relinquish his claims on the kingdom of Jerusalem. And so with the treasures of Cyprus, added to the treasures of England, Normandy, Aquitaine, Scotland, and Sicily, on 8 June Richard reached Acre. His fame had gone before him, and when the fires of welcome blazed up in the Christian camp for joy of his arrival, the Saracens were struck with terror at the coming of so renowned a warrior—one who, if inferior to the king of France in rank, was immeasurably his superior in wealth and warlike skill (Bohadin, p. 214). The destruction of a great Saracen vessel that was making its way from Beyrout to the succour of Acre lent him additional glory.
Even before starting on the crusade, Richard's health was in a very perilous condition. While he was still in England, men had freely prophesied that an Eastern climate would be fatal to his broken constitution. A quartan fever preyed upon him; his face was of a death-like pallor, and his body covered with boils. In Cyprus he became seriously ill, and hardly had he reached Acre when he was struck down with the deadliest local disease, ‘Arnoldia.’ Philip was ill at the same time; but so great was the zeal or the rivalry of the two kings that neither would intermit his military operations on account of sickness. Richard was carried out to superintend the efforts of his crossbowmen, and, propped up on silken cushions, plied a crossbow with his own hands. With his vast wealth he could outbid the king of France. He accepted the services of the Pisan sailors, but rejected those of the Genoese in whose ships Philip had sailed to Acre. Higher still did his prestige grow when he offered four besants a month to any knight who would enlist under his banner at a time when Philip's poverty was forcing him to discharge his men. Added to this, Richard openly supported Guy de Lusignan as claimant to the throne of Jerusalem in opposition to Philip's candidate, Conrad.
As the health of the two kings mended, fresh complications rose. Philip claimed half the spoils of Cyprus; Richard retaliated by claiming half of Flanders. A peace was patched up between the two kings; but the rivalry of the two nations continued. At one moment Richard actually armed his men for an attack upon the French. So bitter was the feeling that the two races could not even fight alongside of one another; and it was agreed that when one host attacked Acre, the other should keep watch against Saladin's army, to the east. Acre surrendered on Friday, 12 July; Saladin promised to restore the holy cross and to pay two hundred thousand besants as a ransom for the captives. He wished the two kings to join him in a war against Mosul, and the lord of Mosul is said to have made a similar offer to the conquering crusaders. Richard called upon Philip to pledge himself to a three years' crusade, and Philip in reply declared his intention of returning home at once. This step was universally believed to be due, not, as he pretended, to his feeble health, but to anxiety to seize upon the estates of the dead crusader, Philip, count of Flanders. Before sailing he recognised Guy as king of Jerusalem, gave his half of the Saracen prisoners to Conrad, and left the major part of his French followers under the leadership of Hugh, duke of Burgundy. He pledged himself not to attack Richard's domains in that king's absence; but on reaching Rome he did his best to persuade the pope to free him from this oath, and, though he failed, he lost no opportunity of plotting against his fellow-king. He had the excuse that Richard, though retaining Gisors, had not surrendered Alice.
Richard occupied a month in regulating the affairs of Acre and repairing its walls. Then on 16 or 20 Aug., as the ransom money had not been paid, he executed 2,700 of his prisoners in full sight of the enemy. This was tantamount to a renewal of the war, and was followed by an immediate advance towards Ascalon. Saladin dogged his steps, and on 7 Sept., some miles to the north of Arsuf, Richard won his first great victory—a victory purchased dearly by the loss of the gallant James d'Avesnes, who had been the Christian leader during the early days of the great siege. It had been Richard's intention to seize Ascalon; but, as Saladin gave orders for the destruction of this place and the French refused to advance to save it from ruin, the next few weeks were spent in restoring the walls of Jaffa, and conducting singular negotiations with Saladin, through the good offices of Saladin's brother, El Adel. It is difficult to believe that these negotiations had any object save that of gaining time, when we read (Bohadin) that one of the points negotiated was a marriage between El Adel and Richard's sister Joan. Saladin, too, was negotiating with Conrad of Montferrat. At last, towards the end of December 1191, Richard reached Beit-Nuba, only twelve miles from Jerusalem. Here, however, heavy rains barred his progress, and he was dissuaded from attempting a siege so late in the year. Then (13 Jan.?), through a storm of snow and hail, the army fell back on Ascalon, and
