156 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book ir.

wicked emirs, headed by that upstart Bibars, as dar-ing in assassination as in battle, she was for a shorttime proclaimed sovereign in right of her dead son,and her elevation astonished all Islam. The Caliphof Bagdad, in horror at the innovation, wrote tothe Egyptian emirs, to ask them if there was not asingle man of ability in entire Egypt, that theyhad recourse to a woman to govern them ? 1 Yetthe revolted emirs were not quite unmerciful to theFranks, but allowed St. Louis and army to embark,only taking back Damietta, and leaving hostages andproperty, which according to the treaty the Moslempromised to restore ; but afterwards refused. Andwith Louis embarked all that remained of the militaryorders; three Templars, and four Hospitallers—ofwhom one was that preceptor for France, whose dutywas to stay by the king’s person, and another onedying of his wounds, and who in effect died previousto the ship’s getting to Acre. Just before expiringit has been said, without citing authority, that hetold the preceptor that Chateauneuf, just previousto their captivity, had visited him in a disguise, whichhe had received from the charity of a Saracenwoman, whose medicaments had recalled him to lifeand staunched his wounds; and then she gave himhis liberty. And, indeed, he was the only Idos-

1 Arab. Chxon., 472.