Red Sea (Gulf of Aqaba)

The Gulf of Aqaba — the Red Sea's north-eastern arm — formed the southern limit of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. Its shore was disputed by Fatimid Egypt, the Crusader Lordship of Oultrejordain, and the Ayyubids who eventually supplanted both.

Control of the gulf's head meant control of the pilgrim and caravan traffic between Egypt, the Hejaz, and the great fairs of Damascus. For this reason Baldwin I is credited with building the island castle of Île de Graye on Jazirat Fara'un c. 1116, garrisoning it intermittently, and exacting customs dues from passing shipping.

In 1182 Raynald of Châtillon launched his infamous Red Sea raid from here: galleys prefabricated at Kerak were carried across Oultrejordain by camel, reassembled in the gulf, and sent south to the Hejaz. They briefly brought Frankish ships within sight of Rabigh, the port of Mecca, before being cornered and annihilated by Saladin's fleet in 1183. The shock of this raid is generally credited with hardening Saladin's resolve to destroy the Kingdom of Jerusalem.