July 15th: A Day of Conquest and Carnage in Crusader Jerusalem

July 15th, 1099, stands as a pivotal date in Jerusalem's long and tumultuous history. It marked the culmination of the First Crusade, a brutal religious war launched by European Christians to wrest control of the Holy Land from Muslims. After a grueling siege lasting nearly six weeks, Crusader forces breached Jerusalem's defenses on this day, forever altering the city's religious and political landscape.

The First Crusade, sparked by Pope Urban II's call to arms in 1095, aimed to recapture Jerusalem, a city revered by Christians as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. By June 1099, a depleted Crusader army arrived at Jerusalem's fortified walls. The ensuing siege was brutal, with both sides enduring scorching heat, dwindling supplies, and relentless attacks.

On July 13th, after weeks of failed attempts, the Crusaders completed massive siege towers that allowed them to scale the city walls. Two days later, on July 15th, Godfrey of Bouillon's forces spearheaded a successful assault, breaching the defenses near the Gate of Saint Stephen.

What followed was a horrific massacre. Crusader soldiers, fueled by religious fervor and vengeance, slaughtered thousands of Muslims and Jews who had sought refuge within the city walls. Contemporaneous accounts describe scenes of unimaginable violence, with blood drenching the streets.

With Jerusalem secured, the Crusaders established a Christian kingdom. They seized control of the Temple Mount, a site holy to both Jews and Muslims, and repurposed the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock as Christian shrines. This act deeply offended Muslims and further solidified the religious animosity that had fueled the Crusades.

The capture of Jerusalem on July 15th, 1099, marked a turning point in the Crusades. It established a fragile Christian foothold in the Holy Land, but at a terrible cost. The violence and bloodshed cemented a deep division between Christians and Muslims that would cast a long shadow over the region for centuries to come.

Image sourced  from warfarehistorynetwork.com, source in collaboration with Gemini