Battle of Hattin

General

The Battle of Hattin, 1187 was fought on 4 July 1187 and ended with a decisive victory for Saladin over the army of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Its outcome opened the road to the recapture of Jerusalem and triggered the Third Crusade.

Overview

Category	Details
Name of the Battle	Battle of Hattin, 1187 / [[Battle of Hattin, 1187
Date	4 July 1187
Location	Near Tiberias, Galilee
Belligerents	Ayyubid Sultanate vs Kingdom of Jerusalem
Commanders	Saladin vs Guy of Lusignan, Raymond III of Tripoli
Strength (Forces)	Large field armies on both sides
Primary Unit Types	Cavalry, infantry, archers
Outcome	Decisive Ayyubid victory
Casualties (Estimate)	Heavy Crusader losses; many nobles captured
Strategic Importance	Destroyed main Frankish field army in the Levant
Notable Features	Water denial, encirclement, heat exhaustion
Historical Significance	Direct precursor to the Third Crusade

Historical Background

Regional tensions had escalated through raids, truces, and contested fortresses.
Saladin sought a decisive field engagement against the Kingdom of Jerusalem's main army.

Course of the Battle

Crusader forces marched under extreme heat and insufficient water.
Ayyubid harassment, fires, and encirclement broke cohesion before final assaults shattered resistance.

Consequences

Jerusalem became vulnerable and was captured later in 1187.
Western Europe launched the Third Crusade.
Ayyubid strategic dominance expanded.

Legacy

Hattin remains one of the most consequential battles of the crusading era.