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Home » AD 500 - AD 1500 Medieval Warfare » 1095–1291 The Crusades

1095–1291 The Crusades

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This section explores the military campaigns of the Crusading era in the Holy Land and beyond, including famous sieges, battles, and marches. The studies integrate European and Islamic primary sources, medieval cartography, and surviving fortification remnants. Each battlefield is examined through the lenses of the religious campaigns to raise the Crusades, the crusaders and Islamic armies, medieval warfare techniques, and logistical complexity.

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Aerial view of Kerak castle in Al-Karak, Jordan. Photo credit to r/castles reddit

⚔️ The Crusades: Kerak Castle under siege,
1183-1188

Kerak Castle, in present-day Jordan, is one of the best-preserved castles in the Levant. Ruled by Raynald de Châtillon, the castle played a crucial role in the late 12th century as a strategic outpost of the Crusader Kingdom of Outremer. Kerak was subjected to three major sieges in 1183, 1184, and 1187-88, as part of Saladin’s campaign to eliminate the Crusader presence in the Levant.