American Samurai: Crusader Addition.

"The Great Escape"

On December 25, 1100, in the city of Jerusalem, Baldwin I was crowned King of Bethlehem. Following the death of Godfrey of Bouillon, a power struggle between Bohemond I of Antioch and the supporters of the late Godfrey of Bouillon landed Baldwin in the position of King. The early years of his reign were dedicated to consolidating power over Palestine, a fact not lost on his Muslim neighbors, particularly the Shi'ite Fatimids of Egypt and their vizier al-Afdal, seeking revenge for their previous humiliation by the First Crusader.

In May of 1101, Baldwin received news that Al-Afdal had amassed a large army advancing on the Holy City under the command of Sa’ad al-Daulah. In response, Baldwin headed south and chose to hold his ground at Ramla, awaiting the Fatimid’s next move. For the next three tense months, a standoff ensued. As summer waned, the Egyptians, seizing their last opportunity to take Ramla, began advancing on the city.

Growing impatient, Baldwin decided to confront the Egyptians head-on, a risky endeavor given the vast numerical superiority of the opposing forces. Despite summoning troops from across the kingdom and knighting every eligible squire, he faced the daunting challenge with just 260 knights and 900 footmen. Christian estimates of Muslim manpower at the time varied widely, but it was evident that the Christians were heavily outnumbered, with some estimates nearing 200,000 Muslim troops.

At dawn, Muslim forces appeared on the horizon, prompting King Baldwin to kneel before the True Cross, confess his sins, receive mass, and address his troops:

"Come then, soldiers of Christ, be of good cheer and fear nothing, fight, I beseech you, for the salvation of your souls… If you should be slain here, you will surely be among the blessed. Already the gate of the kingdom of Heaven is open to you. If you survive as victors, you will shine in glory among the Christians. If, however, you wish to flee, remember that France is indeed a long distance away."

The ensuing battle was chaotic. The Christian vanguard was quickly decimated, and the entire army found itself encircled. Baldwin, leading a reserve force, charged into the fray, and under the force of his attack, rank after rank of Fatimid troops buckled. In the retreat that followed, Sa’ad al-Daulah was killed, leaving around 5,000 Muslim soldiers dead alongside 80 Christian knights and an unknown number of infantry.

Baldwin rested easy, knowing the Muslim forces had been repelled. However, in May of 1101, he learned of Muslim troops near Ramla once again. Baldwin, along with 200 knights, rode out to meet what he believed was a small Muslim force, only to encounter a formidable army of 20,000 men.

With no escape, Baldwin chose to fight, charging head-on into the Egyptian army. Although surrounded, Baldwin's courageous charge turned the tide, and most of the knights were cut down. A handful of survivors, including Baldwin, managed a fighting retreat and found refuge in a fortified tower at Ramla.

The situation took a dire turn that night as Baldwin faced the prospect of certain death in the morning. In a difficult decision, he chose to escape, and under cover of night and in disguise, Baldwin and five of his fiercest knights fled the encircled tower. Their escape was not without challenges, they were soon spotted by Muslim patrols and a Frankish knight named Robert took the lead, charging with sword in hand, mowing down the enemy. He was soon cut down along with two more of Baldwin’s knights.

The remaining knights continued the fight and Baldwin mounted a horse and made a dash toward Jaffa with the Muslim troops in pursuit. As the sun began to rise he hid in an overgrown thicket to avoid detection but the Muslim troops wasting no time set it ablaze. Baldwin was badly burned but managed to escape once again.

Baldwin spent the next two days without food or water, wandering the desert to avoid Muslim patrols. Eventually, he headed north to Arsuf, where he found some safety. Contacting Hugh of Flachenburg, who had arrived with 80 knights at Arsuf upon hearing of the Muslim assault, Baldwin commandeered an English pirate ship and sailed south with Hugh and his knights riding along the coastline.

Arriving at Jaffa, they found the city under siege from land and sea. With a bold decision, Baldwin flew his royal banner, signaling to the people that their king was alive. Despite Muslim ships closing in, Baldwin narrowly made it to port.

Upon returning to the city, Baldwin found a grim situation. The city had nearly surrendered, believing him dead after the Muslim commander Sharaf al-Ma'ali presented the body of Gerbod of Windeke, (who bore a strong resemblance to the king). Sharaf had Gerbod's arms and legs cut off, wrapped his body in royal purple, and paraded it around the city, encouraging surrender. Even the Queen believed Baldwin dead and began planning to abandon the city. It was at this critical moment that Baldwin's colors were seen flying from the harbor.

Baldwin's return rallied his troops, shaking the Muslim army, which began to retreat. While Baldwin saved Jaffa, his loyal knights at Ramla's tower were not as fortunate. The morning after his escape, Muslim forces set fire to the tower. Opting to die in battle rather than burn, the knights made a last stand. The only survivor, Conrad of Germany, fought with such intensity that it is said “he stood encircled by the dead and dying,” prompting the Muslim troops to offer to take him alive.

-TJS