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Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. ← Page 3 of 5 Article THE KNIGHTS TEMPLARS. Page 3 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars.
duced astonishment first and discouragement after among the infidel . The Sultan in vain attempted to reanimate the courage of his soldiers , in vain ordered that all who fled should be beaten back to their duty with clubs , and all in vain he made
examples of the emirs who had deserted their posts by placing them in chains . The dread of punishment and the hope of reward could not prevent them seeing the numberless bodies of their brethren lying around the walls , slain by the
undaunted Knights . At length the huge military engines were again manned , and the besiegers in despair plied them against the walls with such energy that great portions were thrown down and breaches formed .
The city was then easily carried , and the Templars retreated to the citadel , where they prepared for a still more stubborn resistance . Bendocdar would in all probability have been obliged to have raised the siege had not discord broken out among the
Christians , for two thousand fugitives who had taken refuge in Safet on the approach of the Mamlooks crippled the hands of the Templars , and embarrassed them by their cries to surrender the place . This appears always to have been the luck of these hapless knights , from whom victory was
always ravished by the obstinacy of a pack of spiritless curs , who , without the energy or the mind to do anything for their own defence , wouldnot permit those able to provide them with safety to do so—a sad fact which lost the Christians the
Holy Land . No sooner had these clamours arisen than the Templaz-s were allowed to man the walls of the citadel alone , and the Mamlooks , from the less obstinate defence , renewed the attack with vigour . The knights in vain implored their
Christian brethren to continue the defence . Sullen looks and cries of " surrender " were the answers , and the Templars at length , fearful of some act of treachery on their part , sent to Bendocdar to arrange about a capitulation . The terms proposed
by the Templars were , safety to the Christians and a free passage to Acre . This was granted on the condition that they should take nothing but their clothes with them . The citadel was then surrendered . But Bendocdar had no idea of
keeping faith with the Christians , and as they passed before him he had them all seized , on the pretext that they had treasure concealed about their persons ... They were then loaded with chains ancl huddled together on a hill . To the Templars the choice was offered , " Death or the Koran , " and
The Knights Templars.
one night was given them to consider . The Preceptor of Safet , a holy and a valiant knight , assisted by two Franciscan friars , spent the night in encouraging his brethren to die in the cause of the Cross , and the brethren prepared manfully to meet
a death which they never feared , scorning life rather than to be permitted to lead a few brief years of earthly pleasure by a disgraceful apostacy . They wept as they embraced each other , and spoke words of encouragement to one another . The
night passed in confessing their sins against God , ancl in preparing- to enter His presence through the bloody door of martyrdom . Morning- broke over the Eastern sky and shone upon the warlike monks kneeling in prayer . The
cry of the muezzins came shrilly on the breeze , calling the faithful to their orisons . The executioners , with bared scimitars , approached the Knights , and they were desired to acknowledge the prophet and to renounce Christianity . This
they refused to do , and fifteen hundred heads rolled at the feet of Bendocdar , while their blood rolled over the rocks like rivulets . The Preceptor and the chaplains of the Order were beaten with clubs , flayed alive , and then beheaded . Two of the garrison only escaped , according to the Arabian
authors , who , in their account of this conquest , slur over the infamous slaughter of the Templars . One was a Hospitaller whom Bendocdar sent to Acre to announce to the Christians the fall of Safet , ancl the subsequent fate of the Knights ;
and the other a Templar , who abandoned the faith of Christ and attached himself to the fortunes of the Sultan . The fate of these knights cannot fail to recal to our readers the martyrdom of the Templars taken at Tiberias by Saladin . As with
these , a celestial light shone over the corpses of the slain at Safet , and the chroniclers tell that Bendocdar , annoyed by this prodigy , gave orders that the martyrs should be buried and high walls built around their place of sepulture , in order that
nobody might witness the miracles wrought in . honour of the victims to his treachery . Having destroyed Safet , Bendocdar next stormed Hounin and Tebnin , and captured Ramleh . The fall of Safet and the treachery of the infidel filled
Acre with despair , and the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , fearing that not one of the Order ' s possessions would be left , sent to Bendocdar , with whom he concluded a truce which was to last ten . years , ten months , and ten days . The Templars , however , thought less of retaining possession of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Knights Templars.
duced astonishment first and discouragement after among the infidel . The Sultan in vain attempted to reanimate the courage of his soldiers , in vain ordered that all who fled should be beaten back to their duty with clubs , and all in vain he made
examples of the emirs who had deserted their posts by placing them in chains . The dread of punishment and the hope of reward could not prevent them seeing the numberless bodies of their brethren lying around the walls , slain by the
undaunted Knights . At length the huge military engines were again manned , and the besiegers in despair plied them against the walls with such energy that great portions were thrown down and breaches formed .
The city was then easily carried , and the Templars retreated to the citadel , where they prepared for a still more stubborn resistance . Bendocdar would in all probability have been obliged to have raised the siege had not discord broken out among the
Christians , for two thousand fugitives who had taken refuge in Safet on the approach of the Mamlooks crippled the hands of the Templars , and embarrassed them by their cries to surrender the place . This appears always to have been the luck of these hapless knights , from whom victory was
always ravished by the obstinacy of a pack of spiritless curs , who , without the energy or the mind to do anything for their own defence , wouldnot permit those able to provide them with safety to do so—a sad fact which lost the Christians the
Holy Land . No sooner had these clamours arisen than the Templaz-s were allowed to man the walls of the citadel alone , and the Mamlooks , from the less obstinate defence , renewed the attack with vigour . The knights in vain implored their
Christian brethren to continue the defence . Sullen looks and cries of " surrender " were the answers , and the Templars at length , fearful of some act of treachery on their part , sent to Bendocdar to arrange about a capitulation . The terms proposed
by the Templars were , safety to the Christians and a free passage to Acre . This was granted on the condition that they should take nothing but their clothes with them . The citadel was then surrendered . But Bendocdar had no idea of
keeping faith with the Christians , and as they passed before him he had them all seized , on the pretext that they had treasure concealed about their persons ... They were then loaded with chains ancl huddled together on a hill . To the Templars the choice was offered , " Death or the Koran , " and
The Knights Templars.
one night was given them to consider . The Preceptor of Safet , a holy and a valiant knight , assisted by two Franciscan friars , spent the night in encouraging his brethren to die in the cause of the Cross , and the brethren prepared manfully to meet
a death which they never feared , scorning life rather than to be permitted to lead a few brief years of earthly pleasure by a disgraceful apostacy . They wept as they embraced each other , and spoke words of encouragement to one another . The
night passed in confessing their sins against God , ancl in preparing- to enter His presence through the bloody door of martyrdom . Morning- broke over the Eastern sky and shone upon the warlike monks kneeling in prayer . The
cry of the muezzins came shrilly on the breeze , calling the faithful to their orisons . The executioners , with bared scimitars , approached the Knights , and they were desired to acknowledge the prophet and to renounce Christianity . This
they refused to do , and fifteen hundred heads rolled at the feet of Bendocdar , while their blood rolled over the rocks like rivulets . The Preceptor and the chaplains of the Order were beaten with clubs , flayed alive , and then beheaded . Two of the garrison only escaped , according to the Arabian
authors , who , in their account of this conquest , slur over the infamous slaughter of the Templars . One was a Hospitaller whom Bendocdar sent to Acre to announce to the Christians the fall of Safet , ancl the subsequent fate of the Knights ;
and the other a Templar , who abandoned the faith of Christ and attached himself to the fortunes of the Sultan . The fate of these knights cannot fail to recal to our readers the martyrdom of the Templars taken at Tiberias by Saladin . As with
these , a celestial light shone over the corpses of the slain at Safet , and the chroniclers tell that Bendocdar , annoyed by this prodigy , gave orders that the martyrs should be buried and high walls built around their place of sepulture , in order that
nobody might witness the miracles wrought in . honour of the victims to his treachery . Having destroyed Safet , Bendocdar next stormed Hounin and Tebnin , and captured Ramleh . The fall of Safet and the treachery of the infidel filled
Acre with despair , and the Grand Master of the Hospitallers , fearing that not one of the Order ' s possessions would be left , sent to Bendocdar , with whom he concluded a truce which was to last ten . years , ten months , and ten days . The Templars , however , thought less of retaining possession of