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2 September 1192Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented

Richard and Saladin Sign the Treaty of Jaffa

After winning at Arsuf, Richard I comes within sight of Jerusalem but negotiates a truce instead of a siege

On the timeline · around 2 September 1192 · The Third and Fourth CrusadesThe Second Crusade and the Rise of SaladinThe Third and Fourth CrusadesRichard and Saladin Sign the Treaty of Jaffa118211861188119011921194119611981200

Quick facts

Battle of Arsuf
7 September 1191, crusader victory
Treaty of Jaffa signed
2 September 1192
Key terms
Ascalon dismantled; narrow coastal strip near Acre kept by crusaders; pilgrim access to Jerusalem guaranteed
Outcome
Jerusalem remains under Muslim control

What happened

Marching toward Jaffa on 7 September 1191, Richard's army fought a running battle at Arsuf against Saladin's harassing cavalry and archers, keeping the coast on one flank to limit its exposure. An unauthorized cavalry charge, possibly begun by the Knights Hospitaller, broke the Muslim lines, and the crusaders won the field, though Saladin's army escaped largely intact. Richard advanced twice to within sight of Jerusalem's walls over the following year but on both occasions judged his depleted army too weak to hold the city against an inevitable counterattack, a judgment shared by the commanders of the Templars and Hospitallers. After retaking Jaffa from a surprise Muslim assault in August 1192, Richard negotiated a peace settlement with Saladin. Under the Treaty of Jaffa, signed 2 September 1192, the crusaders dismantled the fortress of Ascalon and kept only a narrow strip of coastline around Acre, while Christian pilgrims were guaranteed safe access to Jerusalem's holy sites.

Why it matters

Richard's decision not to besiege Jerusalem, made twice, ended any realistic prospect the Third Crusade would restore the city to Christian rule, and no later crusader army ever came as close again. The treaty's pilgrim-access clause, however, gave the crusading movement a face-saving outcome to justify years of enormous cost.

How we know

The battle at Arsuf and the negotiated settlement are described in the World History Encyclopedia's account of the campaign's final year, drawing on the movements and decisions of both the crusader and Ayyubid leadership.

Sources

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Part of a timelineThe Crusades27 events · Two centuries of holy war for Jerusalem, fought and remembered very differently by Christians and MuslimsView all →
Richard and Saladin Sign the Treaty of Jaffa · The Crusades · SourcedStory