The “giant golden cross” story is usually about the True Cross relic carried by crusaders, not something Raymond IV personally owned. At the Battle of Hattin in 1187, that relic was captured by Saladin’s forces and then disappears from the historical record.

What happened

  • Crusaders had carried a revered relic believed to be part of the cross of Jesus.
  • After the defeat at Hattin, Saladin captured it.
  • After that, its fate is unknown; accounts suggest the precious metal and jewels may have been removed, while the wooden relic was likely discarded or lost.

About Raymond IV

Raymond IV of Toulouse was a major First Crusade leader, but the famous loss of the cross relic happened decades after his death. He died in 1105, so he was not involved in the Hattin episode.

In plain terms

So the short answer is: it was captured, stripped of value, and then lost to history. The relic itself was probably not a literal giant golden cross in the modern sense, but a decorated reliquary or sacred object associated with the True Cross.

TL;DR: the cross relic was taken by Saladin after Hattin in 1187 and never returned, while Raymond IV had already died long before that.