Templar Fortified Towns in Outremer

Templar Fortified Towns in Outremer

On the other side, the defenders' use of espringals and 'great crossbows' could prove very effective, because the attackers were more exposed to the massive arrows shot by such weapons than the defenders within their stone walls. 'Great crossbows' were used by the Templars of Atlit in 1220, causing such heavy casualties that the Ayyubid Sultan al-Muazzam withdrew his army. The Templar garrison of Jaffa used the same sort of weapons in defence of Jaffa in 1266.  ---  Crusader castles in the Holy Land 1192-1302.