PLATE X.
THE GREAT ASSAULT UPON THE TOWN OF AFRICA.
During the sixty-one days that the siege lasted, many were the skirmishes and encounters before the town and at the barriers; but the principal assault occurred in consequence of a challenge having been sent by ten Saracens to meet ten Christians in combat, between the town and the camp. Ten knights, among whom was Sir John Russel, an Englishman, having accepted the challenge, went forth to the ground of combat, and the army was drawn up in battle-array to witness the encounter, but the Saracens never came, and the commander thinking it a pity that the day should pass without a little fighting, as they were all prepared, ordered a general assault upon the town. They took the outer wall by storm, but it was little advantage to them, as the enemy retired behind the inner line. The loss sustained by the Christian troops was very great, for numbers fell victims to the heat alone on that day, whilst many were killed in the combat; the Saracens sustaining but slight loss.
After the raising of the siege, the Saracens of Africa, Tunis, Morocco, Granada, and other places, formed an alliance for the purpose of making themselves masters of the Mediterranean, and revenging this siege of Africa. They succeeded so well in annoying the trade of the Venetians, Genoese, &c., that merchandise from the east and south was scarcely to be had for any money; and Froissart winds up the chapter by telling us, that “all sorts of spicery became enormously dear.”
In this illumination, the cannon of the period, made of timber, hooped with iron, are very accurately depicted, as well as the arms and accoutrements of the cross-bowmen: but the view of the town is evidently imaginary, the artist having, probably, seen none but Flemish or French towns, from his impressions of which he seems to have designed his view of Africa.[Pg 52][Pg 51]
The Journey of Charles VIᵗʰ of France and his brother the Duke of Touraine from Montpellier to Paris.