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imported>Vatsa1708
m Link fix..
imported>Darman36
Housekeeping, missing IRL context. Archaeology section on WP is uncited, not keeping info. Richard insists on 1v1 duel, not Altair vs 13 men. Note: Jewish Zionists, like Orthodox Jews, is just Jewish subgroup, like Evangelical, Mormon, etc Christians.
 
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{{Era|AC1|Secret Crusade}}
{{Era|Locations}}{{WP-REAL|Apollonia–Arsuf}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{WPlocations}}
{{Location Infobox
{{Location Infobox
|image   = arsuf.jpg
|image = Arsuf.jpg
|icon    = Arsuf.svg
|date = 6th or 5th century BCE<ref name="Wiki">{{WP|Apollonia–Arsuf}}</ref>
|iconwidth= 40
|abandoned = 1265<ref name="Wiki"/>
|heldby  = [[Saracens]],<br>later [[Crusaders]]
|factions = [[Saracens]]<br>[[Crusaders]]
|factions =  
|coordinates=32°11'43"N, 34°48'24"E<ref name="Wiki"/>}}
|targets  = [[Robert de Sable]]
'''Arsuf''', also known as '''Arsur''' or '''Apollonia''',<ref name="Wiki"/> was an ancient city within the [[Kingdom]], located on a cliff above the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. In 1191, the plains around Arsuf were the site of the [[Battle of Arsuf]], fought between the [[Crusaders|Crusader]] army led by King [[Richard I of England]] and the [[Saracens|Saracen]] forces of [[Saladin]].
|flags    = ''(None)''
|seenin  = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
}}
'''Arsuf''' was an ancient fortress and city located within the [[Kingdom]]. The '''Arsuf Plains''' which partially surrounded the city hosted the [[Battle of Arsuf]] in 1191 C.E. Also known as Arsur or Apollonia, it was located on a cliff above the Mediterranean Sea.


==History==
==History==
===Early history and development===
===Early history===
Founded by Phoenicians in the 6th or 5th century B.C.E.E., Arsuf was initially a part of the Persian Empire. During the Hellenistic period it became an anchorage town, ruled by Seleucids and renamed Apollonia. Later, under {{Wiki|Roman Empire|Roman rule}}, the size of the town increased, where it was an important settlement along Via Maris, the coastal road.
Founded by {{Wiki|Phoenicia|Phoenicians}} in the 6th or 5th century BCE, Arsuf was initially a part of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]]. However, during the {{Wiki|Hellenistic period}}, it became an anchorage town that was ruled by {{Wiki|Seleucid Empire|Seleucids}} and was renamed Apollonia. Later, under [[Roman Empire|Roman rule]], the size of the town increased, becoming an important settlement along Via Maris, the coastal road. In 113 CE, the city was partially destroyed by an earthquake, but recovered quickly and developed trade with [[Italy]] and North Africa. Captured by Muslims in 640 CE, the Semitic name of Arsuf was restored and the town was surrounded by a fortified wall to resist the constant attacks of [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] fleets from the sea.<ref name="Wiki"/>


In 113 C.E., the city was partially destroyed by an earthquake, but recovered quickly and developed trade with [[Italy]] and North Africa. Captured by Muslims in 640 C.E., the Semitic name Arsuf restored and the town was surrounded by a fortified wall to resist the constant attacks of Byzantine fleets from the sea.
In 1101, Arsuf fell to an army of [[Crusaders]] led by {{Wiki|Baldwin I of Jerusalem}}. The Crusaders, who called it Arsur, rebuilt the city's walls and created the Lordship of Arsur in the Kingdom of [[Jerusalem]]. However, in 1187, Arsuf was once again captured by the Muslim [[Saracens]].<ref name="Wiki"/><ref name="AC1">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
 
In 1101, Arsuf fell to a army of [[Crusaders]] led by [[Wikipedia:Baldwin I of Jerusalem|Baldwin I of Jerusalem]]. The Crusaders, who called it Arsur, rebuilt the city's walls and created the Lordship of Arsur in the Kingdom of Jerusalem, but in 1187 Arsuf was again captured by the [[Muslims]].<ref name="wa">''[[Wikipedia:Arsuf|Wikipedia entry on Arsuf]]''</ref>


===Third Crusade===
===Third Crusade===
In 1191, a [[Battle of Arsuf|major battle]] took place there between the forces [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] and [[Saladin]].
In 1191, a major [[Battle of Arsuf|battle]] took place close to Arsuf between the forces of [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] and [[Saladin]]. The [[Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins|Levantine Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] entered the area in search of [[Robert de Sablé]], who was reuniting with Richard for a briefing in the upcoming battle. Crusader and Saracen scouting parties were scattered around the plains with the bulk of the army moving through the coastal road. Altaïr fought his way through the plains, slaying many soldiers, both Crusader and Saracen.<ref name="Assassination">''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' – [[Assassination II (Robert de Sablé)]]</ref>


The [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] entered the area in search of [[Robert de Sable]], who was reuniting with Richard for a briefing in the upcoming battle. Crusaders and Saracens scouting parties were scattered around the plains, with the bulk of the army moving through the coastal road.<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref> The Assassin fought his way through the plains, slaying several groups of many soldiers, both [[Crusader]] and [[Saracen]]. Reaching the encampment, Altaïr was surrounded by [[Templars]], but Richard gave him a chance to speak. Altaïr accused de Sable, and Richard set them in a final battle, so the man "which side God favors" wins. Altaïr was confronted by a dozen Templars and de Sable, but won the duel despite unfavorable odds. Robert informed him that [[Al Mualim]], [[Mentor]] of the [[Levantine Assassins]], was a Templar all along. With Richard's consent, the Assassin left for [[Masyaf]] to confront his master.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />
[[File:BoA 8.png|thumb|left|250px|Crusaders at the Battle of Arsuf]]
Upon reaching the encampment, the Assassin was surrounded by members of the Knights Templar, though Richard gave him a chance to speak. Altaïr accused de Sablé of secretly plotting to undermine the English king, though the Grand Master dismissed his comment as nonsense. To settle the affair, Richard directed the two into a final duel, so the man "whose side God favors" would win, with Altaïr ultimately winning the fight.<ref name="Assassination"/>


===Modern times===
With his final breath, Robert informed Altaïr that the Levantine Assassins' own Mentor [[Al Mualim]] had secretly been a Templar ally. Following this, with Richard's consent, the Assassin left for [[Masyaf]] to [[Retaking of Masyaf|confront]] his master.<ref name="Assassination"/> The Crusaders emerged victorious from the Battle of Arsuf, and subsequently took control of the city.<ref name="Wiki"/>
The Crusaders won the battle and took control of Arsuf. By 1261, the city was ruled by the [[Knights Hospitalier|Knights Hospitaller]]. It was captured by Sultan Baibars in 1265 after 40 days of siege. The Mamluks completely destroyed the town, fearing a return of the Crusaders.


The remains of the ruined fortress and the ancient Arsuf city still stood during [[modern times]], within the jurisdiction of the Apollonia National Park in Herzliyya, Israel. In 1995, a new village named Arsuf was established north of the fortress.
===Middle Ages to modern times===
By 1261, Arsuf was ruled by the [[Knights Hospitalier]], though Sultan {{Wiki|Baybars}} captured it in 1265 after only 40 days of siege. The [[Mamluks]] then completely destroyed the town; so thorough was its razing that nobody returned over the next centuries to rebuild it until the late 1590s, when a small village was established on the site and it passed into the [[Ottoman Empire]]'s jurisdiction.<ref name="Wiki"/>


==Trivia==
The fortress' remains and city still remained until [[modern times]], and in 1924, they were absorbed into the ''{{Wiki|moshava}}'' (מושבה, lit. "colony") of {{Wiki|Herzliya}},<ref name="Wiki"/> a [[Judaism|Jewish]] farming settlement in {{Wiki|Mandatory Palestine|British Palestine}} named for the [[Austria|Austro]]-[[Hungary|Hungarian]] founder of {{Wiki|Zionism}}, {{Wiki|Theodor Herzl}}.<ref>{{WP|Herzliya}}</ref> After Jewish Zionists violently expelled the region's resident 750,000 {{Wiki|Palestinians}} in the 1948 {{Wiki|Nakba}} (النَّكْبَة, lit. "the catastrophe"), their newly-founded state of {{Wiki|Israel}} decreed that the area south of Arsuf was allocated to housing for new settler immigrants.<ref name="Wiki"/>
The location of the penultimate level of the game, it can only be entered for a short period, before the conclusion of the game. It only appears on the [[map]] after Altaïr's attempted assassination of Robert de Sable and his departure from Jerusalem.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />


==Notes and references==
==Gallery==
{{Reflist}}
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" widths="180">
The Battle of Arsuf Plains.jpg|Crusaders marching towards Arsuf
AC1 Map Arsuf.png|Map of Arsuf
</gallery>


==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''


==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC}}
{{AC}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Locations]]
[[ar:أرسوف]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade Locations]]
[[es:Arsuf]]
[[pt-br:Arsuf]]
[[ru:Арсуф]]
[[uk:Арсуф]]
[[zh:阿尔苏夫]]
[[Category:Mediterranean]]
[[Category:Levant]]

Latest revision as of 06:45, 20 December 2025

Arsuf, also known as Arsur or Apollonia,[1] was an ancient city within the Kingdom, located on a cliff above the Mediterranean Sea. In 1191, the plains around Arsuf were the site of the Battle of Arsuf, fought between the Crusader army led by King Richard I of England and the Saracen forces of Saladin.

History[edit | edit source]

Early history[edit | edit source]

Founded by Phoenicians in the 6th or 5th century BCE, Arsuf was initially a part of the Persian Empire. However, during the Hellenistic period, it became an anchorage town that was ruled by Seleucids and was renamed Apollonia. Later, under Roman rule, the size of the town increased, becoming an important settlement along Via Maris, the coastal road. In 113 CE, the city was partially destroyed by an earthquake, but recovered quickly and developed trade with Italy and North Africa. Captured by Muslims in 640 CE, the Semitic name of Arsuf was restored and the town was surrounded by a fortified wall to resist the constant attacks of Byzantine fleets from the sea.[1]

In 1101, Arsuf fell to an army of Crusaders led by Baldwin I of Jerusalem. The Crusaders, who called it Arsur, rebuilt the city's walls and created the Lordship of Arsur in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. However, in 1187, Arsuf was once again captured by the Muslim Saracens.[1][2]

Third Crusade[edit | edit source]

In 1191, a major battle took place close to Arsuf between the forces of Richard the Lionheart and Saladin. The Levantine Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad entered the area in search of Robert de Sablé, who was reuniting with Richard for a briefing in the upcoming battle. Crusader and Saracen scouting parties were scattered around the plains with the bulk of the army moving through the coastal road. Altaïr fought his way through the plains, slaying many soldiers, both Crusader and Saracen.[3]

Crusaders at the Battle of Arsuf

Upon reaching the encampment, the Assassin was surrounded by members of the Knights Templar, though Richard gave him a chance to speak. Altaïr accused de Sablé of secretly plotting to undermine the English king, though the Grand Master dismissed his comment as nonsense. To settle the affair, Richard directed the two into a final duel, so the man "whose side God favors" would win, with Altaïr ultimately winning the fight.[3]

With his final breath, Robert informed Altaïr that the Levantine Assassins' own Mentor Al Mualim had secretly been a Templar ally. Following this, with Richard's consent, the Assassin left for Masyaf to confront his master.[3] The Crusaders emerged victorious from the Battle of Arsuf, and subsequently took control of the city.[1]

Middle Ages to modern times[edit | edit source]

By 1261, Arsuf was ruled by the Knights Hospitalier, though Sultan Baybars captured it in 1265 after only 40 days of siege. The Mamluks then completely destroyed the town; so thorough was its razing that nobody returned over the next centuries to rebuild it until the late 1590s, when a small village was established on the site and it passed into the Ottoman Empire's jurisdiction.[1]

The fortress' remains and city still remained until modern times, and in 1924, they were absorbed into the moshava (מושבה, lit. "colony") of Herzliya,[1] a Jewish farming settlement in British Palestine named for the Austro-Hungarian founder of Zionism, Theodor Herzl.[4] After Jewish Zionists violently expelled the region's resident 750,000 Palestinians in the 1948 Nakba (النَّكْبَة, lit. "the catastrophe"), their newly-founded state of Israel decreed that the area south of Arsuf was allocated to housing for new settler immigrants.[1]

Gallery[edit | edit source]

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

ar:أرسوف es:Arsuf pt-br:Arsuf ru:Арсуф uk:Арсуф zh:阿尔苏夫