On 25 November 1177, the 16-year-old Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, despite suffering from leprosy, led a vastly outnumbered Christian force to a resounding victory against Saladin’s formidable Ayyubid army at the Battle of Montgisard.
Displaying remarkable courage and strategy, Baldwin leveraged the element of surprise and his knights’ fervour to rout Saladin's troops, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing a hasty retreat.
This unlikely triumph bolstered the morale of the Crusader states, while momentarily halting Saladin’s ambitions in the Levant.
Baldwin's indomitable spirit and leadership in the face of overwhelming odds cemented his legacy as one of the most valiant figures of the Crusades.
