132

THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ii.

1244

Egyptians, as the bishop declared, before the Councilof Lyons, and in that sense, prisoners. 1

Of what country Villebride was, is not specified,but, probably, a Spaniard. He was instantly suc-ceeded by the marshal of the order, 2 a Frenchgentleman, named Sir William of Chateau-neuf, in 1243, and not 1251. 3

The letter of the Patriarch, giving a full accountof the disastrous battle of Gaza, is one of thesedocuments, dated November 25th, 1244, 4 and, inthat same year, the Bishop of Beyrout wassent with the doleful news to Europe, andled by the Pope, afterwards, to the council. 5 Greatwere the rejoicings at Cairo; and the Karismians,who had visited Jerusalem the year before, 6 andslaughtered seven thousand of its Christian popu-lation, kept closer to the sea-coast on their return.But other Christians must have replaced the suf-ferers, for Uavid, from Karac, made an inroad intothe Holy City, with an enormous havock of itsChristian inhabitants, immediately after the greatGaza defeat; and the tower of David was quitedemolished, which, until then, existed in at least

1 Bosio.—Yertot: iii. 490.

2 Cod. Dipl. Geros., i. 133 Num. cxviii.

3 Seb. Paoli: i. 342.

4 Cod. Dipl. Geros., i. 321. Hum. xliii. 1.

5 Michaud: Hist., iv. 105, 107. 6 Michaud: Hist., iv. 94.