The Battle of Harran took place on May 7, 1104 between the Crusader states of the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa, and the Seljuk Turks. It was the first major battle against the newfound Crusader states in the aftermath of the First Crusade. This article is about the medieval crusades. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... Events The worlds first factory, the Venice Arsenal, is founded in Venice. ... Ruins of the Ulu Cami (Great Mosque) at Harran Harran, also known as Carrhae, is an archeological site in present day southeastern Turkey, 24 miles (39 kilometers) southeast of Sanli Urfa. ... The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; in Arabic سلجوق Saljūq, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to... The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade. ... The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity (see Edessa). ... The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; in Arabic سلجوق Saljūq, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to... Baldwin of Bourcq (died August 21, 1131) was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. ... Bohemund I of Antioch (c. ... Tancred (1072 - 1112) was a leader of the First Crusade, and later became regent of the Principality of Antioch and Prince of Galilee. ... Joscelin of Courtenay or Joscelin I ruled over the County of Edessa during its zenith, from 1118 to 1131. ... Mosul (36°22′N 43°07′E; Arabic: , Kurdish: Mûsil, Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ Nîněwâ) is a city in northern Iraq. ... Buildings in an older section of Mardin Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... Events The worlds first factory, the Venice Arsenal, is founded in Venice. ... The Crusader states, c. ... The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade. ... The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity (see Edessa). ... The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; in Arabic سلجوق Saljūq, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to... The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II to regain control of the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Christian Holy Land from Muslims. ...

The Historical Events

In 1104 Baldwin I of le Bourg, count of Edessa had attacked and besieged the city of Harra. The starving population was willing to hand him over the keys of the city (Matthew of Edessa). For his further support Baldwin sought help from Bohemond I of Antioch and Tancred, Prince of Galilee. Bohemond and Tancred marched north from Antioch to Edessa to join with Baldwin and Joscelin of Courtenay. Bernard of Valence, Patriarch of Antioch, Daimbert of Pisa, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Benedict, archbishop of Edessa, accompanied them. They marched marched towards Harran, about 20 kilometres away. Baldwin of Bourcq (died August 21, 1131) was the second count of Edessa from 1100 to 1118, and the third king of Jerusalem from 1118 until his death. ... Bohemund I of Antioch (c. ... Tancred (1072 - 1112) was a leader of the First Crusade, and later became regent of the Principality of Antioch and Prince of Galilee. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Joscelin of Courtenay or Joscelin I ruled over the County of Edessa during its zenith, from 1118 to 1131. ... The Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office established in the aftermath of the First Crusade by Bohemund, the first Prince of Antioch. ... Dagobert (also Daimbert), Archbishop of Pisa, was the first Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem after it was captured in the First Crusade. ... The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title given to the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. ... Ruins of the Ulu Cami (Great Mosque) at Harran Harran, also known as Carrhae, is an archeological site in present day southeastern Turkey, 24 miles (39 kilometers) southeast of Sanli Urfa. ...

The Seljuks, under Jikirmish, governor of the Mosul and and Sukman, the Artuqid lord of Mardin, gathered in the area of the Khabur, perhaps at Ra's al-'ain (Hellenistic Rhesaina). In May 1104 they attacked ar-Ruha'/Edessa, in order to distract the crusaders from Harran. Mosul (36°22′N 43°07′E; Arabic: , Kurdish: Mûsil, Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ Nîněwâ) is a city in northern Iraq. ... The Ortoqid dynasty was an Oghuz Turk dynasty that ruled in the Jezirah (northern Iraq) in the 11th and 12th centuries. ... Buildings in an older section of Mardin Mardin is a city in southeastern Turkey. ...

However the information are contradictory. According to Ibn al-Qalanisi, Tancred and Bohemund arrived before ar-Ruha'/Edessa at that moment when ar-Ruha'/Edessa was under attack of the Seljuq forces. According to the chronicle of 1234 they arrived first at the gates of Harran.

Also about the location of the battle are contradictory evidence. Possibly there were several skrimishes and one main battle. After first defeats of the Seljuqs the crusaders follwed them. According to the influential chronicler Ibn al-Athir the main battle was fought 12 km away from Harran. However the contemporary chronicler Matthew of Edessa reports a pursuit of to days.

The dispute between Bohemond and Baldwin was already distracting the Crusaders, resulted in a split of the crusader forces. The main battle took place according to Albert of Aachen and Fulcher of Chartre in the plain (planitie) opposite to the city of ar-Raqqah. The crusaders managed to bring their troops into a battle formation; Baldwin and Joscelin commanded the Edessan left wing while Bohemond and Tancred commanded the Antiochene right. Ar Raqqah (ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺔ; also spelled Rakka), city in north central Syria, capital of the Raqqah province, located on the north bank of the Euphrates River, about 160 km east of Aleppo. ...

During the battle itself, the troops of Baldwin of le Bourg rushed ahead and engaged the enemy first. They were completely defeated, and Baldwin and Joscelin were captured by Sukman. The Antiochene troops suffered only a few casualties and were able to escape to Edessa. However, Baldwin was shortly after captured by Jikirmish from the camp of Sukman, due to the small booty which Jikirmish made. Although a ransom was paid, Baldwin and Joscelin were not released. Bohemond named Tancred as regent in Edessa. Joscelin came free befor the year 1108 and Baldwin in 1108.

The battle was one of the first Crusader defeats, and helped convince the Muslims that they were not invincible, as they seemed to be during the First Crusade. The Byzantine Empire took advantage of the defeat to impose their claims on Antioch, and recaptured Latakia and parts of Cilicia. Many of the towns ruled by Antioch revolted and were re-occupied by Muslim forces from Aleppo. Armenian territories also revolted in favour of the Byzantines or Armenia. These events caused Bohemond to return to Italy to recruit more troops, leaving Tancred as regent of Antioch as well. Byzantine Empire (Greek: ) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Roundabout in Latakia Latakia (Arabic: اللاذقية Al-Ladhiqiyah, Greek:Λαοδικεία) is the principal port city of Syria. ... Cilicia as Roman province, 120 AD In Antiquity, Cilicia (Ki-LIK-ya) was a region, and often a political unit, on the southeastern coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), north of Cyprus. ...

Significance of the Battle

The 12th century historian William of Tyre wrote that there was no battle more disastrous than this. Although Antioch recovered by the next year, the Byzantine emperor Alexius I imposed the Treaty of Devol on Bohemond, which would have made Antioch a vassal of the empire had Tancred agreed to it. Antioch was again crushed at the Battle of Ager Sanguinis in 1119; Edessa never really recovered and survived until 1144 only because of divisions among the Muslims. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... A historian is a person who studies history. ... William of Tyre (c. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus Alexius I (1048–August 15, 1118), Byzantine emperor (1081–1118), was the third son of John Comnenus, nephew of Isaac I Comnenus (emperor 1057–1059). ... The Treaty of Devol was an agreement made in 1108 between Bohemund I of Antioch and Byzantine Emperor Alexius I, in the wake of the First Crusade. ... A vassal or liege, in the terminology that both preceded and accompanied the feudalism of medieval Europe, is one who enters into mutual obligations with a lord, usually of military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain guarantees, which came to include the terrain held as a fief. ... The Battle of Ager Sanguinis, also known as the Battle of the Field of Blood or the Battle of Sarmada, took place between the Crusader Principality of Antioch and the Ortoqid ruler of Aleppo in 1119. ... Events February 2 - Callixtus II becomes Pope August 20 - Henry I of England routes Louis VI at the Battle of Bremule. ... Events Louis VII capitulates to Pope Celestine II and so earns the popes absolution Pope Celestine II is succeeded by Pope Lucius II December 24 - Edessa falls to Zengi Montauban, France, is founded First recorded example of an anti-Semitic blood libel in England Normandy comes under Angevin control...

References

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