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Kingdom of Heaven

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Knights Templar
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Kingdom Of Jerusalem

The whole of Outremer controlled from Jerusalem could muster about 30,000 soldiers. These included 1500 Knights, 6000 sergeants and support cavalry and 20,000 infantry. The exact numbers aren't known and varied greatly each year, Knights and mercenaries would come and go all the time hoping to make a quick fortune. Although the Christian held territory was called the Kingdom of Jerusalem, it was divided in to 4 states, Jerusalem, Tripoli, Edessa and Antioch.

 

The King had power over the kingdom, but Tripoli, Edessa and Antioch each had their own Lords. The military orders were also given their own land and castles but ruled themselves independently from Jerusalem. Each principality was responsible for recruiting and maintaining its own army and defending its own lands. If there was a major problem then the King could request the entire army of Jerusalem be assembled. This meant each of the four regions and the military orders would gather their forces and assemble where requested. However should a Lord of one of the states not like the King he wasn't under any obligation to supply his soldiers and could refuse the Kings request.

 

Assembling the army was generally avoided as it meant almost emptying all the castles and cities of troops, leaving them extremely vulnerable to attack. This happened in 1187 when King Guy de Lusignan gathered the whole army and got it annihilated at the Battle of Hattin, leading to the loss of Jerusalem.

 

European Kings would sometimes give money to Jerusalem to pay for mercenaries, these mercenaries would wear the colours of the King who gave the money. King Henry II of England was just one such person and the mercenaries wore the English cross of St John.

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Soldiers of Jerusalem

Soldiers of Jerusalem may have worn a mid-blue colour cloaks and surcoats. Surcoats and cloaks would also had the cross of Jerusalem sewn on the chest. Foot soldiers would have been either spearmen or crossbowmen, the crossbows didn't carry shields. Mounted would have been knights and sergeants and carried lance, sword, mace, club and shield. The principality of Jerusalem could muster at most 1000 Knights and up to 5000 sergeants, Turcapoles and mercenaries.

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Mounted Knights Templar
Knights Templar
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Knights Templar

Templers wore all white with a red cross. They initially wore a Cappa, a long-hooded cloak with sleeves but was hard to fight in. This was replaced for battle with the more manageable surcoat. The cross might have varied in style between units or commanderies.

There were about 300 Templar Knights in the whole of Outremer; divided into commanderies and given different regions to control, these were supported with roughly 1000 lesser knights (Junior Brother), turcopoles and infantry.

 

Lesser brothers would have worn brown or grey cloaks but retained the cross. The order also used spearmen and crossbowmen who wore similar clothing. Despite there being only 300 Brother Knights in Outremer there were many more throughout Europe. Based in England, France, Spain as well as other countries.

 

These Brother Knights would rotate their service, spending a year in each country, a little like soldiers today who spend time at the front and then get time in more peaceful regions. There are variations of the flag Templers carried. The main flag was divided in half, the top half all black the bottom half all white.

 

The white part of the flag signifies kindness to Christians, the black part showing terror and darkness to their enemies. The standard-bearer was called a Gonfalonier, but he didn't carry the standard himself but was carried by one of his esquires. The standard would have been escorted and protected by 10 Knights. Should the standard be lost, it's charges would be expelled from the Order.

 

The Knights were formed into 'commanderies' It's not known how many knights were part of each unit but each Commandery may of had a minimum of 12 Brother Knights and was led by a Marshal then the commander of Knights, Gonfalonier, Master esquire and Turcopolier.

 

Each Commandery carried a second flag which was all white with a red cross. The Knights each had a pennant attached to the top of their lance, white with a red cross. The Housing for the horses would normally be white with a variety of red crosses. It's also possible the housing was white with the top third black.

 

Padded housing was also used giving the horse protection from distant shooting. Foot soldiers in the Order were divided into companies of 50 men and attached to each Commandery.

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Knights Hospitaller

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Hospitallers wore black for this period with the 8-pointed white cross. Their banner was red with a white cross. Their organisation was similar to the Templers. Red wasn't worn by the Hospitallers until about 1270. Shields were kite shaped like the Templers varying in size, black in colour with an 8 pointed cross in white. The horses would be either unarmoured or wearing housing sometimes padded. The housing could be black or white with a variety of crosses. Leatherwear was made locally in Outremer usually either black or brown and kept simple.

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I've found no information on the colour of the lances but it's possible they were either left natural wood or painted. The orders weren't allowed to have anything ''flashy'' so I'd assume the lances would be plain and if painted they would be black brown or dark red.

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The Hospitallers also provided a medical corps for the army of Jerusalem. They would tend any wounded soldier that needed their help and accompanied the army on campaign, treating every imaginable injury as well as disease and sunstroke.

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They would erect tents as temporary hospitals and try to remove any injured soldier back to Jerusalem for better care and treatment. One Hospital in Jerusalem had 1000 beds for both sexes including pregnant women. Patients were generally well-fed on pork, even chicken was made available for any Muslim patients.

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