jan 1, 1265 - The fall of Arsuf

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In 1265, Sultan Baibars, the Mamluk ruler, captured the town of Arsuf after a prolonged 40-day siege. During the siege, Baibars narrowly escaped death in the moat during a sortie by the town's defenders. After its capture, the inhabitants of Arsuf were either killed or sold into slavery, and the town was completely razed. The devastation was so thorough that Arsuf never recovered its urban character; by the 14th century, the noted geographer Abulfeda reported that it was uninhabited. This event marked the Mamluks' harsh treatment of conquered towns during their campaigns to eliminate Crusader strongholds in the region.

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