He did not have much choice: when he initially refused, Balian swore not only to fight to the death, but also to destroy the Dome of the Rock, one of the most sacred sites of Islam, if the sultan did not offer terms. On the brink of defeat, they were not in a strong bargaining position.ĭespite this, Saladin did agree to the offer of surrender. The best that Sibylla, Balian and Heraclius could hope for was the survival and freedom of the Christians within the city, and Sibylla’s personal safety. When the walls began to collapse and resistance became hopeless, the commanders decided to negotiate terms of surrender. All the men who could fight in Jerusalem were knighted to boost their confidence and galvanise them in their fight against the enemy. Sibylla had the authority to command, Balian the military expertise to strategise, and Heraclius controlled the city’s funds.Īs Jerusalem’s citizens fought to repel the attackers from the walls, inside the city women shaved their heads, repented and begged for salvation. It is natural that she as queen regnant, the highest-status figure in the city, would have taken a commanding role. But the role that women played in commanding sieges in the Latin East is well documented, and at least one contemporary source places Sibylla in Jerusalem during the siege.
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