For Monica, who loves this stuff

The Angels of Sidon

It might be true that man's history is of and within the Word, having no vitality except as written down and preserved. Some say that this is so. Not I! For all that is written of history is not true, and much truth was never written. That is why you have never heard of the Angels of Sidon. Were it not for a typing mistake on an internet search, you would not learn of them now. The truth is for you to judge.

In June of 2001 I was doing research on the Third Crusade -- attempting to sort out conflicts between popular myths and personal journals recently published from several Slavic counties previously under USSR domination. On one query I sent, "the lies of King Richard and King Phillip;" instead of, "The lives of …" I received numerous interesting accounts including three that mentioned the 'Angels'. It has taken three more years to sort though translation difficulties and obvious embellishments. What I now share is a composite of offerings from Rumania, Kiev, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Hungary, Germany and Poland. Two pieces of evidence are universal: the Angels came into existence in the year 1191 AD, and their stories were deliberately suppressed by the combined order of three kings -- Richard I of England, Phillip II of France and Leopold V of Germany. Officially they do not exist.

The three monarchs (Frederic Barbarossa for Germany) had each built large armies for very divers and selfish reasons, but still managed to give the appearance of a united front upon arrival in the Holy Land. This changed when they met on the way to Acre and began squabbling over spoils and captives. As an attempt to placate the kings, 15,000 prisoners were delivered. -- people rounded up for no apparent reason other than they were 'different', and had not aligned themselves with either the Muslims or the Crusaders. Many were Christians but of Eastern sects. Others were travelers caught in the conflict. Some may have been spies, or common criminals. No effort had been made to sort them out, but the Marmalukes had not killed them either. It was a quandary. Each of the three Kings handled their 5,000 differently. Phillip immediately baptized his segment and set them free to be good Christians -- to either join the Crusade or leave the lands immediately. The German faction was less trusting. Their prisoners were sent to Germany to serve as paid servants for one year, then released to be 'good citizens', but could not stay in the Holy Land. History tells us that only a third reached Germany, with the rest escaping/settling along the way. Our good King Richard the Lion Hearted had a different solution. He order all 5,000 executed as an example to Saladin of what would happen to all enemies of "God." In response to this act of terrorism the Angels were born.
A single knight stepped forth and defied the King. He stated that at least the travelers from foreign land, neither Christian nor Muslim, should be allowed to leave. Richard was having none of this, and ordered the knight seized and executed also. But then a French knight stepped forth to challenge the legitimacy of the decree. Then another -- and another. Finally eight knights stood between the King and his 'demonstration' -- three English, three French and two German. Now the other Kings were involved and caught with their own showing of compassion. Richard turned his back and said, "These traitors must leave. Those who would follow them to Kazan may, as God will serve the sentence for us. Let no man assist them, feed them or nurture them. Their lands and titles are forfeit, and their names erased from history." The other Kings concurred. The number of foreigners thus saved numbered between 80 and 100, only a small part of the total to be slaughtered. The straggly mass left with nothing, shoeless, cloakless and with no plan. By all accounts they were already dead. The city of Sidon was famous throughout history as a place of haven and tolerance. It was here that the eight knights let them.
They also left the accuracy of historic account and entered legend, as no official records were made in any of the English, French or German journals. Some of the travelers survived and took the story with them. Islamic records record the granting of free passage to the 'Angels', and later accounts of battle with the "Knights of Stone." Others stories throughout the land above the Black Sea tell of a band of outlaw knights, feared by both Crusaders and Muslims -- invincible guides to travelers and those seeking sanctuary. Sidon was captured by the Muslims in 1194 and recaptured in 1197. The Angels of Sidon continued their task and calling throughout those years, defying both sides. By legend their number was always eight at sunrise. Even though some of the knights were reported killed in fierce battles, always at tremendous odds -- the next morning eight Angels would appear to continue the fight. If the scattered accounts are believed and totaled these eight knights (or mysterious replacements) killed more than 300 opponents in single armed combat. In the last found record (Polish), in the year 1198, eight knights dressed in green and gold let a throng of hundreds of women and children East to the Caspian Sea. The hilltops were lined with thousands of Turkish soldiers who watched them pass in silence. No man dared challenge those with "the eyes of grieving peace". None ever shall again.