Saladin Annihilates the Frankish Army at Hattin

What happened

Saladin's mounted archers spent 3 July 1187 harassing the marching Franks with hit-and-run attacks. The decisive engagement came the next day near the Horns of Hattin, where Saladin fielded roughly 20,000 troops against Guy of Lusignan's 15,000 infantry and 1,300 knights. Cut off from water and further tormented as the Muslim army set fire to dry grass and brush around them, the Frankish infantry formation broke apart, leaving the heavy cavalry without its usual protective screen. A breakout attempt by Raymond of Tripoli succeeded, but the rest of the army was surrounded. The thirteenth-century Arab historian Abu Shama recorded how Frankish knights, nearly invulnerable in their armor while mounted, became easy captives the moment their horses were killed. Guy of Lusignan was captured and later ransomed; Reynald of Chatillon, who had broken a truce by raiding Muslim caravans, was executed personally by Saladin. Any captured Templars and Hospitallers were also executed, since Saladin considered their military skill and religious devotion too dangerous to ransom.

How we know

The battle's tactics and outcome are described by the Arab historian Ibn al-Athir and by Abu Shama's account of Frankish military vulnerability once dismounted, both cited in modern syntheses of the campaign.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia (quoting Abu Shama). Battle of Hattin · Primary source (author-declared)worldhistory.org · Cited as a "primary" source (no stronger domain match). · Link is live and its text matches the event's key terms (Jul 2026)
• World History Encyclopedia. Saladin · Reputable sourceworldhistory.org · The domain "worldhistory.org" is on our Reputable source registry. · Link is live and its text matches the event's key terms (Jul 2026)