CRUSADES (q.v.).
There is something Homeric in the story of the fall of the Latin kingdom as related by the historians of the next century. A French knight, Gerard de Riderfort, coming to the East in quest of fortune, attached himself to the service of the ambitious Raymond, count of Tripoli; looking for the hand of some wealthy widow in reward. Failing ignomini ously in this, Gerard enrolled himself among the Templars, biding his time for revenge, and was elected grand master in 1184. Bald win IV., king of Jerusalem, died in 1185, leaving the throne to his young nephew Baldwin V., the son of his sister Sibylla, under the guardianship of Raymond, whose term of office was brief, as the little king died in September 1186. This was Gerard's op portunity. The Templars carried the body of their dead sovereign to Jerusalem for burial; and then, unknown to the barons of the realm, Gerard and the patriarch crowned Sibylla and her husband Guy de Lusignan, Raymond's rival. This was the overthrow of Raymond's ambition ; and both Latin and Arabic writers are agreed that the Christian count and the Mohammedan sultan now entered into an alliance. To break this friendship and so save the kingdom, Gerard and the grand master of the Hospitallers were sent north to make terms with Raymond. But the rash valour of the Templars provoked a hopeless contest with 7,00o Sara cens. The grand master of the Hospitallers was slain ; but Gerard made his escape with three knights to Nazareth (1st May 1187). In this emergency Raymond became reconciled with Guy; and Gerard placed the Temple treasures of Henry II. at his king's disposal. Once more it was the Templars' rashness that led to the disastrous battle of Hittin (4th July). Gerard and the king fell into the hands of Saladin, but were released about a year later; Raymond of Tripoli made his escape through treachery or for tune; and 23o Templars fell in or after the battle, for the fight was scarcely over before Saladin ordered all the Templars and Hospitallers to be murdered in cold blood. One after another the Christian fortresses of Palestine fell into the hands of Saladin. Jerusalem surrendered on 2nd-3rd October 1187, and the treas ures of the Temple coffers were used to purchase the redemption of the poorer Christians, part of whom the Templar warriors guarded on their sad march from the Holy City to Tripoli. Part
of their wealth was expended by Conrad of Montferrat in the defence of Tyre; but, when this prince refused to admit Guy to his city, both the Templars and the Hospitallers from the neigh bouring parts flocked to the banner of their released zing and accompanied him to the siege of Acre (22nd August 1189). In his company they bore their part in the two years' siege and the terrible famine of I190-91; and their grand master died in the great battle of 4th October 1189, refusing to survive the slaughter of his brethren.
On the capture of Acre Philip Augustus established himself in the palace of the Templars, who are, however, stated to have sympathized with Richard. The English king sold them the island of Cyprus for 1 oo,000 besants; but, unable to pay the purchase money, they transferred the debt and the principality to Guy of Lusignan. Richard consulted them before deciding on any great military movement; and in June 1192 they advocated the bold plan of an advance on Egypt rather than on Jerusalem. It was in the disguise of a Templar and in a Templar galley that Richard left the Holy Land, of ter the failure of his own military schemes. When Acre was recovered, the Templars, like the Hospitallers, received their own quarters in the town, which from this time became the centre of the order. On the death of Henry of Champagne (1197) they vetoed the election of Raoul de Tabarie; after the death of his successor Amalric they refused to renew the truce with Saladin's brother, Saif al-Din, and led an expedition against the Saracens before the arrival of the new king, John de Brienne, at whose coronation in 1210 William de Chartres, the grand master, was present. Seven years later, with the aid of Walter de Avennis and of the Teutonic Knights, they commenced the building of their fortress of Castle Pilgrim, near Acre, on a rocky promontory washed by the Mediterranean on every side except the east.