Siege of Ascalon | |||||||
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Part of the Crusader–Fatimid wars | |||||||
![]() The siege of Ascalon, miniature from Sébastien Mamerot's book "Passages d'outremer" (1474) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Ibn al-Sallar | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown number of men 15 ships |
Unknown number of men 70 ships | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Total unknown 40 Templars killed | Unknown |
The siege of Ascalon took place from 25 January to 22 August 1153, in the time period between the Second and Third Crusades, and resulted in the capture of the Fatimid Egyptian fortress by the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Ascalon was an important castle that was used by the Fatimids to launch raids into the Crusader kingdom's territory, and by 1153 it was the last coastal city in Palestine that was not controlled by the Crusaders.
The siege lasted for several months without much progress, despite the usage of siege engines and catapults by the Crusader army. On 16 August, the Fatimids set fire to the siege tower, but the wind blew the flames back at the castle wall and caused part of it to collapse. A group of Knights Templar entered the breach, led by their Grand Master, Bernard de Tremelay. The other Crusaders did not follow them into the city and all forty Templars were killed. Three days later, a larger attack took place and the city surrendered after more fighting. Its inhabitants were given three days to leave Ascalon before the Crusaders formally took it over on 22 August 1153.
Its capture was a major success for King Baldwin III of Jerusalem and put the Crusaders into a position to invade Egypt. The victory was also the first significant territorial gain for the Kingdom of Jerusalem since the acquisition of Banias in 1140.