A defeat of the Franks of Jerusalem under King Baldwin IV by Saladin, who had sent Muslim forces from his base at Damascus to raid the lordships of Sidon (mod. Saïda, Lebanon) and Beirut in northern Palestine.
After confronting Saladin’s forces in the hill country of Marj Ayun, the Franks were routed and dispersed on 10 June 1179. Several important Franks were captured, including Baldwin of Ibelin and Hugh of Saint-Omer, who were ransomed for high sums, and Odo of Saint-Amand, master of the Templars, who was kept a prisoner until his death a year later. Saladin was able to exploit his victory by mounting a successful siege of the new Frankish fortress at Jacob’s Ford in August.