Hattin 1187: Saladin's greatest victory (Campaign) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "By the 1180s the realms curved out following the First Crusade were no longer real 'Crusader States', because the descendants of the First Crusaders were..." (more)
Key Phrases: flank division, mail hauberk, Taqi al Din, Latin States, King Guy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Illustrated throughout with maps, artistic reproductions, and photographs, this volume details the Battle of Hattlin (1187 CE), which marked the beginning of the end for the Christian Crusaders. Nicolle recounts the events leading up to the battle and explains how the Muslim army under Saladin liberated Jerusalem. He concludes with a description of the battlefields as they are today.”–Reference & Research Book News --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

In 1187, Christian Europe was shaken by events in the Middle East. This volume tells the story of those momentous months - the campaign leading to the Muslim capture of Jerusalem after the disastrous Crusader defeat at Hattin where, in a two day running battle on the waterless plateau between Saffuriya and Tiberias, beneath a burning sun, Saladin's troops destroyed the Christian army. The disaster at Hattin resulted in the collapse of the kingdom of Jerusalem and sparked off the Third Crusade under Richard I 'Coeur de Lion'. This book examines Hattin in detail and looks at the consequences of the battle.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (January 28, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855322846
• ISBN-13: 978-1855322844
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #613,515 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Little Account of a 4th of July Battle, March 16, 2006

By	Mike Dillemuth (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

All in all, an excellent account of the battle of Hattin and the events leading up to it. The author seems to spend more time on the size, composition, weapons, and organization of the opposing forces than on the actual battle itself. Nevertheless, this is useful information in understanding the events of that fateful 4th of July in 1187. After eventually discussing the battle, the author spends time describing the follow on events that lead to the fall of Jerusalem. In essence, this book covers much more than the battle itself. The results of this battle still echo through history. Also, Saladin is an historic figure who continues to influence the perceptions of modern day Muslims. This book is a good way to obtain a quick understanding of that battle. The chapters are organized in the traditional Osprey style. Also, the maps and illustrations are excellent. Like all Osprey books, it is a short read, coming in at less than a hundred pages. Bottom line: this is a good little book that provides an outstanding description of one of Islam's greatest military commanders and the famous battle that paved the way for the Muslim re-conquest of Jerusalem.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Splendid History, November 30, 2002

By	Fred M. Blum (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Hattin 1187: Saladin's Greatest Victory (Campaign, No. 19)by David Nicolle is a splendid history not only of the battle, but of the events leading to the destruction of the Crusader Army and eventually to the fall of Jersuleum. It is written using the standard Ospery model, with the difference being a greater emphasis on the events leading to the battle and the aftermath. While like most Ospery books it only covers the basics, Nicolle gives broader insights then are usual. The book is very readable and the maps are first rate. If you are interested in the crusades or the history of the middle east, this book is for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Battle of Hattin, August 14, 2009

By	K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Probably not even a third of this volume actually discusses the climatic Battle of Hattin (4 July 1187 AD) - most of the text is devoted to describing the organization of both armies, and the book is concluded with one of the better accounts I have encountered of Salah al-Din's siege and capture of Jerusalem - as is portrayed, fairly accurately in the movie `Kingdom of Heaven'. Nonetheless this is a valuable book for anyone with a particular interest in the Crusader era, and it is supplemented by numerous photographs, several Angus McBride paintings of the contemporary Islamic soldiers, and three bird's eye view maps of the battlefield and troop movements.