Famous Crusader Quotes - Turkish Emir and Rainald Porchet
One of The Most Interesting Quotes of the Crusaders at The Siege of Antioch 1098
The Siege of Antioch was one of the most unforgettable battles of First Crusade. This interesting dialogue has been happened between Turkish Emir and Crusader Knight Rainald Porchet."On another day the Turks led to the top of an Antiochian wall a noble knight, Rainald Porchet, whom they had imprisoned in a foul dungeon. They then told him that he should inquire from the Christian pilgrims how much they would pay for his ransom before he lost his head. From the heights of the wall Rainald addressed the leaders: "My lords, it matters not if I die, and I pray you, my brothers, that you pay no ransom for me. But be certain in the faith of Christ and the Holy Sepulchre that God is with you and shall be forever. You have slain all the leaders and the bravest men of Antioch; namely, twelve emirs and fifteen thousand noblemen, and no one remains to give battle with you or to defend the city."
'The Turks asked what Rainald had said.
The interpreter replied: "Nothing good concerning you was said."
The emir, Yaghi Siyan, immediately ordered him to descend from the wall and spoke to him through an interpreter: "Rainald, do you wish to enjoy life honourably with us?"
Rainald replied: "How can I live honourably with you without sinning?"
The emir answered: "Deny your God, whom you worship and believe, and accept Mohammed and our other gods. If you do so we shall give to you all that you desire such as gold, horses, mules, and many other worldly goods which you wish, as well as wives and inheritances; and we shall enrich you with great lands."
Rainald replied to the emir: "Give me time for consideration;" and the emir gladly agreed. Rainald with clasped hands knelt in prayer to the east; humbly he asked God that He come to his aid and transport with dignity his soul to the bosom of Abraham.
When the emir saw Rainald in prayer, he called his interpreter and said to him: "What was Rainald's answer?"
The interpreter then said: "He completely denies your god. He also refuses your worldly goods and your gods."
After hearing this report, the emir was extremely irritated and ordered the immediate beheading of Rainald, and so the Turks with great pleasure chopped off his head: Swiftly the angels, joyfully singing the Psalms of David, bore his soul and lifted it before the sight of God for Whose love he had undergone martyrdom...'
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