Frankish siege of Hama

حصار الفرنج حماة

c. November 1177 CE · Jumada I 573 AH

In Jumada I of 573 a large Frankish contingent arrived by sea, seizing the chance of the land being empty after Salah al-Din's defeated return from Ramla. The Franks in Syria were gathered, money was distributed among them, and they marched on Hama, besieging it for four days. Its lord, Shihab al-Din Mahmud al-Harimi, Salah al-Din's maternal uncle, was gravely ill; a group of the Salahi army entered and relieved the people. One day the Franks attacked a section of the town and nearly took it by force, but the townspeople joined with the troops, and the Muslims fought with desperate resolve, defending lives, families and property, until they drove the enemy out to the open ground beyond the town. Fighting went on night and day, and the enemy suffered heavy slaughter. The Franks withdrew defeated and went on to besiege Harim. When they had left Hama, its lord al-Harimi died; his son had died three days before him ¹.

Overview

In Jumada al-Ula 573 AH a large body of the Franks came to Syria by sea. They marched to Hama and besieged it for four days, as Ibn al-Athir relates. ¹

The siege

Ibn al-Athir says that the Franks took advantage of the country being emptied when Salah al-Din returned defeated from Ramla. They gathered those of them in Syria and distributed money among them. In Hama was its lord, Shihab al-Din Mahmud al-Harimi, Salah al-Din's maternal uncle, who was gravely ill. ¹

A party of the Salahi army entered the city and helped its people. The Franks attacked the edge of the town one day and almost took it; the people of the city and the army came together and defended themselves, their families and their property until they drove them out. The fighting went on night and day. ¹

After the siege

The Franks left Hama and besieged Harim. The lord of Hama died after their departure; his son had died three days before him. ¹

The siege is part of the events of the Battle of Ramla. Its date is converted to the Gregorian calendar by derivation. ²

Saladin's Defeat at Ramla

In Jumada I 573 AH Saladin Yusuf ibn Ayyub set out from Egypt for the Syrian coast to raid Frankish lands. He reached Ascalon on the twenty-fourth of the month, and the army plundered, took captives and burned. Since no Frankish army appeared, they grew bold and scattered in raiding, feeling safe. Saladin reached Ramla, intending to besiege some of the Franks' fortresses; the people crowded to cross a river, and the Franks came down on them with their battle lines and champions while only some of the army was with him, most having dispersed in pursuit of spoil. Muhammad, Saladin's nephew, went forward and fought in front of his uncle, and a number of his companions were killed. Ahmad ibn Taqi al-Din, who had only just grown a full beard, charged and was killed as a martyr. The fiercest fighter that day was the jurist Isa al-Hakkari. The Muslims were routed, and some Franks charged at Saladin until they almost reached him. He fled, halting to let the army catch up, until night fell; then he took the desert road with a small party to Egypt. Many of the army's mounts died of hunger and thirst, and most of the raiders were killed or captured. Among the prisoners were the jurist Isa al-Hakkari, a notable of the Asadiyya, and his brother al-Zahir; Saladin ransomed them years later for sixty thousand dinars, along with a group of other captives. Saladin reached Cairo in mid-Jumada II. Ibn al-Athir saw a letter in Saladin's own hand to his brother Turanshah in Damascus describing the battle; it began with two lines of verse.

Frankish siege of Hama

At a glance

In time

In space

Overview

The siege

After the siege

Connections

People and things also explored

Sources

Time

Saladin's Defeat at Ramla