“Simon says….”

[1119 Beau-seant 2007]

Does anyone else recall any specific cases where Templars were lead to their doom because they were obedient to the Master of the Order, or called out against the charge of cowardice?

I am aware of:
1. The events in the Siege of Ascalon
2. The Battle of the Springs of Cresson
3. The Battle of Hattin
4. The Battle of Mansourah
5. Maybe even De Molay's mandated return to France to dispute charges

The Order looks like it would tend to share a space in history along much the same lines as the Spartan entry of Thermopylae. “They don’t remember you much for what you ought to be doing, but only for those moments in time, when you wished the world had been looking the other way, until you had recovered.”

The media…stronger than faith and the sword!

[Dashinvaine]

This also happened at the siege of Acre during the Third Crusade, where it seems Gerard de Ridefort, that arch liability, led another miscalculated Templar charge, and this time died.

Mansourah is a good example. The Templars were probably goaded into the sucidal action by Robert d'Artois. I've written an essay on that engagement, which can be read here if you're interested. http://www.dashinvaine.co.uk/Joinville% ... 20page.htm

[1119 Beau-seant 2007]

Slendid little article you have there. Interesting that there were two sides to how it played out. I've always heard the theme that the Templars warned against the charge, until sufficient combat power had been amassed.


BTW, have you heard of the writing that glorifies all of Gerard de Ridefort's activities? The name escapes me at the moment.

[Dashinvaine]

The chroniclers at that time were either in the Ibelin/Tripoli camp or favourable towards their opposition party, which meant they would have praised Gerard de Ridefort. I can't remember the names off hand but I know some chronicles berated Raymond of Tripoli as a traitor who had been bought by Saladin, and condemn Balian of Ibelin for his failure to defend Jerusalem. A Muslim account (unlike Ernoul) didn't make the defeat at Cresson seem like the result of Templar folly, but portray it as a Crusader defence of Sephoria, and a closer-run thing.

[Dashinvaine]

Earlier on, in 1153, the Templars' involvement with the siege of Askalon may also count. The city ultimately fell to Baldwin III's army, but not before the Templars had followed their grand master in a precipitous assault in which they all perished. William of Tyre was highly critical of the Templars' conduct.