The catastrophic massacre of the Crusaders at the Battle of Hattin

The Battle of Hattin occurred during the Third Crusade. By 1187, Saladin, the formidable Sultan of Egypt and Syria, had designs on reclaiming Jerusalem from European control.

His earlier victories had already weakened the Crusader states, and he aimed to deliver a decisive blow. 

At this moment, the Crusaders faced significant challenges. King Guy of Lusignan, who had only been recently crowned and was relatively inexperienced, struggled to unite the fractious Crusader lords.

Additionally, the Kingdom of Jerusalem suffered from internal divisions and dwindling resources. King Guy of Lusignan could only call upon around 20,000 troops, including 1,200 knights from various Crusader states.

Alongside the knights, his army included infantry and crossbowmen, which were essential for holding the line in battle.

With King Guy was Raymond III of Tripoli: an experienced and respected leader. Raymond's skills and forces were crucial in maintaining control over the Holy Land, although his relationship with Guy was strained. 

In contrast, Saladin's forces were well-coordinated and motivated by religious fervor. He had gathered an army of approximately 30,000 soldiers, including 12,000 cavalry.

This was a formidable and diverse army, which included experienced soldiers from Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia. 

To provoke the Crusaders into battle, Saladin led an attack on the city of Tiberias on July 2nd, 1187, which was meant to draw the Crusader army out of its defensive positions.

The city was strategically important but was lightly defended. As a result, it fell quickly to Saladin's forces.

When news of the attack reached Guy, he immediately decided to march his army from their stronghold at Sephoria to relieve Tiberias.

However, the Crusaders were not well prepared for the long march through the heat of the desert. The constant heat and lack of water severely weakened their condition.

Regardless, they were ordered Crusaders pressed on so that they could reach Tiberius in time and, hopefully, catch Saladin's army by surprise. 

However, as they moved near the Sea of Galilee, the rocky terrain made maneuvering difficult. Rather than surprising Saladin, the Crusaders became targets of harassing attacks from some of the Muslim horsemen.

With little natural cover to protect them, the Crusader forces were exposed and vulnerable. Guy decided to head to the Horns of Hattin, two volcanic hilltops, which he hoped would provide them with some cover and, potentially, some drinking water. 

However, as they reached the plain, the soldiers struggled to find any sources of drinkable water. Instead, they realized that Saladin's forces had arrived in the area first and had control over the few available sources.

At this critical juncture, the lack of water exacerbated the already dire situation. They realized that they were now surrounded by Saladin's troops and were in an increasingly desperate position. 

They retreated towards the nearby village of Hittin, where the Crusader army camped on the night of July 3rd, hoping to secure a more advantageous position by morning.

However, Saladin's forces used the darkness to their advantage. Under the moonlight, Saladin's forces harassed the Crusader camp, preventing them from finding rest and further sapping their strength.

The Crusaders' morale deteriorated rapidly. By dawn, they faced a well-rested and strategically positioned enemy. 

At dawn on July 4, 1187, the Crusaders struggled to organize their defenses. As the sun rose higher, the heat became unbearable, worsening the Crusaders' thirst and fatigue.

That is when Saladin's troops launched a series of coordinated attacks. The Crusaders attempted to break through Saladin's lines to reach the water sources.

However, Saladin's cavalry swiftly countered these efforts, and continually drove the Crusaders back into their encirclement.  

King Guy of Lusignan ordered a desperate charge to break through the encirclement and reach Tiberias. Despite their best attempts, the Crusader knights failed to penetrate Saladin's lines.

By mid-morning, the situation for the Crusaders became untenable. The infantry, suffering the brunt of the attacks, began to break formation and flee.

In the chaos, many were captured or killed, and the cohesive structure of the Crusader army disintegrated.  

Out of the approximately 20,000 Crusaders who took the field, an estimated 16,000 were killed or captured. Saladin's forces, numbering around 30,000, suffered significantly fewer casualties.

The Crusader losses included many knights and noble leaders. King Guy of Lusignan and Raynald of Châtillon were both among the high-profile captives.

Saladin executed Raynald but spared King Guy, which intentionally demonstrated a mixture of ruthlessness and clemency.

Along with these leaders, hundreds of knights from the orders of the Templars and Hospitallers were executed. Their elimination further weakened the Crusader military presence in the region. 

In the aftermath of the Battle of Hattin, Saladin capitalized on his decisive victory by swiftly advancing through the Crusader territories.

Within the Crusader states, the loss of so many knights and military leaders created a power vacuum that left the remaining territories vulnerable.

With their defenses weakened, several key cities fell to Saladin's forces with little resistance. By October 2, 1187, his forces had recaptured Jerusalem.  

In Europe, news of the catastrophic defeat at Hattin was shared by pilgrims and travelers who had fled from the region. There was an immediate sense of urgency for a response from the Christian kingdoms.

Pope Gregory VIII issued a papal bull called Audita termendi, which called for the Third Crusade. This call to arms once more mobilized some of the most powerful monarchs of Europe, including Richard the Lionheart of England, Philip II of France, and Frederick I of the Holy Roman Empire.

Then, when the pope heard about the capture of Jerusalem by Saladin, the leader of the Catholic Church apparently died instantly of shock. 

For the Muslim population of the Holy Land, the triumph at Hattin and the recapture of Jerusalem were seen as divine vindication of their cause.

This bolstered further Saladin's reputation, which solidified his position as a unifying leader of the Muslim world. His ability to unite the Muslim forces under his command would be a critical factor in his continued success.

The Crusaders, despite their efforts, would never fully recover from the blow dealt at Hattin.