Siege of Sidon

The siege of Sidon was an event in the aftermath of the First Crusade. The coastal city of Sidon was captured by the forces of Baldwin I of Jerusalem and Sigurd I of Norway, with assistance from the Ordelafo Faliero, Doge of Venice.

Siege of Sidon
Part of the Norwegian Crusade
King Sigurd and King Baldwin ride from Jerusalem to the river Jordan by Gerhard Munthe
Date 19 October – 5 December 1110 Location Sidon, present-day Lebanon Result Crusader victory Territorial changes Lordship of Sidon created
Belligerents
Kingdom of Jerusalem Kingdom of Norway Republic of Venice	Fatimid Caliphate
Commanders and leaders
Baldwin I of Jerusalem  Sigurd I of Norway  Ordelafo Faliero	Governor of Sidon
Strength
Norwegians 5,000 men 60 galleys Franks Many crusaders and siege weapons Venetians A fleet of ships, strength unknown	Fatimids Probably only the city's garrison
Casualties and losses
unknown, but probably minor	unknown, but probably large

Background

In August 1108, Baldwin I marched out against Sidon, with the support of a squadron of sailor-adventurers from various Italian cities. However, the Egyptian fleet defeated the Italians in a sea-battle outside the harbour. Upon the arrival of additional Turkish horsemen from Damascus, Baldwin decided to lift the siege.

In the summer of 1110, a Norwegian fleet of 60 ships arrived in the Levant under the command of King Sigurd. Arriving in Acre he was received by Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem. Together they made a journey to the river Jordan, after which Baldwin asked for help in capturing Muslim-held ports on the coast. Sigurd's answer was that "they had come for the purpose of devoting themselves to the service of Christ", and accompanied him to take the city of Sidon, which had been re-fortified by the Fatimids in 1098.

The siege

Baldwin's army besieged the city by land, while the Norwegians came by sea. A naval force was needed to prevent assistance from the Fatimid fleet at Tyre. Repelling it was however only made possible with the fortunate arrival of a Venetian fleet. The city fell after 47 days.

The Icelandic skald Einarr Skúlason gives the following account.

Sætt frá ek dœla dróttin, drengr minnisk þess, vinna, tóku hvast í hristar hríð valslöngur ríða. Sterkr braut váligt virki vals munnlitaðr gunnar, fögr ruðusk sverð en sigri snjallr bragningr hlaut fagna.

The Norsemen's king, the skalds relate, Has ta'en the heathen town of Saet: The slinging engine with dread noise Gables and roofs with stones destroys. The town wall totters too, — it falls; The Norsemen mount the blackened walls. He who stains red the raven's bill Has won, — the town lies at his will.

Aftermath

When the city surrendered, King Baldwin gave the same terms of surrender he had previously given to Arsuf and Acre. He allowed safe conduct of passage for those leaving and even allowed some members of the Muslim populace to remain in peace.

By order of Baldwin and the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Ghibbelin of Arles, a splinter was taken off the holy cross and given to Sigurd.

The Lordship of Sidon was created and given to Eustace Grenier, later a constable of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Sources

• Battles and sieges, Tony Jaques
• The Crusades and the expansion of Catholic Christendom, 1000–1714, John France
• The Second Crusade, Jonathan Phillips
• The chronicle of Ibn al-Athīr for the crusading period from al-Kāmil fīʼl-taʼrīkh, ʻIzz al-Dīn Ibn al-Athīr and Donald Sidney
• Saga of Sigurd the Crusader and His Brothers Eystein and Olaf