Was sitting in Antitoch with about 930 men and a 8 star general versus some 3000 spanish who invaded. The battle was going well, then suddenly almost all my men rout and the general takes flight. The battle ends with my kill number being higher, yet I lost (because of the routing)! I looked at the general's stats;

great attacker
excellent defender
sometimes timorous
often retreats

Is this last the killer? I decided to retire this general and send him back to Wessex (where he has his title from) and let him live out his retirement in peace.