“Third Crusade” 820th Anniversary Series: Conrad of Montferrat Leaves Acre; Saladin’s Receives Reinforcements

(This post is the 28th of what will be approximately 70 posts following 820th anniversary highlights of what history now calls the “Third Crusade.” My novel, The Swords of Faith, tells the story of this legendary clash between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin.) 

*****

Saladin continued to stave off defeat at Acre with every tactic he could devise to put into operation. Yes, the stalemate had shifted to favor his western Christian enemies, with attacks day after day against his forces. But Saladin had two reasons to hope. First, during the last week of June, reinforcements arrived from Egypt, from Mosul and from northern Syria. This gave Saladin more forces to execute one of his most successful tactics—when western Christians attacked Acre from the front, Muslim soldiers inside Acre pounded kettle drums, signaling Saladin’s forces to attack the Christians from the rear. One of these attacks reached and overran the Christian camp, reducing Philip II of France, in command of the initial western Christian attack, to tears. Second, 820 years ago today, news arrived that Conrad had left Acre and returned to Tyre. This revealed serious dissension among Saladin’s western Christian enemies. Would it be enough dissension to dilute the growing Christian strength? And if these small reasons to hope did not result in a victory for Saladin, perhaps they would result in favorable terms to end the hostilities there. Negotiations for terms between the Muslim Acre garrison and the western Christian attackers continued simultaneously with the fighting. The end of the stalemate seemed in sight—the question was how it would end, and how to manage that ending into the best possible advantage.

Previous 820th Anniversary Posts:

July 4th – The 820th Anniversary of the Launch of the “Third Crusade”

October 4th – Richard the Lionheart Sacks Messina

November 3rd – Queen Sibylla Dies

November 11th – Richard the Lionheart Signs a Treaty with King Tancred of Sicily

November 15th – Queen Isabella’s Marriage to Humphrey of Toron is Annulled

November 19th – Archbishop of Canterbury Dies

November 24th – Conrad of Montferrat Marries Queen Isabella

December 25th – Richard the Lionheart Feasts at Christmas

December 31st – Shipwreck at Acre; Muslim Defenders Lose Resupply

January 5th – A Wall Comes Down, Presenting an Opportunity

January 20th – Frederick of Swabia Dies; Leopold of Austria Becomes Top-Ranked German Royalty at Acre

February 2nd – A Playful “Joust” Gets Out of Hand in Sicily

February 13th – Saladin’s Forces Relieve the Garrison at Acre

March 3rd – Richard the Lionheart Settles the Alice Marriage Controversy—Sort Of

March 30th – Philip II Leaves Sicily; Berengeria Arrives

April 10th – Richard the Lionheart Leaves Sicily for “Outremer”

April 20th – Philip II of France Lands at Acre

April 22nd – Richard the Lionheart Lands at Rhodes After His Fleet Scatters

May 1st – Richard the Lionheart Leaves Rhodes to Rescue His Sister and Fiancée

May 8th – Richard the Lionheart and His Troops Storm Limassol

May 11th – Crusaders Opposed to Conrad Visit Richard the Lionheart on Cyprus

May 12th – Richard the Lionheart Marries Princess Berengeria

May 30th – Fighting Intensifies at Acre

June 5th – Richard Leaves Famagusta for the Eastern Mediterranean Coast/Saladin Moves his Camp

June 6th – Richard the Lionheart Refused Admittance to Tyre

June 8th – Richard the Lionheart Arrives at Acre

June 11th – Saladin’s Relief Ship Sinks

To review a comprehensive catalog of historical fiction set during the medieval time period, go to http://www.medieval-novels.com:80/.