Timewatch: The Crusaders' Lost Fort

In 1178, Christians and Muslims were on the brink of total war. The bloody conquest of Jerusalem by the First Crusaders had enraged the Islamic world, including the warlord Saladin. He was determined to crush the Western presence in the Holy Land. But first he had to defeat the young Christian king of Jerusalem, Baldwin the Leper. 
The Crusaders had held dominion over Jerusalem since 1099 and both Saladin and Baldwin were equally determined to win the ensuring battle. 
The first clash between Saladin and Baldwin took place at Jacob's Ford on the Jordan River. It was one of the finest castles of its age, supposedly impregnable and built to harness the cutting-edge military technology of the time. It was described by one Arabic contemporary as "an impregnable rampart of stone and iron". But Saladin was the victor. 
Why did Jacob's Ford fall a year after it was built, after short five-day siege? The entire Harrison was wiped out; the bodies of executed crusaders and their horses were thrown into the stronghold's vast cistern and the fort was razed to the ground, causing a shift in the balance of power between the Christian Muslim that finally led to the fall of Jerusalem. 
For almost a decade, archaeologists have been excavating the site and have discovered bodies and weapons which offer a valuable insight to the battle. Using footage from the digs, home-video archive of previous discoveries, CGI to visualise the castle, and dramatic reconstruction, The Crusaders' Lost Fort reveals the truth behind the fall of Jacob's Fort providing a new understanding of this moment in history. 
Forensic experts tell the story of the fort's construction and the way the soldiers fought. The Crusaders' Lost Fort also brings to life the ghastly potential of siege towers, crossbars, Greek fire and cavalry charges - and discovers that they were far more deadly than those depicted in movies. 
Included in the program are interviews with scholars Tom Asbridge, a leading historian on the Crusades, Dr Ronnie Ellenblum, and anthropologist Piers Mitchell, who reveal the true story of this bloody 12th century battle. (Verleiher-Text)