The Knights Templars.

councils and example of Odo , Baldwin determined to risk a battle , and led forth his army from Ascalou , surprising the Musselmen in the \ ery same plains Avhereon Godfrey and the valiant

leaders of the first Crusade had gained their celebrated victory oyer the Egyptians . Tin ' s , the battle of Ascalon , AVUS fought on 1 st November , 1177 . The Templars no sooner came in sight of the enemy than they prepared for an instantaneous

attack . Odo , at the head of eighty of his Knights , dashed down upon the army of Saladin , broke through his body guard of Mamlook Emirs , killed their commander , and penetrated to the royal tent . It ivas impossible to resist the impetuosity of the attack . Saladin saiv his army cut to pieces , a scene which never aftenvards left his memory , nor the

conduct of the Templars , Avho had , as he expressed himself in a letter , " made the star of the family of Ayoub to pale . " Odo , after the overthrow of the Emirs , charged at the head of his smalt but intrepid band upon Saladin , burning to slay him ;

but after fighting valiantly , Saladin threw himself on a fleet dromedary , and , accompanied by a few of his principal officers , fled across the desert . Odo gave immediate instructions to pursue the fugitives , and it Avas with the greatest difficulty

that Saladin and his companions escaped from their'determined enemies . Saladin lost several of his nephews , kinsmen , and principal men of his army in this buttle . One of his nephews was captured by the Templars , ancl sent for safe Avard to their house at 3 crr . salem . A hundred thousand

of the Infidel arc said to have fallen in this battle . " Oh . supreme bounty of the Most Eiq-h ! " J- < . ¦ O exclaims Roger de Hovcdcn , " tho Christians who Avero r . ot in number more than ten thousand fighting mon , gained the victory over five hundred

thousand Pagans , and that by the aid of the Most High : for it appeared in a vision to the Pagans as though the hosts of the armies of heaven ivere descending by a ladder , under the form of armed knights , and aiding the Christians iu tho attack upon them . In addition to this , to the utter confusion of the Pao-ans , aud for the establishment of

tho Christian faith , it appeared to the Pagans , that the extremity of the v ood of the Cross of our Lord , which the Bishop of Bethlehem ivas lanying . reached up to heaven , and that its arms wore embracing the ivhole Avorld ; at Avhich , being

greatly alarmed , they took to flight . " Little good , however , resulted from this victory , ibr before the Christians could recapture the cities

taken hy the Saracens , Saladin returned with fresh troops to prosecute his schemes of conquest . Rendered more cautious by his defeat at Ascalon , lie resorted to stratagem , ancl taking advantage

of every false step of the Christians , ancl planning ambuscades , several times routed them ivith immense slaughter . Tho Templars in vain strove to drive back the victorious Saracens , . but , unsupported by the Christian leaders , all their

attempts proved abortive , although they did not fail to obtain some slight successes , which , although unimportant to themselves , caused great annoyance to Saladin , upon- whose shirts the Knights were constantly hovering ' , and cutting off detachments

of his army , and seizing much booty . At length a truce Avas agreed upon betAveen the King and Saladin . The King - , ivhose disease had now assumed a most serious aspect , and the leprosy depriving him

of sight , he resolved to appoint some one to the charge of the kingdom . By laAV he could not marry , and consequently Avas deprived of the hops of having a child of his OAVU body to heir his

ci'OAvn . 1 or this purpose he offered it in the first place to Philip , Count of Flanders , ivho declined the honour , loving better to kill Saracens than to govern Christians . The unanimous voice of the people and the nobles pointed out the Count of

Tripoli as a fit person for holding the position _ but Baldwin , dreading" tho ambition of Raymond , appointed Guy de Lusignan , Count of Ascalon and Joppa , a nobleman of Poitou , Aidiose only recommendation ivas , that of being the husband of the

king ' s sister , Sybilla , daughter of King Almeric , and wicloAv of the Marquis de Montferrat , surnamed Longsword . This nomination gave great offence to the people , and added to the confusion of the '

times . It Avas , m these circumstances , the interest of the Christians to maintain strictly the truce AVith Saladin , but , without a master , and each noble at liberty to make war on his ov . n account , when and Avith Avhom ho pleased , the Holy Land became

once more tho scene of turmoil . Rona-ud do Chatillou , ivhose romantic adventures and extraordinary fortune are the theme of many an old chronicle , had about this time allied himself to tho Templars . Born at Chatillon-sur-Indre , of

obscure parents , Renaud followed Louis the Young into Asia , and enrolled himself under the standard of Raymond of Poictiers , Prince of Antioch . Raymond having lost his life in battle , his AvidoAV , Constance , was solicited to select another husband .