Jerusalem 1187: The Siege That Returned the City to Saladin

In 1187, after nearly a century of Crusader rule, Jerusalem fell to the armies of Saladin. This episode goes beyond the well-known battle of Hattin to examine the actual siege of the city itself — a tense, six-day affair that ended not with a massacre but with a negotiated surrender. We follow Balian of Ibelin, the defender who stood before Saladin; the negotiations over ransom and safe passage; and the surprising restraint shown by both sides. We also explore how Saladin treated the city's holy sites, especially the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and how his actions set a precedent that still echoes in Jerusalem today. Along the way, we touch on the role of Queen Sibylla, the fate of the True Cross, and the legend of the golden cross torn from the Dome of the Rock. A story of war, faith, and a conqueror who chose mercy over vengeance.

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