Archaeological digs at a place called Jacob’s Ford have uncovered a grim Templar graveyard. This was the site of a bloody and furious massacre of crusaders by the Saracen leader Saladin. He was enraged after being defeated by the Christian forces at Montgisard and determined to teach the “Franks” a horrific lesson.
Even today – the marks on the bones of the skeletons show a Saracen army determined to slash its way to victory.
As the name suggests – Jacob’s Ford was a crossing point in the Holy Land where the river Jordan could be traversed. It was a hundred miles from Jerusalem where the leper king Baldwin IV ruled and felt somewhat emboldened by his victory against the Saracen leader Saladin at Montgisard.
But wily Saladin was always a threat and nobody doubted his determination to remove the crusader states and unite the region under his control.
DISCOVER: Templar revenge on the corpse of King Philip of France
Knights Templar see the strategic importance of Jacob’s Ford
The crusaders and Knights Templar reasoned that a castle at Jacob’s Ford would block any possible advance from the north against Jerusalem and set about building an enormous fortification. Saladin was distracted at the time by revolts among his own people and was unable to stop the castle being built, even in spite of huge bribes offered to the crusaders.
About seven hundred knights, many of them Templars, were based in the rising castle along with masons and carpenters erecting the structure.
Saladin decided it was time to strike and ignoring his own internal political problems, marched an army towards Jacob’s Ford. The walls looked impregnable but his ‘sappers’ got to work tunnelling under the fortifications and in the time honoured tactic of the Middle Ages, put combustible material under the walls and started a fire. The first fires were extinguished from above but eventually the walls collapsed and the Saracens were able to enter.
DISCOVER: Medieval girl power and the Cathar heresy
Saladin fury at the Knights Templar at Jacob’s Ford
The National Geographic Channel has broadcast a programme on the fourteen year archaeological dig that has finally yielded hundreds of Templar and crusader bodies. What has struck those working on the site is the sheer severity of the massacre, estimated to have gone on for six days. A furious Saladin was clearly trying to bury the shame of the defeat at Montgisard and to put down a decisive marker for the eventual taking of Jerusalem.
As it turned out, Saladin would defeat the Templars at the Horns of Hattin eight years later and take the holiest city in Christendom shortly after.
In 2006, the BBC Timewatch programme ran a programme on the siege and subsequent killing pointing out that Saladin then razed the castle to the ground brick by brick. You can find out more about the current archaeological dig here or watch National Geographic of course.
The outcome was a brave but futile stand by the Knights Templar against Saladin – a leader determined to wage a holy war against the accursed crusaders!
I would like to know how enemy that the Templers killed?? if the bodies of the Templers are still there, then the bodies of Saladin’s men must be there, maybe in a mass grave??
Hi David, For a really detailed account of how the Templars met their fate, watch the National Geographic’s re-enactment film, which is great viewing. You can see it here: http://natgeotv.com/uk/templars-the-last-stand/templars-the-last-stand-facts
I think the Templars came off far worse than the saracens on this occasion. Tony
The word “massacre” is not appropriate here. It was a battle site where 800 Templars died but with weapons in the hand. What we don’t know is how many of Saladins army were killed by the garrison. It may have been as many or more.
Great forum thank you. De Bath
Great Blog. Thank you for the follow.
Thank you kindly!