by Griff Hosker
When I spoke to my captains they concurred. They had already spoken with other men at arms, archers and even crossbowmen and learned that Peter of Brittany and his Lieutenant, Raoul de Soissons, had a good reputation and were seen as leaders that men could follow. The die was cast. It did not take long to realise that we had made the right choice for King Thibaut sat and wrote poetry. His leaders, the Duke of Burgundy, Henry of Bar and Duke Peter urged him to move to Ascalon but he seemed reluctant.
At the start of September, a new contingent of knights arrived. This time they were Scottish. I did not see them arrive but I heard that they had not entered Acre, instead, like me, they had journeyed to Jerusalem. It was when we set off for Ascalon that I heard that one of the lords was Malcolm, Earl of Fife. I knew not why he had taken so long to arrive but I suspected that it had involved treachery of some kind. My enemy had found me.
It was the end of October before the King stirred himself. An army of four thousand knights headed down the coastal road to Ascalon. We were not going to war. We were going to build a castle! One advantage of being attached to such a senior lord was that we were not relegated to the back of the huge column of men. We rode in the van and drank water which was fresher than the ones at the rear had and we did not have to endure the dust of this dry land. I rode with Duke Peter and Raoul. William rode with my knights. Mark and Sam were delighted they were privy to the conversations they overheard.
“At least we moved, Duke Peter.”
“True, Sir Thomas, but I wish to do more than simply rebuild a castle. I want to hurt our enemies. Raoul here has heard of a heavily protected caravan which is heading to Damascus from Egypt. It has weapons and armour, as well as supplies. It is intended for An-Nasir Dawud who hopes to usurp the Emir of Damascus! An-Nasir is Emir of Kerak and is an ally of As-Salih Ayyub. If the caravan gets through then one faction will be stronger than the other. We need them to be as they are now, vying with each other for power, and if we can stop this caravan getting through then neither faction has greater power and we might succeed.”
I shook my head, “If King Thibaut had any wit about him, he would strike now for it seems that every Muslim is fighting against every other.”
Raoul laughed, “Aye but the Emir of Damascus is on our side, at the moment we need him!”
“This caravan should be stopped then.”
“You read my mind, Sir Thomas. When we reach Ascalon the three of us will plan how we can thwart this attempt to weaken our ally.”
When we reached Ascalon, I saw that the Egyptians had tried to destroy its defences completely. My grandfather had been at Ascalon when the Templars had foolishly charged a breach in the walls and suffered a massive defeat. Saladin had realised the danger of the fortress and when he defeated the Franks the castle was razed to the ground. Fortunately, they had not removed the stone; instead, they had just filled the ditches with the stones. It would not be as hard to rebuild as I had thought. Of course, knights did not dirty their hands with such labour. That was the work of men at arms, archers and crossbowmen.
When I sat with the two Bretons warriors, I suddenly found memories flooding back. The road they spoke of was close to the place that Robert of Blois had met his end. He had been ambushed by Muslims. I had barely escaped with my life and had been saved by a fierce Muslim warrior who had believed my story. Raoul had a map and when I saw it, I recognised some of the features. I nodded and pointed, “There are two places we could use to attack the caravan. One is here where there is a rocky ridge above the road and scrubby trees which would hide us and the other is here, a mile further north. Here the road passes close to a stream, or what passes for a stream in this part of the world.”
Duke Peter laughed, “I knew your knowledge would come to our aid. Raoul, you take half of our knights and wait on the riverside. I will take the other half along with Sir Thomas and his knights. We will wait at the other ambush site.”
“Duke Peter, we might have to wait for days.”
“I know, Sir Thomas, and the alternative is for us to sit here and drink. There is a cooling breeze from the sea, I grant you, but would you not rather wait where you can hurt our enemies and forestall a defeat?”
I liked the Duke for he was confident and that could win battles, “Aye, Duke Peter, you are quite correct.”
I told my three captains of our plans to raid while they continued to build Ascalon’s walls and they were, as I had expected, disappointed and resentful. “Sir Thomas, we are not labourers!”
“I know, Padraig, but this is necessary. Can you imagine the danger we would face if this An-Nasir Dawud was able to defeat the Emir? The Ayyub of Egypt would join forces with the Emir of Kerak and we would have an army of a hundred thousand men to face.”
They saw the sense in my words, “Aye, lord, but you be careful. Remember the Earl of Fife is close and we are not there to protect you.”
“Richard Red Leg, you three are the only ones who know our plan and I do not believe that the Earl will know where we ambush the caravan as that is only known by three people. I confess that when he joins the army there will be a problem but let us cross that bridge when we have to and not before.”
We headed east the next morning well before the sun had risen. I rode Flame for I knew I would need a courser. The Duke led a hundred knights, including mine. If the King was concerned about our destination he said nothing, while the other barons appeared to be more concerned with securing better accommodation! We rode until mid-morning and rested in the shade of some olive trees. Raoul and his forty knights left us in the early afternoon. They would wait by the stream. The Duke had chosen the harder place to wait and it showed much about his character for unlike King Henry he would tackle the harder battle. It was getting on for sunset when we reached the road. It would have been useful to have archers but they were needed to rebuild Ascalon.
William and I built a hovel, much to the amusement of the Breton knights. I did not mind their mocking looks for we would be slightly more comfortable than they would be, sleeping in the open. This was Palestine and there was no frost but it was November and there could be rain. The Duke had brought servants to cook for us. I thought it a mistake as it would alert other travellers and the last thing we needed was for news of the ambush to reach the caravan.
“Tomorrow, Duke Peter, I will take my son and squires and we will scout out the land around here.”
“There is no need, Sir Thomas.”
“There is for I like to know what is around me. Are there horse archers waiting to ambush us? My grandfather had a scout, Masood, and I wish we had one just like him. We do not fit in with the land. We wear mail and ride warhorses while the locals do not and they can blend in easier than we can.”
“You know your own mind, Sir Thomas.”
“And that is why I have lived so long. We will leave well before dawn.”
Mark and Matthew had grown since I had taken them from the tannery. It was not just a physical growth; they had both learned skills. Both were good archers and they had learned from Cedric and my men. They knew how to track. It was they found the trail which led high up along the ridge. We kept away from the skyline so that while we would not be seen if there were enemies, then we would see them first. We did not see the tracks of any horses and that was a relief. We stopped when the sun began to make the metal of my mail too hot to touch. We found a stand of scrubby trees and used their shade.
Henry Samuel was curious, “Grandfather, what if the caravan comes this day and we miss the chance to ambush it?”
“Then we will not garner the reward that the others do but I do not think that it will come this day.” I shrugged. “I have nothing to base that idea upon save a feeling. We have ascertained that we are alone and we will leave as soon as it is cool enough. First, I will walk up that small peak and spy out the road below us. Would you like to come, Sam?”
He was eager to join me, “Aye, grandfather!”
I took off my spurs and helmet.
I would not need them and I slipped my coif around my shoulders. The white hood on my cloak would keep my head cool. I took it steady as I climbed because I had to. I was no longer a young man but it was good practice anyway as slow and steady movements were harder to see. The path twisted to the right and then double-backed upon itself to climb higher. I saw the road below us and then, to the northeast, a castle. It was not a Frankish castle but it had two gates and a tower. I pushed Henry Samuel to the ground and I lay there to spy it out. The yellow flag which flew above it told me that it was Ayyubid as did the arms and armour of the four guards I saw on the walls and in the tallest tower. The gates were open and I saw no frenetic activity. They did not know that there were a hundred knights within five miles of it. We backed down the slope and then stood.
“This changes our plans. We will need to warn the Duke.”
“Does this mean that we will not ambush the caravan?”
“We may still attack but the Duke might not wish to split his forces. He is the leader and it is his decision.”
I deemed, by the time we returned to our horses, that we could risk heading back to the Duke even though it was not the cool of the evening. Flame had not been hard-pressed thus far and he could cope with an extra effort. I told William my news as we headed back to the camp. We arrived before dark. I told Duke Peter what we had learned and my recommendations and he did not seem put out by the fact that there was a castle nearby.
“I am not surprised for the caravans must use such places to rest. This gives me hope, Sir Thomas, for it means that they will pass us when they are looking forward to the shelter the castle offers. You have done well and have justified your inclusion.” He pointed to my knights. “They were most discomfited that you did not take them. I think they feel like they are your oathsworn.”
I was surprised. They had changed since we had come to Palestine. Sir Stephen approached me, “My lord, why did you not take us with you? Have we disappointed you?”
“No, Sir Stephen, in fact since the attack by the horse archers all of you have impressed me but what I did needed stealth. Have you ever scouted out an enemy?” The other knights had joined us and they all shook their heads. “And that is why I took just my squire, son and pages. You need small numbers to find the enemy and you need those who can move quietly and without leaving a trail. Now be of good cheer. We have the opportunity to strike the first blow for the Crusade. Within the next days, we will be fighting the enemy and then you will be truly tested. Do not let his apparent lack of mail fool you. They use other means to protect themselves and their weapons are the equal of ours, but they are different. Now rest and make your peace with God.”
The Duke had brought two of his retainers with him. They looked after the horses and he sent them, the next morning, to keep watch on the road to the south of us. I had exerted myself enough the previous day and I used my cloak to make a shelter from the sun and I dozed. Henry Samuel and William thought I was asleep and I heard their words.
“Grandfather is the oldest man on this crusade, uncle. The climate does not suit him. He was out of breath when we reached the top of the peak.”
“Do not worry about my father, Sam. He has steel for bones and he will keep going longer than any of us. This land was the land which forged him. When he was knighted, he was little older than you and, abandoned by King Richard, he had to learn to use his wits. I am still learning by watching him and you should learn by watching me. This is not the place for a ceremonial page. Here we are all fighting men. If the Turk comes then you will have to fight and neither my father nor I can watch over you.”
I heard his voice which sounded very small, “I am not afraid for the blood of the Warlord is in my veins too! It is the Turks who should worry!”
I wondered if the blood of the warlord was a curse. And in that instant, I knew it was not. Had it not been for the blood of Alfred, the Warlord, I would not have defended my father and then I would have died. There would have been no Alfred, William, Thomas, Isabelle and Henry Samuel, not to mention Geoffrey and Richard. It was not a curse. It was a blessing and, comforted, I slept.
It was Mark who woke me, “Lord, the scouts have returned and the caravan approaches. I fear they have more men than we do.”
I smiled, “Have courage and trust in God and your sword. Go and saddle Flame!” As he ran off, I took the waterskin and drank deeply. I looked at the sky and saw that it was late in the afternoon. The leader of the caravan would be rushing to reach the castle before dark. We had more than a chance.
I hurried to the Duke who was already mounted. When I reached his side he smiled, “We may have bitten off a larger piece of meat than I expected. They have more than a hundred guards!”
“Yet the last thing they will expect is an attack by the Franks. When we charge sound the horn to summon your lieutenant, Raoul. He can cut off their escape to the castle.”
“I would not play chess against you for you are always two moves ahead of me.”
William, Mark and my knights appeared. Flame looked eager for war. While Mark held his reins, I mounted and took the spear from Henry Samuel. I turned to my knights. “We charge in a wedge. William and I will lead. Squires and pages form the third rank!” I nudged Flame close to the scrubby brush. Already the horses were neighing for there were camels approaching and these horses had not been trained to approach that most disgusting of animals. It could not be helped but the Turks would know that there were horsemen close by.
Peter of Brittany might only have fought in skirmishes but he knew his business and he shouted, “Sound the horn three times!” That was the signal for our knights to attack and for Raoul to come to our aid. It would take him some time to reach us but I hoped that the shock of our dual attack would make the Muslims panic. They were riding tired beasts and the animals would be desperate for water.
I spurred Flame and he leapt through the thinly branched scrub. I had my shield held close to me and protecting Flame’s head for there would be archers with the caravan and the last thing I needed was a wound to my horse. There were just sixty knights who charged with us but with our squires and pages, the number who fell upon the caravan was more than one hundred and thirty. The camels were protected on two sides by horsemen but that meant that only half of the enemy faced us. I pulled my arm back and rammed my spear into the side of a surprised mailed warrior. He was a noble for he had mail about his head and the scimitar which hung from his belt was damasked. His shield was small and I had time to aim for his face. His shield was slow to rise and my spearhead rammed into his mouth and I saw it emerge from the back of his skull. As he fell, he tore the spear from my hand and, in an instant, I had my sword drawn. The horse archer who rode close by was already drawing his composite bow. Had he released then the arrow was at such a close range that it would have torn through my mail. As it was my swinging sword took him in the chest. I shattered his bow and then laid open his organs. He fell to the ground and was dead before he reached it.
I passed the camels and headed towards the line of warriors on the other side. I hoped that William and my knights were with me but in such a battle all that a knight could do was fight the enemies before him. The warrior’s spear was headed for my face but I still had good reactions and my shield blocked the blow. I swung blindly in a long sweep. I caught his horse’s mane which made the horse flinch but my blade slipped beneath his shield to rip open and eviscerate the Ayyubid.
I yelled, “Wheel!” and jerked Flames’ reins to the right. As I rode back up the slope, I saw that the enemy had broken and were heading up the road. They would meet Raoul and his men. “Knights! On me!” I shouted in English so that my men would know that the command came from me.
I heard William shout, “Sir Richard, heed the command! Leave the damned camels!”
I spurred Flame. The knights I led were keen but only William and I had horses which were as good as those of the Duke. We led the pursuit. This was not war, this was slaughter. I swept my sword to
hack across the backs of those who fled before me. The ones I missed were killed by William. I knew not where Mark and Henry Samuel were but I prayed that they were safe. This was a great victory but only if we all survived. I saw that we were heading for the castle. If they closed the gates then we would have to besiege it and that would be costly. I urged Flame on and found myself overtaking the oathsworn of the Duke of Brittany. I heard a wail from ahead as Raoul de Soissons led his knights to attack into the side of the leading warriors. I spied a warrior with mail and a horsehair plume on his helmet, He rode a fine horse and I knew him to be a leader. If I could catch him before he entered the castle then I had a chance.
He had a good horse and my mail was heavier but Flame had his bit between his teeth and we inexorably closed with the Muslim warrior. The men on the walls were shouting in panic as they saw me closing and I saw the doors beginning to shut. The man I was chasing had to be important for the men on the gates hesitated and, in that hesitation, lay defeat. I caught him as he closed with the gates. I brought my sword down across his back. Even had I not sliced through his mail I would have broken his spine. As he fell from his horse I clattered through the gate and kicked one of the sentries in the face with my boot. My son William’s sword hacked into the side of the head of the other guard and I shouted, “Hold the gate!”
Sir Stephen and Sir Robert were close behind and with four of us in the gateway we dared any to try to close the gates. Behind us, we heard the dying screams as the Duke and his men slaughtered the dismayed guards from the caravan. Our squires and pages, along with the rest of my knights were the next through and once they were there I shouted, “Mark, Matthew, you and the squires hold the gates. Knights, let us take this castle!”
I confess that the joy of battle was upon me and I spurred Flame to charge through the castle. It was not built as a Norman castle. There was no keep but I knew there would be another gate and I headed directly for it. The men who stepped into our path and tried to stop us were doomed to failure. We were mailed and well-armed. Swords sliced and hacked as we carved our way to the northern gate. There we stopped and I ordered Sir Henry and Sir Hugo to close and hold the gates. By the time the Duke arrived, we had a hundred prisoners and there were twenty dead warriors who had attempted to breach the gate. The rest surrendered for there was no alternative.
