Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
pcaped thirty-three Templars , twenty-six Hospitallers , and three Teutonic kni ghts . All the Grand Masters were slain , and the orders seemed to be threatened with total destruction . Not long after this victory the Corasmins divided among themselves , and in a short time none of them remained . The news of this terrible calamity no sooner reached Rome than Pope Innocent IVcalled general
. a council to-consider the state of the Holy Land . This was in the year 124 S , when a new Crusade was resolved upon , at the head of which appeared Louis IX , of France , commonly called St . Louis . In the middle of the following year this monarch , at the head of a numerous army , landed in Egypt , and entered Damiata without resistance . So great was the consternation which this invasion occasioned to
the Saracens , that , if the Christians had taken the proper advantage of it , they might have pushed their arms successfully on to Grand Cairo itself . They continued long enough at Damiata to give the Saracens time to recover their fright . ' In November they set out for the capital , aud on the road were met by five hundred of the Egyptian horse pretending to be deserters . These were permitted
to continue as a distinct body , and to march in the van with the Templars . But no sooner were they arrived at a branch of the Nile called Thanis , than these pretended deserters fell suddenly on a squadron of the Templars ; " those kni ghts , however , not easily surprised , received them with so muih bravery that presently not one of the traitors was left . Here the Christians found it necessary to
encamp , as the river was so deep and rapid that no means could be devised for passing it . At length an Arabian was found who , for a great reward , shewed them a ford over which a few could pass at a time . The king ' s brother , the Count of Artois , a young man of more courage than conduct , solicited leave to go over first . This the king reluctantly granted him , after binding him by oath not to engage m any enterprize till the whole army should get overThe
. young prince gained the opposite shore with little difficulty , followed by a body of the . Templars and Hospitalers , and two hundred English knights commanded by the Earl of Salisbury . The Saracens who were stationed at . the ford fled at the approach of the Christians towards their camp , and the count , with the impetuosity of youthful valour , pursued them , against the most vehement protestations of the
two f ? rand Masters and the English general . He reached the enemies camp almost as soon as the fugitives , and the infidels , imagining that the whole Christian army was on their backs , abandoned their entrenchments in the greatest disorder . So far the ardour of Robert might have been excused ; but , unfortunately , success only served to cast oil upon the mental flame . He resolved on pursuing the fling
y enemy even to the walls of Massoure where they had taken shelter , and , if possible , to surprise that city . The G ' rand Master of the Templars , William de Soiinac , an ancient and brave commander , endeavoured all that lay in his power to dissuade him from so rash an enterprize . The Earl of Salisbury , and all the experienced officers , seconded the advice of the Templar ; but the prince , bent on so . glar
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Brief History Of The Religious And Military Order Of The Knights Templars Of St. John Of Jerusalem.
pcaped thirty-three Templars , twenty-six Hospitallers , and three Teutonic kni ghts . All the Grand Masters were slain , and the orders seemed to be threatened with total destruction . Not long after this victory the Corasmins divided among themselves , and in a short time none of them remained . The news of this terrible calamity no sooner reached Rome than Pope Innocent IVcalled general
. a council to-consider the state of the Holy Land . This was in the year 124 S , when a new Crusade was resolved upon , at the head of which appeared Louis IX , of France , commonly called St . Louis . In the middle of the following year this monarch , at the head of a numerous army , landed in Egypt , and entered Damiata without resistance . So great was the consternation which this invasion occasioned to
the Saracens , that , if the Christians had taken the proper advantage of it , they might have pushed their arms successfully on to Grand Cairo itself . They continued long enough at Damiata to give the Saracens time to recover their fright . ' In November they set out for the capital , aud on the road were met by five hundred of the Egyptian horse pretending to be deserters . These were permitted
to continue as a distinct body , and to march in the van with the Templars . But no sooner were they arrived at a branch of the Nile called Thanis , than these pretended deserters fell suddenly on a squadron of the Templars ; " those kni ghts , however , not easily surprised , received them with so muih bravery that presently not one of the traitors was left . Here the Christians found it necessary to
encamp , as the river was so deep and rapid that no means could be devised for passing it . At length an Arabian was found who , for a great reward , shewed them a ford over which a few could pass at a time . The king ' s brother , the Count of Artois , a young man of more courage than conduct , solicited leave to go over first . This the king reluctantly granted him , after binding him by oath not to engage m any enterprize till the whole army should get overThe
. young prince gained the opposite shore with little difficulty , followed by a body of the . Templars and Hospitalers , and two hundred English knights commanded by the Earl of Salisbury . The Saracens who were stationed at . the ford fled at the approach of the Christians towards their camp , and the count , with the impetuosity of youthful valour , pursued them , against the most vehement protestations of the
two f ? rand Masters and the English general . He reached the enemies camp almost as soon as the fugitives , and the infidels , imagining that the whole Christian army was on their backs , abandoned their entrenchments in the greatest disorder . So far the ardour of Robert might have been excused ; but , unfortunately , success only served to cast oil upon the mental flame . He resolved on pursuing the fling
y enemy even to the walls of Massoure where they had taken shelter , and , if possible , to surprise that city . The G ' rand Master of the Templars , William de Soiinac , an ancient and brave commander , endeavoured all that lay in his power to dissuade him from so rash an enterprize . The Earl of Salisbury , and all the experienced officers , seconded the advice of the Templar ; but the prince , bent on so . glar