General information
Date November 25, 1177
Location Montgisard
Outcome Decisive Crusader Victory
Belligerents
Ayyubid Frankish Crusaders
Commanders
Baudoin IV
Renaud de Châtillon
Knights Templar
Saladin
Forces present
500 Knights
80 Templars
Several thousand Crusaders
approx. 30,000
Losses
unknown approx. 20,000
Crusades against the Ayyubids (1177-1187)
The Battle of Montgisard took place on November 25, 1177 between Saladin and the armies of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
In 1177, the Kingdom of Jerusalem wanted to form an alliance with the Byzantine Empire in order to carry out a naval attack against Egypt; Philippe d'Alsace, Count of Flanders arrived before the rest of the troops to draw up a plan of attack, which was ultimately abandoned.
In the meantime, Saladin was planning his own invasion of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from Egypt. When King Baldwin IV learned of Saladin's intention, he left Jerusalem with 500 Knights to counter him at Ascalon. But the Frankish fighters remained blocked at Ascalon by Saladin's troops, which numbered no less than 26,000 men. Alongside the king was Renaud de Châtillon, Lord of Outre-Jourdain, who had been freed from enemy jails in Aleppo in 1176. Renaud was a fierce enemy of Saladin. The Knights Templar tried to reach the king, but found themselves besieged in Gaza.
Saladin executed all his Christian prisoners and continued his march on Jerusalem.
He took the city of Ramla and besieged those of Lydda and Arsuf. He was certain that Baudoin was not a danger because he thought that he would not dare to follow him with so few men. He allowed his army to settle in a large area, plundering and looting. However, the Frankish troops had managed to break the siege and were marching along the coast hoping to catch Saladin before he reached Jerusalem.
Combining their strength, King Baudoin and the Templars had 500 knights, 80 Templars and a few thousand men-at-arms. They caught up with Saladin at Montgisard near Ramla. The surprise was total because his army was not prepared for a pitched battle. All the Mamluks in Saladin's personal guard were killed and his army was defeated. Saladin then returned to Egypt, while being harassed during his retreat by the Bedouins. He only managed to return with only 10% of his army.
Baudoin followed him to the Sinai Peninsula but was unable to take advantage. Saladin repeated his attack in 1179. Between these two events, however, there was a year of peace, which the kingdom of Jerusalem had not known for a long time, and this victory of Montgisard soon became legendary.