Battle of al-Sannabra

Background

In 1113 Seljuk Sultan Muhammad I Tapar ordered an offensive against the Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Seljuk forces invaded Galilee in May. The Seljuk forces were led Mawdud ibn Altuntash and Zahir ad-Din Toghtekin. Before the invasion, the Crusaders launched raids on the Damascene territory, convincing Toghtekin to reconsider the establishment of any relations with the Crusaders, so he joined Mawdud with a sizable army. When King Baldwin I of Jerusalem heard of the Seljuk invasion, he asked for assistance from Principality of Antioch and County of Tripoli. However, Baldwin decided not to wait for help and marched out of Acre with a force of 700 knights and 4,000 infantry.

Battle

Baldwin advanced to establish a base to patrol Galilee and not confront the enemy in a pitched battle. On 28 June both sides met at Al-Sinnabra in Galilee. According to historian Spencer C. Tucker, the Seljuks were about to cross the river, the Crusaders charged against them, and Mawdud feigned retreat. Too late to realize their mistake, the Crusaders met the main Seljuk force. They suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat.

In a version according to Thomas Asbridge, Baldwin encamped near the al-Sinnabra bridge, a crossing over the Jordan River south of the Sea of Galilee, without realizing that his enemies were stationed nearby, across the eastern shore. When the Seljuk discovered his position, they launched their assault. Pouring across the bridge, they quickly overran the surprised Crusaders, killing 1,000 to 2,000 men, including 30 knights. Baldwin escaped, losing his royal banner and his tent, key symbols of his regal authority. The survivors escaped to the hilltop west of Tiberias.

Aftermath

At Tiberias Baldwin joined with the forces of Antioch and Tripoli. The Crusaders did not attack and remained cautious. For the next two months, the Seljuks ravaged the kingdom countryside. They sacked Nablus and raided as far as Jaffa. In August, the Seljuks retreated from the Holy Land.

Notes

References

• Asbridge, Thomas (2011), The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land.https://archive.org/details/the-crusades-the-authoritative-history-of-the-war-for-the-holy-land_202310/page/n212/mode/1up

• Tucker, Spencer C. (2019), Middle East Conflicts from Ancient Egypt to the 21st Century, An Encyclopedia and Document Collection [4 Volumes].https://www.google.ae/books/edition/Middle_East_Conflicts_from_Ancient_Egypt/KanOEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Al+sannabra+1113&pg=PT212&printsec=frontcover

References

1. Asbridge
2. Tucker