Fall of Arsuf

Battle in the later Crusades
Fall of Arsuf (1265)
Part of The Crusades

Ruins of Arsuf fortress
Date21/22 March – 29 April 1265
Location
Arsuf
Result Mamluk victory
Belligerents
Mamluk Sultanate Sovereign Military Order of Malta Knights Hospitaller
Commanders and leaders
Baibars Unknown
Strength
Unknown 270 Knights[1]
Casualties and losses
Unknown 90 killed
180 captured[2]
  • v
  • t
  • e
Crusades: battles in the Levant (1096–1303)
First Crusade
  • Xerigordos
  • Civetot
  • Nicaea
  • 1st Dorylaeum
  • 1st Antioch
  • Samosata
  • 2nd Antioch
  • Ma'arra
  • Arqa
  • 1st Jerusalem
  • 1st Ascalon
Period post-First Crusade
Second Crusade
Period post-Second Crusade
Third Crusade
  • Acre and Tyre
  • Philomelion
  • Iconium
  • 1st Arsuf
  • 1st Jaffa
Period post-Third Crusade
Fourth Crusade
Fifth Crusade
Sixth Crusade and aftermath
Seventh Crusade
  • 3rd Damietta
  • 2nd Mansurah
  • 2nd Fariskur
End of the Crusader states in the Levant

In the year 1265, the Mamluk sultan, Baibars, besieged the Knights hospitaller's stronghold of Arsuf. Baibars successfully captured Arsuf.

Background

In 1261, Balian of Arsuf leased the Arsuf fort to Knights Hospitallers for 4,000 bezants a year in the hopes that the Knights would fortify the city against the threat posed by Baibars. After being given command of the city, the knights started building a fort there in 1263, most likely in an effort to increase the size of the eastern portion of the walls. According to Baibars, this was a betrayal of their agreement to a peace treaty.[3]

Siege

On March 21/22, 1265, a large and well-equipped Mamluk army led by the sultan himself besieged the fort of Arsuf. The fort was well prepared for the siege; the walls were strongly fortified, and the provisions were enough for a long siege. Baibars laid siege to the city for 35 days, and on April 26, the Mamluk launched a fierce assault that successfully pushed the Hospitallers to the citadel. The rest of the knights fought off the Mamluks for the next three days until they surrendered on condition they would depart freely. Baibars agreed but later reneged on his promise and took the rest to slavery. He even had the captives demolish the fort of Arsuf and leave it in ruins.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Gestes des Chiprois, p. 117
  2. ^ Jonathan Riley-Smith, p. 83
  3. ^ Ruth E. Jackson-Tal & Oren Tal, p. 85–6
  4. ^ Ruth E. Jackson-Tal & Oren Tal, p. 86
  5. ^ Slack, Corliss K, p. 50

Sources

  • Slack, Corliss K. (2013). Historical Dictionary of the Crusades. Scarecrow Press.
  • Gestes des Chiprois, Part III, ed. Gaston Raynaud, Genève, 1887
  • Ruth E. Jackson-Tal & Oren Tal, Crusader Glass in Context: The Destruction of Arsur (Apollonia-Arsuf, Israel), April 1265.[1]
  • Jonathan Riley-Smith, The Knights Hospitaller in the Levant, C.1070-1309.[2]