Baldwin IV of Jerusalem : The Battle of Montgisard

What made Baldwin IV a great king was his unbelievable courage at the famous battle of Montgisard, who, at only 16 years old, defeated an elite army ten times larger. 

Philip of Flanders abandoned the Egyptian campaign and brought his army to Jerusalem's northern border, where Raymond of Tripoli joined him. This puts Jerusalem in an extremely dangerous position.

The king is seriously ill (leprosy), and the soldiers have all left. Saladin, of course, could not miss the opportunity that Allah had given him. He led 26,000 elite soldiers and the Egyptian Khassaki guard to march towards Jerusalem.

On his deathbed, Baldwin called together 600 Templar knights and several thousand local soldiers to resist Saladin. His health was so bad that people thought he was about to die.

On the way to Jerusalem, Saladin attacked Ramla, Lydda, and Arsuf and spread his army out over a very wide area, leaving them free to plunder because he believed that the king could do nothing with that disabled army.

The army of God encountered Saladin at Mons Girardi, near Ramla. This surprised Saladin very much. He hastily gathered his army and arranged it in front of the enemy.

From afar, the army, led by Baldwin IV, remained silent. The king, despite suffering from illness, ordered the giant cross to be placed in front of the front line and tried to dismount, kneel before it, pray for victory, and exhort his soldiers. 

While Saladin was still busy gathering his army, the army, led by Baldwin IV came like a flood. The king, his right hand wrapped in bandages and unable to hold it, swung his sword straight into the middle of Saladin's army with his left hand.

The immortal warrior of Islam was terrified, and if it hadn't been for the fiercest camel, Saladin would have been apprehended in the middle of the battlefield. His 26,000 elite warriors were slaughtered, the famed Khassaki guard was nearly assassinated, and Saladin's nephew was killed during the conflict.

Baldwin continued to pursue Saladin until midnight before retreating to Ascalon. 10 days later, followed by 10 days of heavy rain, Saladin's defeated army now had only more than 2,000 people left, having to fight hunger and thirst as well as robberies to get back to Egypt.

The Battle of Montgisard made the name Baldwin IV legendary.

At the end of 1183, the wedding of the king's sister, Isabel, held in Kerak, caught Saladin's attention. Immediately, the Muslim leader sent troops to surround the castle while everyone was celebrating.

Despite his utter disability, Baldwin IV ordered his entourage to transport him on a stretcher to save Kerak. Saladin, impressed by the young king's tremendous effort and cognizant of his superior military skills, ordered the army to retire. Saladin sent troops to besiege Kerak again in 1184, but they were forced to leave when Baldwin IV appeared on the battlefield, albeit on a stretcher. Muslims continued to fear Baldwin IV until his death.

The 24 years of Baldwin IV's life are as epic as those recorded on the roof of the Dolmen church: Per Crucem and Lucem (From the Cross to the Light). The young king's faith helped keep Jerusalem peaceful during the years he reigned.