ABSTRACT
PreciselywhathappenedatthebattleofHattinisofenormousinterest, andmodemscholarshavebeenatpainstotrytoreconstructeventsfrom thesurvivingsources-bothMuslimandChristian-andfromaconsiderationoftheterrain.•Document4aistheaccountofthebattleasgivenby theColbert-FontainebleauEracles.2ItparallelstheLyonEraclesparagraphs40-2,providingdetailslackingfromthataccount.Oftheother narrativeaccountsofthebattle,perhapsthesinglemostimportant,theDe expugfUllioneTe"aeSanctaeperSaladinumLibellushasbeenpublishedin anEnglishtranslationbyProfessorBrundage.3Newsofthebattlewas spreadbylettersappealingtotheWestforhelp,andsomeoftheseclearly hadawidecirculation.Sofarastheeventsofthebattleitselfare concerned,themostinformativeoftheseisaletteraddressedtoArchumbald,theHospitallermasterinItaly.Thisletterwasevidentlywritten beforenewsofthesurrenderofAscalon(4September)hadreachedits author,anditistranslatedhereasdocument4b."Alettersenttothepope bytheGenoeseconsulscontainssimilarinformation,sandathirdletter, writtenbefore6AugustbyTerricus,theTemplargrandpreceptor,has beentranslatedinfullbyProfessorBarber.6Morerhetoricalintoneisthe letter(document4c)7fromthepatriarchEracliustothepopewritten shortlybeforethesiegeofJerusalembegan-internalevidenceplacesitin theperiod5-20September-andherenewsandanappealforaidisoverlainwithlamentation.
