“Third Crusade” 820th Anniversary Series: Richard Storms the Beaches at Jaffa with a Minimal Force July 31, 2012
Posted by rwf1954 in crusades, history, Jaffa, Jerusalem, medieval period, Middle Ages, Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, the crusades, third crusade.Tags: Crusades, Jaffa, Jerusalem, medieval history, Middle Ages, Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, Third Crusade
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(This post is the 61st 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.)
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Richard the Lionheart got the word—Saladin was at the walls of Jaffa. Richard abandoned the idea of taking Beirut. He certainly did not want to trade Jaffa for Beirut! He appealed to his Italian marine allies—he needed ships ready to sail down the coast immediately to rescue Jaffa. He assembled a skeleton force that could move quickly. Henry of Champagne, now King of Jerusalem, would bring a larger force down from Acre, a force that would not arrive as quickly. As Richard’s ships approached Jaffa, Richard could not be certain if the position was already lost. But as his ship closed in on the beach, he watched a priest leap from a tower into shallow water and swim to Richard’s ship. The priest brought word that the city had not entirely yielded, that Templar knights remained available to fight, but they needed rescue immediately. In a classic Richard the Lionheart moment, the type of moment that would make him a legendary historical figure, Richard commanded that his ships should sail to the beach. He put armor on the top half of his body. He ordered crossbowmen to provide covering fire. He and a handful of knights attacked Jaffa at the ocean side. Saladin’s men simply hadn’t expected such a quick rescue, and didn’t expect it to come from the water. They were scattered, collecting the fruits of their apparent triumph, not organized to resist the attack. Richard and his men stormed the beach, hacking any enemy soldiers close enough to reach who had not been hit by crossbow bolts. Saladin’s forces now fled back through Jaffa and out of the city, inland. This was embarrassing for Saladin, who was in the process of negotiating the surrender of the city with the newly designated western Christian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Those negotiations broke off as the parties realized Richard’s bold attack had changed the circumstances completely. This was only one half of the extraordinary confrontation between Richard and Saladin at Jaffa. Part Two would play out in less than a week.
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
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
June 25th – Conrad of Montferrat Leaves Acre; Saladin’s Receives Reinforcements
July 31st – Philip II of France Makes a Promise and Leaves for Home
August 2nd – Envoys Discuss Acre Surrender Terms
August 11th – Date for the First Installment of the Acre Ransom Ends in Stalemate
August 20th – Richard the Lionheart Orders the Executions of the Acre Hostages
August 22nd – Richard the Lionheart Leaves Acre to Move South Toward Jerusalem
September 5th – Richard the Lionheart Meets with Saladin’s Brother al-Adil
September 7th – Christian Forces Win the Battle of Arsuf
September 11th – Saladin Gives the Command to Dismantle Ascalon
Sepember 29th – Saladin’s Troops Nearly Take Richard the Lionheart Prisoner
October 20th – Richard the Lionheart Proposes that His Sister Marry Saladin’s Brother al-Adil
November 1st – Saladin Learns of the Death of his Nephew Taqi al-Din
November 8th – Al-Adil Hosts a Banquet for Richard the Lionheart
November 11th – Saladin’s Council Discusses Recent Negotiations with Western Christian Factions
December 12th – Saladin Falls Back to Jerusalem
December 28th – Richard the Lionheart Moves Into the Judean Hills Unopposed
January 3rd – Richard the Lionheart Moves to Within Twelve Miles of Jerusalem
January 6th – Richard the Lionheart Orders a Retreat
January 20th – Richard the Lionheart Decides to Move on Ascalon
February 20th – Richard the Lionheart Arrives in Acre to Make Peace Between Christian Factions
March 20th – Al-Adil Brings Serious Peace Offer to Richard the Lionheart
April 5th – French Army Leaves the “Crusade” After Easter Feast
April 20th – Conrad of Montferrat Is Designated Undisputed King of Jerusalem
April 28th – Conrad of Montferrat Is Assassinated in Tyre
May 5th – Henry of Champagne Becomes the New King of Jerusalem Designate
May 23rd – Richard the Lionheart Takes Darum
June 7th – Western Christian Forces Start Out from Ascalon for Jerusalem
June 11th – Richard the Lionheart Arrives at Beit-Nuba; Saladin Waits in Jerusalem
June 24th – Richard the Lionheart’s Forces Take a Huge Caravan Bringing Supplies to Saladin
July 1st – Saladin Holds a War Council in Jerusalem
July 4th – Richard the Lionheart Withdraws a Second Time Before Besieging Jerusalem
July 27th – Saladin Moves from Jerusalem to Attack Jaffa
To review a comprehensive catalog of historical fiction set during the medieval time period, go to http://www.medieval-novels.com:80/.
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