The Fall of Outremer
Last Stand
By nightfall it was all over, except for a single building: the castle of the Templars, now under the command of Peter of Sevrey. The surviving Templars had fled here, along with other soldiers and some civilians, including women and children. It was a formidable castle, standing partially in the harbor, so it could be supplied by sea.
Khalil at once ordered it besieged. After a few days, he offered terms: surrender the fortress and the defenders could depart in peace to Cyprus. Peter accepted the offer. A hundred Mameluks under the command of an emir entered the castle to oversee the transfer. But their discipline was poor. They began to molest the women and boys. The Templars, enraged by this, fell upon the Mameluks and killed them all.
Everyone understood the implications of this. During the night, Peter sent the remaining civilians by boat to Sidon. The next day, Khalil offered the same terms. Peter and a few companions went to the Sultan to accept these terms. They were instantly seized and were beheaded in full view of those inside the castle.
Khalil now ordered sappers against the castle. They mined the tower and on 18 May the landward wall began to crumble. Khalil ordered two thousand of his Mameluks into the breach. They fought their way in, but the added weight was too much. The tower collapsed, and all inside were killed.