LordBalian |
Posted on 07/06/09 @ 07:42 AM
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Age of Crusade: Kingdom of Heaven
Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
Jerusalem in second crusade ruled by Baldwin IV that suffered by Leprosy. On the first year of his government he assaults Damascus and valley of Beeqa. He also has a plan to assaults Egypt and order Raynald of Chatillon to lead army. The battle continued and Baldwin IV reaches a lot of victory, finally beginning on 1179 he has many defeats. On April 10, he pushed by Farrukh Shah's army, Saladin nephew at Banias. On June 10, he trapped by Saladin's army at Marj Uyun. By the Muslims, Baldwin IV called as Al Khinzir or The Pig, forbidden animal on Muslim. After he died, Guy of Lusignan becomes a king of Jerusalem.
The Kingdom of Jerusalem, weakened by internal disputes, was completely defeated at the Battle of Hattin on July 4, 1187. Most of the nobility of the kingdom was taken prisoner, including King Guy, and throughout the summer Saladin quickly overran the kingdom. By mid-September, Saladin had taken Acre, Nablus, Jaffa, Toron, Sidon, Beirut, and Ascalon. The survivors of the battle and other refugees fled to Tyre, the only city able to hold out against Saladin, due to the fortuitous arrival of Conrad of Montferrat.
The Siege
Negotiations were carried out between Saladin and Balian, through the mediation of Yusuf Batit, one of the Eastern Orthodox clergy, who had been largely suppressed under Latin Christian rule and knew that they would have more freedoms if the city were returned to the Muslims. Saladin preferred to take the city without bloodshed, but those inside refused to leave their holy city, vowing to destroy it in a fight to the death rather than see it handed over peacefully. Thus the siege began.
Saladin's army was facing the Tower of David and the Damascus Gate. His archers continually pelted the ramparts with arrows. Siege towers/Belfrys were rolled up to the walls, but were pushed back each time. For days, skirmishes were fought with little result. On September 26, Saladin moved his camp to a different part of the city, on the Mount of Olives where there was no major gate from which the crusaders could counter-attack. The walls were constantly pounded by the siege engines, catapults, mangonels, petraries, Greek fire, crossbows, and arrows. A portion of the wall was mined, and it collapsed on September 29. The crusaders were unable to push Saladin's troops back from the breach, but at the same time the Muslims could not gain entrance to the city. The Muslims far outnumbered the crusaders, and soon there were only a few dozen men capable of bearing arms and defending the wall; no more men could be found even for the promise of an enormous fee.
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