Conquest·Abbasid
Saladin Takes Jerusalem from the Crusaders
- Date
- 2 October 1187 CE27 Rajab 583 AH839 years ago
- Place
- Jerusalem, Ayyubid Syria
- People
- Saladin, Balian of Ibelin
Saladin took Jerusalem on Friday, 2 October 1187, after a siege that began in late September. The city had been under Crusader rule since 1099. Saladin allowed the Christian population to ransom themselves and let many leave. He also restored Muslim worship at the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.
Why it matters
The city's return to Muslim rule became a central event of the Ayyubid period and of Saladin's later reputation.