by Griff Hosker
The planning was meticulous. Each of the conroi leaders was shown the map of the area and each of us told the others when we would be leaving and how we would raid. The land we had been allocated was towards Nazareth. Others were heading for Nablus and Galilee. This was the heartland of Emir Dawud. My father helped me to plan it. In many ways, it aided his recovery for he had to use his mind and recall battles fought long ago. Richard, Padraig and Cedric sat in with us and they proved a boon for they were able to jog his memory and fill in the blanks and holes.
“Nazareth is twenty-five miles from here. That is too far to get there and back in one day. Better to take two days and scout out the enemy. Recklessly riding into enemy strongholds is never a good idea. That way you have plenty of time to collect animals and drive them back to Acre.”
“What of the defences in this land? Will they be forts?”
Padraig and the others could not help my father here and I saw him frown. I prompted him, “When I was young you spoke of Aqua Bella?”
He suddenly smiled, “Aqua Bella! Of course! That belonged to my grandfather for a while but that was built by Christians and is different from the way the Muslims build.” He suddenly smiled at me, “Thank you, William, your words have been the key to open another undiscovered memory. The Muslims like to use mud walls and a single tower. There will, probably, be just one gate in and out. If there is a ditch, and it is unlikely, then it will be a dry one. If you can avoid trying to take these defences for it will cost men. You know that from when the enemy attacked you at Elsdon. If their soldiers are inside their forts then they cannot stop you from taking their animals. When you take their animals, it will draw their men to you.” He suddenly glared at us all, “Wear mail!” He fixed his gaze upon Matthew, “Get yourself a full-face helmet or one with a visor and a good head protector! I am living testament to the need for that.”
I saw our knights and squires taking in the import of my father’s words. All of them now wore mail but I knew that some still had an open helmet. “Thank you for this advice and while we are gone you can continue to recover.”
“While you raid, I will continue to ask questions and find the best targets for you to raid. On this first chevauchée, you will not reach Nazareth. I wish to find out more about the men of the towns and villages that you need to attack. You can never have too much knowledge.”
I took Flame, and we left before dawn the next day. Cedric was at the fore with a local Christian we had hired. Jean was not a Frank but his mother had married a sergeant from King Richard’s Crusade and they had farmed close by Bethlehem of Galilee until the Muslims had killed him and taken their farm. The man was keen to help and Padraig, who had questioned him, trusted him. I knew that it would make our life much easier if we had a local. For one thing, it would enable us to interrogate any prisoners we took.
I rode just two hundred paces behind our archers and our scouts. The archers of the other knights were our rearguard. Our losses meant that we were all much closer in every way possible. Our trials had bound us together. Sir Stephen was my de facto lieutenant. We got on well and he had proved himself to be a doughty warrior. We spoke as we rode.
“From what I can gather, this Bethlehem of Galilee is not the Bethlehem where our lord was born but another with the same name. Jean, our local guide, told me that there is a single tower there and that the locals retire there when they are attacked.”
“There is a garrison?”
“That he does not know. We use our archers to get close to the village and then they can signal us. When we are in position our knights and men at arms can charge into the village. Do not expect great numbers of animals nor vast quantities of treasure. What we do has no glory but it is necessary. Every warrior we kill means one less to man the walls of Jerusalem should we have to assault it.”
That was our other fear; the Emir would gain allies who might join him in Jerusalem. We could not afford an alliance of all the emirs. We needed the discord which kept them at each other’s throats. The King’s mission to Hama was vital.
This was the first time that Matthew had gone to war without his brother since we had reached this land. Padraig understood him better than most and he kept him close to him. He acted as a mentor to him. The rest of my men were mindful of the losses we had incurred and watched constantly; I do not think that I had ever seen such vigilance. There was neither chatter nor banter. The usual songs my men sang when we first set off were missing. As we passed each jumble of huts, houses and farms, arrows were nocked and men stared intently at every rock and bush watching for an ambush. I knew that Jean or Cedric would have scented any danger but it did no harm for the men to scrutinise everything.
As we rode, I pulled back the mail mitten on my right hand and looked at my palm and fingers. The sense of touch was something we all took for granted. I knew that when I held my sword I preferred to do so without metal between my hand and the hilt. I had wanted to ask my father what it felt like and then realised the ridiculousness of such a question He did not feel. If he went to war again then he would not have the control over his sword that he needed. I knew that I should be grateful that he was alive but what else had he lost which we had yet to discover? His memories would come back, or so Conrad had said, but there were some memories only my father held. We could not stir those memories. What would happen if they never came back?
Padraig was just behind me and he said, quietly, “My lord, the skyline.”
I realised that my concentration had lapsed. I turned to see whither Padraig pointed. To the south of us was a ridge which followed the road. I forced myself to concentrate and to put my father’s ailments from my head.
“There, lord.”
I saw what Padraig had seen, a flash of light from metal. The ones who worked on the ridge were shepherds and they needed no metal. The only ones who used metal were warriors. There were soldiers there and they were following us. If they followed us then they had known we would be raiding. Were we riding into a trap?
“Thank you, Padraig! That was remiss of me.”
“You have had much on your mind, my lord. The top of the ridge is more than a mile away and the slopes are steep. Whoever it is cannot attack us.”
“Yet!” I nodded, “They will wait until we are committed to attacking and then attack us.”
Sir Stephen was confused, “Who, Sir William?”
“Do not turn your head but there are warriors on the ridge and they are paralleling our course. Bethlehem of Galilee is just two miles ahead. When I studied the maps, I saw that the village was in a bowl surrounded by high ground. In most parts, the high ground is more than three miles away but in places, it is less than a mile. Matthew, ride to Cedric and tell him that I have seen warriors to the south of us. When we reach Bethlehem of Galilee, he is to surround the village so that no one can escape and then listen for your horn.”
“Aye, lord.”
“Sir Stephen, now is the chance for you and the other knights to operate by yourselves. When we reach the village and I sound the charge you will lead the knights and your men at arms to attack the town. You will kill as many warriors as you can and capture as many animals. My men at arms and the rest of the archers will stay by me. We will rescue you.”
He turned to me, “We are bait?”
“You are bait but the kind of bait which is hard to swallow for you are mailed! We need as many animals collecting as we can get for that will feed us and starve the enemy. If the men who are not warriors fight then slay them, if not try to take them prisoner. They may come in handy when we bargain with the Emir for the return of Jerusalem.” He nodded. “Now keep moving while I drop back to speak with my men at arms and the archers.”
The conversation I had with my men at arms was easier than that with the ten archers who served the other lords but once I had explained what they had to do they seemed happy enough. I spurred Flame to ride back to Sir Stephen. As I reached him, I sniffed the air and a few paces later I held up my ha
nd. “The village is close.”
“How do you know, Sir William? I cannot see the houses nor the huts.”
“Nor will you for, as I said, this is in a natural bowl but I can smell animal and human dung. More than that I smell woodsmoke. That means habitation. Have your men move into position.”
“But I can see nothing!”
“Good! When you do see anything then stop. Listen for Matthew when he sounds the horn. You will not be facing many warriors. You do not need to ride boot to boot. Cover as much ground as you can. They will run and that will be to the east. There Cedric and my archers wait for them.”
“And you, Sir William?”
I pointed to the south, “We will be dealing with the warriors who are already filtering down to attack your rear.”
The plan seemed simple but I knew there were many things which could go wrong. The warriors on the ridge had seen our numbers but they had not seen me stop for there was a stand of trees to our right. It was an olive grove underplanted with vines and it had been allowed to grow wild. The Muslims frowned upon wine. In the twenty years since the village had been taken this part had been lost to farming. I pointed my spear to the right and led my tiny band of men into the undergrowth. The vines plucked at our chausses and I took that to be a good sign. The enemy would not expect any warriors to use it.
“Matthew, sound the horn!”
Matthew sounded it three times and I dug my spurs into Flame’s sides. I was gambling but I knew that any attack on my men would have to come from the south and the ridge. We would be unseen but, if they did attack Sir Stephen and the others then I would be able to strike at them and take them from their left. I counted on the ten archers I had with me being able to send fifty arrows into the enemy within a short time.
Towards the town, I heard shouts and then screams. There was the clash of metal on metal. We were nearing the edge of the abandoned vineyard and olive grove and I saw, ahead of me, Khwarzamians; the emir had hired mercenaries. Their version of men at arms would have padded garments and a helmet with an aventail and would be called askari. Their horse archers would have neither helmet nor mail. All of this I had learned in Acre; I had spent my time wisely. I said not a word but turned and waved my spear in an arc. It was a signal for the archers to get as close to us as they could and to dismount. They would discomfit the enemy while I led my men at arms and my squire in a ridiculous charge. We would be totally outnumbered but I hoped that the surprise would carry the day for us for they would expect all of our knights to be attacking the town.
I could now concentrate on the enemy. I pulled my shield a little tighter to my body and rested my spear across my cantle. I could now see the enemy through the undergrowth; there appeared to be almost a hundred of them. A daunting number to be attacked by so few but we would be aided by the fact that their horse archers would ride ahead of the men with lances and spears. Their job would be to make our knights and men at arms waste their energy in fruitless attacks on men who could turn and release over the backs of their horses. They would hope to infuriate our men and draw them, weary, on to the spears of their askari. As was normal in such armies they had a higher proportion of archers to askari. I had told Matthew to ride directly behind me. It was partly to protect him and also to give him a better opportunity to strike at someone who was trying to kill Padraig and me! Our silent approach and the noise of the battle in the village meant that we closed with them almost silently despite the coursers we rode. My men at arms all rode a horse which was the equal of any knight’s. I turned Flame slightly to the right for I wanted to hit towards the rear of the Khwarzamian askari warriors. That way we would allow our archers more targets and, when we turned, we would be charging into the rear of the enemy. It was neither honourable nor glorious but, then again, honour and glory were highly overrated.
I waved my lance and spurred Flame. With Peter and Padraig flanking me we hit the five askari on the extreme left of the enemy line. I struck first and I was able to bring my lance into the rear of my enemy. He tumbled from the saddle and his falling body helped my lance to slide, bloodily free. Padraig, Rafe and Peter had their own battles to fight. I concentrated on my next target who, obligingly, turned his head to face me and I punched my spear beneath the edge of his mail aventail. He too fell from his horse. The archers who had now dismounted were sending arrow after arrow into the flanks of the askari and heads turned to see where lay the threat. I began my turn and pulled my arm back to strike again with my wooden lance. I saw the broad back of an askari and he was riding a much smaller horse than mine. He heard Flame for my horse had the joy of battle in his nostrils and was snorting loudly. The Khwarzamian saw my lance as it tore into his back. He was a big man and he must have had a mail vest beneath his flowing cloak for the head of my lance broke as it smashed into his back. I threw the now useless weapon away and drew my sword.
The Khwarzamian askari were turning to see who attacked them but there were just five of us, our paucity of numbers merely confused them. I brought my sword across the back and spine of another. It was then I heard another horn and it was not Matthew’s; it was Khwarzamian. I began to rein in for I knew that the signal was to turn his men and face the new threat. He knew our numbers!
I shouted, “Matthew, between Padraig and me and prepare your spear!”
As he nudged his horse between us, I saw that he still held his spear and it was bloody. He had killed a man. Now I depended upon Cedric and my archers defeating the Khwarzamian horse archers. I estimated that the handful of us had killed at least ten men. That was a quarter of their askari. Of course, we were still seriously outnumbered but, to the left of us, were ten archers who could still whittle down the enemy numbers.
“We go for the standard! If that falls then they flee. These are mercenaries! Close up!”
Whereas in our initial attack the open nature of our charge maximised casualties now we needed to be close and make it harder for the enemy to hurt us. Peter and Matthew were the ones still with spears and it was their spears which knocked two askari from their saddles and allowed me to shatter a third spear. Their smaller horses parted to allow our bigger warhorses through. There was no cowardly intent on the part of these brave warriors. Their horses simply would not face the snapping teeth of four Frankish horses. I saw men, to my left, plucked from their saddles by arrows. My archers were doing their part and soon we would have parity with the enemy. Their leader was mailed as was his standard-bearer. The standard-bearer had no weapon except for the standard. The leader’s face could not be seen for he had a full-face coif; it was intimidating and his conical helmet had a spike on the top and a horsehair plume. It was an affectation. The advantage I had was in the shield I had for it covered more of my body than the round one held by the amir.
The amir would have an advantage when we clashed for his lance would strike me before I would be able to get my own blow in. I braced myself. I could not see his eyes and I had to use his body language to determine where he would strike at me. If he was experienced then he would not go for my shield as that would shatter his spear. The way I held my shield meant that left only one target, my helmet. If he struck close to the eyepiece then I risked losing one or two eyes for splinters from a shattered spear were deadly. However, I would need to keep my eyes open. It was a risk no matter what I did. To give me as good a chance of survival as I could I forced Flame to get closer to him. Timing was all when a warrior used a lance and the sudden burst of speed from my courser might be just enough to put him off. I began to draw my sword back when I saw him pull back the lance. Had he been going for my middle he would have stood. He would strike upwards and go for my helmet. Knowing that I tipped my head forward slightly. If he mistimed the blow at all then the top of my helmet would make the spearhead slide over it.
His horse must have stumbled slightly for the lance dipped down and struck my shield before springing up and over my helmet. Had his animal not stumbled he would have hit me square on. I stood and swu
ng my sword from on high. He was almost past me when it bit down into his aventail. All of my anger at the wound my father had suffered was in that blow and I must have broken his neck for his head lolled to the side and he fell. As I had expected that tore the heart from the Khwarzamians. I turned and saw that Matthew had lost his helmet but he held the Khwarzamian standard and his shattered lance had impaled the standard-bearer. I watched as Peter and Padraig slew two more askari. Rafe War Axe was laying about him with his favourite weapon and none could come near to him. Few of the askari who were not killed escaped unwounded. My archers rained arrows into the flanks and then the Khwarzamian horse archers burst forth. They looked to have lost the battle of the bow. Padraig hacked at one as he passed him but they all avoided their dead leader and his standard.
When the last horseman had passed us, I raised my visor. When I had ascertained that the enemy had fled, I said, “Well done, Matthew. How did you lose your helmet?”
“He used the standard as a lance, lord, and he struck my helmet with the end; my strap did not hold.”
Padraig had taken off his helmet, “And there is a lesson, Master Matthew. You are responsible for Sir William’s war gear. What if that had been his? Check everything; not just the sharpness of the blade. Leather straps should be perfect too.”
