The Crusades were not a continuous chain of battles but pivotal turning points that shaped kingdoms, faiths, and centuries of conflict. The following 25 battles and sieges are among the most significant by both scale and lasting impact.
25. Siege of Acre (1291) Crusade: Final Crusader phase
Commanders: Al-Ashraf Khalil (Mamluk Sultanate) vs Henry II of Cyprus, Guillaume de Beaujeu
Troops: Estimated tens of thousands on both sides
Weapons: Trebuchets, flaming projectiles, swords, bows
Outcome: Mamluk victory; final Crusader hold in the Holy Land falls
Legacy: Effectively ended Crusader states in the Levant
24. Siege of Tripoli (1289)
Crusade: Late Crusader period
Commanders: Sultan Qalawun vs Bohemond VII of Tripoli
Troops: Mamluks: ~40,000; defenders: ~6,000
Weapons: Siege towers, rams, composite bows, sabres
Outcome: Mamluk victory
Legacy: Eradicated the County of Tripoli, advancing final Crusader collapse
23. Siege of Antioch (1268)
Crusade: Late Crusader period
Commanders: Baibars vs Bohemond VI
Troops: Mamluks: ~30,000; Antiochene defenders: <10,000
Weapons: Fire arrows, siege engines, swords, pikes
Outcome: Mamluk victory
Legacy: Ended nearly 170 years of Crusader rule in Antioch
22. Battle of Forbie (1244)
Crusade: Aftermath of Sixth
Commanders: Ayyubids and Khwarezmian mercenaries vs Crusader forces led by Walter IV of Brienne
Troops: Allies: ~11,000; Crusaders: ~11,000 (incl. 5,000 cavalry, 6,000+ infantry)
Weapons: Cavalry charges, swords, composite bows
Outcome: Ayyubid victory; devastating Crusader losses (~7,500 dead)
Legacy: Collapsed Christian military strength; prompted the Seventh Crusade
21. Battle of Mansurah (1250)
Crusade: Seventh
Commanders: Louis IX of France vs Turanshah and Baibars
Troops: Crusaders: ~25,000; Ayyubids: ~32,000
Weapons: Crossbows, swords, pikes, composite bows
Outcome: Ayyubid victory; Louis captured
Legacy: Marked failure of Crusader Egypt campaign
20. Siege of Damietta (1218–1219)
Crusade: Fifth
Commanders: Pelagius of Albano, John of Brienne vs Al-Kamil
Troops: Crusaders: ~35,000; Muslims: ~30,000
Weapons: Riverine siege towers, fire ships, longbows, swords
Outcome: Temporary Crusader capture of Damietta; ultimately undone by poor strategy
Legacy: A major tactical success squandered by disunity
19. Battle of Hattin (1187)
Crusade: Prelude to Third
Commanders: Saladin vs Guy of Lusignan and Crusader nobility
Troops: Crusaders: ~18,000–20,000; Ayyubids: ~20,000–40,000
Weapons: Heavy cavalry, horse archery, swords
Outcome: Decisive Ayyubid victory
Legacy: Led to fall of Jerusalem, sparked the Third Crusade
18. Siege of Jerusalem (1187)
Crusade: Immediately after Hattin
Commanders: Saladin vs Balian of Ibelin
Troops and weapons: Similar to Hattin
Outcome: Jerusalem surrendered through negotiation
Legacy: Elevated Saladin’s status and spurred European reaction
17. Siege of Acre (1189–1191)
Crusade: Third
Commanders: Richard I, Philip II vs Saladin
Troops: Crusaders: ~30,000; defenders: ~20,000
Weapons: Siege towers, crossbows, trebuchets, swords
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Became Crusader stronghold; revealed Christian disunity
16. Battle of Arsuf (1191)
Crusade: Third
Commanders: Richard I vs Saladin
Troops: Crusaders: ~11,200; Ayyubids: ~25,000
Weapons: Cavalry charge, crossbows, swords
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Secured coastal route; boosted morale
15. Battle of Iconium (1190)
Crusade: Third
Commanders: Frederick Barbarossa vs Sultanate of Rûm
Troops: Crusaders: ~12,000–20,000; defenders: larger
Weapons: Cavalry, infantry, siege
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Cleared Anatolian path; bolstered German march
14. Siege of Antioch (1097–1098)
Crusade: First
Commanders: Bohemond, Raymond vs Yaghi-Siyan
Troops: Crusaders: ~35,000; defenders: ~15,000; relief force: ~40,000
Weapons: Siege engines, swords, axes, bows
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Established Crusader foothold; defined zeal and endurance
13. Siege of Jerusalem (1099)
Crusade: First
Commanders: Godfrey of Bouillon, Raymond vs Fatimids
Troops: Crusaders: ~25,000–31,000; defenders: ~3,000–4,500
Weapons: Siege towers, fire weapons, swords
Outcome: Crusader victory; massive massacre
Legacy: Founded the Kingdom of Jerusalem; galvanised Muslim response
12. Battle of Dorylaeum (1097)
Crusade: First
Commanders: Bohemond, Robert of Normandy vs Kilij Arslan
Troops: Crusaders: ~20,000; Seljuks: ~10,000
Weapons: Spears, swords, archery
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Cleared Anatolian resistance and boosted momentum
11. Battle of Agridi (1232)
Crusade: Barons’ Crusade-related conflict in Cyprus
Commanders: King Henry I of Cyprus vs Frederick II’s supporters
Troops: ~2,000 combined
Weapons: Cavalry, swords, bows
Outcome: Cypriot victory
Legacy: Preserved independence of Crusader Cyprus
10. Battle of Harim (1164)
Crusade: Between Second and Third
Commanders: Nur ad-Din vs Raymond III of Tripoli
Troops: Zengids: ~15,000; Crusaders: ~12,000
Weapons: Swords, bows, maces
Outcome: Muslim victory
Legacy: Crusader leadership crippled; multiple nobles captured
9. Ambush at Jacob’s Ford (1157)
Crusade: Between Second and Third
Commanders: Nur ad-Din vs Knights Templar
Troops: Small-scale clash
Weapons: Surprise raid, swords, bows
Outcome: Muslim victory
Legacy: Highlighted vulnerabilities of Crusader border expansions
8. Siege of Jacob’s Ford (1179)
Crusade: Between Second and Third
Commanders: Saladin vs Knights Templar
Troops: Ayyubids: ~7,000; defenders: ~1,000
Weapons: Siege engines, bows, swords
Outcome: Ayyubid victory
Legacy: Crushed new Crusader fortress under construction
7. Battle of Aintab (1150)
Crusade: Between Second and Third
Commanders: Nur ad-Din vs Raymond of Poitiers
Troops: Zengids: ~15,000; Crusaders: ~8,000
Weapons: Swords, bows, maces
Outcome: Muslim victory
Legacy: Further weakened Crusader northern Syria
6. Battle of al-Babein (1167)
Crusade: Between Second and Third
Commanders: Amalric I of Jerusalem vs Shirkuh and Saladin
Troops: Crusaders: ~15,000; Ayyubids: ~18,000
Weapons: Mixed cavalry, swords, bows
Outcome: Inconclusive to Ayyubid advantage
Legacy: Previewed Saladin’s future campaigns
5. Battle of Azaz (1125)
Crusade: Between First and Second
Commanders: Baldwin II of Jerusalem vs Seljuk coalition
Troops: Crusaders: ~11,000; Seljuks: ~15,000
Weapons: Crossbows, swords, cavalry charges
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Restored morale and strategic gains in Syria
4. Battle of Ba’rin (1137)
Crusade: Between First and Second
Commanders: Imad ad-Din Zengi vs Fulk of Jerusalem
Troops: ~10,000 on both sides
Weapons: Cavalry, bows, swords
Outcome: Muslim victory
Legacy: Foreshadowed Zengid power in northern Syria
3. Battle of Adramyttium (1205)
Crusade: Post-Fourth, in Latin-Greek conflict
Commanders: Henry of Flanders vs Byzantine resistance
Troops: ~10,000 combined
Weapons: Cavalry, swords, pikes
Outcome: Crusader victory
Legacy: Secured Latin control in parts of Asia Minor
2. Battle of Nicopolis (1396)
Crusade: Late pan-European Crusade against Ottomans
Commanders: Sigismund of Hungary, Jean de Nevers vs Bayezid I
Troops: Crusaders: ~15,000–20,000; Ottomans: ~20,000
Weapons: Pikes, swords, bows
Outcome: Ottoman victory
Legacy: Final large-scale multinational Crusader defeat
1. Battle of Pelagonia (1259)
Crusade: Latin Empire conflicts
Commanders: Michael VIII Palaiologos vs Latin and Epirote forces
Troops: ~10,000 on each side
Weapons: Heavy cavalry, bows, swords
Outcome: Byzantine victory
Legacy: Broke Latin resistance, led to recapture of Constantinople
