The History of the Turks describing the rise and ruin of their first empire in Persia, the original of their second : containing the lives and reigns of their several kings and emperors from Ottoman its first founder to this present year, 1683, being a succinct series of history, of all their wars (forreign and domestick) policies, customs, religion and manners, with what else is worthy of note in that great empire.

Chap. IV. The Second Expedition of the Western Princes for the Recovery of the Holy Land, &c.

JErusalem and most of the Cities of Palestine being lost, as aforesaid, the European Potentates were not a little grieved, and to recover the same raised a mighty power; and first that advanced was Frederick the German Emperor, who setting forth from Vienna passed with a puissant Army through Hungary, Bulgaria, and Thracia, and so to Constantinople, where he passed over into Asia, and entring Lyconia gave the Turks a great o∣verthrow, after which he besieged and took Iconium giving the Spoyls thereof to his Soldiers; and from thence passing into Celicia in the Straights, where the Greek Emperor some years before received his fatal o∣verthrow, he had a second conflict with the Turk, whom he put to flight with great slaughter, and took the City of Philomela, and put the Inhabitants to the sword, for executing his Messangers he sent to treat with them about delivering it peaceably; and then en∣tring ••••••••enia the less, he took the City of Melitene, and subdued all the Territories round about, and there gave the Turks an other fearful overthrow, which Army was no sooner vanquished, but another not inferiour to •••• appeared under the heading of Saphadine Saladin the Sultan's Son, which with an undaunted bravery he charged, and put to rout, with incredible slaughter (but the joy of Victory was soon turned into Mourning) for the good Emperor zealous for the Christian Cause, following h••••d upon the flyers, his Horse floundered in the River 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and threw him out of the Saddle, with his right foot hanging in the Stirrup, after which

manner, e'r he could be relieved, he was drag'd through the River, and hitting by the way on certain Stumps, so bruised, that when he was taken up, he was heard to say no more then, Lord receive my Soul, e'r he gave up the Ghost, in the seventieth year of his Age, and of his Reign 38. Anno 1190. Whereupon his Body was carried to the City of Tire, and there in the Cathedral with all Solemnity interred.

This Heroick Emperor being dead, his Son Frederick Duke of Suevia, then in the Army was saluted Empe∣ror and General by the consent of the great Comman∣ders; but now (the Country being purposely destroy∣ed before them) pale Famine began to stare them in the face, yet on they marched, and charging Dodequin Saladius, General, sent to oppose their Passage, gave him a great overthrow, and had all the Cities ren∣dred as they passed, till they came to Ptolomais, where the power of the Christians in Syria were incamped, headed by Guy late King of Jerusalem, who for a great Sum had obtained his Liberty.

Upon the Arrival of Frederick, the Christians gave a fierce Assault to the City on all Parts, and had taken it by Storm, had not Saladine the Egyptian Sultan, who lay hovering aloof with his Army, fallen upon their Camp, and thereby in the hottest of the Assault obliged them to draw off to defend the same, and having forced him to retire with the loss of a few men, they returned again to the Siege, expecting the Arri∣val of Richard the First, King of England, and Philip the Second, King of France, who were upon their way with great Forces; but they wintering in the Isle of Sicilia, the French King out of Envy to the Glory of the English, and an old grudge having been formerly a∣bout King Richard's refusing the French King's Sister, and marrying the Daughter of the King or Navar, the French King not long after returned home, and

withdrew his Army to the frustrating the whole design of recovering Jerusalem; yet at present he dissembled the matter, and loosing first from the Port of Mesina, arrived at Ptolomais, where the Christians lay still in∣comped, after whom King Richard shortly followed; but sayling by Cyprus, his Fleet was dispersed by a Storm, and two of his Ships falling on ground on that Coast, the Islanders spoyled them, and when the rest of the Fleet put in there, they rudely withstood their land∣ing, which so inraged King Richard, that he landing by force, seised the Island, and took the King thereof Pri∣soner, and sent him bound in Chains of Silver to Syria.

The King having secured the Island to his use, dis∣anchored and sailed to Ptolomais, where he was joy∣fully received of the Christian Princes, upon whose Ar∣rival the City after a hot Assault, and a great breach in the Wall, was surrendred upon condition the Garri∣son might depart with safety, for which they were likewise to pay a great Ransom to deliver they Holy Cross they had in possession, and a certain number of them to remain as Hostages, that the Saladine should deliver such Christian Prisoners as he had in his power, whereupon the Germans of Austria entered first the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and advanced the Standard of their Duke up∣on the W••ll, as if by their only valour the City had 〈…〉〈…〉, which so offended King Richard, that he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Standard to be thrown down, and trampled on, which indignity the Duke resented so heinously, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great hindrance of the Wars in Syria, he re∣tu•••••• 〈…〉〈…〉 his Forces into Austria; as likewise did the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 France with the greatest part of his Army, under 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he did it for want of health in so hot a Clime, 〈…〉〈…〉 out of secret Envy to King Rich∣ard.

Sal•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the lessning of the Christian Ar∣my,

and that there still remained amongst them dis∣content, refused to pay the money for the Ransom of the Hostages, or deliver up the Christian Prisoners; but threatned that if any Extremity was used by the King towards them, he would behead all the Christian Prisoners, the which notwithstanding the Hostages were not hurt, he most barbarously performed; in re∣turn whereof the King commanded 2500 of the Ho∣stages to be executed in the sight of the Infidels Camp, and resolved to give him battel, which he perceiving raised his Camp, and departed along the Sea Coast, ruining the strong Towns, to prevent their falling into the hands of the Christians, who leaving Ptolomais strongly fortified, followed close at his heels, resolving to besiege Jerusalem, which he perceiving, and taking such advantage as the time and place would afford, faced about: So that both Armies meeting about Noon, a dreadful conflict began, which continued with great slaughter, especially on the part of the Turks, till Eve∣ning: at what time the Victory fell to the Christians, who had the Execution of the Infidels for seven miles; but Winter coming on, they disposed of the Army till Spring, in the Towns that Saladine had ruinated, re∣pairing and fortifying them stronger than before; but when Spring came, upon must'ring the Army, they were found greatly decreased by diseases and absent∣ing, and at the same time the King found the Duke of Burgundia, under whose command the French King had left part of his Army, still to cross his purpose, as de∣sirous to return home, having received such Orders privately from the King his Master, who was contra∣ry to his Oath taken at his departure warring upon the Normans, then King Richard's Subjects, and that others were of the like mind, found himself altogether too weak to besiege Jerusalem, and hearing how the French King had incited his younger Brother John to take up∣on

him the Government of the Kingdom of England, fearing lest while he was warring abroad, he might loose his Kingdom at home, he resolved to make such conditions with the Sultantain, as might be best for the advantage of the Christians in Syria, and so imbarque for England, which the crafty Infidel understanding, and finding his power daily to decay, would hearken to no other Proposals, than that the Christians should sur∣render all the Towns they had taken, Ptolomais ex∣cepted, and in consideration thereof be suffered to live in Peace, which being concluded on, the King leaving Count Henry of Champaigne his Lievetenant of Syria, imbarked with his fair Queen, who had accompanied him in his tedious Expedition; but by the way being separated from the rest of his Fleet, suffered wrack up∣on the Coast of Histria, and attempting with a small retinue to walk over land in the Habit of a Templar, he was discovered, and by the command of the Duke of Austria (in whose Territories, and whom he had disgraced at the Siege of Ptolomais, by throwing down his Standard) taken Prisoner, and by him sold to the Emperor Henry for 40000 pounds, who kept him pri∣soner a year and three months, and then received for his Ransom 150000 pounds. But the Ship that the Queen and her Ladies were in, arrived safe in Eng∣land.

Soon after the King's delivery, news came that Sala∣dine the great Sultan was dead, which caused the Prin∣ces of Germany, animated by Pope Celestines, to under∣take a third Voyage for the Recovery of Jerusalem. The Dukes of Saxony and Austria commanding in Chief, and with them went many Bishops, who upon their Arrival joyned with the Christians they found there, and repaired Joppa, the which whilst they were doing, the ••••••••••ish Army approached, whereupon they ••hew out, and in pitched battle overthrew them, but

to the Loss of their two Generals, the former dying within four days after the Victory of a Fever, and the latter of the Wounds he had received. And in fine, news coming that Henry the Emperour was dead, most of the chief Captains returned home, in hopes to be elected Emperour. After which the Turks took Joppa and put all they found in it to the Sword, but at the instance of Pope Innocent the third, Philip the French King sent 5000 Souldiers, under the leading of Simon Count of Mont-ferat to joyn the Christians, by whose good conduct things were so ordered that they procured to live at peace in Tyre and Ptolomais, where I shall leave them and return to the Lesser Asia, and relate by what means the Turks first Empire in Persia was brought to nought.