Siege of Jerusalem (1244)

The 1244 Siege of Jerusalem took place after the Sixth Crusade, when roaming Khwarazmians clans conquered the city on July 15, 1244.

Siege of Jerusalem
Part of the Crusades
Date July 15, 1244 Location Jerusalem Result Ayyubid victory Sack of Jerusalem
Belligerents
Ayyubid Sultanate Khwarazmians	Kingdom of Jerusalem
Commanders and leaders
As-Salih Ayyub
Strength
Fewer	Unknown
Casualties and losses
unknown	14,000 (disputed)

Prelude

Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire led the Sixth Crusade from 1228 to 1229 and claimed the title of King of Jerusalem as the husband of Isabella II of Jerusalem, queen since 1212. The army brought by the emperor and his reputation in the Muslim world were enough to recover Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and several strongholds without fighting, as signed by a treaty with the Ayyubid Sultan Al-Kamil. However, Jerusalem did not remain in the hands of Christians for long, as the latter did not control the surroundings of the city sufficiently to be able to ensure an effective defense.

Battle

In 1244, the Ayyubids allowed the Khwarazmians, whose empire was destroyed by the Mongols in 1231, to attack the city. The siege took place on 15 July, and the city fell rapidly. The Khwarazmians plundered it and left it in such a state of ruin that it became unusable for both Christians and Muslims. The sack of the city and the massacre which accompanied it encouraged the king of France Louis IX to organize the Seventh Crusade.

External links

• The Siege on Orthodox Wiki
• The Siege on Encyclopædia Britannica
• The Siege on Timeline:History of Jerusalem
• The Siege on The Jewish History Resource Center