Capture of Jerusalem by Salahuddin Ayubi

Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a history spanning over 5000 years. It is considered a holy place among the three major religions of the world (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity). The holy place has been destroyed twice, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. Nowadays, the holy place is claimed as a capital by both Israel and Palestine, but neither of these claims is acknowledged internationally.

The earliest signs of settlement in the city date to around 3000 BC, but the city’s value grew around 1000 BC. In 1000 BC, the city was invaded by King David and became the capital of the Kingdom of Israel. Solomon, the son of King David, established the first temple, signifying it as a major religious place. Later, the Kingdom of Israel split for various political reasons, making Jerusalem the capital of Judah.

Conquest of Jerusalem by Salahuddin

Sallah ad din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, also famous as Saladin, was a Turkish commander who conquered Jerusalem from the crusaders in 1187 during the battle of Hattin. After capturing Jerusalem, Muslim military dominance was again established in the Levant. Until the 13^th century, the crusaders persisted there, but the defeat in the battle of Hattin was a major turning point in raising the Muslim power over Christians in that region.

Battle of Hattin

The Battle of Hattin, also known as the Battle of the Horns of Hattin, took place on 4^th July 1187 between the crusaders and the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin. During the war, Salahuddin Ayyubi, the commander of the Muslim armies, captured or killed the majority of the crusader armies, making war impossible. The outcome of the battle was in favor of Muslims as they once again became the eminent military power in the holy place of Jerusalem and other cities that were under the crusaders' control.

Location

The battle took place near Tiberias, now known as Israel. As the battlefield is near the village of Hittin, it is named as Battle of Hattin.

Commander of Crusaders

The Guy of Lusignan was the king of Jerusalem. He was the youngest son of HUGH VIII OF LUSIGNAN. As a king, Guy was highly unpopular among the people and the nobles of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He is also often blamed for the fall of the kingdom and the rise of Salahuddin Ayyubi in that region. Due to his incompetence and trust in his companions, he lost the battle to Salahuddin Ayyubi.

Battle

ON 3^RD JULY, the Frankish army started their journey towards the Tiberias, but were constantly chased by the Muslim army as their main aim was to lower their spirits. The enemy troops passed through the springs of Turan, but the water was not enough to fulfill the needs of the army. The Frankish commander decided to change the course of the army as he realized that they could not reach their destination on time. The Muslims positioned themselves between the water and the Frankish army, as they didn’t want them to have water. It was their strategy to further lower the spirits of the Frankish army.

The Muslims tormented the Frankish army by not letting them have access to water. As the army camped at night, Muslims further demoralized them by singing, praying, and beating drums. They even set fire to the grass, making the throats of crusaders drier. The Muslims enjoyed while making the crusaders suffer.

On 4^th July, Saladin’s army set out on fire, blinding the view of the crusaders with smoke. The path was made more difficult for them as the Muslims were all geared up to attack, while the crusaders, even after trying to gain access to water, failed. They redirected their path towards the springs of Hattin but were attacked by Muslims. They were surrounded by Muslims from everywhere and had no escape route left. Saladin himself killed the chief commander of the Frankish army.

After the Conquest

Saladin spent over two decades of his life fighting the crusaders over the holy place, and finally, in 1187, he achieved his conquest, with all his hard work bearing fruit. Saladin, who was already the king of Syria and Egypt, was now set to become the next ruler of Jerusalem and turn it into a center of Islamic practice.

In the battle of Hattin, Saladin imprisoned many, killed others. On 4^th July, the crusaders' army, although great in number then the Muslims army was doomed and the holy place of Jerusalem lay undefended.

Siege of Jerusalem

From then on, Saladin was set to besiege Jerusalem. On 20^th September, Saladin’s siege force was positioned at the point where the first crusaders stood 88 years ago. Saladin did not wish to delay taking the holy city, as he knew there was a chance the Christian community would rise again. He met with high-ranking officials from the city and offered them a generous deal: they could leave the city under the protection of the Ayyubids, along with their possessions. This offer was rejected.

Then they were again offered the option to live in the city for up to 6 months, but they had to surrender and leave. This was again rejected. The king felt insulted and decided that their fate would be death, as the Muslims and Jews of the city in 1099 CE. After many attempts, Saladin completely besieged the holy place on 25^th September 1187. The siege continued till 2 October, after which every opposition surrendered, and finally Jerusalem was free. After all this, Saladin still had to face the Third Crusade, in which he lost control over some of the regions.

The Aftermath

The Al-Aqsa Mosque was purified, and the crusaders' sign was torn away from it. The mosque was cleaned and renovated. After 88 years, Friday’s prayer was again given at the mosque. The Christian churches and holy places were converted into Mosques, but the Christian people and community were allowed to worship and perform their rituals freely. But these people had to pay tax (Jizya) to the government in return.

The holiest site for Christians, the church of the Holy Sepulcher, was locked down for 3 days until Saladin decided its fate. There were two suggestions: demolish it or protect it. Saladin, following Caliph Umar’s path, ordered the protection of the holy site. After the siege, Europe remained shaken, attributing Saladin to a divine punishment.

Conclusion

Saladin was one of the most influential and important figures in Islam. HE was the king of Syria and Egypt. He fought for two decades for the holy city of Jerusalem, which was under the control of the crusaders. Jerusalem is one of the most holy and ancient cities of the world, having a history of more than 5000 years. It has been conquered and ruled by many rulers and is considered a center of religious beliefs by three major religions of the world, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

In 1187, a battle was fought at the grounds of Hattin among the crusaders and Saladin’s army. The battle was fought on 3-4^TH of September. The Frankish army, though large in number, was easily defeated by Saladin’s army. Through wisdom and intellectual tricks, Saladin managed to demoralize Guy’s army to such a point that they had no strength left to fight with Muslim army. Many of them were captured, and many of them were killed. The Guy of Lusignan, along with his companion, was captured by Saladin. The chief army commander was slaughtered by the Sultan himself while keeping Guy of Lusignan captured.

After the battle, the region was besieged by Saladin on 20^TH September, and after the surrender of the opposing party, the siege ended on 2^nd October 1187. And after that, the region was ruled by Saladin until he died in 1193, which included the Third Crusade, in which he lost some of the regions.

After his conquest, he re-established the AL-AQSA Mosque, renovated and cleaned it. After almost 88 years, Friday prayer was performed there. Poor and elderly people were given relief from taxes. The rich women (noble) were also given relief from taxes. An Islamic attempt was made to establish. After all, Saladin still had to face the Third Crusade, in which he lost control over certain parts of the regions as well. He ruled Jerusalem until he died in 1193, after which the pattern of things changed a lot.

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