Crusader period Tiberias

the scots hotel in restored former hospital of dr. torrance

during first crusade tiberias occupied franks after capture of jerusalem. city given in fief tancred, made capital of principality of galilee in kingdom of jerusalem; region called principality of tiberias, or tiberiad. in 1099 original site of city abandoned, , settlement shifted north present location. st. peter s church, built crusaders, still standing today, although building has been altered , reconstructed on years.

at beginning of 12th century jewish community of tiberias numbered 50 families; , @ time best manuscripts of torah said found there. in 12th-century, city subject of negative undertones in islamic tradition. hadith recorded ibn asakir of damascus (d. 1176) names tiberias 1 of 4 cities of hell. have been reflecting fact @ time, town had notable non-muslim population.

in 1187, saladin ordered son al-afdal send envoy count raymond of tripoli requesting safe passage through fiefdom of galilee , tiberias. raymond obliged grant request under terms of treaty saladin. saladin s force left caesarea philippi engage fighting force of knights templar. templar force destroyed in encounter. saladin besieged tiberias; after 6 days town fell. on july 4, 1187 saladin defeated crusaders coming relieve tiberias @ battle of hattin, 10 kilometres (6 miles) outside city. however, during third crusade, crusaders drove muslims out of city , reoccupied it.

rabbi moshe ben maimon, (maimonides) known rambam, leading jewish legal scholar, philosopher , physician of period, died in 1204 in egypt , later buried in tiberias. tomb 1 of city s important pilgrimage sites. yakut, writing in 1220s, described tiberias small town, long , narrow. describes hot salt springs, on have built hammams use no fuel.

the tomb of maimonides