The Crusaders lost the Battle of Hattin not because they were fewer, weaker, or less fierce than Saladin’s army. Ill-prepared for the climate and terrain, they were just too thirsty to fight

The Battle of Hattin, fought between Crusader knights and Saracens under the leadership of Saladin in 1187, is one of the most famous in the history of the Holy Land. For once, in the conflict between Christian Crusaders and Muslim Ayyubids, no one could blame the Jews. So in revisiting this battle, whose side would you take?

Since Roman times – apart from a brief Persian interlude – there’s been little variety in the history of the Promised Land. Byzantine Christian rulers were replaced by Ayyubid Muslims, who were displaced by Crusader Christians, only to be ousted in favor of a different Muslim dynasty. Eventually some British Christians turned up, and we appear only near the end of the line. For a short time in these sixteen hundred years of ping-pong, control of the Holy Land hung in the balance between Christians and Muslims. That’s when the Battle of Hattin took place.

The plateau on which the Horns of Hattin sits drops dramatically down to the level of the Sea of Galilee, making it easy to imagine the battle that unfolded here. Aerial view of the Horns of Hattin from west to east | Photo: AVRAMGR

The First Jihad in Zion

In 1187, Saladin decided to make history and wipe the almost-century-old Crusader kingdom off the map once and for all. Until then the Saracens had generally avoided confrontation with the invaders, whose military prowess was legendary, and who’d developed an uncanny ability to hole up in high-walled Middle Eastern fortresses and withstand any and every siege. Long-term peace treaties had been made and honored, but now Crusader rule was weakening, and succession struggles for the coveted throne of Jerusalem made the Christians vulnerable.

Unable to control his unruly knights, King Guy of Lusignan found his authority wavering. The biggest thorn in his side was Reynold of Châtillon, a headstrong, wayward upstart who’d attained his wealth and position as prince of Oultrejourdain (Transjordan) through marriage to some well-connected widows. Infamous for his wanton cruelty and complete disregard for politics, Reynold launched murderous attacks on caravans of Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca and pirated ships up and down the Red Sea coast. Ignoring the truce signed by the king, and his repeated requests that Reynold compensate his Muslim victims, the prince attempted to conquer Mecca and Medina. This aggression was too much for Saladin, and the Kurdish ruler whose realm extended from Egypt to Syria began plotting revenge.

The plan to destroy the Crusader kingdom and punish Reynold required careful logistics. Just as the Crusaders before him had enlisted Europe’s religious zeal in order to swell their ranks, Saladin recruited volunteers from all over the Middle East for his campaign against the Christian infidel. This jihad was apparently the Holy Land’s first, and ten thousand horsemen and as many foot soldiers and attendants answered Saladin’s call to conquer or die. The strategy was simple but elegant: the Muslims would lure the Crusaders out of their impregnable castles and pounce on them in the open fields, where the Saracens’ lighter armor and swift Arabian steeds could be put to full advantage.