The Battle of Hattin (1187): The Templars’ Greatest Defeat and the Turning Point of the Crusades
The Battle of Hattin, fought on July 4, 1187, was one of the most significant and devastating engagements involving the Knights Templar during the Crusades. Set amidst the arid hills near the Sea of Galilee, this climactic confrontation saw the combined Christian forces of the Kingdom of Jerusalem utterly routed by the brilliant military and spiritual leader Saladin, Sultan of Egypt and Syria.
The consequences of Hattin were seismic. It marked the effective collapse of Christian power in the Holy Land, led to the fall of Jerusalem itself and prompted the launch of the Third Crusade. It was also a moment of martyrdom, betrayal and legends that would forever shape the legacy of the Templars.
Context: Tensions Boiling in the Holy Land
By the 1180s, the fragile peace between Christians and Muslims in the Levant had shattered. Saladin, determined to unify the Muslim world and drive out the Crusaders, had consolidated power across Egypt and Syria. Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was wracked with internal political strife, poor leadership and dangerous provocations—many of them by Reynald of Châtillon, a Christian lord infamous for his cruelty.
Reynald broke a truce with Saladin by attacking Muslim caravans, including one that allegedly carried Saladin’s sister. In response, Saladin vowed vengeance and began mustering his forces.
The Crusader Army and the Templars
The Christian army was led by King Guy of Lusignan, a monarch seen by many as indecisive and inexperienced. Alongside him were key nobles such as Raymond III of Tripoli, Reynald of Châtillon and the Grand Masters of the military orders:
• Gérard de Ridefort, Grand Master of the Knights Templar
• Roger des Moulins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller
The Templars, ever at the center of Crusader military strength, formed the core of the heavy cavalry. They were renowned for their discipline, their vow of poverty and their unflinching zeal in the face of battle.
The Battle Unfolds
Saladin, with a force estimated at 25,000–30,000 men, cleverly lured the Christian army into a trap. When the Crusaders marched to relieve the besieged city of Tiberias, they made the fatal mistake of traversing waterless terrain in the heat of summer.
Saladin’s forces surrounded them near the Horns of Hattin, twin peaks overlooking a volcanic plain. As thirst and heat sapped the Crusaders’ strength, Muslim forces set brush fires to fill the air with smoke, further weakening their enemy.
By July 4, the Christians were in disarray. Saladin launched his full attack and the exhausted Crusaders were unable to hold their lines. The Templar and Hospitaller knights made desperate charges to break out but were overwhelmed.
The Aftermath: A Massacre and a Legend Born
The battle ended in a complete Muslim victory.
• King Guy was captured but spared.
• Reynald of Châtillon was beheaded by Saladin himself—an act of personal justice.
• Most of the Christian nobles were taken prisoner.
• But the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller captured were treated differently.
According to both Muslim and Christian chroniclers, Saladin ordered the execution of all captured Templars and Hospitallers, believing them to be fanatics who would never stop fighting. Around 200 Templar knights were reportedly beheaded in a single day. Only the Grand Master Gérard de Ridefort was spared—possibly for ransom or political reasons.
This mass execution became a moment of revered martyrdom within the Templar tradition. These knights were said to have died not just as soldiers, but as defenders of Christendom, going to their deaths with prayers on their lips.
The Fall of Jerusalem and the Legacy
Following Hattin, Saladin moved swiftly. Within months, most of the Crusader-held cities in the Holy Land fell, including Jerusalem, which surrendered peacefully in October 1187.
The news of Hattin shocked Europe. Pope Urban III is said to have died from the grief upon hearing of the disaster. The battle became the rallying cry for the Third Crusade (1189–1192), which brought kings like Richard the Lionheart, Philip Augustus and Frederick Barbarossa to the Holy Land.
Myths and Legends Surrounding Hattin
• The Vision of Saint George: Some Templars were rumored to have seen a vision of Saint George before battle, a sign of divine support or warning.
• The Lost Templar Treasure: There are legends that the Templars buried a great relic or treasure before the battle, never to be found again.
• The Ghosts of Hattin: Local folklore in Galilee speaks of phantom horsemen seen riding near the Horns of Hattin on certain nights—a ghostly reenactment of the doomed Templar charge.
Why Hattin Still Matters
The Battle of Hattin was not just a military defeat—it was a symbolic blow to the Crusading cause, a test of faith and a crucible that forged the enduring legend of the Templars. It revealed the complexity of war in the Holy Land: politics, religion, strategy and betrayal all collided in the dry hills of Galilee.
To this day, the Horns of Hattin remain a sacred and solemn place for those who study Templar history—a place of heroism, sacrifice and the high cost of devotion.
