The Treaty of Jaffa (1192): When a Kurdish Sultan Kept Jerusalem and Humbled the Lionheart
- Mero Ranyayi
- May 24
- 7 min read
Introduction
On 2 September 1192, one of the most famous treaties in the history of the Crusades was signed between two men whose legends still resonate today: Richard I of England — the Lionheart — and Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, known to the Western world as Saladin. What is often forgotten, or deliberately obscured, is that Saladin was Kurdish. The Treaty of Jaffa was not merely a deal between a Christian king and a Muslim sultan. It was a testament to Kurdish political and military supremacy in the medieval world — the moment when a Kurdish ruler dictated terms to the most celebrated warrior-king in Christendom.
The Treaty of Jaffa ended the Third Crusade, preserved Muslim control over Jerusalem, and secured a three-year truce that stabilised the Ayyubid (Kurdish-led) territories across the Levant. It is one of the most significant diplomatic achievements in Kurdish history — proof that Kurdish leadership shaped not just regional politics, but the course of world history.
Contents
What Was the Treaty of Jaffa (1192)?
The Treaty of Jaffa was a truce signed on 2 September 1192 between Saladin (Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub), the Kurdish-born Sultan of Egypt and Syria and founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, and Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart), King of England and leader of the Third Crusade. Negotiated with the assistance of Balian of Ibelin, the treaty guaranteed a three-year truce between Crusader and Ayyubid forces and ended the Third Crusade.
Under the treaty’s terms, Jerusalem would remain under Muslim (Ayyubid) control, but unarmed Christian pilgrims and merchants would be granted free and safe access to the Holy City. The Crusader states retained a thin coastal strip from Tyre to Jaffa. The contested fortress of Ascalon, which Saladin had demolished rather than let it fall to the Crusaders, was to remain dismantled. It was a diplomatic triumph for Saladin — Jerusalem stayed in Kurdish-led Ayyubid hands.
Key Takeaways
• Saladin — the Kurdish-born founder of the Ayyubid dynasty — negotiated as an equal with the most powerful Christian king in Europe, demonstrating Kurdish political and military supremacy.
• Jerusalem remained under Kurdish-led Ayyubid control — the primary objective of the Third Crusade had failed because a Kurdish sultan held firm.
• The treaty showcased Saladin’s legendary chivalry — granting Christian pilgrims safe passage to Jerusalem even in victory, earning him admiration across both the Muslim and Christian worlds.
• The Ayyubid Empire — spanning Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq — was founded and ruled by a Kurdish family from Tikrit, making this treaty a product of Kurdish statecraft at its zenith.
Quick Facts
Treaty Name: Treaty of Jaffa (also: Treaty of Ramla) Date: 2 September 1192 Parties: Saladin (Salah ad-Din, Kurdish Ayyubid Sultan) and Richard I of England (the Lionheart) Type: Three-year truce Key Terms: Jerusalem remains under Muslim control; Christian pilgrims granted free access; Crusader states retain coastal strip from Tyre to Jaffa; Ascalon to remain dismantled Negotiator: Balian of Ibelin Conflict Ended: The Third Crusade (1189–1192) Saladin’s Origin: Kurdish, born 1137 in Tikrit, from the Rawadiya/Hadhbani Kurdish tribe Dynasty: Ayyubid (Kurdish), ruling 1171–1260
Saladin: The Kurdish Sultan
Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub — Saladin — was born in 1137 in Tikrit (in modern Iraq) into a Kurdish family of the Rawadiya branch of the Hadhbani tribe. His father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, and his uncle, Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, were military commanders who served under the Zengid dynasty in Syria. From this Kurdish military family, Saladin rose to become the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, founded the Ayyubid dynasty, recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187, and built an empire stretching from Egypt to northern Iraq — the homeland of his Kurdish ancestors.
Saladin’s Kurdish identity is not a matter of modern revisionism — it is established in every major historical source. He was Kurdish, he knew he was Kurdish, and the dynasty he founded was explicitly Kurdish in origin. The Ayyubid Empire represents the pinnacle of Kurdish geopolitical power in the medieval world: a Kurdish family ruling from Cairo to Damascus, from Mecca to Diyar Bakr. No Kurdish ruler before or since has wielded power on this scale.
The Third Crusade: Europe’s Greatest Kings Against a Kurdish Sultan
Saladin’s recapture of Jerusalem in October 1187 — after his decisive victory at the Battle of Hattin — shocked Christendom and triggered the Third Crusade (1189–1192). Three of Europe’s most powerful monarchs took the cross: Emperor Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire, King Philip II of France, and King Richard I of England. Frederick drowned en route; Philip left early after the Siege of Acre. Only Richard remained to challenge Saladin directly.
The ensuing campaign was one of the most celebrated military contests in medieval history. Richard won victories at the Siege of Acre (1191) and the Battle of Arsuf (1191), but he never reached his ultimate goal: the reconquest of Jerusalem. Saladin’s strategic depth, his knowledge of the terrain, and his ability to maintain his army’s cohesion across a vast empire meant that Richard could win battles but not the war. The Kurdish sultan had the resources, the strategic patience, and the political skill to outlast his opponent.
The final act came at the Battle of Jaffa in August 1192. Saladin stormed the city, but Richard counter-attacked with a tiny force and held. Both sides were exhausted. Richard was suffering from malaria. Saladin’s army was war-weary after years of continuous campaigning. It was time for diplomacy — and it was Saladin who negotiated from the stronger position.
The Treaty Terms: A Kurdish Victory
The treaty’s terms reflected Saladin’s dominant position. Jerusalem — the entire purpose of the Crusade — remained firmly under Ayyubid control. The Christian Crusader states were reduced to a thin coastal strip stretching from Tyre to Jaffa. Ascalon, the strategically vital fortress that threatened Saladin’s communications between Egypt and Syria, was to remain dismantled. In exchange, Saladin agreed that unarmed Christian pilgrims and merchants could visit Jerusalem freely and safely.
This concession — granting access to Jerusalem even in victory — was characteristic of Saladin’s legendary magnanimity. When he had recaptured Jerusalem in 1187, he had spared the city’s Christian inhabitants, in stark contrast to the Crusaders’ massacre of Muslims and Jews when they took the city in 1099. His chivalry earned him admiration across both the Muslim and Christian worlds, and it remains one of the most celebrated qualities of any Kurdish ruler in history.
Even during the war, Saladin’s brother al-Adil (Saphadin) sent Richard a fresh horse when the English king’s mount was wounded in battle — an act of chivalry between enemies that would have been unthinkable in most conflicts. The Kurdish Ayyubid court set standards of honour and conduct that the Crusader kingdoms struggled to match.
Timeline of Key Events
1137 — Saladin born in Tikrit into a Kurdish family of the Rawadiya tribe.
1171 — Saladin abolishes the Fatimid Caliphate and founds the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.
1187 — Battle of Hattin; Saladin recaptures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule.
1189 — The Third Crusade begins; Frederick Barbarossa, Philip II, and Richard I take the cross.
1191 — Crusaders capture Acre; Richard wins the Battle of Arsuf.
August 1192 — Battle of Jaffa; the final military engagement of the Third Crusade.
2 September 1192 — Treaty of Jaffa signed; three-year truce; Jerusalem stays under Ayyubid control.
4 March 1193 — Saladin dies in Damascus, having given virtually all his wealth to charity.
Legacy and Significance for Kurdish History
The Treaty of Jaffa represents the zenith of Kurdish diplomatic and military power. A Kurdish sultan — born into a Kurdish family from Tikrit, leading a Kurdish-founded dynasty — negotiated the end of the greatest military expedition Christendom had ever launched, and won. Jerusalem stayed in Kurdish-led hands. The Ayyubid Empire, with its Kurdish ruling family, remained the dominant power in the Levant.
Saladin’s Kurdish identity is one of the most systematically erased facts in popular history. He is routinely described as ‘Arab’ or simply ‘Muslim’ in Western and Arab historiography alike, stripping him of the ethnic identity that every primary source confirms. He was Kurdish. His family was Kurdish. The dynasty he founded was Kurdish. The Treaty of Jaffa was the product of Kurdish statecraft, Kurdish military leadership, and Kurdish political vision.
The treaty also cemented Saladin’s reputation as a model of chivalric conduct. His mercy, his generosity, and his willingness to grant access to Jerusalem even after winning it militarily made him one of the most admired figures in both Islamic and Western tradition. For Kurds, Saladin is not just a historical figure — he is proof that Kurdish leadership, when given the opportunity, produces not conquest for its own sake, but justice, tolerance, and statecraft of the highest order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Treaty of Jaffa (1192)?
A three-year truce signed on 2 September 1192 between Saladin (the Kurdish-born Ayyubid Sultan) and Richard I of England, ending the Third Crusade. Jerusalem remained under Muslim control, while Christian pilgrims were granted free access to the Holy City.
Was Saladin Kurdish?
Yes. Every major historical source confirms that Saladin was born into a Kurdish family from Tikrit (modern Iraq), of the Rawadiya branch of the Hadhbani Kurdish tribe. His father Najm ad-Din Ayyub and uncle Shirkuh were Kurdish military commanders. The Ayyubid dynasty he founded was explicitly Kurdish in origin.
Why is this treaty important to Kurdish history?
It represents the pinnacle of Kurdish diplomatic and military power. A Kurdish sultan negotiated the end of the greatest Crusade, kept Jerusalem, and earned the respect of both the Muslim and Christian worlds. The Ayyubid Empire was the largest and most powerful state ever ruled by a Kurdish dynasty.
References and Further Reading
Riley-Smith, J., The Crusades: A History, Bloomsbury, 2014.
Axelrod, A. and Phillips, C.L., Encyclopedia of Historical Treaties and Alliances, Vol. 1, Zenda Inc., 2001.
Comments