Saladin vs. Baldwin IV the Leper: The Battle for Jerusalem - DOCUMENTARY

Real Crusades History
Real Crusades History
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Published 2022-05-21
The film Kingdom of Heaven made Saladin and Baldwin the Leper King famous to the moviegoing public. But what's the true history behind the movie? We'll find out today! In 1176, Baldwin IV, the Leper King of Jerusalem, turned fifteen, and fully assumed power as king. His first act was to launch a military campaign against his powerful neighbor, Saladin, who ruled the vast Ayyubid Empire stretching from Egypt to Syria. The timing wasn't good for Saladin, who wanted to focus on reducing his Zengid rivals in Syria. Baldwin's ascension forced Saladin to focus on the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Both of these great rulers would meet in combat in 1177 at the Battle of Montigsard, one of the greatest clashes of the Crusades. Here, Baldwin the Leper King was assisted by the Knights Templar, and Raynald of Chatillon. The crusader forces were vastly outnumbered, but they were determined. This wouldn't be the last time Saladin and Baldwin would meet. in 1179, while the Templars were attempting to raise a castle at Jacob's Ford, the Sultan and the Leper would exchange blows again at the Battle of Marj Ayun. In this documentary, we continue looking at the life of Baldwin IV, the Leper King of Jerusalem.

Watch the NEXT video in this series:    • Baldwin the Leper vs. Saladin - CRUSA...  

Watch the first video in this series:    • Baldwin IV, Leper King of Jerusalem: ...  

Special thanks to the outstanding Nedim Can Incebay, who allowed me to showcase some of his brilliant video game editing in this documentary. Please visit his original video on the Battle of Montgisard:
   • BATTLE OF MONTGISARD 1177 I KING BALD...  

Get my book about the Crusades:
www.amazon.com/Why-Does-Heathen-Rage-Crusades/dp/1…

Support my work on Patreon:
www.patreon.com/RealCrusadesHistory

Narrated by: Tom Wylde
Animated maps by: Denys Rodionov
Written and edited by: J Stephen Roberts

Voice actors:
Carl Hughes as William of Tyre
Ahmed Al-Bardweel as Ibn al-Athir
Emma Stace Darling as the pilgrim witness to Montgisard

Sources:
-Arab Historians of the Crusades, trans. Francesco Gabrieli, (Barnes and Noble Books, 1993)
-Baha ad-Din ibn-Shaddad - The Rare and Excellent History of Saladin, trans. D.S. Richards, (Ashgate, 2002)
-Barber, Malcolm - The Crusader States, (Yale, 2014)
-Ehrenkreutz, Andrew - Saladin, (State University of New York, 1972)
-Hamilton, Bernard - The Leper King and His Heirs, (Cambridge, 2005)
-Ibn al-Athir - The Chronicle of Ibn al-Athir for the Crusading Period, Part 2, trans. D.S. Richards (Ashgate, 2005)
-William of Tyre - A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, Vol. II, trans. Emily Babcock and A.C. Krey, (Columbia University Press, 1943)

#LeperKing #BaldwinIV #Saladin
All Comments (21)
  • @arealrider6302
    Baldwin IV is a legend. He was facing daily challenges as a king, a painful life of his illness but still he managed to launch a military campaign against another powerful leader, Saladin. He made History 🥺
  • @kamillgran9408
    I grew up thinking of Saladin as a great worrier and an truly fearless man. But I didn’t know about the equally great Christian King Baldwin. What a brave, intelligent and fearless leader. A truly great king.
  • @gibber7675
    I'm from the UK and studied this at university, both men were special and fearless in there own right
  • @lucillebonds2196
    He is my top favorite because even his illness did not deter him from greatness. He was a holy King.
  • @1992zorro
    This guy going on for that amazing video quality has been one of the best news on the YouTube history community this year. Top notch storytelling and narration.
  • @Alex-ej3by
    Just what I needed on my day off! So happy to see your work on these amazing characters in history.
  • @ponyboycurtis3795
    The young King Baldwin dealt well with what could have been seen as disrespect from Count Phillip, even bolstering Phillips army for him after being turned down.. Wise beyond his years.
  • @user-sp2hj8jp6h
    I'm thoroughly impressed with the depth of research and the captivating way the story of Saladin and Baldwin IV is told. Understanding the nuances of their battles and the broader context of the Crusades adds so much to our understanding of this period. Thank you!
  • @jasonhenderson3678
    Great video!!! The animation and narration were top notch. Loved the history lesson!
  • @girliealmighty
    This is feeding my Baldwin IV obsession- and I’m here for it! 💙
  • @doylekitchen9795
    Great video. The maps, video and using several speakers really enhanced the video. Baldwin IV's tenacity in protecting the Kingdom is amazing. He successfully battled Saladin to protect the Kingdom against a foe that had overwhelming resources.
  • @francishubertovasquez956
    Saladin and Baldwin the IV, both of them were example of strong Leaders of their armies of opposing sides with different Leadership styles but effective.
  • @CBass-mn5dy
    Just imagining the Templar Knights in full charge is incredible....in real life it would have been terrifying.
  • @wilfredocaban9886
    The video production is superior to anything I ever seen great work.
  • @joelovitt2900
    that was a very cool history lesson. The Kingdom of Heaven is one of my favorite movies and I was surprised to learn that most of the characters were real ppl.
  • @declankrebs4073
    An excellent part 2. If I may nit pick a small bit: The loss of Le Chastellet (Jacob´s Ford), wasn´t really that big of a reverse for Baldwin IV. Yes, the grand castle was destroyed, and therefore couldn´t do what it was intended to do, but its loss only really reestablished the status quo, and didn´t result in the loss of any territory. And, as you mentioned, the outbreak of an epidemic meant that Saladin couldn´t really take advantage of his victory. Again, that was nit picking. Great video, and looking forward to part 3.
  • @ASquareNarwal
    The fact that 80 Templars was enough to give Baldwin confidence against a minium of 14000 men, really shows how skilled and revered the Templars were. The best soldiers to ever step foot on the battlefield, completely without contest.
  • @angelmacas1774
    The Templars must have been almost mythical figures of their time. Excellent for morale just to have a group of them fighting alongside your army.
  • @deem7478
    When Baldwin IV was 15, an early victory was the Battle of Baccar (Bekaa.) He likely cut his battle teeth at Baccar.