Siege of Jerusalem (1099)
The crusaders begin their final, three-day assault on Jerusalem
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Original prompt & settings (JSON) ↗The final assault opened with fighting through the night rather than a single daylight charge — and the city held for two more days.
Wednesday, 13 July 1099
The Gesta Francorum places the beginning of the main attack on Wednesday and Thursday, 13 and 14 July 1099, saying the crusaders attacked Jerusalem from every side by night and by day.
This time they had equipment. The siege towers and other machinery built over the preceding weeks were in use: Godfrey of Bouillon commanded the principal northern tower, Raymond of Toulouse the southern operation.
Why they could not wait
The machinery was finished, and news had come that a Fatimid relief army was approaching from Egypt. A prolonged blockade was no longer affordable.
Raymond of Aguilers reports about 12,000 fighting men, including 1,200 to 1,300 knights. Jonathan Riley-Smith calls the resulting estimates credible but still guesses.
No foothold, and no retreat
No decisive foothold was secured on 13 July. The assault was not abandoned either — fighting and efforts to move the towers against the walls continued through 14 July and into the 15th.
The northern tower still had to be brought across a filled ditch and close enough for its timbers to serve as a bridge.
On 15 July Godfrey's tower reached the northern wall, crusaders crossed onto it, and the city's defense collapsed.
Sources
Researched 23 Aug 2026 5 sources 2 audit passes
How this was checked
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What the sources leave uncertain
- The date is secure in the contemporary weekday sequence: Wednesday was 13 July and Thursday was 14 July.
- Modern narratives variously say the final assault began on the night of 13 July or at dawn on 14 July. The Gesta encompasses both Wednesday and Thursday and describes continuous night-and-day fighting.
- The figure of 12,000 is a contemporary estimate transmitted by Raymond of Aguilers, not a modern head count.