as, plied his great cross-bow
vigorously and slew many Turks. One of the infidels was disporting
himself on the wall, clad in the well-known armor of Alberic Clement,--a
renowned and beloved Christian warrior, slain several days before by the
Turks, after he had fought his way into the city itself. Richard sent a
shaft through the very heart of this braggart Turk.

Now, when the tower had been almost battered down, other warriors from
the Christian camp gathered to the assault; but the watchers on the
city wall raised a cry of alarm, and all the Turkish warriors flew to
arms. Then followed a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. In spite of most
heroic efforts, the Crusaders were finally driven back. "Never," says
the Christian chronicler, "has there been such a people for prowess in
battle as these Turks."

Though wroth at this repulse, Richard continued to make frequent attacks
of the same sort, and kept his stone-casters and other engines of war
busy night and day until the defences of the city were much weakened.
The inhabitants, disheartened also by famine and other hardships,
finally sent envoys to Saladin, requesting permission to surrender the
city. After much parley about conditions, the city capitulated, and the
two Christian kings took possession. Soon the red-cross standard of the
Crusade, the oriflamme of Saint Denis, and the banner of Saint George
crowned the walls of Acre. The standard of Austria was also raised by
the Archduke Leopold; but not long did it wave. The haughty
Coeur-de-Lion flew into a rage on seeing the ensign of a mere duke
flying beside the banners of kings. With his own royal hands he tore
down the offending flag, and contemptuously ground it beneath his royal
heel. Nor did the outraged archduke dare to resent the insult, though he
cherished the memory of it in his heart, and well avenged himself at a
later day.

The kings of France and England divided the city between them. Philip
lodged himself in the splendid palace of the Templars,--a military order
of Christian knights; and Richard established his court in the royal
palace, with the two queens, Berengaria and Joan, and their ladies. Here
for some time the kings lived in luxury and splendor, while all the
Crusaders took their ease and rested from warfare.

But again quarrels arose over the kingship of Jerusalem. Finally it was
agreed among the princes that Guy de Lusignan should be recognized as
king, and the Marquis of Montferrat as his