Battle of Jaffa (1192)

Battle of Jaffa
Part of the Third Crusade
Date8 August 1192 (the conflict at Jaffa extended from 27 July to 8 August)
Location
Result Crusader victory
Belligerents
Angevin Empire
Republic of Genoa
Republic of Pisa
Ayyubids
Commanders and leaders
Richard I, King of England Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria
Strength
An unknown number of the garrison of Jaffa

54 knights, 300-500 infantry, 2,000 Genoese and Pisan crossbowmen + unknown number of sailors (only the numbers of knights and Italians are recorded in primary sources)[1]
7,000 to 10,000 heavy and light cavalry
Casualties and losses
At least 2 dead, many wounded[2] 700 dead + 1,500 horses[3]

The Battle of Jaffa took place during the Crusades, as one of a series of campaigns between the army of Sultan Saladin (Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb) and the Crusader forces led by King Richard I of England (known as Richard the Lionheart). It was the final battle of the Third Crusade, after which Saladin and King Richard were able to negotiate a truce. Although the Crusaders did not regain possession of Jerusalem, Christian pilgrims were permitted entry into the city, and the Crusaders were able to retain control of a sizable strip of land stretching from Beirut to Jaffa.

Although largely a footnote among the greater events that unfolded during the Crusades, the battle was a decisive encounter, in that it forced Saladin to negotiate an end to the immediate hostilities. The battle illustrated the determined spirit of Saladin and the courage and tactical skill of Richard. It was the final armed encounter between the two monarchs before the ratification of the Treaty of Jaffa brought the Crusade to an end. The battle ensured that the Crusader presence in the south of Palestine was secure.

  1. ^ Itinerarium, XXI
  2. ^ Oman, p.319
  3. ^ Oman, p.319