take the cross in defence of Christianity. All debts will be suspended, and all who answer the call will be exempt from taxes levied to pay for the expedition.’
A gasp of astonishment spread through the ranks as Father Alun spoke. Then he raised his hand to demand silence and, like an archbishop in his pulpit, held out the vellum epistle. He had the entire audience in his thrall: kings and dukes, lords and knights, soldiers and camp followers.
‘The Pope has decreed that the revered words of St Bernard of Clairvaux of many years ago be read again in every place of Christian worship in the world. With all humility, I read it to you all now and pray that you…’ He paused and stared pointedly at both King Henry and his opponent, King Philip, ‘… heed its impassioned message.’
He then read St Bernard’s letter.
Oh mighty soldier, oh man of war, at last you have a cause for which you can fight without endangering your soul; a cause in which to win is glorious and for which to die is but to gain. Are you a shrewd merchant, quick to see the profits of this world? If you are, I can offer you a bargain which you cannot afford to miss. Take the sign of the cross. At once, you will have indulgence for all the sins which you confess with a contrite heart. The cross is cheap and if you wear it with humility you will find that you have obtained the Kingdom of Heaven.
As Father Alun finished, there was a stunned silence for several moments. He then rolled up the vellum and walked over to Henry, his King. He fell to his knees, bowed his head and handed the scroll to his liege. Henry took the vellum and looked over to King Philip.
The French King was already on his feet; he walked over to Henry and offered to embrace him. The gesture was immediately reciprocated, and the two men hugged each other warmly. A powerful wave of cheers rolled across the open ground as both armies greeted with elation the rapprochement between the two monarchs. The embrace between the two kings spread among the opposing commanders like a contagion, and there were hugs of goodwill en masse.
The Duke called me over.
‘It looks like today’s fight is over. But I fear there are bigger battles to come – battles that will be fought a long way from these shores.’
In the most remarkable of circumstances, by the middle of the next day the two armies were preparing to leave.
There had been celebratory feasting overnight and, at a brief but effective negotiation over breakfast, the Plantagenets and the French had agreed a truce. It would last until, at the very least, the threat to the Holy Places had been overcome.
Later that day, the Lionheart summoned Father Alun and myself to his tent. We were to join him and his Grand Quintet to hear his plans for the future.
‘I am clear about what I should now do. I intend to take the cross, and I would like all of you to join me. But I am also clear that if the Christian armies are to be successful against this Sultan, we need to unite all the armies of Europe. My father is now too old to go to Palestine, so it will be my responsibility. A deal needs to be struck with the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. But first, it is vital that I build on this truce with Philip Augustus and win his confidence so that we can act in unison.’
I was in awe as I listened to the Lionheart.
He had matured considerably; he was now the heir apparent to a vast empire and had taken on the mantle appropriately.
Father Alun nodded sagely as the Duke spoke. He knew that the Lionheart’s destiny would not only be determined by his lordship of the Plantagenet Empire, but also by his leadership of the mission to save the Holy Land from the Sultan Saladin and his Muslim hordes.
13. Taking the Cross
Following the remarkable events on the plains of Chateauroux, where a battleground became a scene of harmony and goodwill, we travelled to the court of Philip Augustus in Paris to begin the planning of the next Great Crusade.
Philip and the Lionheart warmed to one another, to the point of genuine friendship. Although he was ten years younger than Duke Richard, Philip was an instinctive soldier, strong-willed and clever. Not as tall, nor as imposing as the Duke, he was powerfully built and athletic, with strong features and long wavy black tresses that framed his face like a wimple.
The two men spent the warm days of July 1187 hunting and feasting. Philip showed Richard his plans to add to the magnificence of the cathedral of Notre Dame and to pave the streets of Paris and strengthen its walls. The armies shared military training techniques and ideas in preparation for the challenge that we knew was coming in Palestine. It was a challenge that became much more pressing towards the end of the month.
We were all having breakfast in King Philip’s great hall in Paris when Father Alun brought in a young Templar knight who had been found exhausted by the altar of a small monastery on the road from Toulon. Both looked ashen-faced, the knight bedraggled and thin, his crimson pectoral cross almost obliterated by the dirt on his surplice. He had refused any care from the monks at the monastery, insisting that he must reach Paris as soon as possible. The King’s stewards brought him a chair and gave him food and drink, but he was in no fit state to relay the news he had carried. Instead, in his clear authoritative tone, Father Alun told his story.
‘My Lords, on the morning of 4th July, a great calamity was inflicted on us all. First of all, you will be horrified to hear that when the Sultan Saladin issued his Jihad in the spring, the Christian armies in the Holy Land, added together, could only muster 1,800 knights and 8,000 infantry to meet the challenge.’
There was a look of horror on the faces of all at the table. We all knew then that there had been a catastrophe.
‘Saladin has been building his army for years and can call on a force of over 50,000 men. He took Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, eighty miles north of Jerusalem, on 1st July, killing many and holding hostage the Countess Eschiva, wife of Count Raymond – who was with the King, in Jerusalem. Despite long and bitter arguments about the wisdom of going to the aid of the embattled Countess, Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, took the fateful decision to sally forth from the city and confront Saladin. He got only as far as a dry open plain five miles to the west of Tiberias, beneath pillars of rock known as the Horns of Hattin, from where Our Lord delivered his Sermon on the Mount. The heat was overwhelming and they were unable to find water for the men or the horses.’
Some heads in the room had already dropped; experienced soldiers, they knew what was coming.
‘Saladin set fire to the parched scrub of the plain, sending thick smoke into the Christian ranks. A makeshift camp was made and the army spent a fearful night deprived of water and proper sleep. When daylight came, they saw that they had been completely surrounded by the Muslim host. Even though the army carried the True Cross, held aloft by the Bishop of Acre, they knew that their position was almost hopeless. Saladin waited for the sun to reach its blistering zenith before attacking.
‘The Christian army fought for its life, knowing that no quarter would be given and that the future of
