Free A History of the Crusades-Vol 3 by Steven Runciman

first task to be done was to clean and
reconsecrate the churches of Acre. When this was done, under the direction of
the Papal Legate, Adelard of Verona, the princes met together to settle finally
the question of the kingship. After some debate it was agreed that Guy should
remain king till his death, when the crown would pass to Conrad and Isabella
and their issue. In the meantime Conrad would be lord of Tyre, Beirut and
Sidon, and he and Guy would share the royal revenues. Having secured the future
for Conrad, King Philip talked of going home. He had suffered from almost
continuous illness since he came to the Holy Land; he had done his Christian
duty in helping to reconquer Acre; and he would leave the Duke of Burgundy and
the larger portion of the French army behind him. Richard in vain pressed for a
joint declaration that the two Kings would remain for three years in the East.
The most that Philip would promise was that he would not attack Richard’s
French territories till Richard came home, a promise that was not entirely
kept. Then on 31 July he left Acre for Tyre, accompanied by Conrad, who said
that he must see to his lands there, but who in reality did not wish to serve
in an army dominated by King Richard. Three days later King Philip set sail
from Tyre for Brindisi.
    Philip’s departure was regarded by the
English as a cowardly and traitorous desertion. But it seems that his health
was really bad; and there were problems at home, such as the Flanders
inheritance, for whose solution he was personally responsible. He moreover
suspected that Richard was plotting against him and that his life was in
danger. A curious story went round that when he was lying very ill Richard came
to see him and told him falsely that his only son Louis was dead, either as a
piece of heavy buffoonery or in the sinister hope that the shock would prove
too much for him. There were many in the Christian army ready to sympathize
with Philip in his anxieties. Though Richard commanded the devotion of his own
men and the admiration of the Saracens, to the barons of the Frankish East the
King of France was the monarch whom they respected and whom they felt to
understand their needs.
    1191: Richard massacres the Saracen prisoners
    With Philip gone, Richard took full
command of the army and of the negotiations with Saladin. The Sultan agreed to
abide by the treaty made by his officers at Acre. While the Crusaders set about
rebuilding and strengthening the walls of Acre, Saladin began to collect the
prisoners and the money demanded from him. On 2 August Christian officers
visited his camp bearing Richard’s consent to his suggestion that the payments
should be made and the prisoners returned in three monthly instalments. The
Saracen prisoners would be liberated after the first instalment had been paid.
The visitors were shown the Holy Cross, which Saladin had kept with him, and
paid it reverence. On 11 August the first instalment of men and money was sent
down to the Christian camp; and Richard’s ambassadors returned to say that the
figures were correct, except that the prisoners of rank specially named had not
all been handed over. For that reason they would not free the Sultan’s soldiers
captured at Acre. Saladin requested them either to accept the instalment with
hostages for the missing lords, and send him his men, or to accept the
instalment and leave hostages with him to guarantee the release of his men. The
ambassadors rejected both suggestions. They demanded the instalment and only
offered to give a pledge about the Saracen prisoners. Saladin, distrusting
their word, refused to give anything unless his men were released.
    Richard was now eager to leave Acre and
march on Jerusalem. The Saracen prisoners were an embarrassment to him; he was
glad of an excuse to rid himself of them. Cold-bloodedly, on 20 August, more
than a week after his ambassadors had returned to him, he declared that Saladin
had broken his bargain and ordered the