Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major incursion among a series of religious wars, lasting from 1147 to 1150.[1] Originally meant to shore up Crusader control over the Holy Land, the crusade ended with a humiliating retreat of the European armies from the Middle East following a failed siege of Damascus.[2]
History
Prelude
The call for the Second Crusade was triggered in 1144, when atabag Imad al-Din Zengi took Edessa, the capital to one of the Crusader states, outposts of Christianity in the Levant established during the First Crusade. With psychological pressure from the Pope, as well as the success of the First Crusade looming over the noble houses of Europe, many pledged to take part in the military expedition, among them King Conrad III of Germany and King Louis VII of France.[2]
The invasion
The invading forces proved themselves to be overconfident and underprepared, being repeatedly defeated by the Seljuk Turks in Anatolia. An attempt to besiege the city of Damascus, then allied with the son of Edessa's conqueror, Nur al-Din Zengi, was made and led to a retreat after only five days.[2]
Aftermath
The European defeat bolstered Muslim confidence, which had been low since their own defeat in the First Crusade, and allowed Nur al-Din to accrue power, being able to draw together different sections of Muslim society, being both a warrior and a very pious man. The Second Crusade also contributed to the worsening of the marital relations between King Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine, leading to the annulment of their marriage in 1152.[2]
Appearances
- Echoes of History (first mentioned)
References
- ↑
Second Crusade on Wikipedia
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Echoes of History – Assassins vs Templars – Episode 1: Episode 1: The Crusades