grew still chillier, and he planned to leave Messina at once for the
East. But the day after he sailed a great tempest drove him back to Sicily. As
it was now mid-October he decided that it would be more prudent to winter at
Messina. That, it seems, had always been Richard’s intention. His treaty with
Tancred was not signed till 11 November. In the meantime he sent to ask his
mother to bring Berengaria of Navarre to join him in Sicily.
The winter passed quietly enough in
Sicily. On Christmas Day Richard gave a sumptuous banquet at Mategrifon, to
which he invited the King of France and the Sicilian notables. A few days later
he had an interesting interview with the aged Abbot of Corazzo, Joachim,
founder of the Order of Fiore. The venerable saint expounded to him the meaning
of the Apocalypse. The seven heads of the Dragon were, he said, Herod, Nero,
Constantius, Mahomet, Melsemuth (by whom he probably meant Abdul Muneim,
founder of the Almohad sect), Saladin, and finally Antichrist himself, who, he
declared, had already been born fifteen years ago at Rome and would sit upon
the Papal throne. Richard’s flippant reply, that in that case Antichrist was
probably the actual Pope, Clement III, whom he personally disliked, was not
well received; nor would the Saint agree with him that Antichrist would be born
of the tribe of Dan in Babylon or Antioch, and reign in Jerusalem. But it was
comforting to learn from Joachim that Richard would be victorious in Palestine
and that Saladin soon would be slain. In February Richard organized tilting
matches, in the course of which he quarrelled with a French knight, William of
Barres; but Philip was able to reconcile them. Indeed, Richard behaved very
correctly towards Philip, and a few days later even gave him several galleys
that had recently arrived from England. About the same time he heard that Queen
Eleanor and Berengaria had arrived at Naples and sent to meet them and escort
them to Brindisi, as their company was too large for the strained resources of
Messina, where the Count of Flanders had just arrived with a considerable
following.
As spring came near, the Kings prepared to
resume their journey. Richard went to Catania to visit Tancred, with whom he
swore a lasting friendship. Philip was frightened by this alliance and joined
them at Taormina. He was ready now to patch up all his disagreements with
Richard, and formally declared him free to marry whomsoever he chose. It was in
an atmosphere of general good-will that Philip sailed with all his men from
Messina on 30 March. As soon as he had left the harbour, Queen Eleanor and
Princess Berengaria arrived there. Eleanor remained only three days with her
son, then left for England, travelling by way of Rome, in order to do some
business for him at the Papal Court. Berengaria remained, under the chaperonage
of Queen Joanna.
1191: The English Fleet arrives off Cyprus
Richard at last left Messina on 10 April,
after dismantling the tower of Mategrifon. Tancred was sorry to see him go,
with good reason. That same day Pope Clement III died at Rome; and four days
later the Cardinal of Santa Maria in Cosmedin was consecrated as Celestine III.
Henry of Hohenstaufen was in Rome at the time; and the new Pope’s first action,
under pressure, was to crown him and Constance of Sicily as Emperor and
Empress.
The French fleet made a good passage to
Tyre where Philip was gladly welcomed by his cousin, Conrad of Montferrat. He
arrived with Conrad at Acre on 20 April. At once the siege of the Moslem
fortress was tightened. To Philip’s patient and ingenious temperament
siege-warfare was attractive. He reorganized the engines of the besiegers and
built towers for them. But an attempt to assault the walls was postponed till
Richard and his men should arrive.
Richard’s voyage was less peaceful. Strong
winds soon separated the flotilla. The King himself put in for a day at a
Cretan port, from which he had a tempestuous passage to Rhodes, where he
East. But the day after he sailed a great tempest drove him back to Sicily. As
it was now mid-October he decided that it would be more prudent to winter at
Messina. That, it seems, had always been Richard’s intention. His treaty with
Tancred was not signed till 11 November. In the meantime he sent to ask his
mother to bring Berengaria of Navarre to join him in Sicily.
The winter passed quietly enough in
Sicily. On Christmas Day Richard gave a sumptuous banquet at Mategrifon, to
which he invited the King of France and the Sicilian notables. A few days later
he had an interesting interview with the aged Abbot of Corazzo, Joachim,
founder of the Order of Fiore. The venerable saint expounded to him the meaning
of the Apocalypse. The seven heads of the Dragon were, he said, Herod, Nero,
Constantius, Mahomet, Melsemuth (by whom he probably meant Abdul Muneim,
founder of the Almohad sect), Saladin, and finally Antichrist himself, who, he
declared, had already been born fifteen years ago at Rome and would sit upon
the Papal throne. Richard’s flippant reply, that in that case Antichrist was
probably the actual Pope, Clement III, whom he personally disliked, was not
well received; nor would the Saint agree with him that Antichrist would be born
of the tribe of Dan in Babylon or Antioch, and reign in Jerusalem. But it was
comforting to learn from Joachim that Richard would be victorious in Palestine
and that Saladin soon would be slain. In February Richard organized tilting
matches, in the course of which he quarrelled with a French knight, William of
Barres; but Philip was able to reconcile them. Indeed, Richard behaved very
correctly towards Philip, and a few days later even gave him several galleys
that had recently arrived from England. About the same time he heard that Queen
Eleanor and Berengaria had arrived at Naples and sent to meet them and escort
them to Brindisi, as their company was too large for the strained resources of
Messina, where the Count of Flanders had just arrived with a considerable
following.
As spring came near, the Kings prepared to
resume their journey. Richard went to Catania to visit Tancred, with whom he
swore a lasting friendship. Philip was frightened by this alliance and joined
them at Taormina. He was ready now to patch up all his disagreements with
Richard, and formally declared him free to marry whomsoever he chose. It was in
an atmosphere of general good-will that Philip sailed with all his men from
Messina on 30 March. As soon as he had left the harbour, Queen Eleanor and
Princess Berengaria arrived there. Eleanor remained only three days with her
son, then left for England, travelling by way of Rome, in order to do some
business for him at the Papal Court. Berengaria remained, under the chaperonage
of Queen Joanna.
1191: The English Fleet arrives off Cyprus
Richard at last left Messina on 10 April,
after dismantling the tower of Mategrifon. Tancred was sorry to see him go,
with good reason. That same day Pope Clement III died at Rome; and four days
later the Cardinal of Santa Maria in Cosmedin was consecrated as Celestine III.
Henry of Hohenstaufen was in Rome at the time; and the new Pope’s first action,
under pressure, was to crown him and Constance of Sicily as Emperor and
Empress.
The French fleet made a good passage to
Tyre where Philip was gladly welcomed by his cousin, Conrad of Montferrat. He
arrived with Conrad at Acre on 20 April. At once the siege of the Moslem
fortress was tightened. To Philip’s patient and ingenious temperament
siege-warfare was attractive. He reorganized the engines of the besiegers and
built towers for them. But an attempt to assault the walls was postponed till
Richard and his men should arrive.
Richard’s voyage was less peaceful. Strong
winds soon separated the flotilla. The King himself put in for a day at a
Cretan port, from which he had a tempestuous passage to Rhodes, where he
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