Crushing victory of the crusaders outside Askalon

Summary:
The battlefield of Askalon was covered in domestic animals, designed to distract the crusaders into early looting. In fact, this was prohibited on pain of mutilation, and the animals swelled the apparent size of the Christian army. The battle began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered. The front line of the crusaders across the battlefield was made up of the forces of Robert of Flanders, Robert of Normandy, Gerard of Quierzy, Oliver of Jussey and Reinhard of Toul. There followed a decisive cavalry charge. Participants in this included Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Eustace, Raymond of Toulouse, Tancred, and Cono and Lambert of Montaigu. After the success of the cavalry, the crusader army started looting, and the Egyptians began a counter-attack. Duke Godfrey, who was covering the gates of Askalon to prevent attacks by the garrison, realised the danger and rallied enough of the army to renew the fighting and defeat the enemy a second time. Raymond of Toulouse fought on the right of the line, drowning many of the enemy in the sea. The Egyptians were pursued to the gates of Askalon, where there was such competition to enter that large numbers were crushed and slaughtered outside; the gates were shut, and the troops tried to hide, most of them without success [Anna Komnene seems to confuse this victory with the terrible defeat of the second battle or Ramla in 1102, which she dates to the following day]. The crusaders kept watch on the battlefield overnight, expecting an Egyptian rally, which did not occur; the next day was spent loading immense quantities of booty on their pack-animals, and burning what they could not carry 
Dates:
1099 August 12 
al-Afdal, vizier of Egypt (al-Afdal 4001)
  • As the battle began, he failed in an attempt to surround the crusader army, foiled by Godfrey 51; then they fought with arrows, followed by lances, and his lines were badly disrupted; al-Afdal himself led the flight to Askalon, forgetting his previous contempt, abandoning his rich baggage (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.31.6-10
Amerimnes, sultan of Egypt (Amerimnes 15001)
  • Launched a counter-attack against the Crusaders who had taken Jerusalem, Antioch and the surrounding cities, but was defeated by the Crusaders under Gontophre (Godfrey 51) at Ramla (:) Anna Komnene 342.46-56
  • On the day after he lost a battle outside Askalon to Godfrey 51 (1199), he won the second battle of Ramla (1103), taking Godfrey [sic] prisoner to Egypt; he was then defeated by Baldwin 51 [seriously confused] (:) Anna Komnene 342.56-343.69
Arnulf, bishop of Martirano (Arnulf 103)
  • On day of Battle of Askalon, was sent by Godfrey 51 to summon help from Jerusalem, but disappeared and was never seen again (: ) William of Tyre bk. 9, 12.50-56
Cono, count of Montaigu (Cono 4001)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Godfrey 51, Raymond 61, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61 and Lambert 4002 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47
Eustace III, count of Boulogne (Eustace 4001)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Godfrey 51, Raymond 61, Tancred 61, Cono 4001 and Lambert 4002 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47
Gerard of Quierzy (Gerard 4002)
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Raymond 61, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61, Cono 4001 and Lambert 4002 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47
  • After the success of the cavalry charge, the crusader army started looting, and the Egyptians began a counter-attack; he realised the danger, rallied enough of the army to renew the fighting and defeat the enemy a second time (:) Albert of Aachen VI.48
  • On news of Egyptian attack, held services and went out to confirm it, then summoned other leaders; by capturing the enemies' animals, they made their army seem larger, so that they easily won the battle near Askalon and great booty: in association with Robert 62 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 9, 11.1-12.66
  • He pursued the Egyptians to the gates of Askalon, where there was such a crush to enter that large numbers were crushed and slaughtered outside; the gates were shut, and the troops tried to hide, most of them without success (Friday, August 12:sexta feria, mense Augusto, in natali Eupli martyris) Albert of Aachen VI.49-50
  • He and the other leaders, warned by Anonymus 26136, issued an edict to the whole army that any crusader beginning to plunder before the battle should lose his ears and nose; thus the men only seized what they needed for food (:) Albert of Aachen VI.42
  • In the battle of Askalon, he covered the gate of the city, to prevent the garrison making sorties and taking the crusaders in the rear (:) Albert of Aachen VI.45
  • The day after the battle outside Askalon (1099), he lost the second battle of Ramla (1102 - from which Baldwin 52 was absent), and was carried off to Egypt; he was ransomed by Baldwin; his captured counts were freed without ransom by Amerimnes 15001, at the request of Alexios 1; he then sent Baldwin to Edessa [sic, very confused] (:) Anna Komnene 342.46-343.83
  • As the fighting began, he went to the rear to stop the enemy surrounding his army; then battle was joined, with arrows, then with lances, and the enemy lines were disrupted with heavy casualties; al-Afdal 4001 led the flight to Askalon, leaving huge booty, forgetting his previous contempt (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.31.6-10
  • He and his men kept close watch overnight, expecting the Egyptians to rally, but they did not; the crusaders rejoiced at a victory gained against numerical odds, and began to load the immense quantities of money and other booty on their pack-animals, burning what they could not carry (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.31.11-12
Lambert of Montaigu (Lambert 4002)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Godfrey 51, Raymond 61, Eustace 4001 and Tancred 61 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47
Oliver of Jussey (Oliver 26101)
Raymond of Saint-Gilles, count of Toulouse (Raymond 61)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Godfrey 51, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61, Cono 4001 and Lambert 4002 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47
  • In the battle of Askalon, he took his forces to the right into orchards outside the walls, so as to support his fellow leaders as the battle became fiercer (:) Albert of Aachen VI.45
  • Many of the broken Egyptian infantry made for the coast, seeking safety on the ships; there they were cut down by Raymond, who killed many of them by drowning (:) Albert of Aachen VI.47
Rainald III, count of Toul (Reinhard 4001)
  • In the battle of Askalon, his forces, with those of Robert 63, Robert 62, Oliver 26101 and Gerard 4002, with others, formed the front line of the crusaders across the battlefield (:) Albert of Aachen VI.45
Robert II, count of Flanders (Robert 62)
  • In the battle of Askalon, his forces, with those of Robert 63, Oliver 26101, Gerard 4002 and Reinhard 4001, with others, formed the front line of the crusaders across the battlefield (:) Albert of Aachen VI.45
  • On news of Egyptian attack, held services and went out to confirm it, then summoned other leaders; by capturing the enemies' animals, they made their army seem larger, so that they easily won the battle near Askalon and great booty: in association with Godfrey 51 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 9, 11.1-12.66
Robert [Curthose], count [duke] of Normandy (Robert 63)
  • In the battle of Askalon, his forces, with those of Robert 62, Oliver 26101, Gerard 4002 and Reinhard 4001, with others, formed the front line of the crusaders across the battlefield (:) Albert of Aachen VI.45
  • He captured at Askalon the "standard" of al-Afdal 4001, a very long spear entirely covered in silver, used as a centre to rally the troops; he dedicated it at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (:) standart Albert of Aachen VI.50
Tancred of Hauteville, nephew of Bohemond of Taranto (Tancred 61)
  • The battle of Askalon began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered: there followed a decisive cavalry charge, in which he was joined by Godfrey 51, Raymond 61, Eustace 4001, Cono 4001 and Lambert 4002 (:) Albert of Aachen VI.46-47