In January 1192, Richard the Lionheart – aka Richard I of England – advanced with his men towards Jerusalem, the holy city taken by Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, nearly five years earlier. Richard was by now the de facto leader of the Third Crusade, during which he had already enjoyed significant success, taking the strategically important cities of Acre and Jaffa the previous year.
He and his forces reached the village of Bayt Nuba, just a dozen miles from Jerusalem's city walls. With Muslim morale low, re-establishing Christian control could have been within his grasp,his men, while also being in two minds about his long-term ability to hold on to Jerusalem. Instead, Richard opted for a settlement. The Treaty of Jaffa was signed with Saladin the following autumn, keeping the city under Muslim control but allowing access for Christian traders and pilgrims.
