Siege of Kerak
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Kerak
took place in 1183, with Saladin
's forces attacking and being repelled from the Crusader
stronghold.
was the stronghold of Raynald of Châtillon
, Lord of Oultrejordain, 124 km South of Amman
. The fortress was built in 1142 by Pagan the Butler
, Lord of Montreal
. While Raynald ruled, several truces existed between the Christian
and Muslim
states in the Holy Land
, none of which he made any qualms about breaking. The last straw came in 1183 when he organized an expedition around the Red Sea
. He captured the town of Aqaba
, giving him a base of operations against Islam's holiest city, Mecca
. Saladin
, the leader of the Muslim forces, could not tolerate this and moved against Raynald's stronghold.
Inside the walls, a royal marriage was taking place. Humphrey IV of Toron
, Raynald's stepson and heir was to take the hand of Isabella of Jerusalem
, the King's half sister. As the wedding ceremonies continued, Saladin instructed his troops to avoid bombarding the young couple's quarters, but pressure on Kerak continued. Messengers managed to escape the town and take word to the King, Baldwin IV.
Baldwin immediately marched with a relief force, accompanied by his regent, Raymond III of Tripoli
. Although suffering from leprosy since childhood, Baldwin's determination to frustrate Saladin's attempt was such that he led personally, although he had to be carried on a stretcher. The Christian forces arrived while Saladin was still struggling against the heavy fortifications. Knowing he risked being crushed between the Royal army and the walls of Kerak, he lifted the siege.
The King of Jerusalem had withstood his Muslim rival for the time being, although it was clear he would not survive for much longer, so aggressive was his disease. Just 5 years later, with Saladin's great rival gone, the Kingdom would crumble.
The motion picture Kingdom of Heaven
contains a fictional portrayal of the siege, in which the Knights of Ibelin
and the Ayyubids engage in battle. In the film, the Knights attacked so defenseless citizens could retreat to Raynald's castle.
Kerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
took place in 1183, with Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
's forces attacking and being repelled from the Crusader
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
stronghold.
Prelude
KerakKerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
was the stronghold of Raynald of Châtillon
Raynald of Chatillon
Raynald of Châtillon was a knight who served in the Second Crusade and remained in the Holy Land after its defeat...
, Lord of Oultrejordain, 124 km South of Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
. The fortress was built in 1142 by Pagan the Butler
Pagan the Butler
Pagan the Butler was a Crusader lord in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. Around 1120, he first appears as the butler of Baldwin II....
, Lord of Montreal
Montreal (Crusader castle)
Montreal is a Crusader castle on the eastern side of the Arabah, perched on the side of a rocky, conical mountain, looking out over fruit trees below...
. While Raynald ruled, several truces existed between the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
states in the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, none of which he made any qualms about breaking. The last straw came in 1183 when he organized an expedition around the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. He captured the town of Aqaba
Aqaba
Aqaba is a coastal city in the far south of Jordan, the capital of Aqaba Governorate at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba. Aqaba is strategically important to Jordan as it is the country's only seaport. Aqaba is best known today as a diving and beach resort, but industrial activity remains important...
, giving him a base of operations against Islam's holiest city, Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
, the leader of the Muslim forces, could not tolerate this and moved against Raynald's stronghold.
Siege and relief
The Muslims had sought to take Kerak for several years, but now they stretched its defenses to breaking point. At one point, 9 catapults were bombarding the walls and inhabitants within.Inside the walls, a royal marriage was taking place. Humphrey IV of Toron
Humphrey IV of Toron
Humphrey IV of Toron was the lord of Toron, Kerak, and Oultrejordain in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.-Biography:...
, Raynald's stepson and heir was to take the hand of Isabella of Jerusalem
Isabella of Jerusalem
Isabella I was Queen regnant of Jerusalem from 1190/1192 until her death. By her four marriages, she was successively Lady of Toron, Marchioness of Montferrat, Countess of Champagne and Queen of Cyprus....
, the King's half sister. As the wedding ceremonies continued, Saladin instructed his troops to avoid bombarding the young couple's quarters, but pressure on Kerak continued. Messengers managed to escape the town and take word to the King, Baldwin IV.
Baldwin immediately marched with a relief force, accompanied by his regent, Raymond III of Tripoli
Raymond III of Tripoli
Raymond III of Tripoli was Count of Tripoli from 1152 to 1187 and Prince of Galilee and Tiberias in right of his wife Eschiva.-Early life:...
. Although suffering from leprosy since childhood, Baldwin's determination to frustrate Saladin's attempt was such that he led personally, although he had to be carried on a stretcher. The Christian forces arrived while Saladin was still struggling against the heavy fortifications. Knowing he risked being crushed between the Royal army and the walls of Kerak, he lifted the siege.
The King of Jerusalem had withstood his Muslim rival for the time being, although it was clear he would not survive for much longer, so aggressive was his disease. Just 5 years later, with Saladin's great rival gone, the Kingdom would crumble.
Aftermath
Saladin returned to Kerak again in 1184, with the same result. Kerak remained a Crusader stronghold and a symbol of the West's grip in the region until falling to Muslim control in 1263. The next time the Crusaders had to contend with a major siege, it was at the walls of Jerusalem itself.The motion picture Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven (film)
Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic action film directed by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. It stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Marton Csokas, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McKidd, Alexander Siddig, Ghassan Massoud, Edward Norton, Jon Finch, Michael Sheen and Liam...
contains a fictional portrayal of the siege, in which the Knights of Ibelin
Ibelin
Ibelin was a castle in the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century , which gave its name to an important family of nobles.-The castle:...
and the Ayyubids engage in battle. In the film, the Knights attacked so defenseless citizens could retreat to Raynald's castle.