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Timeline Main Page Packrat Main Page
Second Crusade: 1145 to 1149, aftermath to1174 in a nutshell:
Turks take Edessa
Crusader leaders are French Louis VII and German Conrad III
Turks take Antioch from Crusaders
Crusaders take Ascalon from the Egyptians
Everyone goes home after the defeat at Damascus
Saladin becomes the ruler of Egypt
Kings of Jerusalem: Melisende, Baldwin III, Baldwin IV
Byzantine Emperors: Manuel I Comnenus, Alexius II Comnenus
The Details:
1145 - Pope Eugene III proclaims a second crusade to take back land from the Muslims. He clears Crusader passage through Hungary and Sicily and the Byzantine Empire although Emperor Manuel I wants sworn oaths from all the Crusaders. Meanwhile, a German monk named Rudolf was inspiring massacres of Jews in the Rhineland, Cologne, Mainz, Worms, and Speyer, claiming Jews were not contributing financially to the rescue of the Holy Land. Rudolf was eventually muzzled by St Bernard of Clairvaux.
The new players are French King Louis VII and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine who depart June 11 from Metz, Lorraine thru Syria, independent of the Pope's request. Reynald of Chatillon and Bernard of Clairvaux accompanies the party. Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders; Henry II, the future Count of Champagne; Louis’ brother Robert de Dreux; Alphonse I of Toulouse; William II of Nevers; William III de Warrenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey; Hugh VII de Lusignan go along.
Louis VII had burned the city of Vitry, along with 1300 of its people over a conflict with a pope assigning his own nephew the Bishop of Bourges. Louis's nightmares caused him to t ke the cross, as tonement for such an act.
Joseclin II takes back Edessa in Sept but loses it again in Nov, over 3000 women and children were killed in the process.
1146 - Zengi was assassinated, succeeded by his son Nur ad-Din.
1147 Apr - The English leave for Gilbraltar to cross the Mediterranean, the same route as Conrad which insulted Roger II of Sicily, who refused to go. French, Flemings, Lorraine, Brittany, Burgundy, and Aquitaine armies went along. They stop in Portugal because of a storm and help take Lisbon back from the Moslems for Henry, a French lord about to be made King of Portugal.. The seige lasted from July 1 to Oct 24. Most of the army stayed in Portugal or went home, very few continued to the Holy Land. The Crusade had promised spiritual rewards for the efforts, most saw this much effort had been enough.
1147 May - German crusaders departed. Conrad III Emperor of Germany went thru Hungary, arriving ahead of the French at Constantinople in December. His young nephew, Frederick I Barbarossa gets to go along. Conrad had felt the French had treated him lightly and leaves without waiting for Louis. Louis and Conrad quarrel when they reach Constantinople, not helped by misunderstandings by the Byzantines.
1147 June - At Worms, Louis joined with crusaders from Normandy and England, then encounters a small squirmish with Geza of Hungary.
1147 - Nur ad-Din and Mu'in ad-Din Unur, the governor of Damascus, made an alliance against Jerusalem
1147 - Sept 10 - Germans reach Constantinople, relations are not great, Conrad wants to proceed. Manuel wants Conrad to leave behind some of this soldiers to help fight off Roger II but Conrad declines, despite he and Roger are enemies.
Henry reaches Constantinople, to be warmly greeted. The French are insulted by Manuel's relationship with the Seljuks, but hold off attacks due to papal orders. Armies from Savoy, Auvergne, and Montferrat joined Louis in Constantinople, everyone leaves for Asia without Byzantine.
1147 Oct 15 - Conrad leaves for Turkish territories, without enough provisions.
1147 Oct 25 - 2nd Battle of Dorylaeum is a massacre, Conrad and a few of his knights escape to Nicaea, leaving behind his army, treasury and any hope of continuing. The army was sold into slavery, those who escaped returned home. Conrad is escorted to Lopadium (Nicaea?) where he joined Louis where everyone was ambushed by the Turks. Conrad and a precious few knights accompanied the French to Pergamum and Smyrna and Ephesus, where Conrad fell seriously ill, recuperated at Constantinople, where the Byzantine emperor Manuel I acted as his personal physician.
1148 Jan - The French reach Laodicaea by cutting across the land and climbing the southwest mountains of Turkey. Eleanor is with the advance troops of Poitevins and Aquitainians. One of the army commanders, Geoffrey of Poitou, sees a desirable valley, takes his command ahead and leaves Henry vulnerable. The Turks attack Henry, most his soldiers are killed or flee, Henry had to hide in a tree surrounded by his bodyguards. Geoffrey is sent home in shame, and the remaining soldiers are led by the Templars, sworn not to flee. William III de Warrenne, Rainald of Tonnerre, Manasses de Bulles, Walter de Montjay, Everard of Breteuil are some of those taken or killed.
1148 Feb - Henry makes it to Attalia where a few of Conrad's Germans are, also in bad shape. Louis orders the Byzantine governor to provide ships, and some set off for the port of Saint Symeon at Antioch. The rest of his army has to wait outside the walls of Attalia where they are attacked by Turks. The governor finally lets them in to wait for the additional ships. In the end, some went by sea, others went by foot and were almost completely annihilated by Turks, arriving at Antioch in the spring.
1148 Mar 19 - Louis reaches Antioch, his forces were down to knights. Amadeus of Savoy died in Cyprus along the way. Louis was welcomed by Eleanor’s uncle Raymond of Poitou. Raymond wants Louis' help against the Moslem center Aleppo, Joscelin wants to head to Edessa, Raymond of Tripoli wants to attack Montferrand. Louis does not want to offend anyone, but prefers a pilgrimage based on piety, not politics. Eleanor spent most of her time with her uncle, their individual dialect, Languedoc, helped rumors about Eleanor's preference. Patriarch of Jerusalem arrives in April with the news that Conrad is in Palestine, Louis makes up his mind and heads out for Jerusalem after placing Eleanor is custody as she was refused to go and has threatened divorce. Little of Eleanor is heard after at this point.
1148 Apr - Louis reaches the Holy Land along with Conrad's remants. Alphonse I of Toulouse dies on the way.
1148 Jun 24 - Haute Cour counsel meet at Acre: Conrad, Otto, Henry II of Austria, future emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, and William III of Montferrat represent the Holy Roman Empire; Alphonse's son Bertrand, Thierry of Alsace, and various other ecclesiastical and secular lords represent the French; King Baldwin III, Queen Melisende, Patriarch Fulk, Robert of Craon (master of the Knights Templar), Raymond du Puy de Provence (master of the Knights Hospitaller), Manasses of Hierges (constable of Jerusalem), Humphrey II of Toron, Philip of Milly, and Balian of Ibelin represent Jerusalem. No one from Antioch, Tripoli, or the former County of Edessa attended. The Damascus sultans have been cooperative with Christians, yet pose the largest threat to Jeruslaem. Most claim Damascus is their ally against Zengst, Baldwin, Louis and Conrad insist, an army is put together in July to attack Damascus. Many angry men returned home, including Duke Welf.
1148 July 23 or 24 - The seige of Damascus was a four day fiasco. Vizier Unur sends immediately for assistance from Nur ed-Din, those who urged the seige are now pleading to relent, the army is heavily divided. A move to the east and west walls is fruitless, the army marches back to Palestine on July 28, attacked and reduced by the Turks all the way.
1149 - Conrad returns to Germany after the attack on Ascalon fails. Louis and Eleanor returned to Europe after Easter on separate ships and divorce in 1152. Very few knights remain in the Holy Land and the Third Crusade ends in total failure.
Aftermath:
1149 - Saxon nobles meet in Frankfurt to ask permission of Bernard of Calrivaux to crusade against the pagan Slavs in the east, Pope Eugene gives his leave.
1149 July - The Crusader Church of the Holy Sepulcher is dedicated, consecrated by Melisende in 1149, the jubilee anniversary of the city's conquest.
1149 - Seljuk Nur ad-Din takes Antioch in the Battle of Inab, Raymond of Poitiers is killed.
1150 - Joscelin II is captured and held in Aleppo until his death in 1159. His wife sells Turbessel and what was left of Edessa to Emperor Manuel I, but it was captured by Nur ad-Din and the Sultan of Rum within the year. She takes her children to Jerusalem near Acre.
1152 - Baldwin III and his mother were called to intervene in a dispute between Baldwin's aunt Hodierna of Tripoli and her husband Count Raymond II. When the matter was settled, Hodierna was about to return to Jerusalem with them, when Raymond II was murdered by the Hashshashin, Ismaili Muslims assassins. Baldwin remained behind to settle the affairs of the County, while Hodierna took up the regency for her young son Raymond III of Tripoli. Edessa had been lost and Antioch and Tripoli had no leaders.
Baldwin III wishes to be crowned separately from his mother, she refuses, they take the matter to the Haute Cour, or royal council, who decides Baldwin would retain Galilee in the north, including Acre and Tyre, while Melisende held the south, richer Judea and Samaria, including Nablus and Jerusalem itself. Melisende was supported by Manasses and Baldwin's younger brother Amalric. Both Baldwin III and Melisende are unhappy with the decision. Baldwin launched an invasion of the south, Manasses was defeated at the castle of Mirabel and exiled, and Nablus fell. To prevent further violence, Jerusalem opened its gates to Baldwin, Melisende and Amalric sought refuge in the Tower of David. The church negotiated with Baldwin III , the peace agreement allowed for Melisende to hold Nablus for life, with a solemn oath by Baldwin III not to disturb her peace. Baldwin III named his supporter Humphrey II of Toron as the new constable.
1153 - Baldwin III finally takes the impregnable Ascalon, assuring protection from the Egyptian side and added to Jaffa territory ruled by Amalric. Turmoil and treachery are taking place in Egypt, and concerns rose that if Saracen Moslem held Syria at Aleppo and Damascus were to join forces with Egypt, the Christians would be annihilated. Knights Hospitaller began preparing maps of the possible invasion routes to Egypt.
1154 - Baldwin III and Melisende reconciled, Melisinde 'retired' but acted as regent when Baldwin was campaigning.
1154 - Nur ad-Din takes Damascus from Mameluke Mu'in ad-Din Unur, uniting Moslem Syria.
1156 - Baldwin III was forced into a treaty with Nur ad-Din
1157 - Baldwin III led an expedition into Syria and besieged Shaizar in Syria, but was forced to withdraw when a dispute arose between Thierry I of Flanders and Raynald of Chatillon, both of whom wanted Shaizar. Baldwin was, however, able to capture Harim, a former territory of Antioch.
1157 - Baldwin III sent Humphrey of Toron to negotiate with Byzantine Emperor Manuel, it was decided that Baldwin should marry Theodora, Manuel's niece. They married Sept 1158, he was 28, she was 13. Baldwin III was forced to recognize Byzantine suzerainty over Antioch, and if Theodora were to be widowed she would be provided the city of Acre.
1157 - Amalric marries Agnes of Courtenay, daughter of Joscelin II of Edessa, bears Sibylla and then the future Baldwin IV (born in 1161)
1158 - Baldwin III defeated Nur ad-Din himself.
1160- Baldwin III and Emperor Manuel actually met and became friends. Raynald of Chatillon is captured by the Moslems during a raid on the Marash area, and held at Aleppo for seventeen years. BaldwinIII becomes regent of Antioch, which offends Manuel, who strengthened his ties to the Antioch in 1160 by marrying Princess Maria, Baldwin's cousin.
1161 - Melisende dies in Nablus from a stroke.
1162 Feb 10 - Baldwin III died in Beruit on the way home, rumored to have been poisoned. Amalric takes over on the condition he annul his marriage with Agnes who retains the title of Countess of Jaffa and Ascalon, the children remain legitimate are taken from Agnes.
1163 plain and simple - Crusaders attack Egypt. New Egypt Vizier flees to Moslems, old Egypt Vizier flees to Crusaders, new Vizier killed. Old Vizier fears Moslems and flees to Crusaders, Crusaders attack, Moslems retreat and executes old Vizier. Moslem Vizier dies, Moslem leader dies, Saladin rules Moslem and Egyptian territories.
1163 - Amalric led his first expedition into Egypt claiming that the Fatimids had not paid the yearly tribute. The vizier, Dirgham, had recently overthrown the Egyptian vizier Shawar, and marched out to meet Amalric at Pelusium, but was defeated and retreated to Bilbeis. Amalric returned home, Shawar fled to Nur ad-Din, who sent his general Shirkuh to settle the dispute in 1164. In response Dirgham sought help from Amalric, but Shirkuh and Shawar arrived before Amalric could intervene and Dirgham was killed. Shawar, however, feared that Shirkuh would seize power for himself, and he too looked to Amalric for assistance. Amalric returned to Egypt in 1164 and besieged Shirkuh in Bilbeis until Shirkuh retreated to Damascus. Nur ad-Din executes Shawar in 1169, replacing him with Shirkuh who dies immediately after.
1169 - Amalric meets with Egyptian Caliph Shawar at his palace, bringing two knights, Templar Geoffrey and Hugh of Caesarea. They agree to a pact and together fight Shirkuh, lieutentant of the governor of Aleppo, Nur ed-Din. They battle near Cairo, Shirkuh takes the wounded and prisoners to Alexandria, leaving his nephew, Saladin in charge, and retreats to upper Egypt.. Shirkuh hears the Crusaders are nearing Alexandria, returns to find everyone at peace, the unusual comraderie between the Franks, Egyptians and Turks is documented.
Nur ad-Din captured Bohemund III of Antioch and Raymond III of Tripoli prisoner during Amalric's absence, Amalric took the regency of Antioch and Tripoli and secured Bohemund's ransom in 1165, Raymond was not released until 1173.
1167 - Amalric secures a Byzantine wife, Maria Comnena, great-grandniece of Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. William of Tyre was promoted to archdeacon of Tyre, and was recruited by Amalric to write a history of the kingdom.
1168 - Amalric and Manuel create a pact against Egypt, William Tyre is one of the ambassadors for the arrangements. Amalric still had a peace agreement with Shawar of Egypt, who had been accused of siding with Nur ad-Din. The Knights Hospitaller supported an invasion, while the Knights Templar refused to have any part in it.
1168 Oct - Amalric invaded and seized and set fire to the new Frank town Bilbeis without waiting for Manuel's help. Amalric marched to Cairo where Shawar offered gold. Nur ad-Din sends Shirkur to Cairo, Amalric retreats. When Amalric suggested a new campaign, he asked Shawar's son where to camp, who replied, "On the point of my spear." Amalric starts negotiations with Nur ad-Din.
1169 Jan - Shirkuh had Saladin assassinate Shawar, Saladin take the place of Vizier to Caliph ad-Adil when Shirkuh dies in March and now controls Egypt.
1170 - Amalric tries to take Damascus, a long and unsuccesful disaster, the Byzantines blame Amalric for the failure. Amalric signs a truce with Saladin and returns home. Saladin takes Eilat, severing Jerusalem's connection with the Red Sea
1171 - Saladin desposes the Caliph, the last of the Fatimid dynasty. Saladin is declared sultan of Egypt, uniting Egypt and Syria, and completely surrounding the Christian lands.
1172 - Amalric and Anna's daughter Isabella is born.
1174 - Nur ad-Din dies Feb 15 at Damascus.
Amalric immediately besieged Banias, becoming ill from dysentery, dying July 11 after bequeathing Nablus to Maria and Isabella. His leprous son Baldwin IV succeedes at the age of 13, with Raymond III of Tripoli as one of his regents. William Tyre, Baldwin IV's tutor (who spoke five languages) discovered Baldwin's leprosy. Agnes re-establishes herself in court in Jerusalem. Baldwin IV makes an agreement with Saladin to allow free trade between Muslim and Christian territories.
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