Editing Raynald of Châtillon (section)

== Capture and execution ==

[[Image:BNF, Mss fr 68, folio 399.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.3|alt=A bearded man wearing a turban with a sword in his hand and a beheaded body before a tent|Execution of Raynald at [[Hattin]] (from a 15th-century manuscript of William of Tyre's {{lang|la|Historia}} and its ''Continuation'')]]

The {{lang|fr|Estoire d'Eracles}} incorrectly claims that Saladin's sister was also among the prisoners taken by Raynald when he seized the caravan.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=225}}{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=450}} She returned from Mecca to Damascus in a separate pilgrim caravan in March 1187.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=225}} To protect her against an attack by Raynald, Saladin escorted the pilgrims while they were travelling near Oultrejordain.{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=454}} Saladin stormed into Oultrejordain on 26{{nbsp}}April and pillaged Raynald's domains for a month.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=227}} Thereafter, Saladin marched to [[Tell Ashtara|Ashtara]] on the road between Damascus and [[Tiberias]], where the troops coming from all parts of his realm assembled.{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=229}}{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=299}}

The Christian forces assembled at [[Sepphoris]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2000|p=229}}{{sfn|Baldwin|1969|p=610}} Raynald and Gerard of Ridefort persuaded Guy of Lusignan to take the initiative and attack Saladin's army, although Raymond{{nbsp}}III of Tripoli had tried to persuade the king to avoid a direct fight with it.{{sfn|Hamilton|1978|p=107}}{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=300}} During the debate, Raynald accused Raymond of Tripoli of co-operating with the enemy.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=301}} Raynald and Rideford had fatally misjudged the situation.{{sfn|Hamilton|1978|p=107}} Saladin inflicted a crushing defeat on the crusaders in the [[Battle of Hattin]] on 4{{nbsp}}July, and most commanders of the Christian army were captured on the battlefield.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=304}}

Guy of Lusignan and Raynald were among the prisoners who were brought before Saladin.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=306}} Saladin handed a cup of iced [[rose water]] to Guy.{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} After drinking from the cup, the king handed it to Raynald.{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} [[Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani]] (who was present) recorded that Raynald drank from the cup.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=306}} Since customary law prescribed that a man who gave food or drink to a prisoner could not kill him, Saladin pointed out that it was Guy who had given the cup to Raynald.{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} After calling Raynald to his tent,{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=306}} Saladin accused him of many crimes (including [[brigandage]] and [[blasphemy]]), offering him to choose between [[conversion to Islam]] or death, according to Imad ad-Din and Ibn al-Athir.{{sfn|Hamilton|1978|p=107}}{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} After Raynald flatly refused to convert, Saladin took a sword and struck Raynald with it.{{sfn|Hamilton|1978|p=107}}{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} As Raynald fell to the ground, Saladin beheaded him.{{sfn|Hamilton|1978|p=107}}{{sfn|Cotts|2021|p=42}} The reliability of the reports of Saladin's offer to Raynald is subject to scholarly debate, because the Muslim authors who recorded them may have only wanted to improve Saladin's image.{{sfn|Mallett|2014|p=72 (note 49)}} Ernoul's chronicle and the {{lang|fr|Estoire d'Eracles}} recount the events ending with Raynald's execution in almost the same language as the Muslim authors.{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=459}} However, according to [[Ernoul|Ernoul's chronicle]], Raynald refused to drink from the cup that Guy of Lusignan handed to him.{{sfn|Barber|2012|p=306}}{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=162}} According to Ernoul, Raynald's head was struck off by Saladin's soldiers and it was brought to Damascus to be "dragged along the ground to show the Saracens, whom the prince had wronged, that vengeance had been exacted".{{sfn|Barber|2012|pp=306, 423}}{{sfn|Nicholson|1973|p=162}} Baha ad-Din also wrote that Raynald's fate shocked Guy of Lusignan, but Saladin soon comforted him, stating that "A king does not kill a king, but that man's perfidy and insolence went too far".{{sfn|Runciman|1989|p=460}}