Heroes of the Crusades (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1869. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII. RICHARD CCEUR DE LION. JERUSALEM is fallen The king a prisoner ' were the words in every mouth, when the news reached Europe. The Pope died of grief, and Henry the Second of England and Philip Augustus of France met at Gisors to plan a new Crusade. On Henry's conscience lay the burden of a heavy crime--Thomas a Becket's murder. He professed great remorse and great sanctity, and had been restored by the Pope to favour with the Church, by faithfully promising to fight the Infidels, when he was called on, and to support two hundred Templars for a year. The bad Patriarch of Jerusalem, Heraclius, had been sent, before Jerusalem fell, to entreat assistance from Europe. He had visited the Courts of Rome and Germany, and laid Jerusalem's piteous state before the French king; but his principal hope lay in England. The Crusades had not been much encouraged in England. William Rufus frankly told one of his barons, who was intending to make a pilgrimage, that if he went, 'he should seize his estate in his absence.' But Henry had actually planned a great Crusade with King Louis of France; but, fortunately for the English monarch, who had no wish to go, his French ally died before they could settle the route. When the Patriarch had entreated Henry either to go himself, or send Prince John, who was quite ready to be off, he positively refused, and the irritated Patriarch had taunted him with Thomas a Becket's murder. Henry grew angry, and then Heraclius cried out --' Do to me as you did to him I may as well die in England as in Syria. You are more cruel than any Saracen.' But it was different when Jerusalem had really fallen. Henry dared not resist the gentler voice of William, Bishop of Tyre; and though he was then at war with the King of France, he went to a ...