Against the Odds

The Battle of the Springs of Cresson marked the beginning of the end for the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Miniature of the Battle of Cresson from Les Passages d’outremer by Sébastien Mamerot, c.1474. Wikimedia Commons
Miniature of the Battle of Cresson from Les Passages d’outremer by Sébastien Mamerot, c.1474. Wikimedia Commons

The Battle of the Springs of Cresson was a devastating and perplexing battle in the history of the Crusader States. Its proximity to the Battle of Hattin, which occurred a month later with consequences that were more keenly felt both within the Holy Land and Europe more generally, has resulted in Cresson being overlooked. Nevertheless, the events of 1 May 1187 were born from the political challenges faced by the Kingdom of Jerusalem and served as a portent for the events that came to define the Crusader States in the late 12th century.

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