Famous Last Stands: Hezekiah and Balian

 

by

 

Damien F. Mackey

 

 

Similarity perceived between Assyrian and Muslim sieges of Jerusalem.

 

 

 

At: https://www.reddit.com/r/history/comments/2sqdwq/last_stands_that_were_not/ a reader has observed, in relation to famous last stands: 

 

There is limited documentation of it (some brief accounts in the Bible and one mention from Assyrian documents) but the city of Jerusalem under King Hezekiah was laid under siege by the Assyrian army, the greatest and most brutal army un the world, and they outlasted the Assyrians. The sources are vague, but it's likely that either the Assyrians were defeated in battle or there was trouble at home that caused Assyrian King Sennacherib to withdraw.

 

Another is the Battle of Bunker Hill from early in the American Revolution, in which a smaller American force defended Breed's Hill near Boston from a larger attacking British force (note: I understand both sides were British …).

 

One that is sort of in the middle was the Siege of Jerusalem in between the second and third crusades. The Muslim leader Saladin was laying siege to the city, and Balian of Ibelin held the city long enough to be able to demand terms from Saladin and secure the safe travel to Europe of many of the city's inhabitants.