The Siege of Ascalon and the Templars
The Siege of Ascalon in 1153 was a major event in the Crusader history of the Holy Land, and it is closely connected to the early history of the Knights Templar. The Grand Master of the Order, Bernard de Tremelay, was killed in the siege, and the story of his death has become a famous episode in the history of the Order.
This article examines the Siege of Ascalon and its connection to the Templars. It is a companion to The Grand Masters of the Order and to The Knights Templar in the Holy Land.
The Background
Ascalon (also spelled Ashkelon) was a major coastal city in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, located on the Mediterranean coast about 50 km southwest of Jerusalem. The city had been held by the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt since the late 7th century, and it was a major base of Muslim naval power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the early 12th century, Ascalon was a major obstacle to the security of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The city served as a base for Muslim raids against the Latin Christian territories, and it was a constant threat to the Crusader states.
In 1150, the Latin Christian states, led by King Baldwin III of Jerusalem (r. 1143–1163), began a major campaign against Ascalon. The campaign was supported by the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller, the two great military orders of the Crusades.
For the broader context, see The Knights Templar in the Holy Land.
The Templar Assault (1153)
The decisive moment of the campaign came in 1153, when the Latin Christian forces, led by King Baldwin III, launched a major siege of Ascalon. The Templars, led by the Grand Master Bernard de Tremelay, played a major role in the siege.
According to the medieval chronicler William of Tyre, during the siege, Bernard de Tremelay approached King Baldwin with a proposal. The Grand Master asked for permission to lead a small group of Templars in an assault on a section of the city’s wall that appeared vulnerable. The King agreed, and on August 12, 1153, Bernard led a group of about 40 Templars in an assault on the city.
The Templars were able to breach the wall and enter the city. According to legend, the small group of Templars captured a section of the wall and held it for several hours, before they were overwhelmed by the Muslim defenders. Bernard de Tremelay was among the dead, and the surviving Templars were killed or captured.
The Death of Bernard de Tremelay
The death of the Grand Master was a major loss for the Order. Bernard de Tremelay had been a relative of Bernard of Clairvaux, and he was a respected military commander. His death is one of the most famous episodes in the early history of the Order.
The story of the death is told in detail in the Templar history and is one of the most famous examples of Templar heroism in battle. The episode illustrates the willingness of the Templars to make extraordinary sacrifices in the defense of the Holy Land.
For the biographies of the Grand Masters, see The Grand Masters of the Order.
The Aftermath
Despite the death of the Grand Master, the siege of Ascalon was ultimately successful. The city fell to the Latin Christian forces in 1153, after a few months of siege. The fall of Ascalon was a major victory for the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and it removed a major obstacle to the security of the Latin Christian territories.
The capture of Ascalon allowed the Latin Christian states to consolidate their hold on the coast, and it marked the beginning of a period of relative stability in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The city would remain in Latin Christian hands until 1187, when it was captured by Saladin after the Battle of Hattin.
The Grand Master’s Tomb
The body of Bernard de Tremelay was recovered by the Latin Christian forces after the capture of the city. According to legend, the body was returned to Jerusalem and was buried with great honor in the Temple Mount, in the church of the Order.
The burial site has long since been lost, and the location of the tomb is unknown. The story of the tomb is one of the many mysteries of the Order’s history.
The Templar Tradition
The Siege of Ascalon has been a major episode in the Templar tradition since the 12th century. The story of the Grand Master’s heroic death has been told and retold in Templar chronicles, and it has been a major element of the Order’s self-image.
The story of the siege is told in The Knights Templar in the Holy Land and in The Grand Masters of the Order.
The Modern Memory
The Siege of Ascalon is still remembered as a major event in the history of the Crusades. The story of the Grand Master’s death has been the subject of numerous modern books and documentaries, and it remains a major part of the popular mythology of the Order.
The most important modern treatments of the siege include those by Malcolm Barber in The New Knighthood (1994), by Alain Demurger in The Templars: A New History (2005), and by Helen Nicholson in The Knights Templar: A New History (2001).
Conclusion
The Siege of Ascalon in 1153 was a major event in the Crusader history of the Holy Land, and it is closely connected to the early history of the Knights Templar. The Grand Master Bernard de Tremelay was killed in the siege, and the story of his death has become a famous episode in the history of the Order. The story of the siege and the Grand Master’s death is told in The Knights Templar in the Holy Land and in The Grand Masters of the Order.