After the taking of Ptolemais, King Philip and many other princes
returned home, leaving King Richard in Palestine to prosecute the war in
concert with Guy, whom Richard, in a short time afterwards, persuaded to
accept of the crown of Cyprus, in lieu of his pretences to Jerusalem.
By these crafty means, Richard caused himself to be proclaimed King of
Jerusalem; but while he was preparing to besiege that city, he received
news that the French were about to invade England. He was therefore
compelled to conclude a peace with Saladin, not very advantageous to
Christendom, and to return to Europe. But meeting with bad weather, he
was driven on the coast of Histria; and, while endeavouring to travel
through the country in the habit of a templar, was taken prisoner
by Duke Leopold, of Austria, who became his enemy at the siege of
Ptolemais. The duke sold him for forty thousand pounds to the emperor,
Henry VI., who soon afterwards had a hundred thousand pounds for his
ransom.
About the same period, Sultan Saladin, the most formidable enemy the
Christians ever encountered, died; an event which caused Pope Celestine
to prevail on the emperor, Henry VI., of Germany, to make a new
expedition against the Turks, who were in consequence defeated; but
the emperor's general, the Duke of Saxony, being killed, and the
emperor himself dying soon afterwards, the Germans returned home
without accomplishing the object of their expedition.
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