Dark Scenes of History ([1849]) [Volume:2]

The fatal battle of Tiberiad, and the fall of Jerusalem before the victorious arms of Saladin, terminated the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, founded by Godfrey of Bouillon. True, the Franks continued to hold for some years various strong places in the Holy Land. True, the mighty arm of Richard Cceur de Lion brought temporary hope, and a brief prospect of success to the defeated and disheartened Christians of Syria. True, Henry of Champagne, Alnieric, and Isabella, and others after their death, called themselves sovereigns of Jerusalem ; but they never possessed one stone of the holy city ; nor were they or their followers permitted to set a foot within its walls, except by permission of the victorious Moslem. Vice, luxury, and idleness had taken possession of the descendants of the early crusaders; and the sole bulwarks of the christian power were the two great orders of the Temple and Hospital. Often rivals, often enemies, these bodies of military monks were rarely found wanting in harmony and zeal at the moment of danger and distress ; and the misfortunes which fell upon the christian kingdom after the return of Richard I. to England, united them in defence of the little which remained, of all the fair possessions which had been won from the infidels. The greatest, the most valiant, and the most powerful of the monarchs who arose after the death of Saladin and bis immediate successors, to oppress the remnant of the Christians in the it, was the sultan of Egypt, named Bibars Bondocdar ; and step by step, his course, which was as often marked by private assassination as by valiant deeds of war, brought under the rule of the scimitar, Cesarea and Arsouf, Sifed and Kora, Schakif and Antioch. The second crusade of St. Louis diverted him for a time from his career in Syria; but, as soon as that danger had passed away, Bondocdar once more turned his arms against the Syrian Christians, and menaced the county of Tripoli. The savage conqueror announced his approach by a letter characteristic of the man.