The last time a non-Islamic force decided to attack Mecca didn't work out too well. Reynauld of Chatillon was a crusader Prince of Antioch in his wife's right. He liked to attack and rob caravans of pilgrims, even though that was strictly forbidden by the treaty between The King of Jerusalem and the Muslims. He finally figured out that if these pilgrims had that much treasure going into Mecca, then the city was probably loaded with goodies. So, he put a fleet together on The Red Sea and mounted an expedition against Mecca, against the wishes of his own King.
They got within a few miles of Mecca, then heard of a larger fleet of Muslim warships approaching. They sailed back to friendly territory and gave up the idea.
However, this expedition convinced the Muslims that they could not have a detente with the Crusaders, and they doubled their effort to push them out of The Holy Land. They united behind the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, Saladin.
After Saladin defeated the Crusaders and recovered Jerusalem, he had a banquet for King Guy and the other captured Crusader nobles. Before the food arrived, he took out a sword and beheaded Reynauld of Chatillon. Needless to say, the other nobles took this as a bad omen.
"Have no fear, My Lords," Saladin said. "Kings do not kill kings. But this one had gone beyond all redemption." |
