Saladin's Forgotten Enemy: The Battle of Montgisard 1177

Before Hattin, before the conquest of Jerusalem, there was Montgisard. In 1177, a teenage leper king—Baldwin IV of Jerusalem—led a desperate charge against Saladin's army near Ramla and shattered it. This episode explores that stunning defeat, the first major clash between Saladin and the Crusader kingdom, and how it shaped the sultan's later strategy. We examine the sources: William of Tyre, Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, and the Latin chronicles. We discuss Saladin's overconfidence, Baldwin's resolve, the role of the Knights Templar under Odo de St. Amand, and the legacy of a battle that bought the Crusader states a decade of survival. Why did Saladin lose? And what did he learn? A story of hubris, courage, and the long road to revenge. #Saladin #BaldwinIV #BattleOfMontgisard #Crusades #KnightsTemplar #Leprosy #KingBaldwin #OdoDeStAmand #WilliamOfTyre #ImadAdDinAlIsfahani #Ayyubid #MilitaryHistory #MedievalHistory #Jerusalem #Hattin #12thCentury #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo