Stewart Binns - Crusade

I rushed to help her.

By now the Emir had appeared, beside himself with anger. When he heard what had happened, he ordered that Hassan Taleb be restrained to await a trail by his fellow knights. However, before any of his men could detain him, Hassan lunged at Sweyn with his sabre. Alert to the attack, Sweyn pushed us away, ducked under the Saracen’s wild swing and plunged his seax into Hassan’s neck. The blade entered his throat on the left and exited next to his spine on the right. Both men were motionless for a second and the onlookers frozen in shock before Sweyn put his left hand on the Saracen’s shoulder and wrenched out his weapon. Blood spurted everywhere and splashed to the ground.

Death came almost instantly for the Saracen but, before it did, he was able to lift his hands to his throat in a futile attempt to stem the cascade and momentarily stare at Sweyn with wide-eyed incredulity. He then toppled to the ground and was dead within moments.

It was an astonishingly quick reaction from Sweyn, the adroitness and accuracy of which had made all who saw it gasp.

After ordering the removal of the body, the Emir spoke to him.

‘I apologize for the behaviour of a man I thought was my most noble knight. He has brought shame to me and my community. You have done me a great service by killing him; he deserved to die.’

‘My Lord, he was but one man. You and your people have been more than generous and courteous.’

‘I am still in your debt, young knight. How may I repay you?’

‘Sire, the debt is easily paid. Allow Adela and me to join your order of knights so that we may follow the Mos Militum, as they do.’

‘It is a small price to pay. We would be honoured to have you. I have not heard of a woman ever being made a knight before, in either Islam or Christianity, but as I answer to no one here, I will permit it, if my knights will agree.’

I did not want to embarrass Sweyn or upset the Emir, but I was tempted to intervene. I felt certain that membership of a Saracen order of knights would create problems if and when we ever made contact with Count Roger.

The next day, with much fanfare and flourish in front of the entire community, Adela and Sweyn were dubbed as knights by Ibn Hamed.

They swore to uphold the principles of the Mos Militum.

Honour

Truthfulness

Courage

Martial prowess

Pride in the face of superiors

Humility in the face of inferiors

Protection of the weak: women, children and the old

A few of the Emir’s knights had been opposed to Adela becoming one of their number, but most had agreed readily. Adela and Sweyn both knelt in front of the Emir as he gave them short, curved jewel-encrusted Arabian daggers. He then placed his hand on their heads in turn and blessed them.

Several sheep and goats were slaughtered, and tables were heaped high with fowl and game. Deep baskets of bread, fruit and vegetables were prepared for a grand feast of celebration, the only disappointing part being the lack of alcohol – an indulgence strictly forbidden by Islam.

There were drums and horns to accompany the knights as they performed the precise choreography of their ritual warriors’ dance. The women wailed encouragement as the children copied the adults, and the entire community shared in the joy of the occasion.

Adela and Sweyn sat with broad smiles on their faces, as did I. We were all charmed by the warmth of our Muslim hosts.

Edwin returned a few days later, not just with an answer from Count Roger, but with the Count in person. In a remarkable gesture of goodwill, and with considerable fortitude, Count Roger of Sicily rode into Ibn Hamed’s camp with only Edwin and our two men for company.

His appearance – he was tall and fair and elegantly dressed, with fine weapons and armour – suggested he was a man of high status. When he announced himself to the Emir, there was a stunned silence.

‘My noble Lord, Ibn Hamed, Emir of Calatafimi, I am Roger, Count of Sicily. I have come to offer myself as a hostage in place of Edgar, Prince of England.’

The Emir was dumbfounded, as was I. If Roger had prepared a devious trap, I could not see how it could be sprung. Ibn Hamed stood and walked up to the Count to offer his hand. I stepped up and did the same and introduced myself.

I could sense that Ibn Hamed was at a loss to know how to react, but eventually he replied.

‘Courtesy demands that I welcome you to my camp, but I must confess to you, I am taken aback by your presence here. You are either a very brave man, or a very foolish one.’

The Count, a man who must have been in his mid-fifties but who looked fit and lean, spoke calmly and with great self-confidence.

‘I hope I am not foolhardy, and it does not require an act of bravery to seek the ear of an honourable man like you.’

‘If I were to cut you down here and now, it would not be without considerable justification, given that you have killed many of my people and destroyed our homes, leaving us to skulk in the woods like frightened animals.’

‘That was war, Ibn Hamed, but now we have peace. My family came here many years ago with a mission to remove southern Italy from the influence of the Emperor of Constantinople and the Grand Caliph of Cairo. We have achieved that ambition; now we want peace.’

‘Peace on your terms.’

‘Yes, of course. But my terms are very different from my brother’s. He has returned to Apulia and rules there with an iron fist. My rule in Sicily is with a much more gentle touch.’

‘But this will be the touch of a Christian, with no tolerance for men of my faith.’

‘Not so. I have learned a good deal about the ways of Islam over the years – how Christians are allowed to worship openly in the Muslim world, and how you tolerate people of many colours and creeds. This is how it will be in Sicily.’

‘Those are fine words, but your past deeds still leave me and my people burning with anger.’

‘I understand. That is why I came here alone, to convince you of my sincerity. Except for a few enclaves in the south, all the Muslim and Greek people of Sicily have accepted my lordship. All our faiths are protected – Christians both Roman and Orthodox, Jews and Muslims – we trade together, our communities mix together and everyone pays the same taxes.’

‘That all sounds very laudable, but at the moment we have only our faith. We have nothing to trade with, possess no silver to pay taxes and are barely able to feed ourselves.’

‘I offer you two choices. I will give you and your people safe passage to one of the emirates in the south, as you requested, or you can return to Calatafimi and I will restore your lands and titles and help you rebuild everything that has been destroyed.’

‘And in return?’

‘My freedom and that of Prince Edgar and his English knights. In due course, when you are able, I will levy you for knightly service and taxes like any other lord. I will relish the service of your knights, as I know them to be fine warriors and honourable men.’

I stood, open-mouthed in amazement at what I had just heard. Roger of Sicily was everything that had been said about him and more.

‘Think about my offer, talk to your people. I will return to my escort in the valley and come back tomorrow for your answer.’

‘Very well, you will have my answer tomorrow.’

The Emir immediately called his senior knights, household and imams together to discuss the Count’s offer.

Before they gathered, he asked me for my opinion.

‘There is no doubting his sincerity. Edwin led him to your camp only because he chose to come alone. That is the act of a man of great resolve. Roger’s reputation for decency and tolerance is well known, and what we saw in Palermo confirms everything he said. The place is alive with the bustle of commerce and its people are a rich medley of colours, creeds and tongues.’