The Siege of Damascus took place over only four days, from July 23 to July 27, 1148, during the Second Crusade. July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Events Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona conquered Tortosa in posetion of the moors. ... The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. ...

Background

Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, embarking on crusade after the fall of the County of Edessa, both faced disastrous marches across Anatolia in 1147 and 1148. Most of their armies were lost; Louis abandoned his troops and travelled by ship to Antioch, where his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine’s uncle, Raymond, was prince. Raymond expected him to offer military assistance against the Seljuk Turks threatening the Principality, but Louis refused and hastened to Jerusalem. Conrad, stricken by illness, had earlier returned to Constantinople, but arrived in Jerusalem a few weeks later in April of 1148. Louis VII the Younger (French: Louis VII le Jeune) (1120 - September 18, 1180) was King of France from 1137 to 1180. ... Conrad III ( 1093- 1152), the first German king of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia. ... This article is about historical Crusades . ... 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). ... Anatolia ( Greek: ανατολή anatolē or anatolí, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of... Events King Afonso I of Portugal and the Crusaders capture Lisbon from Muslims First written mention of Moscow. ... This is about one of the cities called Antioch in Asia Minor, now Turkey. ... Eleanor of Aquitaine (Bordeaux, France, about 1122/1124 – March 31, 1204 in Fontevrault, Anjou) was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Europe during the Middle Ages. ... Raymond of Poitiers (1099-June 27, 1149) was prince of Antioch between 1136 to 1149. ... The Seljuk Turks (Turkish: Selçuk; Arabic: سلجوق Saljūq, السلاجقة al-Salājiqa; Persian: سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that occupied parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. ... The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ...

Council of Acre

The original focus of the crusade was Edessa, but in Jerusalem, the preferred target of King Baldwin III and the Knights Templar was Damascus. The Haute Cour met at Acre on June 24, with magnates from France, Germany, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem in attendance: the greatest assembly of nobles in Jerusalem’s history. Both Louis and Conrad were persuaded to attack Damascus, although many of the nobles of Jerusalem considered this plan foolish, as the Burid dynasty of Damascus, though Muslim, were their allies against the Zengid dynasty. Zengi had besieged the city in 1140, and Mu'in ad-Din Unur, a Mameluk acting as vizier for the young Mujir ud-Din Abaq, negotiated an alliance with Jerusalem through the chronicler Usamah ibn Munqidh. Conrad, Louis, and Baldwin insisted, however; Damascus was a holy city for Christianity, like Jerusalem and Antioch, and would be a noteworthy prize in the eyes of European Christians. In July their armies assembled at Tiberias and marched to Damascus, around the Sea of Galilee by way of Banyas. There were perhaps 50 000 troops in total. Edessa is the historical name of a town in northern Mesopotamia. ... Baldwin III (1130-1162) was king of Jerusalem from 1143-1162. ... The Seal of the Knights — the two riders have been interpreted as a sign of poverty or the duality of monk/soldier. ... Damascus by night, the green spots are minarets Damascus (Arabic officially دمشق Dimashq, colloqially ash-Sham الشام) is the capital city of Syria and one of the worlds oldest cities. ... The Haute Cour (High Court) was the feudal council of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. ... The Old City of Akko in the 19th or early 20th century, looking south-west from atop the Land Wall Promenade, the open space now a parking lot. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a short-lived country established in the 12th century by the First Crusade. ... The Burid Dynasty was a Turkish dynasty which ruled over Damascus in the early 12th century. ... The Zengid Dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Seljuk Turkish origin, which ruled parts of Northern Iraq and Syria during the 12th and 13th centuries. ... Imad ad-Din Zengi (also Zangi or Zengui) (1087-1146) was the son of Aq Sunqur al-Hajib, governor of Aleppo under Malik Shah I. He became atabeg of Mosul in 1127, and of Aleppo in 1128, uniting the two cities under his personal rule, and was the founder of... Events Henry Jasomirgott was made count palatine of the Rhine. ... An Ottoman Mamluk, from 1810 Mamluks (or Mameluks) (the Arabic word usually translates as owned, singular: مملوك plural: مماليك) comprised slave soldiers used by the Muslim Caliphs and the Ottoman Empire, and who on more than one occasion seized power for themselves. ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Usamah ibn Murshid ibn Munqidh (also Osama, Usama, Ussama, or Usmah) (1095-1188), an Arab historian, politician, and diplomat, was one of the most important contemporary Arab chroniclers during the time of the Crusades. ... Tiberias (Hebrew טבריה, Teverya; Arabic طبرية, Ṭabariyyah) is a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Lower Galilee, Israel. ... The Sea of Galilee with the Jordan River flowing out of it to the south and into the Dead Sea The Sea of Galilee is Israels largest freshwater lake, approximately 53 kilometers (33 miles) in circumference, about 21 km (13 miles) long, and 13 km (8 miles) wide; it... The remains of the city of Banias (Arabic pronunciation of Panias) are located in northern Israel, at the foot of Mt. ...

Siege

The crusaders decided to attack Damascus from the west, where orchards would provide them with a constant food supply. They arrived at Daraiya on July 23, with the army of Jerusalem in the vanguard, followed by Louis and then Conrad in the rearguard. The Muslims were prepared for the attack and constantly attacked the army advancing through the orchards outside Damascus on July 24. The orchards were defended by towers and walls and the crusaders were constantly pelted with arrows and lances along the narrow paths. Thanks to a charge by Conrad, the crusaders managed to fight their way through and chase the defenders back across the Barada River and into Damascus. Having arrived outside the walls of the city, they immediately put it to siege, using wood from the orchards. Inside the city the inhabitants barricaded the major streets, preparing for what they believed to be an inevitable assault. An orchard is an intentional planting of trees maintained for food production. ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... Barada is a fictional character from the Star Wars universe. ...

Unur had sought help from Saif ad-Din Ghazi I of Aleppo and Nur ad-Din of Mosul, and personally led an attack on the crusader camp; the crusaders were pushed back from the walls into the orchards, where they were prone to ambushes and guerrilla attacks. According to William of Tyre, on July 27 the crusaders decided to move to the plain on the eastern side of the city, which was less heavily fortified but had much less food and water. Interestingly, this move is not recorded in the chronicle of Ibn al-Qalanisi, who observed the siege from inside Damascus. Saif ad-Din Ghazi I was the eldest son of Zengi of Mosul, and the elder brother of Nur ad-Din. ... Aleppo is also the name of two townships in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... Mosūl (Kurdish: Mûsil, Arabic: موصل, al Mawsil) or Nineveh (Syriac: ܢܝܢܘܐ) is a city in northern Iraq/Central Assyria. ... William of Tyre (c. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ...

There were conflicts in both camps: Unur could not trust Saif ad-Din or Nur ad-Din from conquering the city entirely if they offered help; and the crusaders could not agree about who would receive the city if they captured it. Guy Brisebarre, lord of Beirut, was the suggestion of the local barons, but Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders, wanted it for himself and was supported by Baldwin, Louis, and Conrad. There were rumours that Unur had bribed the leaders to move to a less defensible position, and that Unur had promised to break off his alliance with Nur ad-Din if they crusaders went home. Meanwhile Nur ad-Din and Saif ad-Din had by now arrived at Homs and was negotiating with Unur for possession of Damascus, something that neither Unur nor the crusaders wanted. Saif ad-Din apparently also wrote to the crusaders, urging them to return home. With Nur ad-Din in the field it was impossible to return to their better position, if in fact they had moved. The local crusader lords refused to carry on with the siege, and the three kings had no choice but to abandon the city. First Conrad, then the rest of the army, decided to retreat back to Jerusalem on July 28, though for their entire retreat they were followed by Turkish archers who constantly harassed them. Central Beirut (2004) Beirut ( Arabic بيروت - the French name, Beyrouth, was also commonly used in English in the past) is the capital, largest city and chief seaport of Lebanon. ... Thierry dAlsace (c. ... The counts of Flanders ruled over the county of Flanders from the 9th century. ... Homs (also Himş, Arabic, حمص, population 700,000) is an ancient city in Syria, dating back to 2300 B.C.. In Roman times it was known as Emesa. ...

Aftermath

All sides felt betrayed by the others. A new plan was made to attack Ascalon but this was abandoned due to the lack of trust that had resulted from the failed siege. Conrad returned to Constantinople to further his alliance with Manuel, while Louis remained behind until 1149. As a result of the Crusade, Damascus no longer trusted the Crusaders, and the city was formally handed over to Nur ad-Din in 1154. Baldwin III unwisely seized Ascalon in 1153 and brought Egypt into the sphere of conflict, thus preparing the way for the fall of Jerusalem. Bernard of Clairvaux was also humiliated, and when his attempt to call a new Crusade failed, he tried to disassociate himself from the fiasco of the Second Crusade altogether. He died in 1153. Ashkelon or Ashqelon (Hebrew אשקלון; Arabic عسقلان ʿAsqalān; Latin Ascalon) was an ancient Philistine seaport on the east coast of the Mediterranian sea just north of Gaza. ... Events Castle of Carimate destroyed. ... Events King Stephen of England dies at Dover, and is succeeded by his adopted son Henry Plantagenet who becomes King Henry II of England, aged 21. ... Events January 6 - Henry of Anjou arrives in England. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ...

The aftermath of the Second Crusade saw the beginning of the long decline of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the other crusader states. Nur ad-Din’s nephew Saladin was proclaimed Sultan of Egypt in 1171, uniting Egypt and Syria and completely surrounding the crusader kingdom. In 1187 Jerusalem capitulated to him, and he spread north to capture all but the capital cities of the Crusader States, precipitating the Third Crusade. Saladin, king of Egypt from a 15th century illuminated manuscript; the globus in his left hand is a European symbol of kingly power. ... The Third Crusade began in 1189 as an attempt to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin. ...

Sources

• The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusaders, extracted and translated from the Chronicle of Ibn al-Qalanisi. Edited and translated by H. A. R. Gibb. London, 1932.
• William of Tyre. A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea. Edited and translated by E. A. Babcock and A. C. Krey. Columbia University Press, 1943.
• Steven Runciman, A History of the Crusades, vol. II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East, 1100-1187. Cambridge University Press, 1952.
• Kenneth Setton, ed. A History of the Crusades, vol. I. University of Pennsylvania Press, 1958 (available online (http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=browse&scope=HISTORY.HISTCRUSADES)).

William of Tyre (c. ... Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman (7 July 1903 - 1 November 2000) was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages. ...

External links

• William of Tyre: The Fiasco at Damascus, 1148 (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/tyre-damascus.html) at the Internet Medieval Sourcebook