The Road to Jerusalem: Saladin’s Rise and the Crusader Kingdoms

By the late 12th century, the Near East was a fractured battleground of competing faiths and empires. The Crusader States, established after the First Crusade’s capture of Jerusalem in 1099, had endured for nearly a century. Yet their dominance was challenged by the rise of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub—known to Europe as Saladin—a Kurdish general who unified Muslim forces under the banner of jihad.

Saladin’s military brilliance was evident at the Battle of Hattin in July 1187, where he annihilated the Crusader army, capturing key leaders like King Guy of Jerusalem. With the Crusaders’ military backbone broken, Saladin turned his attention to their spiritual heart: Jerusalem. The city’s fall would symbolize the reversal of Christian gains and restore Muslim sovereignty over Islam’s third holiest site.

The Siege Begins: Five Days of Fire and Steel

On September 21, 1187, Saladin’s forces launched their assault on Jerusalem’s northwestern and western walls, mirroring the First Crusade’s tactics. His army, equipped with advanced siege engines and Greek fire—a napalm-like incendiary weapon—battered the defenses for five relentless days.

Inside the city, Balian of Ibelin, a nobleman-turned-defender, rallied knights and civilians. Despite overwhelming odds, the defenders held firm. Saladin’s initial attacks failed to breach even a single gate, forcing a strategic rethink. On September 26, he shifted his forces northeast, employing a devastating new tactic: concentrated volleys of petroleum-filled projectiles that turned sections of the wall into infernos. Simultaneously, sappers dug tunnels beneath the fortifications, packing them with explosives.

The Breaking Point: Negotiation and Nobility

By September 30, the defenders’ situation grew dire. Balian, recognizing the inevitable, sought negotiations. Saladin initially ignored his appeals, but on October 2, the two leaders met face-to-face. Their exchange, conducted in Arabic without translators, became legendary.

Balian, reportedly in tears, delivered a stark ultimatum: if Saladin refused terms, the defenders would slaughter Jerusalem’s Muslim prisoners, destroy the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, and fight to the last man. Yet his tone shifted as he appealed to Saladin’s mercy, offering a ransom for the city’s Christian inhabitants.

Saladin’s response defied expectations. Moved by Balian’s plea and his brother Al-Adil’s intercession, he agreed to lenient terms:
– 30,000 dinars would free 7,000 Franks (based on standard rates: 10 dinars per man, 5 per woman, 1 per child).
– The elderly, orphans, and widows were exempted from payment.
– Balian and the Church contributed additional funds, ensuring no Frank was enslaved—a stark contrast to the Crusaders’ massacre of Muslims in 1099.

A City Reclaimed: Saladin’s Triumph and Tolerance

On October 9, Saladin entered Jerusalem, marking the end of 88 years of Crusader rule. His actions reflected both piety and pragmatism:
– Islamic symbols were restored: The Dome of the Rock’s cross was removed, Christian frescoes whitewashed, and mosques reconsecrated.
– Yet Saladin spared the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, guaranteeing Christian pilgrims access—a decision that drew criticism from hardline imams but cemented his reputation for chivalry.
– Residents were allowed safe passage to Tyre and Tripoli, with no reported atrocities—a sharp departure from the bloodshed of 1099.

The Aftermath: The Third Crusade and Enduring Legacies

Jerusalem’s fall sent shockwaves through Christendom. Pope Urban III allegedly died of grief, and his successor, Gregory VIII, issued calls for a new Crusade. By 1189, Europe’s monarchs—Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip II of France, and Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire—mobilized for the Third Crusade.

Saladin’s victory reshaped the region:
– The Crusader States were reduced to Tyre, Tripoli, and Antioch.
– His diplomatic correspondence with Frederick Barbarossa revealed mutual respect despite their rivalry.
– The “Saladin Tithe,” a tax levied in England, underscored the financial and emotional toll of the loss.

Conclusion: Why Saladin’s Conquest Still Matters

Saladin’s capture of Jerusalem remains a defining moment in medieval history, illustrating the intersection of faith, warfare, and mercy. His restraint contrasted sharply with the Crusaders’ brutality, earning admiration even from adversaries like Richard the Lionheart. Today, the siege is studied not just for its military tactics but for its lessons in leadership and coexistence—a legacy that resonates in a region still shaped by its medieval past.

From the ashes of 1187 emerged a legend: a conqueror who could be magnanimous, a defender who bargained with tears, and a city whose fate continues to echo across centuries.