In 1178 Christians and Muslims were on the brink of total war. The blood-drenched conquest of Jerusalem by the First Crusaders had enraged Islam, and their Kurdish warlord Saladin. This clash of titans is one of the great untold battle stories of the period, with the Muslim attackers laying siege to the super-fort of Jacob's Ford.
The finest castle of its age, Baldwin's aim was to create an impregnable fortress harnessing cutting edge military technology, but his dream of security was shattered by Saladin's ferocious attack, leaving his fortunes in tatters and his kingdom on the brink of annihilation. Timewatch brings together leading scholars, archaeologists and anthropologists to piece together the story behind this bloody 12th century battle.
Up Next in Crusades
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The Crusades with Dan Jones
The two Dans are back. And this time, they're talking all things crusades. Dan Jones provides his namesake host a thrilling background to the series of holy wars that have come to define Medieval Europe.
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The Knights Templar: With Dan Jones
They might be more famous today for their cameos in The Da Vinci Code and Assassin’s Creed, but in real life they were an army of valiant, daring Crusaders famous for their self-discipline, who fought in the Middle Ages' most bloody battles. They were allowed no sex, no personal possessions, and ...
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The First Crusade
The Massive Logistical Challenges Of The First Crusade (With Crusader Kings III)
In this video medieval historian Matt Lewis explores the numerous logistical challenges faced by the leaders of the First Crusade, and how each was overcome. How was such a diverse military force brought together? H...
