Baldwin IV Defeats Saladin at Battle of Montgisard
In the Kingdom of Jerusalem, young King Baldwin IV, afflicted with leprosy, faced a major invasion by Saladin's Ayyubid forces from Egypt in late 1177. With limited troops after other crusader leaders departed for northern campaigns, Baldwin rallied knights including Raynald of Châtillon and Templars to confront the much larger Muslim army advancing toward Jerusalem. On November 25 near Montgisard, the crusaders launched a surprise attack on Saladin's dispersed forces. The battle resulted in a decisive crusader victory, with heavy casualties inflicted on the invaders and Saladin himself fleeing back to Cairo with only a fraction of his army intact.
Why it matters: The victory temporarily halted Saladin's expansion and boosted morale in the crusader states during a vulnerable period. It delayed further major Muslim offensives for years, though Saladin later achieved greater successes at Hattin and Jerusalem in 1187, reshaping the balance of power in the Levant.