Saladin and the Third Crusade
The main objective of the third crusade was to retake Jerusalem from Muslim control. The reason for this was that a military mastermind named Saladin had united almost all of the Middle Eastern countries under one banner. Saladin was from Tirket, modern day Iraq. When he was young his uncle taught him the ways of a military commander…..
Synopsis of the Third Crusade
The main objective of the third crusade was to retake Jerusalem from Muslim control. The reason for this was that a military mastermind named Saladin had united almost all of the Middle Eastern countries under one banner. Saladin was from Tirket, modern day Iraq. When he was young his uncle taught him the ways of a military commander. This was the education that would allow him to eventually unite nearly all of the Middle East. With his army he marched upon Jerusalem and captured it. His soldiers understood military tactics making them in every way the Crusaders equal. To combat this Richard the Lionheart, a skilled warrior from England, allied his troops with King Phillip of France, who was not a warrior himself but a master designer of siege engines. Together they captured Sicily but Phillip fell ill and left leaving Richard to control the joined armies. He attempted to capture Jerusalem twice but each time he was driven away from the city just as it was in his sight. Eventually an agreement was reached between the two armies and Richard left. He was captured by Duke Leopold of Austria, (with whom he had quarreled of the spoils of their victory at the siege of Acre) who accused Richard of murdering his cousin Conrad of Montferrat. He was transferred to the care of the Roman Emperor who released him to England in 1194 for a ransom of 150,000 marks. In the end the third crusade failed in its main objective to capture Jerusalem. However, they captured an island off the coast which would serve as a storage area to supply food to their soldiers in future crusades.
A Map of the Area
The Battle Of Hattin
On 4th July 1187 word reached King Guy of Jerusalem that Saladin had laid siege to the city of Tiberius. Hattin is between Tiberias and Acre. Consequently, the 15000 crusaders left their camp and set out for Tiberius. The route that they took caused them to pass through a hot arid plain. Halfway through the journey their water ran out and they were constantly threatened by hit and run attacks by Saladin’s cavalry. That night conditions worsened due to lack of water and food. Saladin’s army set fire to the grass surrounding the crusaders. By morning the crusaders were blinded by the smoke from the burnt grass and the Muslims showered them in arrows. The crusaders formed into battle lines and attacked but to no avail. However the cavalry then retreated leaving them alone. Five knights defected to Saladin’s army and informed him that the crusaders planned to break camp and travel to the springs of Hattin. Saladin then moved his army into the crusaders path. The crusaders arrived in disarray. The majority of the foot soldiers had gone to the horns of Hattin, leaving behind the knights and their horses which were quickly brought down by the Muslims arrows. Those left had to fight on foot and they were forced to retreat to the horns of Hattin. Saladin then surrounded them and despite three desperate charges the crusaders were quickly defeated by the Muslims. The Muslims won this war because the crusaders were demoralized and had brought inadequate supplies of water with them. Following their triumph the Muslims captured the true cross, a piece of wood that the crusaders believed was part of Jesus Christ’s cross. They the Muslims captured Acre, Nablus, Jaffa, Toron, Sidon, Beirut and Ascalon. Finally, Saladin marched on Tyre but it was saved by the sudden arrival of Conrad of Montferrat.
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