The true numbers are impossible to estimate, since the Christian sources refer only to knights and give no account of the number of infantry and turcopoles, except that it is evident from the number of the dead and wounded that there must have been more men than the 375 Knights. It is also uncertain whether the so-called knights included mounted sergeants or squires, or whether they were true knights. One contemporary chronicler gave a strength of 7,000 for the Crusader army, while another contemporary estimate of 20,000 was probably a textual corruption of 10,000.[2] However, modern historians generally deem the number of Frankish troops to have been lower; 80 Templars and 375 Knights for less than 500 armored heavy cavalry, as well as 2,500[7] to 4,000 infantry and archers (spearmen, swordsmen, axemen, crossbowmen and turcopoles), could explain why Saladin did not remotely believe such a tiny force of Christians should be considered a threat and marched at his leisure on Jerusalem, allowing his army to spread out across the countryside to pillage the Kingdom of Jerusalem's farmlands.
Saladin continued his march towards Jerusalem, believing that Baldwin IV wouldn't follow him. He attacked Ramla, Lydda and Arsuf, but because Baldwin was supposedly not a danger, he allowed his army to be spread out over a large area, pillaging and foraging. However, unknown to Saladin, the forces he had left to subdue the King had been insufficient and now both Baldwin and the Templars were marching to intercept him before he reached Jerusalem.[6]
The Christians, led by the KingBaldwin IV of Jerusalem, pursued the Muslims along the coast, finally catching their enemies at Mons Gisardi (Montgisard), near Ramla.[9] The location is disputed, as Ramla was a large region that included the town under the same name. Malcolm Barber equates Mons Gisardi with the mound of Al-Safiya.[10]Saladin's chronicler Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani refers to the battle taking place by the mound of Al-Safiya, potentially modern Tell es-Safi near the village of Menehem, not far from Ashkelon, and within the contemporary Ramla province. Al-Safiya means white and, indeed, the Es-Safi hill is white with the foundations of a Crusader Castle recently found at the top, called Blanchegarde. Ibn al-Athīr, one of the Arab chroniclers, mentions that Saladin intended to lay siege to a Crusader Castle in the area.[11] But Saladin's baggage train had been apparently mired. There is a small stream north of Tell es-Safi bordering farmland that in November might have been plowed up and muddy enough to hinder the passage of the baggage train. The Egyptian chroniclers agree that the baggage had been delayed at a river crossing.[12]Saladin was taken totally by surprise. His army was in disarray: part had been held up by the mired baggage train while another part of his force had scattered into raiding parties across the countryside. Saladin misread the danger and threat that Baldwin and his army was presenting to Saladin's raiding forces. He mistakenly assumed that Baldwin was actually scared of Saladin's army.[13] The horses were tired from the long march. Some men had to hurry to collect their weapons from the baggage train. Saladin purposely left his baggage train in al-Arish so that his army would quickly move through Crusader territory. This would force his army to live off of the supplies and food that they had pillaged and taken from villagers.[14]Saladin's army, in a state of panic, scrambled to make battle lines against the enemy. King Baldwin IV ordered the relic of the True Cross to be raised in front of the troops.[15] The King, whose teenage body was already ravaged by aggressive leprosy, was helped from his horse and dropped to his knees before the cross. He prayed to God for victory and rose to his feet to cheers from his men, who were moved by what they had just witnessed. Though Baldwin was very ill and could barely ride his horse, he decided it was too late to turn back and went into attack.[16]
The Jerusalem army attacked the hurriedly arranged Muslims, inflicting heavy casualties. King Baldwin IV, fighting with bandaged hands to cover his sores, was in the thick of the fighting. Egyptian effective command was under Saladin's nephew Taqi ad-Din. Taqi ad-Din apparently attacked while Saladin was putting his Mamluk guard together. As was hoped, Baldwin's army caught a portion of Saladin's army off guard. It turned out that Saladin himself led that section. Saladin called scouts to summon all the immediate sections for help. Then the sultan signalled for the start and deployment of battle.[17] Taqi's son Ahmad died in the early fighting. Saladin's men were quickly overwhelmed. Saladin himself only avoided capture by escaping, as Ralph de Diceto claims,[18] on a racing camel. By nightfall, those Egyptians that were with the Sultan had reached Caunetum Esturnellorum near the mound of Tell el-Hesi. This is about 25 miles from Ramla. It is only about 7 km from Tell es-Safi (al-Safiya).[6]
King Baldwin pursued Saladin until nightfall, and then retired to Ascalon. Only a remnant of his army made it back to Egypt with him.[19]
Aftermath
The cause of Saladin's retreat and the Christian victory struck all Muslims. Some of Saladin's parties even lied and said they had won the battle.[20]Baldwin IV memorialized his victory by erecting a Benedictine monastery on the battlefield, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, whose feast day fell on the day of the battle.[21] However, it was a difficult victory; Roger de Moulins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller, reported that 1,100 men had been killed and 750 returned home wounded.[2]
An account of the battle is also given in Swedish author Jan Guillou's novel Tempelriddaren (The Knight Templar) (ISBN91-1-300733-5), in which the protagonist, Arn Magnusson (de Gothia) is portrayed as a high-ranking member of the Knights Templar, commanding a contingent of the army at the battle of Montgisard. The battle is shown in the movie Arn – The Knight Templar, which was based on Guillou's book.
Notes
^The Latin estimates of Saladin’s army (26,000 in Tyre xxi. 23, 12,000 Turks and 9,000 Arabs in Anon.Rhen. v. 517)[2]
References
^Jean Richard: The Latin kingdom of Jerusalem. Volume 1, North-Holland Pub. Co. Amsterdam 1979, ISBN0444850929, p.
149
Morgan, Philip (2010). "Commemoration of Battles and Warriors". In Rogers, Clifford J. (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology. Vol. 1: Aachen, Siege of - Dyrrachium, Siege and Battle of (1081). Oxford University Press. pp. 411–413.
