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Fatimid Defense of Palestine
As the Crusaders approached the Levant in 1099, the Fatimid Caliphate organized a defense in Palestine, garrisoning Jerusalem, Jaffa, and other citie…
Timeline
- 1099Jaffa · PalestineIn early 1099 the Fatimids had taken Jerusalem and other cities from the Seljuks and garrisoned the Palestinian coast. As the Crusaders approached, the Fatimid–Seljuk hostility in Syria hindered any joint resistance to the Crusaders.
- 1099Jerusalem · PalestineThe Crusaders besieged Jerusalem on June 7; the commander Iftikhar al-Dawla led some thousand Fatimid defenders and citizens in resisting for nearly six weeks. The city's defenses gradually crumbled under siege engines and hunger.
- 1099Jerusalem · PalestineOn July 15 the Crusaders breached the walls and entered Jerusalem; most of the garrison was killed, and Iftikhar al-Dawla was released and departed. The Fatimids' core stronghold in Palestine was lost, and the defensive system collapsed entirely.
Sources
- Siege of Jerusalem (1099) https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Jerusalem-1099
- The First Crusade: A New History — Thomas Asbridge (2004)