Who held the Old City, from 637 to today

1. 637

   Umar receives the city

   Patriarch Sophronius surrendered Jerusalem to Caliph Umar in person. Umar guaranteed the safety of its Christians and their churches and had the Haram al-Sharif cleared for prayer.

   Conquest of Jerusalem

2. 692

   Dome of the Rock completed

   Caliph Abd al-Malik built the Dome of the Rock over the rock linked to the Prophet's Night Journey, completed around 691 or 692. Al-Aqsa Mosque rose at the south end of the compound under him and his son al-Walid.

3. 1099

   The First Crusade storms the city

   On 15 July 1099 the crusaders broke in and killed much of the population. The Dome of the Rock became a church and Al-Aqsa a royal palace, later the headquarters of the Templars.

   Fall of Jerusalem

4. 1187

   Salahuddin retakes Jerusalem

   Three months after Hattin, the city surrendered on 2 October 1187. There was no massacre. Salahuddin restored Al-Aqsa and placed in it the minbar Nur al-Din had ordered for the day the city was freed.

   Siege of Jerusalem

5. 1192

   Richard I turns back

   During the Third Crusade Richard came within a day's march of Jerusalem twice, in 1191 and 1192, and turned back both times. The Treaty of Jaffa left the city with Salahuddin.

   Battle of Arsuf

6. 1229

   Handed over by treaty

   Sultan al-Kamil gave the city to Emperor Frederick II for ten years, keeping the Haram al-Sharif in Muslim hands. Many Muslims saw the deal as a betrayal.

7. 1244

   The Khwarazmian sack

   Khwarazmian horsemen, allies of the Ayyubids of Egypt, took and plundered the city. It never returned to crusader rule.

8. 1260

   Mamluk rule begins

   After Ain Jalut, the Mamluks ruled Jerusalem for over 250 years and endowed schools, hostels and fountains around the Haram.

   Battle of Ain Jalut

9. 1516

   The Ottomans arrive

   Selim I took Syria and Palestine in 1516 and Egypt in 1517. Jerusalem stayed Ottoman for 400 years.

   Battle of Marj Dabiq

10. 1541

    Suleiman's walls

    Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt the walls of the Old City between 1537 and 1541. They still stand today.

11. 1917

    Allenby enters

    British forces took the city on 9 December 1917 and General Allenby entered on foot two days later. Britain ruled under a League of Nations mandate until 1948.

    Fall of Jerusalem

12. 1948

    The city is divided

    In the 1948 war West Jerusalem was held by Israel and the Old City, with Al-Aqsa, by Jordan.

    1948 War and the Nakba

13. 1967

    Israel occupies East Jerusalem

    In the Six-Day War Israel took the Old City. Under international law East Jerusalem is regarded as occupied territory; the Waqf kept running the Al-Aqsa compound.

    Six-Day War

14. 1969

    Al-Aqsa arson

    On 21 August 1969 an Australian extremist set fire to Al-Aqsa and destroyed Salahuddin's 800-year-old minbar. The attack led to the founding of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation that September.

15. 2000

    Second Intifada

    Ariel Sharon's visit to the compound in September 2000 was followed by clashes that grew into the Second Intifada, also called the Al-Aqsa Intifada.

Years are rounded to the nearest year of conquest or treaty. Between 1948 and 1967 the city was divided, and the band shows the Old City under Jordan. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

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