The Lion Awakens! History of the Third Crusade (ALL PARTS - ALL BATTLES) ⚔️ FULL DOCUMENTARY 1h 30m

horses of Caesarea. By nightfall on August 4, Richard could count on 55 knights and 15 horses of indifferent quality, and between 2 and 3,000 wild Genoese and Pisan archers. He marched confidently and camped with a few horsemen on the outskirts of Jaffa, on the same ground that Saladin had camped the week before. Around midnight, members of Saladin's personal guard set out for the Christian camp with the intention of kidnapping Richard. This was the first part of the sultan's plan, followed by a diversionary attack on Jaffa, while the main attack would eliminate the leaderless Christians on the ground. As fate would have it, a Genoese archer, walking outside the camp early on August 5, saw the clatter of hooves from Saladin's guard, who had apparently caught a cold.

He ran back to the camp shouting a warning. Richard woke up quickly, removed his chain mail, and prepared for action. With his left reinforced by the fortified church of St Nicholas and his right surrounded by the walls of Jaffa, Richard proposed an active defence, relying on his archers, whom he placed in pairs, one charged and the other. another shooting at any time. In front they protected the foot soldiers, with spears stuck into the ground at an angle and carrying a shield to protect themselves from arrows. Scattered, half-buried stakes were placed to stop the expected attack. Richard himself, with a handful of horse cavalry, formed a mobile reserve.

As the enemy prepared, he addressed his men: “Difficulties reveal virtues, while prosperity hides them. Plus, there's nowhere to run... so you have to stand your ground... “True men must triumph bravely or die gloriously.” The Muslim army, confident in its large numbers, launched itself against the Christian ranks. But they lacked the usual coordinated movements and attacked without sophistication. Wave after wave stopped at the line of spears and retreated from the lethal barrage of crossbowmen. Like Arsuf, Richard had a sixth sense for running from one side of the line to the other, appearing at every critical moment. Christian discipline remained firm.

Not a single feigned retreat could prompt them to charge their enemy. At 3:00 p.m., as the midday heat began to subside, Richard gave the order to the bombers to advance beyond their defensive shields and ordered his reserve to join him in a powerful attack. "He was like a giant in battle," wrote one chronicler: "His body was like bronze, unyielding to any type of weapon. His right hand brandished his sword with quick strokes, cutting down the attacking enemy, cutting him in two as he faced he". "Muslim morale gave way amid the attack, and Saladin watched his army slowly melt away once more.

All but a few: for as Richard and his handful of knights were held back in their mounts, a great shout was heard from Jaffa Some of their compatriots, exhausted by the constant attacks, had abandoned their posts and fled to the safety of the galleys. The Muslim contingents took advantage of their departure to once again penetrate Jaffa, hoping to instill the faith of the Muslim in their side. ri. With seemingly inexhaustible energy, Richard called to his side a handful of knights, warriors and knights. After driving the cowards from the galleys and posting an armed guard to deter more cowards, the king rode towards Jaffa, lo. which caused a hasty Saracen retreat.

That afternoon, the two rulers counted the cost of the battle. The Muslims had lost 700 dead and 1,500 horses, many of which remained on the field. The

crusade

rs suffered only 2 dead and an unknown number of wounded. Hoping to preserve the illusion of power, Saladin sent word to Richard that he still intended to take the king and the city. Richard, gravely ill from the exertions of the past few days, issued a defiant response. However, both the leaders and their armies were so tired that negotiations began again. A ceasefire was reached on September 3. Hostilities were to be suspended for three years.

The Christians eliminated Ascalon and Darum and recognized Acre as the new capital of the Holy Land. Jerusalem remained in the hands of the Muslims. In return, Saladin gave his word to protect all Christian pilgrims in Jerusalem. On September 5, much of the Muslim army began to disband while others destroyed the fortifications of Ascalon under the supervision of the Crusaders. The next day, Richard rode north to Acre. On October 9th he headed home… or so he thought. The truce lasted for several reasons. Richard's capture of Cyprus, with its abundant food supply, gave the Crusader kingdoms little incentive to advance beyond its thin coastal belt.

For Muslims, the moral energy generated by Saladin when he declared jihad in 1187 had simply run out. Furthermore, the sultan's sudden death in March 1193 tore apart his kingdom, with one son, al-Aziz, ruling in Egypt and another, al-Afdal, controlling Syria. Subsequent fighting was not resolved until the Mongol invasions of the 1250s, which threatened the Near East more than the Crusaders. Only a renewed spirit of jihad would drive these intruders to Ain Jalut and then proceed to dismantle the remaining Crusader kingdoms. On a personal level, the Third Crusade provides us with two leaders who, despite their cultural differences, rose to power in an atmosphere of religious zeal and intense, knife-edge politics.

The fact that they were able to overcome these conditions and treat each other as honorable, even chivalrous, people is remarkable. For lovers of military

history

around the world, Acre, Arsuf and Jaffa cemented King Richard's reputation as the epitome of a brave ruler and charismatic warrior, as confirmed by Saladin's victory at Hattin and the conquest of the imposing fortresses. of the Holy Land. the greatest leaders of the Muslim world. While other rulers withdrew from a protracted war, Richard and Saladin remained committed. However, while others stubbornly pursued obsolete strategic objectives, the English king and the Ayyubid sultan were able to understand the complexities of maintaining the Holy City and sought creative ways to achieve a more lasting peace in Palestine.

With an indomitable spirit, able to triumph in difficult conditions and against all odds, these two men had rightly earned their place in

history

. His legacy continues to this day. Thank you for staying until the end of the video. If you enjoyed watching, PRESS the Like and Subscribe button, and leave a comment LIKE SACRIFICE for the algorithm. Support us on Patreon and get ad-free early access to our videos for just one dollar, or click the Thank You button below to leave a one-time tip. As always, see you next time.