In the year 1182 CE (578 AH), during the Crusader Wars, a dangerous and unprecedented development occurred: the Crusaders attempted to infiltrate the Red Sea. This audacious move was made possible by the absence and preoccupation of Saladin (Salah ad-Din Yusuf) in Iraq and Syria.

The man directly responsible for this criminal attempt was Raynald of Châtillon (Aranat), the Lord of Kerak Castle in present-day Jordan, a part of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Raynald was infamous for his repeated violations of treaties, his intense hatred of Muslims, and his crimes against them. He frequently attacked Muslim caravans, looted their wealth, and even insulted the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). As noted by Al-Maqrizi, he openly declared his intention to “exhume the grave of Muhammad!”

Raynald did not limit himself to raids and plundering against Muslims. He sought to extend the conflict deep into Islamic territories, far from the traditional Crusader strongholds. To achieve this, he ordered the construction of warships in the Kerak region, despite its distance from any coastline. Once the ships were built, they were disassembled and transported across the desert on the backs of camels to the Gulf of Aqaba (Aylah), where they were reassembled and launched into the Red Sea. This marked the first organized Crusader military presence in the region.

By early 1183 CE (579 AH), the Crusader naval campaign, consisting of dozens of ships, began attacking Muslim commercial vessels and coastal cities and ports such as Jeddah and Al-Jar. This disrupted trade routes and threatened the maritime Hajj paths, causing great concern in Egypt and the Levant, especially as some raids approached the coasts near the Holy City of Medina.

News of this campaign reached Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, who was managing multiple military fronts at the time. He sent orders to his brother and deputy in Egypt, Al-Malik al-Adil, commanding him to prepare warships and send them urgently to the Red Sea. Al-Adil chose the distinguished commander Husam ad-Din Lu’lu’, the leader of the Islamic fleet in Egypt, to carry out this mission.

A naval fleet was constructed in Alexandria, then disassembled and transported overland across the desert to a Red Sea port, where the ships were reassembled and launched. Once preparations were complete, the Islamic fleet, led by Husam ad-Din Lu’lu’, set out to pursue the Crusader forces within the Red Sea.

Several naval engagements took place between the two sides, culminating in a Muslim victory. The city of Aylah (modern-day Aqaba) was liberated, Muslim prisoners were freed, and many of the stolen ships and goods were reclaimed. Lu’lu’ then turned south toward Jeddah to confront the remaining Crusader ships, defeating them as well.

However, he discovered that many Crusader knights had already disembarked from their ships and were heading overland toward Medina to execute their sinister plan. Husam ad-Din Lu’lu’ pursued them with a portion of his forces, racing against time until he intercepted them near Rabigh, a short distance from Medina. A swift battle ensued, during which the remaining Crusaders were captured.

Lu’lu’ returned with the prisoners to Cairo, where, by the orders of Saladin, they were executed as a warning to anyone who dared to threaten the sanctities of Islam and to prevent any similar attempts in the Red Sea.

As for Raynald, he was not part of the naval force and thus was not captured during this campaign. However, he continued his violations of treaties, attacks on Muslims, and insults against the Prophet (ﷺ) in the following years. Saladin swore that if he ever captured Raynald, he would kill him with his own hands. True to his word, after the Battle of Hattin on July 4, 1187 CE (583 AH), Raynald was captured, and Saladin personally executed him.

As for the hero Husam ad-Din Lu’lu’, he continued to secure the coasts and maritime routes for the Ayyubid state until his death in 1200 CE. His campaign played a crucial role in establishing Islamic control over the Red Sea and thwarting any Crusader attempts to threaten the Hijaz or the Hajj routes.