The Third Crusade ( 1189–1192 ) was an attempt by the leaders of the three most powerful states of Western Christianity ( England , France , and the Holy Roman Empire ) to reconquer Conquering the Holy Land following the capture Conquering of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid sultan , Saladin , in 1187 .

It was partially successful , recapturing Conquering the important cities of Acre and Jaffa , and reversing Change most of Saladin 's conquests , but it failed to recapture Conquering Jerusalem , which was the major aim of the Crusade and its religious focus .

Saladin ultimately brought Bringing both the Egyptian and Syrian forces under his own control , and employed Employment them to reduce Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale the Crusader states and to recapture Conquering Jerusalem in 1187 .

A combined Cause_to_amalgamate Byzantine-Crusader siege Besieging of Damietta failed Earnings_and_losses in 1169 , the same year that Salah ad-Din , also known as Saladin in the West , took power in Egypt as vizier .

In 1171 Saladin became Becoming sultan of Egypt and the crusaders thereafter turned Change their attention to the defence of their kingdom , which , despite being surrounded Surrounding by Syria and Egypt , held Hold for another 16 years .

The Islamic State ( IS ) called Name_conferral the battles of Mosul and Saladin `` the Battle of the Lion of God al-Bilawi , '' ( ) in honor of Abu Abdulrahman al-Bilawi .

Tikrit has symbolic significance as the hometown of Saddam Hussein , and is also the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate .