Chapter VIII: Book VII: A.d. 1148-1188

THIRD CRUSADE.

The religion of Mahomet—State of the East at the time of
the third crusade—Dynasties of the Saracens and the Turks
almost annihilated—Caliphs of Bagdad, the chiefs of
Islamism—Heroic character of Noureddin—Capture of Ascalon
by Baldwin III.—Baldwin’s death—His brother Amaury elected
his successor—Distracted state of Egypt—Warlike
preparations against—Capture of Bilbeis by Baldwin—The
Syrians invade Egypt—Baldwin marries the daughter of the
emperor Manuel—Makes war on Egypt—Deposition and death of
the caliph. The Fatimite dynasty extinguished—Extensive
power of Noureddin, the sultan of Aleppo and Damascus—
Saladin, the vizier of Egypt—Death of Noureddin—Empire of
the Atabecks declines—Death of Amaury—The victories of
Saladin in Syria—Baldwin IV., king of Jerusalem—The
Mamelukes—Guy of Lusignan—Renaud de Chatillon—Raised to
the throne of Antioch—His various military adventures—
Rebellion of Guy de Lusignan—Distracted state of Jerusalem
—Interview between Henry II. of England and Heraclius,
patriarch of Constantinople—Philip Augustus, king of
France—Deaths of Baldwin IV. and V.—Guy de Lusignan, the
sovereign of Jerusalem—Sybilla, daughter of Amaury—The
Templars defeated with great slaughter—Tiberias taken by
Saladin—Disastrous defeat of the Christians—Capture of the
“true cross”—Guy de Lusignan and many distinguished
knights taken prisoners or slain—Saladin captures
Ptolemaïs, Ascalon, Gaza, and numerous other cities in
Palestine—He takes possession of Jerusalem—Sufferings of
the Christians—The archbishop of Tyre preaches in support
of the holy war—Henry II. of England, Richard I. and
Philip of France determine on renewing the holy war—
Persecution and massacre of the Jews—Archbishop Baldwin
preaches the crusade in England—Frederick Barbarossa
engages in the crusade—Miraculous vision—Contentions
between the Greeks and the Latins—Andronicus of
Constantinople dethroned—The Greeks defeated by Barbarossa
—His victorious career—His death pp. 382-450.