1071
Battle of Manzikert
The emperor was captured, and Turkish tribes poured into Anatolia. Byzantium's appeal to Europe for help led to the First Crusade.
Battles · Crusades
Battles of the Crusades
9 battles and sieges from 1071 to 1291. Each links to its own page with the sides, the commanders, the result and a map.
1099
Fall of Jerusalem
After a six-week siege the crusaders stormed the walls on 15 July 1099 and killed much of the city's Muslim and Jewish population, including people sheltering at Al-Aqsa.
1144
Siege of Edessa
The first crusader state to fall. Its loss started the Second Crusade.
1148
Siege of Damascus
The Second Crusade fell apart after four days outside Damascus. Nur al-Din took the city in 1154 and united Muslim Syria.
1187
Battle of Hattin
Salahuddin cut the crusaders off from water on a hot July day. Their army was destroyed and King Guy captured, leaving Jerusalem almost undefended.
1187
Siege of Jerusalem
On 2 October 1187, after a short siege, the city surrendered. Unlike 1099 there was no massacre, and residents could ransom themselves or leave.
1189 to 1191
Siege of Acre
After a two-year siege the port fell. Richard had about 2,700 Muslim prisoners executed when ransom talks stalled.
1191
Battle of Arsuf
Richard won on the march south but twice turned back short of Jerusalem. The Treaty of Jaffa in 1192 left the city with Salahuddin and let Christian pilgrims visit.
1291
Fall of Acre
The last major crusader stronghold fell, ending nearly two centuries of crusader states.
Other kinds of war
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