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Learning Java Functional
Programming
Richard M Reese
BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI
Learning Java Functional Programming
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
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critical articles or reviews.
Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy
of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is
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ISBN 978-1-78355-848-3
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About the Author
Richard M Reese has worked in both industry and academics. For 17 years, he
worked in the telephone and aerospace industries, serving in several capacities,
including research and development, software development, supervision, and
training. He currently teaches at Tarleton State University, where he has the
opportunity to draw on his years of industry experience to enhance his teaching.
Richard has written several Java books and a C pointer book. He uses a concise and
easy-to-follow approach to the topics at hand. His Java books have addressed EJB
3.1, updates to Java 7 and 8, certification, jMonkeyEngine, and Natural Language
Processing.
Richard would like to thank his daughter, Jennifer, for her numerous
reviews and contributions; his wife, Karla, for her continued
support; and the staff at Packt for their work in making this
a better book.
About the Reviewers
He has more than 7 years of experience working in backend development with Java
and other JVM languages.
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Table of Contents
Referential transparency 37
Closure in Java 38
Currying 40
Lambda expressions revisited 43
Java 8 type inference 44
Exception handling in lambda expressions 46
Functional interfaces revisited 47
Creating a functional interface 47
Common functional interfaces 47
Function-type functional interfaces 48
Predicate-type functional interfaces 49
Consumer-type functional interfaces 50
Supplier-type functional interfaces 51
Operator-type functional interfaces 51
Summary 53
Chapter 3: Function Composition and Fluent Interfaces 55
Introduction to function composition 56
Creating composite functions prior to Java 8 56
Creating composite functions in Java 8 58
Using the Function interface for function composition 59
Using the Functional interface to supplement methods 60
Passing instances of the Functional interface 61
Fluent interfaces 64
Fluent interfaces in Java 8 64
Method chaining and cascading 65
Contrasting method cascading and fluent interfaces 67
Creating and using fluent interfaces 68
Using fluent interfaces to hide older interfaces/classes 72
Using fluent interfaces with the Properties class 74
Extending fluent interfaces 76
Default methods and functions 80
Static default methods 81
Default methods in Java 8 81
Multiple inheritance in Java 8 83
Summary 84
Chapter 4: Streams and the Evaluation of Expressions 85
The Stream class and its use 86
Intermediate and terminal methods 88
Creating streams 89
Fixed length streams 90
[ ii ]
Table of Contents
Infinite streams 90
Using the iterate method to create an infinite stream 91
Using the generate method to create an infinite stream 94
Using the Stream class methods 95
Filter methods 96
Using the filter method 97
Using the skip method 98
Sorting streams 99
Mapping methods 100
Understanding the mapping operation 100
Implementing the map-reduce paradigm 101
Using the flatmap method 103
Lazy and eager evaluation 106
Stream and concurrent processing 109
Understanding non-inference 110
Understanding stateless operations 111
Understanding side effects 112
Understanding the ordering 113
Summary 114
Chapter 5 Recursion Techniques in Java 8 117
Recursive data structures 118
Types of recursion 120
Using direct recursion 120
Head and tail recursion 121
Understanding recursion 123
The Node class 124
Using head recursion 126
Using tail recursion 127
Using the head and tail recursion 128
Creating a recursive solution based on a formula 129
Converting an iterative loop to a recursive solution 131
Merging two lists 132
Understanding the program stack 133
Recursive lambda expressions 137
Common problems found in recursive solutions 137
Absence of a base case 138
Using static or instance variables 138
Using the pre- and post-increment operators 139
Recursion implementation techniques 139
Using a wrapper method 140
Using short circuiting 140
[ iii ]
Table of Contents
[ iv ]
Table of Contents
[v]
Table of Contents
[ vi ]
Preface
With the introduction of Java 8, many functional programming techniques have been
added to the language. However, functional programming may seem unfamiliar to
developers who are used to using imperative and object-oriented techniques. The
new additions to Java 8 offer the opportunity to develop more maintainable and
robust applications than that offered by earlier versions of Java.
Chapter 3, Function Composition and Fluent Interfaces, addresses how to use functional
composition. Also covered are fluent interfaces and the use of default methods.
Chapter 4, Streams and the Evaluation of Expressions, covers the basics of their creation
and use. Streams are an important addition to Java.
[ vii ]
Preface
Chapter 6, Optional and Monads, covers the use and the nature of monads in creating
fluent interfaces and producing resilient code. The Optional class provides a better
way of working with missing data.
Chapter 8, Refactoring, Debugging, and Testing, demonstrates how these tools have
been affected by the new functional programming techniques and how IDEs
support them. These are valuable tools in the development process.
Conventions
In this book, you will find a number of text styles that distinguish between different
kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles and an explanation of
their meaning.
[ viii ]
Preface
Code words in text are shown are follows: "As you may remember, the forEach
method accepts a lambda expression which matches the Consumer interface's
accept method."
New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen,
for example, in menus or dialog boxes, appear in the text like this: "There is the text
form as entered by the user such as: drop Axe."
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[ ix ]
Preface
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[x]
Preface
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[ xi ]
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Getting Started with
Functional Programming
Functional programming languages have been used successfully for decades and
present a different and often more elegant way of expressing the program logic.
Functional languages, such as Lisp, Clojure, or Haskell, incorporate techniques that
may seem odd and hard to follow by programmers who are used to imperative
programming techniques.
A language such as Java, while not initially developed with a functional orientation,
can incorporate functional techniques. This is the major change to the language
made with the release of Java 8. Java now incorporates imperative, procedural,
object-oriented, and functional techniques.
[1]
Getting Started with Functional Programming
This is followed by the support Java 8 provides for functional programming, including:
• Lambda expressions
• Default methods
• Functional interface
• Method and constructor references
• Collections
• Functions
• Function composition
• Fluent interfaces
[2]
Chapter 1
Each of these concepts will be introduced in the following sections. We will explore
the nature of each concept, explain why it is important, and when practical provide
simple examples using Java.
Functions
Functions are the foundation of functional programming languages. They play a
central role in supporting other functional programming concepts. In this section,
we will introduce many of the terms used to describe functions including high-order,
first-class, and pure functions. The concepts of closure and currying will also
be explained.
High-order functions depend upon the existence of first-class functions. They are
functions that either:
Java 8 has introduced the concept of lambda expressions to the language. These are
essentially anonymous functions that can be passed to and returned from functions.
They can also be assigned to a variable. The basic form of a lambda expression
follows where a parameter, such as x, is passed to the body of the function. The
lambda operator, ->, separates the parameter from the body. This function is
passed a value, which is multiplied by two and then returned, as follows:
x -> 2 * x
In this lambda expression, it is assumed that an integer is passed and that integer is
returned. However, the data type is not restricted to an integer as we will see later.
In the following lambda expression, an argument is passed and nothing is returned:
x->System.out.println(x)
[3]
Getting Started with Functional Programming
Lambda expressions must be used in the proper context. It would not be appropriate
to pass a lambda expression, which returns a value to a method, to a function that
cannot use the returned value.
We can use the previous expression in many places that expect a single value being
passed and nothing to be returned as shown next. In the following example, an array
of integers is converted to a list. The lambda expression is then used as an argument
to the List class's forEach method, which displays each element of the list. The
forEach method applies the lambda expression to each element in the list, avoiding
having to create an explicit loop to achieve the same effect:
Integer arr[] = {1,2,3,4,5};
List<Integer> list = Arrays.asList(arr);
list.forEach(x->System.out.println(x));
The output will list the numbers one to five on separate lines.
A pure function is a function that has no side effects. This means that memory
external to the function is not modified, IO is not performed, and no exceptions are
thrown. With a pure function, when it is called repeatedly with the same parameters,
it will return the same value. This is called referential transparency.
• The function can be called repeatedly with the same argument and get the
same results. This enables caching optimization (memorization).
• With no dependencies between multiple pure functions, they can be
reordered and performed in parallel. They are essentially thread safe.
[4]
Chapter 1
• Pure function enables lazy evaluation as discussed later in the Strict versus
non-strict evaluation section. This implies that the execution of the function
can be delayed and its results can be cached potentially improving the
performance of a program.
• If the result of a function is not used, then it can be removed since it does
not affect other operations.
There are several other terms associated with functions, such as the term closure.
This refers to a function passed around along with its environment. The environment
consists of the variables it uses. Java 8 supports a form of closure, and will be
illustrated in Chapter 2, Putting the Function in Functional Programming.
f ( x, y ) = x + y
f ( 3, 4 ) = 3 + 4
f ( 3, y ) = 3 + y
g ( y) = 3 + y
f ( 3, y ) = g ( y ) = 3 + y
We reduced the number of arguments from two to one. Using a value of 4 for
y yields the original result of 7. The process of currying, and partially applying
functions, permit high-order functions to be used more effectively. This will
become clearer in Chapter 2, Putting the Function in Functional Programming.
[5]
Getting Started with Functional Programming
Function composition
Imperative programming places emphasis on a step-by-step process to implement
an application. This is typified by a logical set of steps where code is executed using
basic control constructs and is often encapsulated in functions or procedures.
Functional programming places more emphasis on how these functions are arranged
and combined. It is this composition of functions, which typifies a functional style of
programming. Functions are not only used to organize the execution process, but are
also passed and returned from functions. Often data and the functions acting on the
data are passed together promoting more capable and expressive programs.
We will illustrate this technique using the Function interface as defined in the java.
util.function package. This interface possesses a compose and andThen methods.
Both of these methods return a composed function.
The compose method will execute the function passed to it first, and then uses its
result with the function the compose method is executed against. The andThen
method will execute the first function and then execute the function passed as an
argument to the andThen method.
The next code sequence demonstrates the compose method, which is passed as a
function to take the absolute value of a number. The absThenNegate variable is
assigned a function that will also negate the number. This variable is declared as a
Function type, which means that the function assigned to it expects to be passed as
an integer and returns an integer.
This function will execute the argument of the compose method and the Math class's
abs method first, against some value, and then apply the negateExact method
to this result. In other words, it will take the absolute value of a number and then
negate it. Both of these methods are expressed as method references, which are new
to Java 8. A method reference consist of the class name followed by a set of double
colons, and then a method name providing a simpler form of method invocation:
Function<Integer,Integer>absThenNegate =
((Function<Integer,Integer>)Math::negateExact)
.compose(Math::abs);
This is illustrated with the following sequence. The Function interface's apply
method is used to invoke the composed function:
System.out.println(absThenNegate.apply(-25));
System.out.println(absThenNegate.apply(25));
[6]
Chapter 1
Both of these statements will display a -25. In the first statement, the absolute value
of a -25 is obtained and then negated. The second statement works the same way
except its argument is +25.
The negateThenAbs variable that follows, illustrates the andThen method. The
function used as an argument to the andThen method is applied after the first function
is executed. In this case, the negateExact method is executed first and then the abs
function is applied:
Function<Integer,Integer>negateThenAbs =
((Function<Integer,Integer>)Math::negateExact)
.andThen(Math::abs);
System.out.println(negateThenAbs.apply(-25));
System.out.println(negateThenAbs.apply(25));
We could have obtained the same results with a series of imperative statements.
However, this does not result in as much flexibility as can be obtained using
function composition. The ability to pass functions will provide the enhanced
flexibility. We will postpone a detailed discussion of this approach until Chapter 3,
Function Composition and Fluent Interfaces.
Fluent interfaces
Fluent interfaces constitute a way of composing expressions that are easier to write
and understand. A fluent interface is often implemented using method chaining,
sometimes called method cascading, where the returned value is used again in the
same context.
In Java 8, the use of fluent interfaces is found in numerous places. We will illustrate
this style with an example using the new Date and Time API.
Suppose we want to calculate a new date that is 2 years in the future, minus 1 month
plus 3 days. We can use the following code sequence to achieve this result. The
LocalDate class's method now returns an instance of the LocalDate class representing
the current date. This date is the base for creating a new day called futureDate:
LocalDate today = LocalDate.now();
LocalDate futureDate = today.plusYears(2);
futureDate = futureDate.minusMonths(1);
futureDate = futureDate.plusDays(3);
System.out.println(today);
System.out.println(futureDate);
[7]
Getting Started with Functional Programming
Contrast this with the next code sequence, which takes advantage of the APIs fluent
interface and produces the same output:
LocalDatefutureDate = LocalDate.now()
.plusYears(2)
.minusMonths(1)
.plusDays(3);
The code flow is easy to read and flows in a more natural way. You will see repeated
usage of fluent interfaces in the book. Streams use this approach consistently.
With non-strict evaluation, they are not evaluated until necessary. Non-strict
evaluation is sometimes called lazy evaluation. However, these terms are not
always strict synonyms. Non-strict evaluation is concerned with the semantics of the
expression, while lazy evaluation deals more with how the expression is evaluated.
[8]
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Every project of ambition which the daring
[1215-1217 a.d.] genius of Gregory VII had formed was
embraced by the ardent spirit of Innocent III. In
raising a fabric of ecclesiastical policy on the ruins of gospel liberty,
the importance of guiding the military arm of Europe was not lost
sight of. The commands of the Vatican were hurled upon every part
of Europe, calling men to exterminate infidelity. The protection of St.
Peter was promised to the families and fortunes of the pilgrims.
They who had bound themselves to pay usury were released from
their oaths; and secular power should compel the Jews to remit their
claims. The indulgences were revoked which had been granted to
those who quitted their homes in order to exterminate heresy in
Provence, and infidelity in Spain.
Among those who most loudly and successfully pleaded the cause
of religion was Robert de Courçon; a man inferior in talents and
consideration to St. Bernard, but whose fanaticism was as fervent as
that of Peter and Fulk. By parentage and birth he was an
Englishman; but he had been educated in the university of Paris, and
in that famous seat of learning had lived as a friend with a fellow
student, who afterwards sat in the papal chair, under the title of
Pope Innocent III. The associate of his holiness was promoted to
various dignities in the church; his talents for business were
employed by Innocent in clerical embassies, and his abilities as a
public orator were matured under the care of Fulk de Neuilly. He was
the papal legate in France, and after having appeased the foreign
and internal distractions of that kingdom, he quitted Paris in 1215,
descended by the way of Burgundy to the southern provinces, left
no quarter of the south unvisited; and then, after having traversed
with speed and success the western provinces, the saint-errant
returned to the capital. Twenty years before he had preached the
same theme to the same people, as the humble assistant of Fulk.
Clad in the Roman purple, and armed with the authority of the vicar
of Jesus Christ, the cardinal gave every possible dignity to the office
of missionary. But his prudence kept not pace with his zeal, for, like
Peter the Hermit, he admitted everyone to take the cross. Women,
children, the old, the blind, the lame, the lepers, all were enrolled in
the sacred militia. The multitude of the crusaders was innumerable,
and the voluntary offerings of money which was put into the
charitable boxes in the churches were immense. Philip Augustus
contributed the fortieth part of his revenues; and it is singular that
this money was to be employed for purposes of the holy war,
agreeably to the directions of the kings and barons of France and
England. But the alms of the people of France were not applied
exclusively to sacred purposes. Robert de Courçon was openly
convicted of peculation, and his papal friend was obliged to remit his
own dignity, and intercede with the French prelates, in order to save
the legate from punishment.
The pope, treading in the steps of his predecessors, convoked a
general council for the purpose of chastising vice, condemning
heresy, and of inducing the princes and people to undertake the
sacred expedition. In the month of November, 1215, the religious
and political authorities assembled in the church of the Lateran, and
the greatness of their number, and their exalted rank, testify the
zealous preaching of the pope’s legates. All the clergy (except those
who were crusaders) were for three years to contribute the
twentieth part of their ecclesiastical revenues; tournaments during
the three years of the crusade were forbidden, lest the
representation of war should draw men’s attention from war itself.
Civil dissensions were to be suspended, and peace was to reign in
the Christian world during all the time of the holy contest.
The necessity of extirpating heresy, and quelling rebellion in the
south of France, was the pretence of the French king for not
embracing the crusade. The emperor Frederick II remained to
establish his authority in Apulia and Sicily, and to advance the
favourite project of himself and family, and of making Italy the seat
of the empire of the West.[70] The Hungarians who had been the
scourge of the first crusaders, took the lead on this occasion. Their
king, Andrew, incited by the example of his mother Margaret, the
wish of his father, and certain political considerations, made a vow to
march to Jerusalem. The dukes of Austria and Bavaria, and indeed
all the ecclesiastical and secular potentates of lower Germany, joined
their forces to those of the monarch. The united army marched to
Spalato. The ships of Venice, and other ports of the Adriatic,
transported them to Cyprus; and after having enjoyed for a while
the pleasures of an island consecrated to Venus, the holy warriors
sailed for and arrived at Acre, in company with fresh crowds of
crusaders from Marseilles, Genoa, and Brundusium. The Mussulman
powers were astonished at, and unprovided for this sudden and
large reinforcement of the Latins. The sons of Saphedin were the
lords of Syria, while Saphedin himself, retired from the constant toils
of royalty, was contented with the respect of the army and people in
times of difficulty and danger. The Saracens pressed to the country
about Nablus, but not in sufficient numbers to meet the new
crusaders, who ravaged the country and slew thousands of their
foes. But they did not confine their cruelties to the infidels. The soil
of Palestine, in the year in which the present crusaders landed, had
been less productive than in most seasons; the soldiers had carried
thither no provisions, and when not engaged in distant excursions
into the enemy’s territories, they took the shorter course of robbing
the private and religious houses of the Latins and Syrians.
Pious exercises, however, re-established order. The ecclesiastical
chief of the Latin Christians led the army in religious procession
across the river of Kishon, to the valley of Jezreel. They bathed in
the Jordan, made their pilgrimage to the Lake of Gennesaret,
observed with devout awe the scenes of various miracles performed
by Christ, and returned to Acre. But they soon repaired their wasted
strength, and trod with holy reverence the road to the scene of the
transfiguration. The ascent to Mount Tabor, however, was difficult;
and the summit was defended by a strongly garrisoned tower.
Attached as much to pilgrimages as to war, the crusaders went in
holy order to Tyre and Sidon; but the inclemency of the season
drove them into disorder, and the Saracens made dreadful havoc on
their divided parties. The Christians separated for the remainder of
the winter. The kings of Cyprus and Hungary repaired to Tripolis; and
if the people were grieved at
[1217-1219 a.d.] the death of the former of
these princes, their feelings
were quickly changed into indignation against the
latter. Neither the entreaties nor the threats of
the clergy could persuade the unstable Andrew to
remain in Palestine. Taking with him most of his
soldiers and stores, he traversed Armenia and the
Greek Empire, and at last returned to his
kingdom, which had been so deeply exhausted
by this expensive expedition, that it did not for
years recover its pristine strength.
The king of Jerusalem, the duke of Austria, and
the master of the Hospitallers, took up a strong
position on the plains of Cæsarea. The Templars,
the Teutonic knights, and Walter d’Avesnes,
occupied Mount Carmel, and their station was
defended by a tower which the Templars had
A Knight’s Esquire,
formerly erected, for the defence and protection Thirteenth Century
of the Jerusalem pilgrims. In the spring of the
following year they were joined by new and
zealous crusaders from the north of Germany. Cologne had been the
rendezvous, and nearly three hundred vessels sailed from the Rhine.
Many of the ships were wrecked by the violence of the autumnal
winds, and the remainder anchored off the Portuguese shore. By the
aid of the Germans, the queen of Portugal took Alcacer from the
Moors. Conscience and valour would be equally satisfied by the
slaughter of Saracens, in whatever country they might be. As soon
as the Cologne reinforcements arrived, the chiefs assembled in
council, and it was agreed that siege should be laid to Damietta,
which was looked upon as the key of Egypt. A voyage of a few days
brought the Christian army within sight of Damietta. The catapults
and ballistæ shook the walls of the citadel to their foundations, and
the garrison was happy in surrendering to the discretion of the
besiegers.
Before the joy of the Christians had subsided, news arrived of the
death of Saphedin. The power of his house had lately been
strengthened by the death of the sultan of Mosul, the last great
supporter of the name of the atabegs. But Saphedin did not live to
complete the addition of all Mosul to his empire of Damascus and
Egypt. The brother of Saladin has been variously represented,
according to the different feelings with which he was regarded. But
the crusaders had such a limited knowledge of oriental affairs, that
their invectives cannot be opposed to the reputation which he
acquired for virtue and ability. His second son, Coradin, the prince of
Syria and Palestine, did not proclaim the death of his father till he
had secured himself in the possession of the royal coffers. Discord
and rebellion were universal throughout Egypt, when the news
arrived of the death of Saphedin; and his son Kamil, lord of that
country, was compelled to fly into Arabia for protection from his
mutinous people.
After the surrender of the castle of Damietta, the acquisition of
the city appeared so easy an achievement, that the besieging army
sunk into inertness and dissoluteness. The sultan of Syria had
anticipated the fall of Damietta, the sultan of Egypt despaired of its
defence, and no wisdom could calculate the magnitude of the effects
which its capture might produce. Prudence suggested the policy of
negotiation, and the Latins were therefore offered the piece of the
true cross, the city of Jerusalem, and all the prisoners in Syria and
Egypt. The Mussulmans were to rebuild the walls of the sacred city.
Of the whole kingdom of Palestine they only proposed to retain the
castles of Karak and Montreal, as necessary for the safe passage of
the Meccan pilgrims and merchants. The evacuation of Egypt was
the equivalent expected from the Christians for these important
concessions.
All the legitimate consequences of the
[1219-1220 a.d.] Crusades were at the command of the soldiers
of the cross. The king, the French, the earl of
Chester, and the Teutonic knights hailed with joy the prospect of the
termination of the war. But the legate, the bishops, the Italians, the
Templars, and Hospitallers were deaf to counsels of moderation.
They contended that no faith could be reposed upon the promises of
infidels, unless peace was made at the point of a victorious sword.
The siege had already lasted seventeen months, and it would be
disgraceful to fly from the fair prospect of success. Unhappily for the
general interests of the Christian cause, the mild suggestions of
policy were disregarded amidst the clamours of thoughtless valour.
Hostilities were recommenced. The besiegers interrupted all
communication between the Egyptian army and the garrison of
Damietta. Resistance was fruitless, but the Mussulmans were too
brave and too proud to surrender. The legate and the king assaulted
the walls, and soon entered the city, with the same ruthless feelings
as had maddened the early crusaders, when they first leaped on the
battlements of Jerusalem.
But revenge sought its victims in vain. Damietta was one vast
charnel-house. Of a population, which at the beginning of the siege
consisted of more than seventy thousand souls, three thousand only
were the relics. The conquerors marched through a pestilential
vapour. The streets, the mosques, and the houses were strewn with
dead bodies. From scenes of death the Christians turned to plunder.
Damietta was as rich a city as any in Islam, and the terrible
anathemas of the legate could not prevent self-appropriation of
spoil. Dominion over the place was given to the king of Jerusalem.
The splendid mosque was converted into a Christian church, and
dedicated to the Virgin and all the apostles. But the soldiers were
soon compelled to return to the camp, for pestilence was in the city.
Life and liberty were granted to the surviving Mussulmans, on their
performing the horrid and melancholy task of cleansing the city from
the remains of their relations and friends.
So great was the terror which the loss of Damietta spread among
the Mussulmans, that the fortress of Tanis surrendered. By this
acquisition, the way into Palestine was open. But instead of urging
their advantages, the army passed the winter in luxury and in
discord, and in the spring more than half of the soldiers returned to
Europe. The power of the legate was supreme, and the king of
Jerusalem retired in disgust to Acre. The duke of Bavaria, and many
knights from Germany and Italy, arrived, as soon as the weather
would permit the passage; but they disdained to submit to the
command of a bishop, and Pelagius was compelled to solicit with
humility the return of the king. Jean de Brienne repaired to
Damietta, and a council was held on the subject of hostile
operations. The conquest of Egypt was resolved upon, and the army
marched by the eastern side of the Fatimite branch of the Nile, till
their progress was arrested by the canal of Ashmun. On the
southern side of that canal the Mussulman forces were posted. Every
sultan of Syria had sent assistance to their brother in the faith, and
the allied troops under Kamil could cope with the Latins in the field.
The sultan, however, would not trust his kingdom to the caprice of
fortune. He offered peace to the Christians on nearly the same terms
as those which had been proposed previously to the last assault on
Damietta. The legate refused with indignation these noble offers;
but instead of crossing the canal and giving the enemy battle, he
remained for more than a month inactive on his post expecting the
unconditional surrender of the sultan. During this time the Nile had
rapidly increased in height. The Mussulmans opened the sluices and
inundated their enemy’s camp. The Christians could neither advance
nor retreat; and, to use the humble simile of a Templar, they were
enclosed like a fish in a net. When the overflowings of the Nile had
swept away all the tents and baggage, Pelagius sent an embassy to
the Mussulman camp, imploring a safe return to Acre, and offering
to surrender Damietta and Tanis to the Mussulmans. The distress of
the Christian army was mitigated by the humanity of Kamil. The king
of Jerusalem was one of the hostages, and in an interview with the
sultan, he wept for the miserable state of his army. “Why do you
weep?” inquired the sultan. “I have reason to weep,” replied the
king, “for the people whom God has given into my charge, are
perishing in the midst of the waters, or dying of hunger.” The sultan
shed tears of pity, and opened the Egyptian granaries for their relief.
When, after eight months’ possession by the Latins, Damietta was
delivered into the power of the Mussulmans, the hostages were
exchanged, and the Christian army retreated to the seacoast,
through the road by which they had advanced in full confidence of
victory. The barons of Syria, and the military orders, retired to Acre;
and the volunteers returned to Europe.
The pope cast all the odium on the emperor
[1220-1227 a.d.] Frederick, a man who had thrice sworn to
redeem the Holy Land, and had compromised
with his conscience by merely sending soldiers and provisions.
Frederick despised the thunders of the Vatican; but although he was
not awed by force, he could not resist papal artifice. Honorius
soothed his irritated mind, and received him again as a faithful son
of the church. Hermann von Salza, master of the Teutonic order,
returned to Europe, and gave the emperor the hope of being the
redeemer of Palestine. Yolande, the daughter of the king of
Jerusalem, could easily be obtained in marriage, and her father
would cede his rights, which he was wearied of endeavouring to
convert into an actual and firm dominion. The emperor and the pope
approved of this project. Frederick accepted from the king of
Jerusalem a renunciation of all his claims to the Holy Land, as the
dowry of Yolande; and he pledged his honour to the pope, the
cardinals, and the masters of the Hospitallers and Teutonic knights,
that he would within two years travel with a powerful army into the
East, and re-establish the throne of Godfrey de Bouillon. For the
succeeding five years, rebellions in Italy, and the insurrections of the
Saracens in Sicily, detained the emperor from his purpose. Honorius
did not live to witness the event of his exertions, but his successor,
Gregory IX, was equally furious in the cause.
At the time appointed for the sailing of the expedition,
Brundusium and its vicinity were crowded with soldiers. But the
heats of summer destroyed the health of the people of the north;
thousands died, and of those who endeavoured to return to their
homes, the greatest part perished through poverty or disease.
Although the emperor did not escape the common illness, yet he
embarked at Brundusium. But after sailing for three days, additional
infirmity compelled him to return. Gregory inherited the papal virtues
of violence and ambition; he pronounced a sentence of
excommunication against the emperor, for declining to combat the
enemy of God.[71]
The thunders of the Vatican rolled again and
[1227-1229 a.d.] again over the head of the emperor, but the
author of them suffered more than the object.
The emperor sent troops into the papal territories, who ravaged the
march of Ancona, and the patrimony of St. Peter. Such of the
Hospitallers and Templars (the firm friends of the pope) as had
estates in the imperial dominions in Italy, were plundered and
dispossessed.[72] The emperor heavily taxed his subjects, both
churchmen and laity, for the expenses of the holy war. In defiance of
Gregory’s warnings against his entering on the crusade, till he should
be relieved from the censures of the church, Frederick embarked at
Brundusium in August, 1228, and arrived shortly afterwards at Acre.
The joy of the Christians at the arrival of the emperor was soon
checked by letters which the patriarch received from the pope,
prohibiting the faithful from obeying a rebellious son of the church.
The Teutonic knights feared no clerical censures; and at their head,
and of some other soldiers, the emperor quitted Acre, went to
Joppa, and repaired the fortifications of that important city. He then
made further advances towards Jerusalem.
While matters were in this state, news was brought to the
emperor of an effectual method which the pope had taken of
preventing him from continuing the war in Palestine with the
enemies of Christ. The pope’s troops, of whom Jean de Brienne (the
father-in-law of Frederick) was one of the chief commanders, burned
the imperial towns in Italy, imprisoned, tortured, and robbed the
people. The duke of Spalato, the emperor’s lieutenant, had been
unable successfully to resist, though the imperial army had been but
little impaired by Frederick’s foreign expedition. These circumstances
made the emperor anxious to return to Europe; a treaty was
immediately signed. For ten years the Christians and Mussulmans
were to live upon terms of brotherhood. Jerusalem, Joppa,
Bethlehem, Nazareth, and their appendages, were restored to the
Christians. The Holy Sepulchre likewise was given to them; and the
people of both religions might offer up their prayers in the place of
devotion, which the former class called the temple of Solomon, and
the latter named the mosque of Omar. The address of Frederick
more effectually promoted the object of the holy wars than the
heroic frenzy of Richard; many of the disasters consequent on the
battle of Tiberias were wiped away, and the serious and habitual
hopes of Europe, for a permanent settlement in Asia, seemed to be
realised. But the barons of the Holy Land, breathing interminable
war, and secretly envying superior genius, avowed indignation that a
Christian sovereign should accept the friendship of the infidels. The
patriarch and clergy hated an excommunicated prince; a man too
who had given licence to the Saracens to adore their God in a
Christian temple. With some appearance of reason, however, they
contended that the treaty was not binding on the Mussulmans while
the approbation of the sultan of Damascus was withheld. But,
despising the blood-thirstiness of the barons, and the cruel bigotry
of the priests, Frederick asserted his royal prerogatives; and, as he
had acquired some of the old possessions of the Bouillon family, he
avowed his intention of having the crown placed upon his head in
the Holy City agreeably to constitutional forms.
Some persons, discontented with the conditions of the treaty,
wished to betray him into the hands of the sultan of Egypt. The guilt
of this treachery lies between the Hospitallers and the Templars.
Kamil read the letter which conveyed to him the news, exclaimed to
his associates, “See the fidelity of these Christian dogs”; and
despatched a friend to Frederick with the paper which he had
received. The emperor repaired to Jerusalem; but no hosannas
welcomed his approach. By the command of the patriarch no
religious ceremonies were performed in the churches during his stay.
Even the German prelates preferred their spiritual to their temporal
allegiance; and the emperor, accompanied only by his courtiers and
the Teutonic knights, went to the church of the sepulchre. He boldly
took the crown from the altar, and placed it on his own head, and
Hermann von Salza pronounced a laudatory oration. Orders were
then given for the restoration of the city’s walls, and the emperor
returned to Acre. In that city too there was every demonstration of
sorrow at his appearance. Mass was performed in secret; the
churches were deprived of their ornaments; the bells were not rung,
and the dead were interred without any religious ceremony. But by
some well-measured acts of severity, a semblance of respect was at
length shown to the emperor; and he then returned to Europe,
leaving the priests and people to thank Heaven for his departure.
Few parts of the Crusades are more difficult to understand, and to
reduce into a clear and intelligible form, than the expedition of
Frederick. He was vilified by the Templars and Hospitallers, and
other friends of the pope; and their narratives of events are more
numerous than those of the imperial party. He gained more for the
Christians than any prince had acquired since the first establishment
of the kingdom; and if the pope had not hated him worse than his
holiness hated the Saracens, and thereby caused his return to
Europe, there is every probability that after the death of the sultan
of Damascus, the emperor would have brought matters to an issue
completely triumphant. Gregory IX and his clergy had the effrontery
to tell the world that Frederick had left the sepulchre of Christ in the
hands of the infidels. But the fact was that it was given to the
Christians. The temple of Solomon indeed, or rather the mosque of
Omar, was left in the hands of the Mussulmans; a right of visiting it,
however, being allowed to the Christians.c
FOOTNOTES
[68] [It will be well to refer back to the earlier account of the
sack of Constantinople in Vol. 7, Chap. 11, p. 352. It is
noteworthy how much more atrocious was the barbarity of the
crusaders to these their own people, than was that of the
Moslems themselves when they took the same city in 1453.]
The poet, As-Sahib Jemal ad-Din ben Matrub made the following
verses on the failure of Saint Louis’ Crusade, his capture and ransom:
“Bear to the king of France, when you shall see him, these words,
traced by a partisan of truth: The death of the servants of the Messiah
has been the reward given to you by God.
“You have landed in Egypt, thinking to take possession of it. You have
imagined that it was only peopled with cowards! you who are a drum
filled with wind.
“You thought that the moment to destroy the Mussulmans was arrived;
and this false idea has smoothed, in your eyes, every difficulty.
“By your excellent conduct, you have abandoned your soldiers on the
plains of Egypt, and the tomb has gaped under their feet.
“What now remains of the seventy thousand who accompanied you?
Dead, wounded, and prisoners!
“May God inspire you often with similar designs! They will cause the
ruin of all Christians, and Egypt will have no longer to dread anything
from their rage.
“Without doubt your priests announced victories to you; their
predictions were false.
“Refer yourselves to a more enlightened oracle.
“Should the desire of revenge urge you to return to Egypt, be assured
the house of Lokman still remains, that the chain is ready prepared, and
the eunuch guard awake.”
A Bedouin had lately come to say that if we would give him five
hundred golden besants, he would show a safe ford, which might
easily be crossed on horseback. The day appointed for this purpose
was Shrove-Tuesday, which, when arrived, we all mounted our
horses, and armed at all points, followed the Bedouin to the ford. On
our way thither, some advanced too near the banks of the river,
which being soft and slippery, they and their horses fell in and were
drowned. The king seeing it, pointed it out to the rest, that they
might be more careful and avoid similar danger. Among those that
were drowned was that valiant knight Sir John d’Orleans, who bore
the banner of the army. When we came to the ford, we saw on the
opposite bank full three hundred Saracen cavalry ready to defend
this passage. We entered the river, and our horses found a tolerable
ford with firm footing, so that by ascending the stream we found an
easy shore, and through God’s mercy we all crossed over with safety.
The Saracens, observing us thus cross, fled away with the utmost
despatch.
Before we set out, the king had ordered that the Templars should
form the van, and the count d’Artois his brother should command
the second division of the army; but the moment the count d’Artois
had passed the ford with all his people, and saw the Saracens flying,
they stuck spurs into their horses and galloped after them; for which
those who formed the van were much angered at the count d’Artois,
who could not make any answer, on account of Sir Foucquault du
Melle, who held the bridle of his horse; and Sir Foucquault, being
deaf, heard nothing the Templars were saying to the count d’Artois,
but kept bawling out, “Forward, forward!” When the Templars
perceived this, they thought they should be dishonoured if they
allowed the count d’Artois thus to take the lead, and with one accord
they spurred their horses to their fastest speed, pursuing the
Saracens through the town of Mansura, as far as the plains before
Babylon; but on their return the Turks shot at them plenty of arrows
and other artillery, as they repassed through the narrow streets of
the town. The count d’Artois and the lord de Coucy, of the name of
Raoul, were there slain, and as many as three hundred other[74]
knights. The Templars lost, as their chief informed me, full fourteen
score men at arms and horses. My knights, as well as myself,
noticing on our left a large body of Turks who were arming, instantly
charged them; and when we were advanced into the midst of them,
I perceived a sturdy Saracen mounting his horse, which was held by
one of his esquires by the bridle, and while he was putting his hand
on the saddle to mount, I gave him such a thrust with my spear,
which I pushed as far as I was able, that he fell down dead. The
esquire, seeing his lord dead, abandoned master and horse; but,
watching my motions, on my return struck me with his lance such a
blow between the shoulders as drove me on my horse’s neck, and
held me there so tightly that I could not draw my sword, which was
girthed round me. I was forced to draw another sword which was at
the pommel of my saddle, and it was high time; but, when he saw I
had my sword in my hand, he withdrew his lance which I had seized
and ran from me.
It chanced that I and my knights had traversed the army of the
Saracens, and saw here and there different parties of them, to the
amount of about six thousand, who, abandoning their quarters, had
advanced into the plain. On perceiving that we were separated from
the main body, they boldly attacked us, and slew Sir Hugues de
Trichatel, lord d’Escoflans, who bore the banner of our company.
They also made prisoner Sir Raoul de Wanon, of our company,
whom they had struck to the ground. As they were carrying him off,
my knights and myself knew him, and instantly hastened, with great
courage, to assist him, and deliver him from their hands. In
returning from this engagement the Turks gave me such heavy
blows, that my horse, not being able to withstand them, fell on his
knees, and threw me to the ground over his head. I very shortly
replaced my shield on my breast, and grasped my spear, during
which time the lord Errart d’Esmeray, whose soul may God pardon!
advanced towards me, for he had also been struck down by the
enemy; and we retreated together towards an old ruined house to
wait for the king, who was coming, and I found means to recover
my horse. As we were going to this house, a large body of Turks
came galloping towards us, but passed on to a party of ours whom
they saw hard by; as they passed, they struck me to the ground,
with my shield over my neck, and galloped over me, thinking I was
dead; and indeed I was nearly so. When they were gone, my
companion Sir Errart came and raised me up, and we went to the
walls of the ruined house. Thither also had retired Sir Hugues
d’Escosse, Sir Ferreys de Loppei, Sir Regnault de Menoncourt, and
several others; and there also the Turks came to attack us, more
bravely than ever, on all sides. Some of them entered within the
walls, and were a long time fighting with us at spear’s length, during
which my knights gave me my horse, which they held, lest he should
run away, and at the same time so vigorously defended us against
the Turks, that they were greatly praised by several able persons
who witnessed their prowess.
Sir Hugues d’Escosse was desperately hurt by three great wounds
in the face and elsewhere. Sir Raoul and Sir Ferreys were also badly
wounded in their shoulders, so that the blood spouted out just like
to a tun of wine when tapped. Sir Errart d’Esmeray was so severely
wounded in the face by a sword, the stroke of which cut off his
nose, that it hung down over his mouth. In this severe distress, I
called to my mind St. James, and said, “Good Lord St. James,
succour me, I beseech thee; and come to my aid in this time of
need.” I had scarcely ended my prayer, when Sir Errart said to me,
“Sir, if I did not think you might suppose it was done to abandon you
and save myself, I would go to my lord of Anjou, whom I see on the
plain, and beg he would hasten to your help.” “Sir Errart,” I replied,
“you will do me great honour and pleasure, if you will go and seek
succour to save our lives; for your own also is in great peril”; and I
said truly, for he died of the wound he had received. All were of my
opinion that he should seek for assistance; and I then quitting hold
of the rein of his bridle, he galloped towards the count d’Anjou, to
request he would support us in the danger we were in. There was a
great lord with him who wished to detain him, but the good prince
would not attend to what he urged, but, spurring his horse, galloped
towards us followed by his men. The Saracens, observing them
coming, left us; but when on their arrival they saw the Saracens
carrying away their prisoner, Sir Raoul de Wanon, badly wounded,
they hastened to recover him, and brought him back in a most pitiful
state. Shortly after, I saw the king arrive with all his attendants, and
with a terrible noise of trumpets, clarions, and horns. He halted on
an eminence, with his men at arms, for something he had to say;
and I assure you I never saw so handsome a man under arms. He
was taller than any of his troop by the shoulders; and his helmet,
which was gilded, was handsomely placed on his head; and he bore
a German sword in his hand. Soon after he had halted, many of his
knights were observed intermixed with the Turks; their companions
instantly rushed into the battle among them; and you must know,
that in this engagement were performed, on both sides, the most
gallant deeds that were ever done in this expedition to the Holy
Land; for none made use of the bow, cross-bow, or other artillery.
But the conflict consisted of blows given to each other by battle-
axes, swords, butts of spears, all mixed together. From all I saw, my
knights and myself, all wounded as we were, were very impatient to
join the battle with the others. Shortly after, one of my esquires,
who had once fled from my banner, came to me, and brought me
one of my Flemish war-horses; I was soon mounted, and rode by
the side of the king, whom I found attended by that discreet man,
Sir John de Valeri. Sir John seeing the king desirous to enter into the
midst of the battle, advised him to make for the riverside on the
right, in order that in case there should be any danger, he might
have support from the duke of Burgundy and his army, which had
been left behind to guard the camp; and likewise that his men might
be refreshed and have wherewith to quench their thirst; for the
weather was at this moment exceedingly hot.
As this was doing, Sir Humbert de Beaujeu,
constable of France, came up, and told the king
that his brother, the count d’Artois, was much
pressed in a house at Mansura, where, however,
he defended himself gallantly, but that he would
need speedy assistance; and entreated the king
to go to his aid. The king replied, “Constable,
spur forward, and I will follow you close.” All of
us now galloped straight to Mansura, and were in
the midst of the Turkish army, when we were
instantly separated from each other by the
greater power of the Saracens and Turks. Shortly
after, a serjeant at mace of the constable, with
whom I was, came to him, and said the king was
surrounded by the Turks, and his person in
imminent danger. You may suppose our
astonishment and fears, for there were between
us and where the king was full one thousand or
twelve hundred Turks, and we were only six
persons in all. I said to the constable, that since
it was impossible for us to make our way through Thirteenth Century
such a crowd of Turks, it would be much better to Crusader
wheel round and get on the other side of them.
This we instantly did. There was a deep ditch on the road we took
between the Saracens and us; and, had they noticed us, they must
have slain us all; but they were solely occupied with the king, and
the larger bodies; perhaps also they might have taken us for some
of their friends. As we thus gained the river, following its course
downward between it and the road, we observed that the king had
ascended it, and that the Turks were sending fresh troops after him.
Both armies now met on the banks, and the event was miserably
unfortunate; for the weaker part of our army thought to cross over
to the division of the duke of Burgundy, but that was impossible
from their horses being worn down, and the extreme heat of the
weather. As we descended the river, we saw it covered with lances,
pikes, shields, men, and horses, unable to save themselves from
death. When we perceived the miserable state of our army, I advised
the constable to remain on this side of the river to guard a small
bridge that was hard by; “for if we leave it,” added I, “the enemy
may come and attack the king on this side; and if our men be
assaulted in two places, they must be discomfited.”
There then we halted; and you may believe me when I say, that
the good king performed that day the most gallant deeds that ever I
saw in any battle. It was said, that had it not been for his personal
exertions, the whole army would have been destroyed; but I believe
that the great courage he naturally possessed was that day doubled
by the power of God, for he forced himself wherever he saw his men
in any distress, and gave such blows with battle-axe and sword, it
was wonderful to behold. The lord de Courtenai and Sir John de
Salenai one day told me, that at this engagement six Turks caught
hold of the bridle of the king’s horse, and were leading him away;
but this virtuous prince exerted himself with such bravery in fighting
the six Turks, that he alone freed himself from them; and that many,
seeing how valiantly he defended himself, and the great courage he
displayed, took greater courage themselves, and abandoning the
passage they were guarding, hastened to support the king. After
some little time, the count Peter of Brittany came to us who were
guarding the small bridge from Mansura, having had a most furious
skirmish. He was so badly wounded in the face that the blood came
out of his mouth, as if it had been full of water, and he vomited it
forth. The count was mounted on a short, thick, but strong horse,
and his reins and the pommel of his saddle were cut and destroyed,
so that he was forced to hold himself by his two hands round the
horse’s neck for fear the Turks, who were close behind him, should
make him fall off. He did not, however, seem much afraid of them,
for he frequently turned round, and gave them many abusive words
by way of mockery.
In our front were two of the king’s heralds; the name of one was
Guillaume de Bron, and that of the other John de Gaymaches;
against whom the Turks led a rabble of peasants of the country, who
pelted them with clods of earth and large stones. At last, they
brought a villainous Turk, who thrice flung Greek fires at them; and
by one of them was the tabard of Guillaume de Bron set on fire; but
he soon threw it off, and good need had he, for if it had set fire to
his clothes, he must have been burned. We were also covered with
these showers of stones and arrows which the Turks discharged at
the two heralds. I luckily found near me a gaubison of coarse cloth
which had belonged to a Saracen, and turning the slit part inward, I
made a sort of shield, which was of much service to me; for I was
only wounded by their shots in five places, whereas my horse was
hurt in fifteen. Soon after, as God willed it, one of my vassals of
Joinville brought me a banner with my arms, and a long knife of war,
which I was in want of; and then, when these Turkish villains, who
were on foot, pressed on the heralds, we made a charge on them
and put them instantly to flight. Thus when the good count de
Soissons and myself were returned to our post on the bridge, after
chasing away these peasants, he rallied me, saying, “Seneschal, let
us allow this rabble to bawl and bray; and, by the Cresse Dieu,” his
usual oath, “you and I will talk over this day’s adventures in the
chambers of our ladies.”
It happened that towards evening, about sunset, the constable,
Sir Humbert de Beaujeu, brought us the king’s cross-bows that were
on foot; and they drew up in one front, while we horsemen
dismounted under shelter of the cross-bows. The Saracens observing
this immediately took to flight, and left us in peace. The constable
told me that we had behaved well in thus guarding the bridge; and
bade me go boldly to the king, and not quit him until he should be
dismounted in his pavilion. I went to the king, and at the same
moment Sir John de Valeri joined, and requested of him, in the
name of the lord de Chastillon, that the said lord might command
the rear guard, which the king very willingly granted. The king then
took the road to return to his pavilion, and raised the helmet from
his head, on which I gave him my iron skull-cap, which was much
lighter, that he might have more air. Thus as we were riding
together, Father Henry, prior of the hospital of Ronnay, who had
crossed the river, came to him and kissed his hand, fully armed, and
asked if he had heard any news of his brother the count d’Artois.
“Yes,” replied the king, “I have heard all”; that is to say, that he
knew well he was now in paradise. The prior, thinking to comfort him
for the death of his brother, continued, “Sire, no king of France has
ever reaped such honour as you have done; for with great intrepidity
have you and your army crossed a dangerous river to combat your
enemies; and have been so very successful that you have put them
to flight and gained the field, together with their warlike engines,
with which they had wonderfully annoyed you, and concluded the
affair by taking possession this day of their camp and quarters.” The
good king replied that God should be adored for all the good he had
granted him; and then heavy tears began to fall down his cheeks,
which many great persons noticing, were oppressed with anguish
and compassion on seeing him thus weep, praising the name of God
who had enabled him to win the victory.f
RESULTS OF MANSURA
The count of Artois had rallied his forces in the town. The
Egyptian chief invested Mansura; and, with ability equal to his spirit,
placed a body of troops in such a station as to intercept the
communication between the count and the king. The soldiers in
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