This week in Christian history: Battle of Hattin, Augsburg Interim, Martin Luther critic becomes cardinal

The Battle of Hattin – July 4, 1187

This week marks the anniversary of when Muslim forces under Saladin handed a crushing defeat to a Crusader army led by Guy de Lusignan, king of Jerusalem, at the Battle of Hattin.

Nearly 90 years after Christian forces had conquered the Holy Land, Saladin launched an ultimately successful effort to retake the region for Islam, laying siege to the city of Tiberias.

A 20,000-strong Crusader army went to relieve the city, with an approximately 30,000-strong Muslim army meeting them near the village of Hattin, wiping out the Christian forces.

“Saladin spared the lives of King Guy and most of the Christian lords, but he personally slew Reginald of Châtillon as an oath breaker for his role in shattering the truce that had been in place between Saladin and the Crusader states,” explained Britannica.

“Saladin also ordered the execution of virtually all captured Templars and Hospitallers; only Templar Grand Master Gerard de Ridefort avoided the blade. On the day after the battle, Saladin launched his campaign to retake the city of Jerusalem.”