Battle of Mansourah

The battles of Mansourah is a famous episode of the Seventh crusade. During several confrontations near Mansourah of the 8 to the February 11th 1250, the French crusaders overcame the Moslems. But they could not draw advantage from this victory, and Louis {{IX}} was even made prisoner during the retirement.

Countryside preceding the battle

The crusaders had already taken the town of Damiette, and discussed between going to take Alexandria to isolate the Egypt, or to attack directly Cairo. This option carried it when the reinforcements brought by Alphonse of Poitiers arrived. The crusaders progress towards the south starting from December 21st.

Mansourah was the only city protecting Cairo, also the Fatimides decided to defend it. The crusaders remained as for them blocked, not being able to cross an arm of the the Nile which protected Mansourah.

Course of the battle

During more than one month, the crusaders all remain blocked, their attempts at crossing of the arm of the Nile, in particular by the construction of a dam, failing. With the favor of a complicity, the franque army crosses this arm of the Nile by a Gué, the morning of February 8th.

The avant-garde, ordered by Robert d' Artois and the large-Master of the Temple Guillaume de Sonnac, hustles the small body keeping bank; without awaiting large army, Robert d' Artois continues his advantage, involving with his continuation Templiers, and almost crosses without opposition the camp buckwheat. The emir Kahreddin is killed. The crusaders enter by surprised inside Mansourah, spread themselves in the city, when the Mamelouks Turkish, which had been folded up in the city, are taken again in hand by their chief Rukn AD-DIN Baybars (Baybars the Principal rafter). The attackers all are massacred, of which the count de Salisbury, except for some knights, of which Guillaume de Sonnac who draws some with an eye in less.

Behind, the large one of the cross army faces Buckwheats as of its crossing of the river and succeeds in pushing back the cavalry sarrasine which had it counter-attack. As of the following day (February 9th), Baybars attacks the crusaders who resist and install their camp in front of Mansourah.

A new general battle takes place on February 11th. The Mamelukes use Greek fire. Charles of Anjou is saved capture by holy Louis, which gains the victory.

After-battles

Touched by an epidemic, deprived of supply by the loss of their fleet, captured by the Mamelukes, the crusaders make retirement. It begins on April 5th. Saint Louis east makes captive during this retirement the April 7th. It repurchases its freedom and that of the others cross prisoners for a strong price, then decides to negotiate. At the beginning of March, he says himself ready to accept the proposal made in 1249 by the sultan Malik Al-Salih Ayyoub return Damiette in exchange of Jerusalem. The new sultan Al-Mu' adham, who has just arrived in Egypt, refuses. Mid-March, the Egyptian galères destroy or capture the franque fleet, cutting with cross the all possibilities of retirement towards Damiette. The April 7th, the franque army, which tries to force the blockade, is attacked and decimated by the Mamelukes, joined by thousands of volunteers.

The May 6th 1250, the Francs restore Damiette with the Moslems. Louis is released against the withdrawal of his troops of the Egyptian territory and the payment of a million dinars of ransom. At the end of May, all the Francs left the country.

With reading

Jacques Le Goff, Saint Louis

Sources

Régine Pernoud, Men of the Crusade , Taillandier, Mayenne 1977, p. 302-305

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