Battle of Hattin

The Battle of Hattin was a major conflict in the Holy Land. It happened on July 4, 1187. The fight was between the Crusader states and the forces of a Muslim leader named Saladin.

This battle is also called the Battle of the Horns of Hattin. That name comes from the shape of two hills near the site. These hills are part of an extinct volcano. The battle took place near a place called Tiberias. It was located near a village called Hittin. This area is in what is now the country of Israel.

Before the battle, there was a lot of tension between leaders. Guy of Lusignan was the King of Jerusalem in 1186. He led a group called the court faction. This group included people like Raynald of Châtillon and the Knights Templar. Another group was led by Raymond III of Tripoli. These two groups often disagreed on how to rule. Saladin was also growing his power in the region. He had already taken Damascus and Aleppo. He wanted to push the Christian Franks out of Jerusalem. In 1187, Raynald of Châtillon raided a Muslim caravan. This broke a peace treaty and made Saladin very angry.

Saladin used a clever plan to win the fight. He first attacked the city of Tiberias. This was a trap to make the Crusaders move. Raymond III of Tripoli told King Guy not to attack. He thought the army should stay near water. However, another man named Gerard de Ridefort said they should fight. King Guy decided to follow Gerard's advice.

The Crusader army left their safe camp at La Saphorie. They began a long march across very dry land. This move was a big risk for the kingdom. It left the city of Jerusalem with very few knights to defend it.

Numbers show how large these armies were. Saladin brought about 40,000 men to the fight. His army included 12,000 regular cavalry riders. The Crusader army was smaller, with about 18,000 to 20,000 men. They had 1,200 knights from Jerusalem and Tripoli. The Crusaders were very thirsty during the march. Saladin's men even set fire to the dry grass. The smoke and heat made things much harder for the Crusaders. On the morning of the battle, the smoke blinded the Frankish soldiers. The Muslim archers then began to attack them.

The battle ended in a great defeat for the Crusaders. Most of their soldiers were killed or taken as prisoners. This loss changed the history of the region. Because of this victory, Saladin became the main power in the Holy Land. He was able to take back Jerusalem and many other cities. These losses were so big that they led to the Third Crusade. That new crusade began just two years later. The Battle of Hattin remains a very important event in history.