Battle of Arsuf
1191 CE · Israel
The Battle of Arsuf was fought in 1191 CE in Israel between Crusaders of the Third Crusade vs the Ayyubid Sultanate; Crusader victory; Richard's disciplined march along the coast broke Saladin's attack.
Battle of Arsuf: quick facts
- Date
- 1191 CE
- Location
- Israel
- Belligerents
- Crusaders of the Third Crusade vs the Ayyubid Sultanate
- Commanders
- Richard I vs Saladin
- Result
- Crusader victory; Richard's disciplined march along the coast broke Saladin's attack.
- Era
- 🏰 Medieval Europe
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Arsuf?
Richard the Lionheart marched his Crusader army south along the coast toward Jaffa while Saladin's forces constantly harassed them. At Arsuf, the Hospitaller knights, unable to endure further provocation, broke ranks and charged. Richard seized the moment and ordered a general cavalry charge that routed Saladin's army. The victory was one of the few times a Crusader army defeated Saladin in open battle and demonstrated Richard's superb tactical ability.
Did you know?
The Knights Hospitaller at Arsuf had endured hours of arrow fire and provocation before finally breaking ranks and charging without orders, forcing Richard the Lionheart to commit to a full-scale attack.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Arsuf 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.