RICHARD THE LIONHEART

SHIELD OF RICHARD THE LIONHEART

The 3rd Crusade, on the 7th September 1191 Richard I King of England was marching his army of 12,000 men along the coast towards Jaffa, but Sultan Saladin, leader of the Saracens with his 20,000 men, was shadowing them from the inland woods. At Arsuf, Saladin ordered his archers to engage the Crusaders, but Richard who was in Command, kept on marching the army with raised shields to reduce missile damage untill he decided to stop & Charge Saladin's army. Richard the Lionheart had formed his army in a way to respond quickly to such an attack, The Knights Templars Commanded by Robert De Sable' in front, the Knights Hospitallers Commanded by Garnier De Nablus guarding the rear, dismounted knights & men-at-arms on the left side of the column between their Knights Cavalry & Saladin's army inland, Archers & Crossbowmen on the right side of the column between the army & the sea.


RICHARD THE LIONHEART: "IT'S NO SIN TO KILL SARACENES, SO LET'S KILL THEM ALL."

 Richard Order his army to keep in formation, but huge ammounts of Saracen arrows followed by Saracen cavalry attacks on their rear guarding Hospitallers started to inflict casualties on the Crusaders, however, the Hospitallers managed to repulse the cavalry attacks althaugh they requested reinforcements twice. Knowing this, Richard charged his Templars from his right flank, Hospitallers from his left, Himself, his bodyguards & his men-at-arms charged head-on towards Saladin's center.


SWORD OF KING RICHARD I

After some hand-to-hand fighting, Saladin's army was routed & retreated in defeat suffering 7,000-10,000 casualties. This was the 2nd Victory of the outnumbered Richard the Lionheart vs Saladin because he already had defeated him at Acre, & it wasn't the last either. After Arsuf, Richard won 2 more victories over Saladin at Jaffa & Ascalon. Saladin used other methods like scorched earth tactics which weakened Richard & to get even more worse for Richard, his own brother supported by the French King, was plotting to take his throne.

http://youtu.be/tj2kC13sgrw