Battle of Arsuf. Artwork of Crusader knights charging against forces of the Ayyubid dynasty in the Battle of Arsuf on 7 September 1191. This battle took place during the Third Crusades (1189-1192) in what is now Israel. The Crusader army was led by Richard I of England, whose heraldic symbols included a lion on a red background. Other Crusader forces included the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, along with French Crusaders. The Ayyubids, led by Saladin, lost the battle. However, the Crusaders failed in their ultimate aim, which had been to capture Jerusalem.