Outremer
Saladin Triumphant
Saladin's triumphs continued after the fall of Jerusalem. With most of the cities in Muslim hands, he turned his efforts to reducing the castles that were other pillar of Outremer (the cities, the castles, and the Crusaders). The Lady Stephanie of Oultrejourdain, Reynald of Châtillon's wife, had been at Jerusalem. When she was freed, she asked Saladin to free her son Humphrey of Toron, who had been captured at Hattin. The Sultan agreed on condition that Kerak and Montreal should be surrendered to him. Humphrey was released, but the castles refused to yield. A chivalrous lady, Stephanie returned her son to captivity. Saladin was so impressed with this that he freed Humphrey anyway a few months later.
In the meantime, Kerak and Montreal held out under terrible conditions. Kerak withstood a siege of a year; Montreal lasted even longer. Toward the end at Kerak, the men were eating their own horses, and were selling their own kin into slavery to the Bedouins in exchange for food. But both fortresses eventually capitulated. All of southern Palestine belonged to Saladin.
Safed surrendered on December 6, 1188; Belvoir followed in January. In 1189 Saladin moved into the County of Tripoli. Count Raymond had died childless at the end of 1187. The County was given to Bohemond of Antioch, but there was little anyone could do against the Sultan. He passed by the Krak des Chevaliers, but Jabala surrendered on July 15th and Lattakieh surrendered a week later. The great Hospitaller castle of Sahyun surrendered on July 29th. Other castles fell almost weekly, culminating in the capture of Baghras on August 26th.
Saladin had now penetrated into Antiochene territory. His army was weary, his emirs were glutted or restless or both. It seemed a good time to rest. Of all Outremer, only a handful of outposts remained. Three great cities: Antioch, Tripoli and Tyre. Plus Antioch's port of Saint Symeon, the Hospitaller castles at Marqab and Krak, plus the Templar castle at Tortosa (the city itself had fallen).