Battle of Hattin
1187 CE · Israel
The Battle of Hattin was fought in 1187 CE in Israel between Ayyubid Sultanate vs the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem; decisive Ayyubid victory; the Crusader army was destroyed and Jerusalem fell within months.
Battle of Hattin: quick facts
- Date
- 1187 CE
- Location
- Israel
- Belligerents
- Ayyubid Sultanate vs the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem
- Commanders
- Saladin vs Guy of Lusignan
- Result
- decisive Ayyubid victory; the Crusader army was destroyed and Jerusalem fell within months.
- Era
- 🏰 Medieval Europe
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Hattin?
Saladin lured the Crusader army under King Guy of Lusignan away from water sources and trapped them on the barren Horns of Hattin. Exhausted by heat and thirst, the Crusaders were annihilated, and the True Cross was captured. The disaster left the Crusader states virtually defenseless, and Saladin recaptured Jerusalem within three months, prompting the Third Crusade.
Did you know?
Saladin offered Guy of Lusignan a cup of iced water after Hattin as a sign of mercy, but pointedly did not offer one to Raynald of Chatillon, whom Saladin then personally beheaded.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Hattin on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.