This chronology presents the timeline of the Crusades from the beginning of the Third Crusade, first called for, in 1187 to the fall of Acre in 1291. This is keyed towards the major events of the Crusades to the Holy Land, but also includes those of the Reconquista, the Popular Crusades and the Northern Crusades.

Background After the loss of Jerusalem in 1187, Saladin was in a position to drive the Franks out of the Holy Land. The pope responded by calling for a new crusade and Western Europe responded.

1187

20 September – 2 October. Saladin's conquest over the Franks is nearly complete with his successful Siege of Jerusalem. 20 October. Urban III dies and is succeeded by Gregory VIII on 25 October.James Francis Loughlin (1909). "Pope Gregory VIII". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 29 October. Gregory VIII issues the bull Audita tremendi calling for the Third Crusade. Shortly thereafter. Richard the Lionheart, then duke of Aquitaine, takes the cross with other nobles at Tours.Henry W. Davis (1911). "Richard I". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 12 November. Conrad of Montferrat leads the defense of the city against Saladin at the Siege of Tyre. The siege is abandoned on 1 January 1188. 19 December. Clement III becomes pope after the death of Gregory VIII.James Francis Loughlin (1908). "Pope Clement III". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Late December. Saladin begins his Siege of Belvoir Castle. (Date unknown). Chieftain Esbern the Resolute calls for Danish support of the Third Crusade. (Date unknown). Canute I of Sweden repels a fleet of pagan Karelians ravaging coastal towns. He builds a defensive tower in Stockholm in response.Bengt Liljegren (2004). Rulers of Sweden. Historiska Media.

Third Crusade The Third Crusade was led by Frederick Barbarossa and Richard the Lionheart, and was followed shortly by the Crusade of 1197.

1188

January. Henry II of England and Philip II of France take the cross at Gisors.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Henry II "the Saint". Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 273–274.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Philip II, king of France. Encyclopædia Britannica. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 378–381. 11 February. In order to finance the crusade, the Saladin tithe is begun in England.Fred A. Cazel (1955). “The Tax of 1185 in Aid of the Holy Land.” Speculum, Vol. 30, No. 3, ppgs. 385–392. 27 March. Frederick Barbarossa takes the cross at the Curia Christi held in Mainz.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Frederick I, Roman Emperor. Encyclopædia Britannica. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 45–46. Spring. Saladin releases Guy of Lusignan from captivity. 26 May. Barbarossa sends Saladin an ultimatum to withdraw from the lands he had taken. 20–22 July. Bohemond III of Antioch is defeated by Saladin at the Siege of Laodicea. 26–29 July. Saladin defeats the Knights Hospitaller at the Siege of Sahyun Castle. 5–9 August. The Principality of Antioch is defeated by the forces of Saladin at the Siege of al-Shughur. 20–23 August. Shortly thereafter, Saladin successfully executes the Siege of Bourzey Castle. 2–13 September. Saladin defeats the Knights Templar at the Siege of Trapessac. November. The Franks abandon Kerak Castle to the Ayybuids after the Siege of Kerak.Michael S Fulton (2024), Crusader Castle: The Desert Fortress of Kerak. pgs. 72–74. Early November – 6 December. Saladin and his brother al-Adil I capture the Templar castle after the Siege of Safed.

1189 9 January. After over a year, Saladin is successful in his Siege of Belvoir Castle. 11 May. The Third Crusade begins, with Frederick Barbarossa and his forces departing Regensburg. June. A Holy Roman Empire fleet, supported by Denmark and Flanders, en route to the Holy Land, stops in the Algarve and attack the castle there in the Alvor massacre.Jonathan Wilson (2020). ““Neither age nor sex sparing”: the Alvor massacre 1189, an anomaly in the Portuguese Reconquista?” Journal of Medieval Iberian Studies 12, pgs. 199–229. 6 July. Henry II of England dies and is succeeded by his son Richard the Lionheart, who was crowned on 3 September and continued his father's plans for the crusade.Thomas Andrew Archer (1896). "Richard I" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. 46. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pgs. 136–145. 21 July – 3 September. Sancho I of Portugal teams with Crusaders en route to the Holy Land defeat the Moors at the Siege of Silves.Dana Cushing (2017). “The Siege of Silves in 1189: Attacked with Siege-Engines and Arrows.” Medieval Warfare, Vol. 7, No. 5, pgs. 48–53. August. Guy of Lusignan marches to Tyre but is refused entry by Conrad of Montferrat. 26 August. Barbarossa's forces seize the Byzantine city of Philippopolis. 28 August. Guy of Lusignan begins the Siege of Acre. 1 September. The Holy Roman Empire fleet arrives at Acre. 11 November. William II of Sicily dies and the kingdom is seized by Tancred of Sicily.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Tancred (Sicily). Encyclopædia Britannica. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pg. 395.

1190 April. An English fleet under the command of Richard de Camville and Robert de Sablé departs Dartmouth to meet Richard the Lionheart in Marseille. April. After a long siege, Muslim forces under Saladin capture Beaufort Castle from Reginald of Sidon. Spring. A northern fleet fought a battle with the Moors and is defeated at the Strait of Gibraltar.Charles Wendell David (1939). “Narratio de Itinere Navali Peregrinorum Hierosolymam Tendentium et Silviam Capientium, A. D. 1189.” Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 81, No. 5, pp. 591–676. Spring. A Bulgarian force defeats the Byzantines at the Battle of Tryavna Pass.Aleksandar Stoyanov (2019). The Size of Bulgaria's Medieval Field Armies: A Case Study of Military Mobilization Capacity in the Middle Ages. The Journal of Military History, 83(3), pgs. 719–746 7 May. A Crusader army led by Frederick of Swabia and Berthold of Merania defeat the Seljuk Turks led by Kaykhusraw I at the Battle of Philomelion. 18 May. Barbarossa led an army commanded by Frederick of Swabia, Děpolt II and Géza of Hungary to defeat the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Iconium. 10 June. Frederick Barbarossa drowns while crossing the Saleph River and his army returns to Germany. Summer. An English ship separated from its fleet sails into Silves while the city was besieged by the Almohads and the English crusaders participated in the successful defense of the city. 13–19 July. The Knights Templar under Gualdim Pais successfully repel the Moors at the Siege of Tomar.Hamilton White (2021). The Tomar Hoard. Dolman Scott Publishing, pg. 23.

25 July. Sibylla of Jerusalem and her two daughters die and her sister Isabella I of Jerusalem becomes queen.Isabella I, Queen of Jerusalem. Britannica. 7 August. Richard the Lionheart leaves for Sicily, arriving at Messina on 23 September. His fleet had arrived earlier, on 14 September. 4 October. Richard the Lionheart captures Messina. Tancred of Sicily agrees to a treaty in exchange for his recognition and the release of Joan of England. Early November. The marriage of Isabella I of Jerusalem and Humphrey IV of Toron is annulled. 24 November Isabella I of Jerusalem marries Conrad of Montferrat.Conrad of Montferrat, King of Jerusalem. Britannica.

1191

30 March. Celestine III becomes pope.Thomas Joseph Shahan (1908). "Pope Celestine III". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 10 April. Richard the Lionheart leaves Sicily. Bad weather forces him to land in Cyprus, entering Limassol on 6 May. 15 April. Henry VI of Germany becomes Holy Roman Emperor.Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Henry VI (Roman emperor). Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pg. 278. 20 April. Philip II of France arrives at Acre. 6 May. Bad weather forces the fleet of Richard the Lionheart to land at Limassol. The Conquest of Cyprus is complete by 1 June. 12 May. Berengaria of Navarre marries Richard the Lionheart in Cyprus. She was the eldest daughter of Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile.William Hunt (1885). "Berengaria" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. 4, pgs. 325–326. 8 June. Richard the Lionheart arrives at Acre. 12 July. Acre surrenders to the Crusaders, ending the two-year Siege of Acre. 31 July. Philip II of France, accompanied by Conrad of Montferrat, departs to Tyre and returns to France. He leaves behind a French army under the command of Hugh III of Burgundy. 20 August. Richard the Lionheart has the Muslim prisoners of war captured at Acre beheaded during the Massacre at Ayyadieh. In retaliation, Saladin does same to his Christian prisoners. 7 September. Richard the Lionheart leads a Crusader army to defeat Saladin at the Battle of Arsuf.Sidney Dean (2014). “‘Crusader King’: From Arsuf to the Treaty of Jaffa.” Medieval Warfare, Vol. 4, No. 5, pgs. 27–34 November. The Crusader army advances on Jerusalem. 12 December. Saladin disbands most of his army under pressure from his emirs. (Date unknown). Canute VI leads a Danish Crusade to Finland.Robert Nisbet Bain (1911). "Canute VI". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 222–223.

1192

Before 24 April. Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I of Jerusalem) is elected king of Jerusalem. 28 April. Conrad of Montferrat is murdered by two Assassins.Patrick A. Williams (1970). "The Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat: Another Suspect?". Traditio 26 Fordham University: 381–389 6 May. Henry II of Champagne marries Isabella I of Jerusalem, then pregnant with their child Maria of Montferrat. He becomes Henry I of Jerusalem.

21 June. Enrico Dandolo becomes doge of Venice.Luigi Villari (1911). "Dandolo". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 801–802. 8 August. In the final battle of the Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart defeats Saladin at the Battle of Jaffa.Battle of Jaffa. Britannica. 2 September. Richard the Lionheart and Saladin agree to the Treaty of Jaffa. Jerusalem would remain under Muslim control, while allowing unarmed Christian pilgrims and traders to visit the city.Richard the Lionheart Makes Peace With Saladin. Jewish Virtual Library. 9 October. Richard the Lionheart departs the Holy Land. Before Christmas. Leopold V of Austria arrests Richard the Lionheart, accusing him of the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat, holding him in captivity at Dürnstein Castle. (Date unknown). The Teutonic Knights are recognized by Celestine III.Ernest Barker (1911). "The Teutonic Order". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pgs. 676–679. (Date unknown). English chronicler and monk Richard of Devizes writes hisChronicon de rebus gestis Ricardi Primi covering the reign of Richard I of England from 1189–1192.Henry W. Davis (1911). "Richard of Devizes". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pg. 298.

1193

4 March. Saladin dies and is succeeded by his sons Al-Aziz Uthman in Egypt and Al-Afdal in Syria.Anne-Marie Eddé (2021). al-Malik al-Afḍal b. Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn. Encyclopaedia of Islam Three Online. 28 March. Richard the Lionheart turned over to Henry VI of Germany who imprisons him in Trifels Castle. (Date unknown). Celestine III calls for a crusades in Spain and in Northern Europe.

1194

4 February. Richard the Lionheart is ransomed and released from captivity.