Guy I de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem
- 1194
Battle of Arsuf and the First Jerusalem Campaign
On 22 Aug 1191, Richard marched his army out of Acre, bound for Jaffa. Saladin shadowed Richard to the Rochetaille River and then moved his army into position to block Richard's advance. Richard managed to maintain formation nearly to Arsulf as he moved through the attacking Ayyubids; however, the rearguard of Hospitallers finally lost patience and wheeled about, breaking ranks. This was not the charge that was planned but Richard was now committed. Saladin was defeated in a rout. Jaffa was occupied on 10 Sep 1191. In anticipation of Richard's next move, Saladin razed Ascalon. But Richard also found his strategic plans to cut Saladin's lines of communication with Egypt trumped by the expectations of his army: they wanted to be in the Holy City by Christmas. Unable to keep his army in winter quarters just outside of Jerusalem, Richard retired with a much reduced force to Ascalon.
| Owner/Source | Paul Gustave Doré (1832-1883). This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. |
| File name | Arsuf_Gustave_Dore.jpg |
| File Size | 339.72k |
| Dimensions | 956 x 1210 |
| Linked to | Richard I, King of England (Military); Henri II de Champagne, Count of Champagne, King of Jerusalem (Military); Jacques d'Avesnes, Seigneur d'Avesnes (Death); Guy I de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem (Military); Guillaume des Roches, Seneschal of Anjou (Military); Robert IV de Sablé, Lord of Cyprus (Military) |