Battle of Belvoir Castle
Part of the Crusades
Date July-August, 1182 Location Belvoir Fortress, Israel Result Crusader victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Jerusalem	Ayyubids
Commanders
Baldwin IV of Jerusalem	Saladin
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Light	Light

In the campaign and Battle of Belvoir Castle (Kaukab al-Hawa), a Crusader force led by King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem sparred inconclusively with an Ayyubid army from Egypt commanded by Saladin. The theater of operations included Eilat, the Transjordan, Galilee and Beirut. Combatants Kingdom of Jerusalem Ayyubids Commanders Baldwin IV, Raynald of Chatillon, Knights Templar Saladin Strength 375 knights, 80 Templars, Several thousand infantry About 30,000 Casualties 1100 killed 750 wounded About 27,000 The Battle of Montgisard was fought between Saladin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem on November 25, 1177. ... Combatants Kingdom of Jerusalem Ayyubids Commanders Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Saladin Strength About 1500 unknown Casualties 700 killed, 800 captive unknown The Battle of Jacobs Ford was fought in 1179 between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the forces of Saladin. ... Combatants Kingdom of Jerusalem Ayyubids Commanders Raynald of Chatillon, King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Saladin Strength 8,000 22,000 Casualties Unknown Unknown The Siege of Kerak took place in 1183 between the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem and Saladin at Kerak Castle, stronghold of Raynald of Chatillon. ... Combatants Ayyubids Kingdom of Jerusalem Commanders al-Afdal Gerard of Ridefort Strength About 7,000 140 knights, numerous others Casualties Unknown Almost all The Battle of Cresson was a small battle fought on May 1, 1187, at the springs of Cresson, or Ain Gozeh, near Nazareth. ... Belligerents Kingdom of Jerusalem Knights Templar Ayyubids Commanders Guy of Lusignan # Raymond III of Tripoli # Gerard de Rideford # Balian of Ibelin Saladin Strength Est. ... Combatants Ayyubids Kingdom of Jerusalem Commanders Saladin Balian of Ibelin The Siege of Jerusalem took place from September 20 to October 2, 1187. ... The Siege of Acre was the most important event of the Third Crusade, lasting from August 28, 1189 until July 12, 1191, and the first time in the history of the crusades that the king was compelled to personally see to the defense of the Holy Land. ... The Battle of Arsuf was a battle of the Third Crusade in which Richard I of England defeated Saladin at Arsuf. ... On September 7 the army proceeded from Arsuf to Jaffa, which the Crusaders took and fortified strongly. ... The Siege of Damietta occurred in 1218. ... Combatants Ayyubid Crusaders Commanders Emir Fakr ed-din Saint Louis Strength 70,000 Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Al Mansurah was fought on February 8, 1250 between the French Crusaders led by Louis IX and an Ayyubid army led Emir Fakr-ed-din. ... The Battle of Fariskur was fought on April 6, 1250 between the French Crusaders led by Louis IX and an Egyptian army. ... William of Tyre discovers Baldwins first symptoms of leprosy (MS of LEstoire dEracles (French translation of William of Tyres Historia), painted in France, 1250s. ... The Ayyubid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Egypt, Iraq in the 12th and 13th centuries. ... Saladin, properly known as Salah al-DÄ«n Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Arabic: , Kurdish: ) (c. ... Hebrew אילת Founded in 1951 Government City (from 1959) District South Population 55,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 80,000 dunams (80 km²) Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi North Beach, Eilat, from southwest. ... Map of the territory of the British Mandate of Palestine The Emirate of Transjordan was an autonomous political division of the British Mandate of Palestine, created as an administrative entity in April 1921 before the Mandate came into effect. ... For other uses, see Galilee (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Lebanese city. ...

Background

Saladin seized control of Egypt in 1169 and established the Ayyubid Caliphate soon after. He slowly began extending his dominion over Muslim emirates in Syria formerly held by Nur al-Din. In 1177, Saladin mounted a major invasion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from Egypt and was thoroughly drubbed by Baldwin IV (the "Leper King") at the Battle of Montgisard. Henceforth, the Muslim leader learned to respect the young Crusader king's military talents. In 1179, Saladin defeated Baldwin at the Battle of Marj Ayyun in Lebanon. Nur ad-din Abu al-Qasim Mahmud Ibn Imad ad-Din Zangi (also Nur ed-Din, Nur al-Din, or Nureddin) (1118 - May 15, 1174) was a member of the Zengid dynasty, and ruled Syria from 1146 to 1174. ... The kingdom of Jerusalem and the other Crusader states (in shades of green) in the context of the Near East in 1135. ... Combatants Kingdom of Jerusalem Ayyubids Commanders Baldwin IV, Raynald of Chatillon, Knights Templar Saladin Strength 375 knights, 80 Templars, Several thousand infantry About 30,000 Casualties 1100 killed 750 wounded About 27,000 The Battle of Montgisard was fought between Saladin and the Kingdom of Jerusalem on November 25, 1177. ...

In 1180, Saladin arranged a truce between himself and two Christian leaders, King Baldwin and Raymond III of Tripoli. But two years later, the lord of the Transjordan fief of Kerak, Reynald of Chatillon, attacked Muslim caravans passing through his lands. Resenting this violation of the truce, Saladin immediately assembled his army and prepared to strike. Raymond III of Tripoli (1140 – 1187) was Count of Tripoli from 1152 to 1187 and Prince of Galilee and Tiberias in right of his wife Eschiva. ... Al Karak (also Karak or Kerak) (Arabic: الكرك) is a city in Jordan that contains a famous Crusader castle. ... Raynald of Châtillon (also Reynald or Reginald of Chastillon) (died July 4, 1187) was a knight who served in the Second Crusade and remained in the Holy Land after its defeat. ...

Campaign

On May 11, 1182, Saladin left Egypt and led his army north toward Damascus via Aila on the Red Sea. As he moved north, his army entered lands belonging to the fiefs of Montreal (Shobak) and Kerak. Saladin encamped at Jerba and launched raids on Montreal, which did great damage to the crops. At a council of war, the Crusader princes pondered two courses of action. They could move across the Jordan River to protect the exposed fiefs. Raymond of Tripoli argued against this strategy, saying that would leave too few soldiers to protect the kingdom. The aggressive Baldwin overruled Raymond and the Crusader army moved to Petra in the Transjordan, thus defending the lands of his vassal. is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Canute VI crowned king of Denmark. ... For other uses, see Damascus (disambiguation). ... Hebrew אילת Founded in 1951 Government City (from 1959) District South Population 55,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 80,000 dunams (80 km²) Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi North Beach, Eilat, from southwest. ... Montreal was a Crusader castle located in Idumaea (Edom) on the eastern side of the Jordan river. ... Djerba, or Jerba, is an island off the coast of Tunisia. ... This article is about the Jordan River and its valley in western Asia. ... This article is about the Jordanian site of Petra. ...

Meanwhile, Saladin's nephew, Farrukh Shah, led a force from Damascus to ravage the now-undefended Latin Principality of Galilee. In this destructive raid, the emirs of Bosra, Baalbek and Homs and their followers joined Farrukh. Before returning to Damascus, the raiders seized the castle of Habis Jaldak from its weak Frankish garrison. Botsra, Botzrah, Bozrah בצרה the biblical Bozrah is an ancient city in southern modern-day Jordan, now Bouseira between Tafile (Tophel) and Shobaq. ... Temple of Bacchus Details inside Temple of Bacchus Baalbek (Arabic: ‎) is a town in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude 1,170 m (3,850 ft), situated east of the Litani River. ... Homs (Arabic: , transliteration: ) is a western city in Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. ...

Out in the Transjordan, the main armies still faced each other. A Frankish plan was proposed to occupy the water points, thus forcing Saladin into the desert, but the Crusaders were unable to carry this out. The Muslim commander moved north and reached Damascus on June 22. The Crusaders recrossed the Jordan into Galilee and concentrated their army at Sephoria, six miles northwest of Nazareth. is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Tzippori, also known by several other names & spellings including Sepphoris, is one of the oldest Jewish settlements to be uncovered by archaeologists, and one of the richest in what has been found there. ... Hebrew (Natzrat or Natzeret) Arabic الناصرة (an-Nāṣira) Government City District North Population 64,800[1] Metropolitan Area: 185,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 14 200 dunams (14. ...

After a three week breathing spell, Saladin marched out of the Damascus on July 11 and advanced to Al-Quhwana on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee. From there he sent forces to raid the Jordan valley, Jenin and the district of St Jean d'Acre. One raiding column attacked Baisan but was driven off. Saladin took his main army, crossed to the west side of the Jordan and moved south along the high ground. is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Sea of Galilee or Lake Kinneret (Hebrew ים כנרת), is Israels largest freshwater lake. ... It has been suggested that Anem be merged into this article or section. ... The Old City of Akko in the 19th or early 20th century, looking south-west from atop the Land Wall Promenade, the open space now a parking lot. ...

Battle

As soon as reconnaissance patrols revealed the Muslim leader's maneuver, the Frankish leaders determined to move their field army into close contact with Saladin's army. After adding reinforcements by stripping nearby castles of most of their garrisons, the Crusader army marched to Tiberias then turned south. In the vicinity of Belvoir castle (Kaukab al-Hawa), Baldwin's men spent the night in their closely guarded camp. The next morning, the Ayyubid army confronted the Crusaders. Hebrew טבריה (Standard) Teverya Arabic طبرية Government City District North Population 39 900 (a) Jurisdiction 10 000 dunams (10 km²) Tiberias (British English: ; American English: ; Hebrew: , Tverya; Arabic: , abariyyah) is a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Lower Galilee, Israel. ... The Crusader fortress of Belvoir, located on a hill of the Naphtali plateau, 20 km. ...

The Franks advanced in their usual formation when in contact with their enemies. The infantry marched in close order, with the spearmen guarding against direct attack and archers keeping the Saracens at a distance. Shielded by the footmen, the cavalry conformed to the pace of the infantry, ready to drive back their enemies with controlled charges. The Crusaders successfully used this method of fighting in the Battle of Shaizar (1111) and the Battle of Bosra (1147).

For their part, Saladin's soldiers tried to disrupt the Crusader formation by raining arrows from their horse archers, by partial attacks and by feigned retreats. "It is likely that from time to time the Turks came to close quarters, and this has caused some writers to refer to the action as a battle. It is more probable that although there were short episodes in which there was hard fighting, there was no pitched engagement."^[1] On this occasion, the Franks could neither be tempted into fighting a pitched battle nor stopped. Unable to make an impression on the Latin host, Saladin broke off the running battle and returned to Damascus.

Aftermath

Saladin was not finished yet. He had arranged for an Egyptian fleet to attack Beirut. As soon as his scouts had spotted the fleet from the Lebanese mountains, Saladin left Damascus, marched through the Munaitra Pass and laid siege to Beirut. At the same time, a force from Egypt raided the southern part of the kingdom, doing further local damage. Baldwin recalled his army to Sephoria then marched to Tyre. From there he appropriated shipping and organized an attempt to relieve the port of Beirut by both land and sea. When Saladin heard of these efforts, he raised the siege and ended his campaign in August 1182. This article is about the Lebanese city. ... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Tyre may refer to: Tire, the outer part of a wheel. ...

The tireless Saladin spent the next twelve months campaigning in Syria and Mesopotamia, adding Aleppo and a number of other cities to his growing empire. He would invade the Kingdom of Jerusalem again in September 1183. Free of his adversary, in October 1182 Baldwin recovered Habis Jaldak in the Transjordan. In December, Raymond of Tripoli launched a raid in the same area and Baldwin took a mounted force within a few miles of Damascus. But these were mere pinpricks. Not long afterward, Baldwin became completely incapacitated by leprosy and was forced to appoint his sister Sibylla's husband Guy of Lusignan as regent. Mesopotamia was a cradle of civilization geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq. ... Aleppo is also the name of two townships in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... Top: Baldwin IV betrothes Sibylla to Guy; Bottom: Sibylla and Guy are married. ... Imaginary portrait of Guy of Lusignan by François-Edouard Picot, c. ...

Commentary

The Crusaders kept their enemies from capturing any strongholds and kept their field army intact, so they succeeded in their strategic purpose. But Saladin's raiders managed to inflict great damage on the countryside. Frankish overlords depended on the rents of their tenants, but these could not be collected if the crops were ruined. Without money, the lords could not pay their soldiers. Therefore, constant devastations would ultimately reduce the Frankish kingdom to a state of helplessness.

Saladin forced the Crusaders into a cruel dilemma. They could concentrate their field army to resist the Muslim main army. Or, they could guard against damaging raids. They could not do both because their military power was limited. "A single mistake on the part of a Frankish commander could lose the field army, the fortresses, and with them the whole kingdom."^[2] This finally happened in 1187 at the Battle of Hattin. First, the campaign and Battle of Al-Fule would be fought. Belligerents Kingdom of Jerusalem Knights Templar Ayyubids Commanders Guy of Lusignan # Raymond III of Tripoli # Gerard de Rideford # Balian of Ibelin Saladin Strength Est. ...

References

• Beeler, John. Warfare in Feudal Europe 730-1200. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, 1971. ISBN 0-0814-9120-7
• Smail, R. C. Crusading Warfare 1097-1193. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, (1956) 1995. ISBN 1-56619-769-4

Footnotes

1. ^ Smail, p 152
2. ^ Beeler, p 138