Siege of Jerusalem (1099)
The 1099 siege that ended the First Crusade, marked by a brutal massacre and the capture of Jerusalem.
The siege of Jerusalem marked the successful end of the First Crusade, whose objective was the recovery of the city of Jerusalem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre from Islamic control. The five-week siege began on 7 June 1099 and was carried out by the Christian forces of Western Europe mobilized by Pope Urban II after the Council of Clermont in 1095. The city had been out of Christian control since the Muslim conquest of the Levant in 637 and had been held for a century first by the Seljuk Turks and later by the Egyptian Fatimids. One of the chief motivations for the Crusades had been the recent hindering of Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land, impeding a tradition which had taken place since the fourth century. A number of eyewitness accounts of the battle are recorded, including the anonymous chronicle Gesta Francorum. After Jerusalem was captured on 15 July 1099, thousands of Muslims and Jews were massacred by Crusader soldiers. As the Crusaders secured control over the Temple Mount, revered as the site of the two destroyed Jewish Temples, they also seized Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock and repurposed them as Christian shrines. Godfrey of Bouillon, prominent among the Crusader leadership, was elected as the first ruler of Jerusalem.
- start_date
- 7 June 1099
- end_date
- 15 July 1099
- location
- Jerusalem
- belligerents
- Crusaders (Western European Christians) vs. Fatimid Caliphate
- outcome
- Crusader victory
- key_commanders
- Godfrey of Bouillon, Raymond IV of Toulouse, Robert Curthose, Tancred
- known_for
- Massacre of thousands of Muslims and Jews; capture of Jerusalem
Lore & Background
The Crusaders divided themselves into two large groups: Godfrey of Bouillon, Robert of Flanders and Tancred planned to besiege from north, while Raymond positioned his forces to the south. The Fatimids had to be prepared to fight on two fronts. After taking their positions, the Crusaders launched their first attack on 13 June; the main problem was that they had no access to wood for the construction of siege equipment, because all the trees had been cut down. However, Tancred had a vision of finding a stack of wood hidden in a cave, and they used it to make a ladder. A knight named Rainbold scaled the ladder attempting to gain a foothold on the wall but was unsuccessful. Since that assault was a failure, the Crusaders retreated and did not make any attempt until they got tools and equipment. On 17 June the Crusaders heard about the arrival of English and Genoese ships at the port of Jaffa. The English and Genoese sailors had brought all the necessary material with them for the construction of the siege equipment. Robert Curthose and Robert of Flanders procured timber from the nearby forests. Under the command of Guglielmo Embriaco and Gaston of Béarn, the Crusaders began the construction of siege weapons. They constructed the siege equipment in almost three weeks. This included two massive wheel-mounted siege towers, a battering ram with an iron-clad head, and numerous scaling ladders and a series of portable wattle screens. On 14 July the Crusaders launched their attack. Godfrey and his allies were positioned towards the northern wall, and their priority was to break through the outer curtain of the walls of the city. By the end of the day they penetrated the first line of defense. On the south Raymond's forces were met with ferocious resistance by the Fatimids. On 15 July the assault recommenced in the northern front; Godfrey and his allies gained success, and Ludolf of Tournai was the first to mount the wall. The Crusaders quickly gained a foothold on the wall, and as the city's defenses collapsed, waves of panic shook the Fatimids. In the southwest area the Provencals managed to storm the city walls, which later led to the Crusaders calling the gate they built in this area Beaucaire Gate. On 15 July the Crusaders made their way into the city through the Tower of David. Governor al-Dawla managed to escape. The aftermath of the siege led to the mass slaugh
Reader's Guide
The siege of Jerusalem (1099) is a key event in the First Crusade. Visitors to Jerusalem can see the remains of the medieval walls and the Temple Mount, though access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock is restricted for non-Muslims. The Tower of David (citadel) near the Jaffa Gate is a museum. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Crusaders' ultimate goal, remains a major pilgrimage site. The siege is documented in the Gesta Francorum and other contemporary accounts.
Did You Know?
- The initial assault on 13 June failed because the Crusaders had no wood for siege equipment, but Tancred found a hidden stack of wood used to make a single ladder; the attack was repelled.
- On 17 June, English and Genoese ships arrived at Jaffa bringing materials for siege equipment, which was then transported to Jerusalem.
- The Crusaders entered the city on 15 July through the Tower of David, not the northern wall; the breach on the northern wall allowed a foothold, but entry was via the Tower of David.
- Fatimid governor Iftikhar al-Dawla escaped from the city; the source does not mention his surrender or safe passage.
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