Siege of Acre
1191 CE · Israel
The Siege of Acre was fought in 1191 CE in Israel between Crusaders of the Third Crusade vs the Ayyubid Sultanate; Crusader victory after a two-year siege; Acre became the capital of the Crusader states.
Siege of Acre: quick facts
- Date
- 1191 CE
- Location
- Israel
- Belligerents
- Crusaders of the Third Crusade vs the Ayyubid Sultanate
- Commanders
- Richard I, Philip II and Guy of Lusignan vs Saladin
- Result
- Crusader victory after a two-year siege; Acre became the capital of the Crusader states.
- Era
- 🏰 Medieval Europe
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Siege of Acre?
The Crusader siege of Acre was one of the most dramatic engagements of the Third Crusade, lasting nearly two years. The besieging Crusaders were themselves encircled by Saladin's relief army, creating a remarkable double siege. The arrival of Richard the Lionheart and Philip II of France turned the tide, and the city fell in July 1191. The capture of Acre gave the Crusaders a vital port and base of operations in the Holy Land.
Did you know?
The Siege of Acre featured one of history's most unusual double sieges: the Crusaders besieged the city while Saladin's army besieged the Crusaders, creating a ring within a ring.
Sources and further reading
- Siege of Acre 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.