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Why did the Second crusade fail to take Damascus - Revised (Poor…
Why did the Second crusade fail to take Damascus - Revised
Poor Leadership
Incorrect Strategy
Strategy to move east (Phillips)
Moved East on 27th July to find better attack point
Lack of manpower contributed to decision as they didn't have enough men to take the city
They thought that the Zengid brothers were 15 days away (plenty of time to take west) - they were actually closer
Decided to move east for weaker defence
defences were not as weak as they thought
Damascus was poor choice to attack
Extremely important to Muslims so would fight to the death to defend it
History of Jihadi rhetoric @ Grand Umayyad Mosque
Other options (Tyreman)
Aleppo
Seat of Nur ad Din's power
Effect = drives Damascus into alliance with Nur ad Din
Daughter of Damascus had already married Nur ad Din = alliance already made
Ascalon
Easily taken
Isolated Fatimids
Rich port
History of alliance with Kingdom of Jerusalem V Zengi
Daughter of Damascus had already married Nur ad Din = alliance already made
Damascus actually good choice (Phillips)
Only 140 miles from Jerusalem
Daughter of Damascus had already married Nur ad Din = alliance already made
Now potential threat to KoJ
Most powerful city in Syria = large threat
Due to Factionalism
Had Bernard Led crusade may not have happened
Melisende VS Baldwin III
Amalric on Melisende's side
If Ascalon attacked Amalric would gain it
Baldwin would not attack Ascalon
Raymond of Antioch VS Louis
Louis thinks Raymond is having an affair with his wife, Eleanor
Will not attack Aleppo because Raymond would gain it
Betrayal by Eastern Franks
Moving location because Unur bribed them
Western Franks don't trust them
Poorly planned logistics and supplies
Badly planned food and water for desert camp in the East
Ran out of supplies
Had not brought siege machinery b/c thought walls would be low
Poor leadership on the battle field
Crossing Anatolia
Louis
Ignored Byzantine advice to overwinter in Greek towns - chose to carry on marching
Attacked by amassed Turks Byzantines had warned him of
Many men killed/enslaved = Damascus denied manpower
Weather bad - supplies ran out
March 1148: Abandoned army in Anatolia
Left army to Bourbon + Flanders - given money to get Greek escort
Conrad
Split army in two
Half took route of 1st crusade
Attacked @ Dorylaeum October 1147
Fell for feigned retreat
Half took Coastal route
Lost touch with each other --> couldn't help when other half attacked @ Dorylaeum
Sept 1147: refused to wait for the French --> smaller army
Siege of Damascus
Leadership was actually good
Louis
Handed control to the templars
Initial success over Turks
Ephesus 24 Dec
Meander River 31 Dec
got Byzantine cooperation
Manuel agreed to give him supplies
Treated his army well
Provided for the destitute
Used royal guard to shield non-combatants
When abandoning, left instructions and money w/ flanders and Bourbon
For greek escort
Nobles used money for themselves
Conrad
Led charge at Damascus getting them within 1 mile of city gates
Baldwin III
Key in making attack rapidly progress
Bernard of Clairvaux
Did not Specify final objective
Could caused factionalism when deciding objective
Would not have been Edessa because after 1146 indefensible
Did not come on crusade like Adhemar
Led to factionalism b/c no leader to unite them
Had links to Louis Melisende and Templars
Was not able to specify final objective when there
Had too many objectives
Baltic Crusade
Used to keep Saxons from attacking HRE land --> get Conrad on Crusade
Lisbon Crusade
Most of fleet stayed = lack of manpower
Muslim Military skill and unity
Byzantine Sabotage