Battle of Montgisard

Battle of Montgisard
Part of the Crusades
The Battle of Montgisard, 1177. Charles Philippe Larivière, 1842–1844
Date 25 November 1177 Location Montgisard (possibly Gezer), near Ramla, Kingdom of Jerusalem Result Crusader victory Destruction of Saladin's army Failure of Saladin to capture Jerusalem
Belligerents
Kingdom of Jerusalem Knights Templar	Ayyubid Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Baldwin IV of Jerusalem Renaud de Châtillon Eudes de Saint-Amand	Saladin Taqi al-Din Umar
Strength
3,000–4,500 men 80 Templars 375 Knights 2,500–4,000 infantry and archers[1]	21,000–26,000 men (greatly exaggerated)[2][a]
Casualties and losses
1,850 casualties[2][3] 1,100 killed 750 wounded	Most of the army killed

The Battle of Montgisard was fought between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Ayyubid Dynasty on 25 November 1177 at Montgisard, in the Levant between Ramla and Yibna.^[4] The 16-year-old Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, severely afflicted by leprosy, led outnumbered Christian forces against Saladin's troops in what became one of the most notable engagements of the Crusades. The Muslim Army was quickly routed and pursued for twelve miles.^[5] Saladin fled back to Cairo, reaching the city on 8 December, with only a tenth of his army.^[2] Muslim historians considered Saladin's defeat to be so severe that it was only redeemed by his victory ten years later at the battles of Cresson and Hattin and the Siege of Jerusalem in 1187. Saladin did defeat Baldwin IV in the Battle of Marj Ayyun and the Siege of Jacob’s Ford in 1179, only to be defeated by Baldwin again at the Battle of Belvoir Castle in 1182 and the Siege of Kerak in 1183.^[2]

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