Battle of Marj Ayyun | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Crusades | |||||||
![]() Saladin the Victorious. Gustave Doré, XIX century | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
![]() ![]() |
![]() | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,000 to 10,000 Crusader lancers and cavalry[2] | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy
| Light |
The Battle of Marj Ayyun was a military confrontation fought at Marj Ayyoun near the Litani River (modern-day Lebanon) in June 1179 between the Kingdom of Jerusalem under Baldwin IV and the Ayyubid armies under the leadership of Saladin. It ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims and is considered the first in the long series of Islamic victories under Saladin against the Christians.[3] However, the Christian King, Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, who was victorious against the Ayubbid.