The age of the crusades . ndled in his limbs, whose progress he in vaintried to stay by amputating his own foot with an axe,and at length expired in dreadful agony. Romancehas invented a pleasing story of Blondel, Richardsfriend and minstrel, who discovered the place of hiskings imprisonment by singing in its proximity afamiliar song, to which Richard responded. It is true Death of Saladin. 235 to the times, but the historian cannot vouch for itsbasis in fact. Before Richard reached his throne his great com-petitor for renown in arms, Saladin, had passed away(March, 1193). He had retired to Da
The age of the crusades . ndled in his limbs, whose progress he in vaintried to stay by amputating his own foot with an axe,and at length expired in dreadful agony. Romancehas invented a pleasing story of Blondel, Richardsfriend and minstrel, who discovered the place of hiskings imprisonment by singing in its proximity afamiliar song, to which Richard responded. It is true Death of Saladin. 235 to the times, but the historian cannot vouch for itsbasis in fact. Before Richard reached his throne his great com-petitor for renown in arms, Saladin, had passed away(March, 1193). He had retired to Damascus. Ayear after the peace, feeling the approach of the lastenemy, and realizing that a greater than Richard wasupon him, he ordered that his burial shroud, insteadof his usual standard, should be carried through allthe streets of Damascus, while his herald cried, This—this is all that remains of the glory of Saladin, whoconquered the East. CHAPTER XXXI. PALESTINE AFTER THE THIRD CRUSADE—HENRYVI.—SIEGE OF j|FTER the death of Saladin his empirefell to pieces. Afdhal, his eldest son, se-cured the title of Sultan of Damascus;another son, Aziz, that of Sultan ofEgypt; and a third, Dahir, that of Sultanof Aleppo; Malek-Ahdel, his brother, the rule overMesopotamia. Afdhal warred upon Aziz, and Malek-Ahdel took advantage of the reverses of both. The Christians also fought among themselves. Thejealousies of Templars and Hospitallers were two orders had, since their founding early inthe century, grown to be powerful organizations, notonly in Palestine, but throughout Europe. Theyheld valuable property in all lands. Princes, feudallords, and high dignitaries of the church were en-rolled in their membership. They were rivals every-where for the repute of bravery, as well as in wealthand political influence. The Roman see exemptedtheir members from secular taxation, and even fromreligious oversight, except by the Holy Father grand masters were
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidageof, booksubjectcrusades
