The Battle of the Forks of Hattin took place in 1187 near Tiberias (in Galilee). It opposes the Muslim army of Saladin to the Franks, led by Guy de Lusignan.
Context
Almost a century before, the Frankish armies of Godfrey of Bouillon taking part in the first crusade, taking advantage of the fragmentation of the Muslim forces, entered the holy city of Jerusalem with considerable savagery and atrocity. Following this bloodbath, the Crusaders founded the Latin States of the East.
In 1187, the Franks of the Holy Land found themselves for the first time disorganized and in a state of weakness against the military power of the Muslims, reunited under the banner of Saladin (Salāh al Dīn). King Guy de Lusignan, recently installed in power with the help of a ruse, is little appreciated and unable to counter the initiatives of Saladin, with whom he is reluctant to keep the peace treaties. One of his relatives, Renaud de Châtillon, a warlike lord, thought only of getting rich and provoked Saladin on several occasions and by attacking one of his commercial caravans, in 1881.
The aggression provoked the wrath of Saladin, who, having 200,000 men, advanced towards the property of Renaud de Châtillon (Tiberias). However, after the rapid capture of Tiberias, the diplomatic accident was settled when, in 1885, Saladin signed a general truce with the Frankish States.
The battle
Although the Frankish forces are seasoned, they remain far inferior to those of Saladin. However, the head of the Order of the Templars, Gérard de Ridefort, advocates an all-out war against the Saracens. He convinced the king, Guy de Lusignan, to prepare the troops who were heading for the desert, to the chagrin of the very influential Lord Raimond of Tripoli, who wanted to favor the path of peace.
On July 3, 1187, the Frankish army, advancing towards Tiberias, plunged into the desert chasms of Hattin. Exhausted by a forced march in the desert and the lack of preparation and water points, the soldiers engage in a gigantic battle with the forces of Saladin.
The fight does not last long:the francs are tired, dehydrated, and can barely stand. Saladin's army, fresh, three times as numerous, and well organized, fell on the Christians who were unable to react. By encircling them and setting fire to the grass to frighten their horses, Saladin secures a total victory for his troops.
This battle, highly unequal, is therefore perceived as a massacre in due form of the Christian forces.
After the battle
Captured, Guy de Lusignan and Renaud de Châtillon are led to Saladin, who has the bandit lord executed on the spot. Emptied of its army and its leaders, the Holy Land is delivered to Saladin, who sees each fortress fall one by one.
In October 1187, Jerusalem was taken by the Muslim warlord. Contrary to the seizure by the Christians which, a hundred years earlier, had been made in violence and barbarism, Saladin decides to give safe conduct to all Christians to Christian Land.
After this rout of the Christians, the successor of Pope Gregory VIII organized a second crusade which notably involved the King of Brittany, Richard the Lionheart.