Crusades-Encyclopedia
		Return to Crusades-Encyclopedia
		Battle of Hattin Also known as the Battle of Hittin
The Battle of Hattin [also spelled Hittin] took place shortly before the Third Crusade and was among the most significant Muslim victories of the crusading era. In July 1187 at Hattin, the Muslim forces of Saladin defeated the Christian forces of the Latin King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan, resulting in the King's humiliating capture. The destruction of such a large body of Christian forces at Hattin effectively insured the success of Saladin's army at Jerusalem against a much smaller force of Christian defenders led by Balian of Ibelin, who after a brief but hard fought siege negotiated the surrender of the city to Saladin in October of 1187. The capture of Jerusalem by Saladin's forces sent a shockwave through Latin Christendom and ultimately inspired the calling of the unsuccessful Third Crusade. Although tensions had increasingly escalated between Christians and Muslims leading up to the battle of Hattin, it was not until 1186 that an event sparked the renewal of major hostilities in the Holy Land. It was then that the Christian Prince Reynald, lord of Kerak castle, refused to honor a truce between Christians and Muslims, and attacked a caravan of Muslim pilgrims. Saladin retaliated by gathering his Muslim forces and began a campaign that leading to the famous battle of Hattin. The situation leading up to the battle was described in a 14th century Muslim account of Sihab al-Din, which was reportedly based on eyewitness sources, as follows,          In the year eighty-three [583 AH / 1187 AD] Saladin's campaign and conquests began.  This year          the sultan gathered the army and set out with a division of soldiers to lay siege to Kerak, because          he feared that the lord of Kerak should attack pilgrims.  He sent another division with his son Malik          al-Afdal to raid the region of Acre, and they took a lot of things as booty.  The sultan then went to          Tiberias, took up his quarters there, laid siege to the town and occupied it by force of arms.  But the          citadel resisted.  Tiberias belonged to the count, lord of Tripoli, who had exchanged gifts with the          sultan and had accepted obedience to him.  The Franks sent priests and the patriarch to the count to          keep him from his agreement with the sultan.  They rebuked him, and he was brought along with them.          The Franks gathered to meet the sultan, and the battle of Hattin took place.  With this very important          battle Allah gave dominion over the coast and the holy city [Jerusalem]. (1) [Continued...] Primary Source Accounts Sihab Al Din Battle of Hattin DeReMilitari.Org Ernoul the Frank Battle of Hattin, 1187 Internet History Sourcebooks Imad Al Din Battle of Hittin, 1187 University of Michigan Ralph of Coggeshall The Battle of Hattin, 1187 Internet History Sourcebooks Collected Accounts The Battle of Hattin (1187) DeReMiliari.Org Third Crusade- Crusades-Encyclopedia Guy de Lusignan- Crusades-Encyclopedia Jerusalem- Crusades-Encyclopedia Balian of Ibelin- Crusades-Encyclopedia Saladin- Crusades-Encyclopedia Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem- Crusades-Encyclopedia Knights Templars- Crusades-Encyclopedia Kerak Castle- Crusades-Encyclopedia 1. Sihab Al Din Battle of Hattin DeReMilitari.Org (c) Andrew Holt, October 2005- Permission is granted for electronic copying and distribution in print for educational or personal use. No permission is granted for commercial use.