Saladin, Salah ad-Din Yusuf Ibn Ayyub (in Arabic Salah ad-Din means "Honor of the Faith"), (1138 - 1193), the first sultan of Egypt from the Ayyubid dynasty. Born in Tekrit (modern Iraq). The success of his career became possible only thanks to the conditions prevailing in the East in the 12th century. The power that belonged to the orthodox caliph of Baghdad or the heretics of the Fatimid dynasty of Cairo was constantly "tested for strength" by the viziers. After 1104, the Seljuk state was again and again divided between the Turkish Atabeks.

The Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, which emerged in 1098, existed only because it remained the center of internal unity in the midst of general disintegration. On the other hand, the enthusiasm of the Christians gave rise to confrontation on the part of the Muslims. Zengi, atabek of Mosul, declared a "holy war" and began his campaigns in Syria (1135 - 1146). Nur ad-Din, his son, continued his aggressive policy in Syria, strengthened state organization on its territory and "widely proclaimed jihad."

Saladin's life came precisely at the time when there was a conscious need for political association and defense of Islam. By origin, Saladin was an Armenian Kurd. His father Ayyub (Job) and uncle Shirku, the sons of Shadi Ajdanakan, were commanders in the army of Zengi. In 1139, Ayyub received Baalbek from Zengi, and in 1146, after his death, he became one of the courtiers and began to live in Damascus. In 1154, thanks to his influence, Damascus remained in the power of Nur ad-Din, and Ayyub himself began to rule the city. Thus, Saladin was educated in one of famous centers Islamic science and was able to perceive the best traditions of Muslim culture.

His career can be divided into three periods: the conquest of Egypt (1164 - 1174), the annexation of Syria and Mesopotamia (1174 - 1186), the conquest of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and other campaigns against the Christians (1187 - 1192).

Conquest of Egypt

The conquest of Egypt was necessary for Nur ad-Din. Egypt threatened his power from the south, being at times an ally of the crusaders, and also being a stronghold of heretic caliphs. The reason for the invasion was the request of the exiled vizier Shevar ibn Mujir in 1193. At this very time, the Crusaders were raiding the cities of the Nile Delta. And Shirku was sent to Egypt in 1164 along with Saladin, junior officer his troops. Finding that Shirku was planning not so much to help him as to capture Egypt for Nur ad-Din, Shevar ibn Mujir turned to the Christian king of Jerusalem Amalric I for help. The crusaders helped Shevar defeat Shirku near Cairo on April 11, 1167 and force him to retreat ( in this battle, Shirku's nephew, young Saladin, distinguished himself). The crusaders firmly settled in Cairo, which was approached several times by Shirku, who had returned with reinforcements. They also tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to besiege Saladin in Alexandria. After negotiations, both sides agreed to withdraw from Egypt. True, in Cairo, under the terms of the peace treaty, a Christian garrison was to remain. The riots soon started by the Muslims in Cairo forced Amalric I to return to Egypt in 1168. He entered into an alliance with the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos, who at the beginning of 1169 sent a fleet and a small expeditionary force to Egypt by sea. Skillful maneuvering (both political and military) of Shirku and Saladin, bad luck chasing the enemy, as well as mutual distrust between the crusaders and the Byzantines - all this prevented successful coordination of actions. And so both armies, the Crusaders and the Byzantines, retreated from Egypt. Shirku became vizier under the Fatimid caliph, while remaining subordinate to Nur ad-Din, but died soon after in May 1169. He was succeeded by Saladin, who actually became the ruler of Egypt with the title of "al-Malik al-Nazir" (Incomparable Ruler).

Saladin is the ruler of Egypt. Conquest of Syria and Mesopotamia.

In dealing with the Fatimid caliph, Saladin showed unusual tact, and after the death of al-Adid, which followed in 1171, Saladin already had enough power to replace his name in all Egyptian mosques with the name of the orthodox caliph of Baghdad.

Saladin founded his Ayyubid dynasty. He restored the Sunni faith in Egypt in 1171. In 1172, the Egyptian Sultan conquered Tripolitania from the Almohads. Saladin constantly showed his obedience to Nur ad-Din, but his concern for the fortification of Cairo and the haste he showed in lifting the sieges from the fortresses of Montreal (1171) and Kerak (1173) indicate that he was afraid of envy from his master . Before the death of the Mosul ruler Nur ad-Din, a noticeable coldness arose between them. In 1174, Nur ad-Din died, and the period of the Syrian conquests of Saladin began. Nur ad-Din's vassals began to rebel against his young as-Salih, and Saladin moved north, ostensibly to support him. In 1174 he entered Damascus, took Hams and Hama, in 1175 he captured Baalbek and the cities surrounding Aleppo (Aleppo). Saladin owed his success, first of all, to his well-trained regular army of Turkish slaves (Mamluks), which included mainly horse archers, as well as shock troops horse spearmen. The next step was to achieve political independence.

Saladin in battle

In 1175, he forbade mentioning the name of as-Salih in prayers and embossing it on coins, and received formal recognition from the Caliph of Baghdad. In 1176, he defeated the invading army of Sayf al-Din of Mosul and made an agreement with al-Salih as well as the Assassins. In 1177 he returned from Damascus to Cairo, where he built a new citadel, an aqueduct, and several madrasahs. From 1177 to 1180, Saladin waged war against Christians from Egypt, and in 1180 he concluded a peace treaty with the Sultan of Konya (Rum). In 1181-1183 he was mainly concerned with the state of affairs in Syria. In 1183, Saladin forced the atabeg Imad ad-Din to exchange Aleppo for the insignificant Sinjar, and in 1186 he secured the oath of vassalage from the atabek of Mosul. The last independent ruler was finally subdued, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem found itself face to face with a hostile empire.

Saladin's conquest of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

The disease of the childless King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem with leprosy led to a struggle for succession. Saladin benefited from this: he completed the conquest of Syria, while not stopping raids on Christian territories, although he was defeated at the Battle of Ram-Allah in 1177.

The most capable ruler among the crusaders was Raymond, Count of Tripoli, but his enemy Guido Lusignan became king by marrying the sister of Baldwin IV. In 1187, a four-year truce was broken by the famous robber Reynald de Chatillon from the castle of Krak des Chevaliers, provoking the declaration of holy war, and then began the third period of Saladin's conquest campaigns. With an army of approximately twenty thousand, Saladin laid siege to Tiberias on the western shore of the Lake of Gennesaret. Guido Lusignan gathered under his banner everyone he could (about 20,000 people) and moved on Saladin. The king of Jerusalem disregarded the advice of Raymond of Tripoli and led his army into a waterless desert, where they were attacked and surrounded by the Muslims. Many of the crusaders near Tiberias were destroyed.

Battle of Hattin

On July 4, at the battle of Hattin, Saladin inflicted a crushing defeat on the united Christian army. The Egyptian sultan managed to separate the crusader cavalry from the infantry and defeated it. Only Raymond of Tripoli and Baron Ibelin, who commanded the rearguard, with a small detachment of cavalry, were able to break through the encirclement (according to one version, with the tacit approval of Saladin, who sincerely respected the old warrior). The rest of the crusaders were killed or captured, including the king of Jerusalem himself, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Raynald of Chatillon and others. Raynald of Châtillon was executed by Saladin himself.

Guido Lusignan subsequently released, taking from him a promise that he would no longer fight. Raymond, meanwhile, had returned to Tripoli and died of his wounds.

Saladin captured Tiberias, Acre (now Acre in Israel), Askelon (Ashkelon) and other cities (the soldiers of their garrisons, almost without exception, were captured or died at Hattin). Saladin was already on his way to Tire when Margrave Conrad of Montferrat arrived by sea just in time with a detachment of crusaders, thus providing the city with a reliable garrison. Saladin's attack was repulsed. On September 20, Saladin laid siege to Jerusalem. In the absence of the king who had taken refuge in Acre, the defense of the city was led by Baron Ibelin. However, there were not enough defenders. Food too. At first rejecting Saladin's relatively generous offers. In the end, the garrison was forced to surrender. On Friday, October 2, Saladin entered the Holy City, which had been in the hands of Christians for almost a hundred years, and performed a ritual of purification, showing generosity to the Christians of Jerusalem. Saladin released the townspeople to all four sides on the condition that they pay the appropriate ransom for themselves. Many failed to redeem themselves and were enslaved. All Palestine was captured by Saladin. In the kingdom, only Tyre remained in the hands of the Christians. Perhaps the fact that Saladin neglected to take this fortress before the onset of winter was his most gross strategic miscalculation. The Christians retained a powerful stronghold when, in June 1189, the remaining army of the crusaders, led by Guido Lusignan and Conrad of Montferrat, attacked Acre. They succeeded in driving off Saladin's army, which was coming to the rescue of the besieged. Saladin did not have a fleet, which allowed the Christians to wait for reinforcements and recover from the defeats they had suffered on land. From the land side, Saladin's army surrounded the crusaders in a dense ring. During the siege, 9 major battles and an innumerable number of minor clashes took place.

Saladin and Richard the Lionheart.

Richard I of England (Lionheart)

On June 8, 1191, Richard I of England (later the Lionheart) arrived near Acre. Basically, all the crusaders tacitly acknowledged his leadership. Richard drove off Saladin's army, which was marching to the rescue of the besieged, after which he led the siege with such vigor that the Muslim garrison of Acre capitulated on July 12 without Saladin's permission.

Richard consolidated his success with a well-organized march to Askelon (modern Ashkelon in Israel), which was carried along the coast to Jaffa, and a great victory at Arsuf, in which Saladin's troops lost 7,000 men and the rest fled. The loss of the crusaders in this battle amounted to about 700 people. After this battle, Saladin never once dared to engage Richard in open battle.

During the years 1191-1192 there were four small campaigns in the south of Palestine, in which Richard proved himself a valiant knight and a talented tactician, although Saladin surpassed him as a strategist. The English king constantly moved between Beitnub and Askelon, with the ultimate goal of capturing Jerusalem. Richard I constantly pursued Saladin, who, retreating, used the scorched earth tactics - destroying crops, pastures and poisoning wells. The lack of water, the lack of fodder for the horses, and the growing discontent in the ranks of his multinational army forced Richard to conclude that he was not in a position to besiege Jerusalem if he did not want to risk the almost inevitable death of the entire army. In January 1192, Richard's impotence was manifested in the fact that he abandoned Jerusalem and began to strengthen Askelon. The peace negotiations taking place at the same time showed that Saladin was the master of the situation. Although Richard won two magnificent victories at Jaffa in July 1192, the peace treaty was concluded on September 2, and it was a triumph for Saladin. From the Kingdom of Jerusalem, only the coastline and the free path to Jerusalem remained, along which Christian pilgrims could easily reach the Holy Places. Askelon was destroyed. Undoubtedly, the unity of the Islamic East became the reason for the death of the kingdom. Richard returned to Europe, and Saladin to Damascus, where he died after a short illness on March 4, 1193. He was buried in Damascus and was mourned throughout the East.

Characteristics of Saladin.

Saladin (Salah ad-Din) - Sultan of Egypt and Syria

Saladin possessed bright character. Being a typical Muslim, severe in relation to the infidels who captured Syria, he, however, showed mercy to the Christians with whom he dealt directly. Saladin became famous among Christians and Muslims as a true knight. Saladin was very diligent in prayer and fasting. He was proud of his family, declaring that "the Ayyubids were the first to whom the Almighty granted victory." His generosity was shown in the concessions made to Richard and his attitude towards the captives. Saladin was unusually kind, crystal honest, loved children, never lost heart and was truly noble towards women and all the weak. Moreover, he showed true Muslim devotion to a sacred goal. The source of his success lay in his personality. He was able to unite Islamic countries to fight the conquering crusaders, although he did not leave his country a code of laws. After his death, the empire was divided among his relatives. A capable strategist, Saladin, however, was no match for Richard in tactics and, in addition, had an army of slaves. "My army is not capable of anything," he confessed, "if I do not lead him and keep an eye on him every moment." In the history of the East, Saladin remained a conqueror who stopped the invasion of the West and turned the forces of Islam to the West, a hero who united these unbridled forces overnight, and, finally, a saint who embodied in his personality the highest ideals and virtues of Islam.

Saladin (Salah ad-Din). Chronology of life and deeds

1137 (1138) - In the family of Naim ad-Din Ayyub, the military commander of the Tekrit fortress, the third son, Yusuf, was born.

1152 - Yusuf enters the service of his uncle Asad ad-Din Shirk and receives ownership of a small territory.

1152 - Yusuf is part of the military command of Damascus.

1164 - 1169 years - Yusuf's participation in the Egyptian campaigns of Emir Asad ad-Din Shirku.

1169 - After the death of Emir Shirku, Yusuf becomes the vizier of the Egyptian caliph and receives from him the title "Incomparable Ruler" ("al-Malik al-Nazir").

1173 - 1174 - The first short-term campaigns of Saladin against the crusaders.

1174 - Saladin captures Damascus after the death of Nur ad-Din.

1176 - Recognition of Saladin's power over Syria by the Zengids (except for the ruler of Mosul), as well as by the Caliph of Baghdad. Hike to the lands of the Assassins and conclude an agreement with Rashid al-Din Sinan.

1177 - The defeat of Saladin from the army of the Jerusalem king Baldwin IV at Ram-Allah.

1186 - Acceptance of a vassal oath from the ruler of Mosul.

1189 - 1191 - Military operations at Acre.

References.

1. Smirnov S.A. Sultan Yusuf and his crusaders. - Moscow: AST, 2000. 2. The World History wars / resp. ed. R. Ernest and Trevor N. Dupuy. - Book One - Moscow: Polygon, 1997. 3. World History. Crusaders and Mongols. - Volume 8 - Minsk, 2000.

Third Crusade covered with hundreds of romantic legends. Their central figure is Richard the Lionheart, who really wanted to free Jerusalem, but could not do it. And meanwhile, if the English king would still achieve this goal, then his victory would play an important role in the history of not only the Holy Land, but all of Europe. Alexey Durnovo - about what would happen if Jerusalem fell.

Could this be?

Easy. Richard was not only an excellent warrior who knew how to inspire his people to feats of arms by personal example, but also a very skilled commander. He correctly calculated the forces, did not climb on the rampage, knew when to attack and when to retreat, and did not fall into traps. He did not suffer a single major defeat in the Holy Land, won several great victories and captured Accra, which was considered impregnable. His appearance caused such fear in the ranks of Saladin's supporters that the reconquest of the Holy Land from the Christians instantly slowed down.

Richard the Lionheart

In fact, it was Richard who gave the crusading states another hundred years of life. Had it not been for his invasion, all Christian cities would have been recaptured within 15–20 years after the fall of Jerusalem (1187). The English king ended the campaign not because of failure, but in the face of circumstances. First, he realized that he still did not have enough strength to liberate Jerusalem.

Richard the Lionheart could have freed Jerusalem. A little bit was not enough

Secondly, things were going so badly in Europe that they demanded his immediate return. But if Richard had seen even a microscopic opportunity to retake the Holy City, he would have done it. However, he himself is to blame for the lack of strength. A good commander is not always an intelligent politician. Richard himself quarreled with his allies, who eventually left him alone. If he had the support of Philip II of France, or at least Leopold of Austria, the chances of returning Jerusalem would have increased many times over.

How would this affect the Holy Land?

Gerard de Ridfort - the main loser in the history of the Knights Templar

Reasoning soberly, Jerusalem could have been captured with good preparation and some luck. And even with Saladin alive. But it was difficult for the crusaders to keep him. First, the Christian states in the Holy Land were not united. Formally, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was the main one of them. In fact, even in better times each state acted for itself. The county of Edessa, the principality of Antioch and the county of Tripoli did not obey orders from Jerusalem, they did not send money there, and even participated reluctantly in joint military operations. Knightly orders also weaved their own intrigues, sometimes contradicting the common cause.

And all around were completely hostile neighbors. It was enough for them to unite against Christians to easily shake them out of the Middle East. Which, in fact, was brilliantly proven by Saladin. The Battle of Hattin, in which Saladin destroyed the united Christian army, is a perfect example of this. The leaders of the crusaders could not agree and develop a joint plan, got involved in the battle in a categorically disadvantageous position and were defeated. They were dragged into this adventure by the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, Gerard de Ridefort. And it is still unknown whether he was bribed by Saladin. In short, even if Richard took Jerusalem, it would not be for long. The goal of the campaign has been achieved, so it's time to go home.

Richard's success would hardly have helped the crusaders, but it would not have prevented Byzantium

Richard would have gone to England, perhaps with the formal title of King of Jerusalem. But in reality, the city would be ruled by someone else. Someone less reputable and less famous. Someone not so skilled in military affairs. Someone who would not be so feared by opponents. And so, sooner or later, the Ayyubids, Zangids, the Seljuk Sultanate or some other Muslim state would have recaptured the Holy City back. However, the capture of Jerusalem by Richard would still affect the affairs of the Middle East.

Byzantium

With the death of Manuel Komnenos, endless strife began in Byzantium in the struggle for the throne.

Not to say that in Byzantium they were happy with the Crusades. Alexei I Komnenos, former emperor back in the years of the First Campaign, he did everything to complicate the life of the crusaders. Of course, military assistance to Constantinople would not be placed, only Comnenus understood that he would not coordinate this military assistance. That is why he literally forced the leaders of the first campaign to recognize him as the formal supreme head of the campaign and almost immediately sent annoying Europeans to fight so that they would not stay too long in his possessions. And when several crusading states were formed in the Middle East at once, they began to seriously worry in Constantinople.

The descendants of Komnenos were wary of the Catholic conquerors and preferred to pit the crusaders against the Muslims, so that both would be weakened in mutual battles. Fatal, in every sense, for Byzantium was the Fourth Crusade. The crusaders seemed to be going to recapture Jerusalem, but succumbed to the influence Doge of Venice Enrico Dandolo and eventually went to war with the Eastern Empire.

Everyone knows how it ended: in 1204, Constantinople fell, and Byzantium ceased to exist in its former form. The state that was restored half a century later was only a shadow of a mighty empire that dates back to Roman times.

And now about the main thing. If Richard the Lionheart had taken Jerusalem, there would have been no Fourth Crusade. Constantinople would peacefully survive the year 1204, retaining its former influence and borders. Of course, the Byzantine Empire weakened every year, but it would only have held out for a long time anyway. In other words, Ottoman Empire would hardly have taken Constantinople in the middle of the 15th century. This date would move at least a hundred years ahead. And consequently, the invasion of Europe would begin later. Imagine only a free Balkans, a peaceful Eastern Europe and Austria, not living in constant fear beyond their borders.

Saladin

The loss of Jerusalem would have weakened Saladin's position as the unified leader of the Muslims of the Middle East. Most likely, he would have spent the rest of his life trying to maintain power. He could keep Egypt under his rule, but most likely he would lose Syria and certainly Iraq. The strengthening of the crusaders would lead to constant wars, and in this situation, the Muslims and Christians of the Middle East would have met the Mongol invasion, before which there were some 60-70 years left. As you know, the Mongols did not agree with the Christians on an alliance because of the intrigues of the Templars, and the Muslims defeated the competitors one by one.

English hegemony would have begun earlier. And France might not be on the map

First, the Mongol invasion was stopped, then the remnants of the Christian freemen were liquidated. In the situation of preserving Jerusalem from the crusaders and the early collapse of the power created by Saladin, the Mongols, most likely, would have been obviously the strongest of all. Strictly speaking, they would not need any alliances. Who knows, perhaps it was they who would have prevailed, and all the same Jerusalem would have turned out to be part of the possessions of one of the descendants of Genghis Khan.

Europe

Philip II Augustus raised France from its knees

Leaving the Holy Land, Richard rushed off to save his homeland. As you know, on the way he thundered into captivity. In our scenario, captivity, most likely, could have been avoided. No one would let the liberator of Jerusalem be thrown into jail so easily. Richard would calmly return to England and do his favorite thing already in Europe. And his favorite thing, as you know, were battles.

Having restored his power in Normandy, he would go further, gradually taking away from France those possessions that once belonged to his father. All the efforts of Philip II to create centralized state would go down the drain. The king of France would not have been able to chop off Normandy, apparently, would have lost Aquitaine and would have lost the support of his motley supporters. And therefore, all subsequent events, France would experience in a weakened state. It would hardly have been possible, for example, the Avignon captivity of the Popes or the defeat of the Templars. I'm not talking about the fact that the Hundred Years' War would have lasted not so long, but would probably have ended with a completely different outcome.

100 Great Generals of the Middle Ages Alexey Shishov

Saladin (Salah - ad - Din)

Saladin (Salah - ad - Din)

Egyptian sultan - commander who crushed the Third Crusade and won the Holy Land for himself

Saladin and Guido de Lusignan after the Battle of Hattin in 1187

Saladin (in Arabic, his name means "honor of faith") was born on the land of modern Iraq. His father, a Kurd by nationality, was a senior commander in the army of the famous Syrian commander Nur-ed-din, who successfully fought the crusaders.

In 1164, Saladin, already being the right hand of the commander Nur - Eddin in the war, participated in the liberation of Egypt (or rather, part of it) from the crusaders. After the death of Nur - ed - din, his disciple Salah - ad - din Yusuf ibn Ayub led the Arab army and began to fight with the crusaders and their states in the Holy Land - the county of Edessa, the principality of Antioch, the kingdom of Jerusalem, the county of Tripoli. He fought successfully.

Together with the title of commander-in-chief of the Muslim army, Salah - ad - din received power over Egypt conquered by the Arabs. In 1174, he staged a coup d'état and established the Ayyubid dynasty, becoming sultan.

Having become the ruler of Egypt, Sultan Salah - ad - din appointed his relatives and close, reliable friends to key positions in the state. He strengthened the Egyptian army, making it predominantly Arab, and created a modern navy for that time. After that, Saladin went to war against the Middle Eastern states of the crusaders.

For twelve years of continuous military campaigns, Sultan Salah - Addin conquered Syria and Iraq and became the recognized military leader of the Muslim world. Now the states of the crusaders in the Middle East were surrounded on all sides by the possessions of the Egyptian sultan. Saladin vowed to expel the "infidels" and declared holy war on them.

In 1187, the 20,000-strong army of the Sultan of Egypt invaded Palestine. Half of it was horse archers, armed with long-range bows, the arrows of which were capable of penetrating steel knightly armor. It was the horse archers who were the first to attack the Europeans and with a cloud of red-hot arrows upset their ranks. This allowed the Egyptian sultan to look for the weakest points in the enemy's battle formation. Then mounted warriors armed with sabers went on the attack and began hand-to-hand combat. And only after that, detachments of foot soldiers were sent into battle, who were to complete the rout of the enemy troops.

Saladin brilliantly mastered the tactics of warfare in the Arab East. The main blow of his horse archers was inflicted on the enemy flanks. He skillfully used such a tactic as luring the crusaders with the help of a feigned retreat into waterless, desert lands in order to deplete their strength by depriving them of water sources.

On July 4, 1187, Salah ad din unexpectedly attacked the crusader army near Hattin (near Lake Tiberias). During a short battle, the Muslims (the Europeans called them Saracens) killed or captured most of the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, which numbered about 20 thousand people. This battle went down in the history of the Crusades under the name of the Battle of Hattin, so great were the losses of the knights from Jerusalem.

Among those captured was the crusader commander Guido (Guy) de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, and the remnants of the "Faithful Cross" detachment, which was intended to inspire Christians in the Middle East to fight against Muslims. The Grand Master of the Knights Templar and the Margrave of Montferrat were captured. The commander Salah-ad-din either released the captive knights for a rich ransom, or exchanged them for his captive soldiers.

After this great victory, Saladin took several large fortified Palestinian cities, such as Accra and Jaffa, and Crusader fortresses from battle. He left Egyptian garrisons and his governors in them.

After the defeat at Hattin, the crusaders for some time did not dare to fight the army of Salah-ad-din in the open, preferring to keep the defense in the fortresses. The knights turned to the Pope and the monarchs of Europe for help and now awaited the start of the Third Crusade.

In September 1187 Sultan Salah ad din laid siege to Jerusalem. The history of the capture of the sacred city by the Europeans is as follows. During the First Crusade on June 7, 1099, it was besieged by the knights led by Gottfried of Bouillon. On July 15, the walls of the city were taken by storm, and over the next three days, the massacre continued in Jerusalem, in which, according to some reports, 70,000 Muslims died.

The siege of Jerusalem by the Egyptian army lasted 14 days, during which the crusaders made several bold attacks on the positions of the Saracens. After a tense siege, the Muslim army broke into the city, the inhabitants and the garrison of which began to experience great difficulties with water and food. The last King of Jerusalem, Guido de Lusignan, was forced to capitulate to the Sultan of Egypt.

Saladin restored Muslim power in Jerusalem, which they had lost in 1099. Unlike the Crusaders, the Sultan treated his captives nobly. He freed the defeated King of Jerusalem Guido de Lusignan, having previously taken a knightly word from him that he would never again raise arms against the Muslim world. Christians were given 40 days to leave the holy city.

With his successful actions, Salah - ad - din minimized the gains of European chivalry during the Second Crusade of 1147-1149. At the court of the Pope, the alarm was sounded and they began to hastily prepare for the Third Crusade to the Holy Land.

It began in 1189. It was headed by the English king Richard I the Lionheart, the German emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and french king Philip II August. There was no agreement between them from the very beginning of hostilities against the Saracens, and they were constantly at enmity with each other. However, this time the crusading European chivalry was determined to liberate the Holy Land from Muslims.

A distinctive feature of this crusade was that the knightly army was supported by a large navy from the Mediterranean Sea. At first, the crusaders were lucky. In 1190, the knights took the important city of Konya (Iconium), but during the struggle for it, the German emperor Frederick I Barbarossa died (drowned), and his army disintegrated.

In 1191, the British and French, after a two-year siege, took the ancient port city of Accra (Akkon). Detachments of Guido de Lusignan participated in its siege and assault - he violated the oath given to the Egyptian sultan, who generously granted the Jerusalem king life and freedom. After the capture of Accra, the French king Philip II Augustus, having gained fame as the winner of the Saracens, departed for his homeland.

Alarmed by the new invasion of the crusaders led by three monarchs in the Middle East, Sultan Salah ad - din again gathered a large Egyptian army. He called under his banner all those who wanted to fight the Christian army for the sake of glory and military booty.

Meanwhile, the English king Richard the Lionheart, with the assistance of the fleet in 1191, conquered the Byzantine Empire the island of Cyprus and went to Palestine. But Saladin blocked the troops of Richard the way to Jerusalem, destroying in its near and far neighborhoods all the food supplies that the Crusaders could use.

The decisive battle between the armies of the King of England and the Sultan of Egypt took place on September 7, 1191 at Arsuf. The crusader army noticeably thinned out after the return of most of the French feudal lords with their detachments and German knights to their homeland. According to European sources, Saladin's army numbered 300,000, but these figures are most likely greatly inflated. But, in any case, the forces of the Egyptian ruler in the battle of Arsuf significantly outnumbered the forces of the Europeans.

Salah-ad-din was the first to start the battle. He ordered his horse archers to attack the enemy lined up for battle. The main blow, as usual, was inflicted immediately on the flanks. The attack initially went well - the crusaders, under the fierce onslaught of the Saracens, leaned back. However, the core of the Crusaders, led by Richard the Lionheart, stood firm.

The battle of Arsuf began to drag on. The Sultan's army suffered heavy losses in incessant attacks. It was difficult for lightly armed Arab horsemen to break the close formation of knights clad in steel armor. Gradually, the initiative passed to Richard, and as a result, the battle ended in a disorderly retreat of the Egyptian army, which lost 40 thousand people that day. But even these figures are considered very high.

The war for the possession of the Holy Land, and with it the Third Crusade, ended with the fact that the Egyptian sultan Salah - ad - din and the English king Richard the Lionheart during their meeting in September 1192 concluded a truce for three years. In fact, this agreement turned out to be a peace treaty that was in force for many years.

The crusaders kept the coastal strip from Tire to Jaffa. sacred to Christendom the city of Jerusalem remained with the Muslims. Pilgrims and Christian merchants were allowed to freely visit it, as well as other places in Palestine, which became part of the Egyptian Sultanate after the conquests of Saladin. The Kingdom of Jerusalem remained on the world map, but now its capital was the Mediterranean city - the fortress of Accra.

The peace agreement on the Holy Land and the Holy City concluded by the Egyptian sultan and the English king was surprisingly fair and equal for the parties. After that, Richard I returned to England, not giving up his claims to Palestine. However, his wishes were not destined to come true, since the Fourth Crusade, organized by Pope Innocent III, did not begin until 1202.

And Salah - ad - din, after signing a peace agreement with the English monarch, returned to the Syrian capital of Damascus, which he loved very much, since his childhood and youth were connected with this city. There he contracted yellow fever and died on March 4, 1193.