Chapter 68: The Crescent Crumbles
Date: April 8th, 1180Location: Egyptian Coast – Between Damietta and Burullus
The wind favored them.
Sails billowed, taut with speed, as the Sicilian fleet cut southward along the Egyptian coast. Behind them, the smoking ruin of Rosetta faded into memory. Ahead, fresh targets waited—unguarded, exposed, and ripe for the taking.
Count Ruggiero di Marsala, his boots braced against the deck of the Santa Lucia, studied the shoreline through a copper spyglass. To the east, the palm-lined river mouths of Burullus shimmered beneath the desert sun. The crew readied for another strike.
"Signal the vanguard," he barked. "Archers on the forward ships. We land by dusk."
Striking the Shore
The second raid fell upon a fishing village nestled along the marshy Burullus Lagoon. Known for its small port and shallow waters, it had no standing garrison—only a few militia and merchant guards.
They were no match for trained marines.
The Sicilians swept ashore in silence at twilight, fanning out through the narrow alleys with blades drawn and bows ready. Small resistance flared at the town well, where a dozen local men tried to stand their ground. They died quickly.
What followed was methodical.Warehouses holding dried fish, flax, and preserved olives were sacked. Bronze tools and silk garments—likely imported from Cairo—were taken. A local imam was captured and bound after being found hiding beneath the mosque floorboards.