Baldwin, with assistance from a Genoese fleet, captures Arsuf and …

…Arsuf on his horse (unusual for this period, especially considering the high death rate of horses during the First Crusade and afterwards, the name of the horse has survived: she was called Gazala).

He does not want to risk venturing out of the city for fear of being captured by the Egyptians, so he convinces the English pirate Godric of Finchale to break through the Egyptian blockade of Jaffa, which is being besieged also by land.

…Arsuf, but because Baldwin is supposedly not a danger, he has allowed his army to be spread out over a large area, pillaging and foraging.

However, unknown to Saladin, the forces he had left to subdue the King had been insufficient and now both Baldwin and the Templars are marching to intercept him before he reaches Jerusalem.

Arsuf had been captured by the Muslims in 1187 but on September 7, 1191, had fallen again to the Crusaders after a battle between Richard I of England and Saladin.

John of Ibelin, Lord of Beirut (1177—1236) had in 1207 become Lord of Arsuf when he married Melisende of Arsuf (born around 1170).

Their son John of Arsuf (who lived from around 1211 to 1258) had inherited the title.

The title then passed to John of Arsuf's eldest son Balian of Arsuf (1239—1277) who had built new walls, a large fortress, and in 1241 a new harbor.

The city has been ruled from 1261 by the Knights Hospitaller.

Baibars captures Arsur in 1265 after forty days of siege.

The Mamluks raze the city walls and the fortress to their foundations, fearing a return of the crusaders.

The destruction is so complete that the site is abandoned.

…Baibars receives the surrender of Arsuf from the Knights Hospitallers.