Siege of Edessa (1144) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Edessa |
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| Part of the Crusades | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| County of Edessa | Zengids | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Archbishop Hugh Bishop Basil bar Shumna Bishop John |
Imad al-Din Zengi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Garrison killed or captured | Unknown | ||||||
The Siege of Edessa was a big battle that happened from November 28 to December 24, 1144. It was fought over the city of Edessa, which was the main city of a Crusader state called the County of Edessa. The city was captured by a powerful Muslim leader named Zengi, who ruled Mosul and Aleppo. This event was so important that it led to the start of the Second Crusade.
Contents
What Was the County of Edessa?
The County of Edessa was the very first of the crusader states. These states were set up by European Christians during and after the First Crusade. Edessa was founded in 1098 by Baldwin of Boulogne. He left the main Crusader army to create his own territory.
Edessa was located far north and was not very strong. It also had fewer people than other Crusader states. Because of this, it was often attacked by nearby Muslim rulers. These included groups like the Ortoqids, Danishmends, and Seljuk Turks.
Challenges for Edessa's Leaders
Edessa faced many challenges. Its leaders were sometimes captured in battle. For example, Count Baldwin II and later Count Joscelin of Courtenay were taken prisoner after a defeat in 1104. Joscelin was captured again in 1122.
Even though Edessa had some success, like after the Battle of Azaz in 1125, its troubles continued. Joscelin I was killed in battle in 1131. His son, Joscelin II, became the new count.
Losing Important Allies
Joscelin II tried to make friends with the Byzantine Empire, a powerful Christian empire. But in 1143, two important allies died. The Byzantine Emperor John II Comnenus and the King of Jerusalem, Fulk of Anjou, both passed away.
John II was replaced by his son Manuel I Comnenus. Manuel had to focus on keeping power in his own country. Fulk was replaced by his wife Melisende and young son Baldwin III. Joscelin II also had arguments with other Crusader leaders. This meant Edessa was left without strong friends when it needed them most.
The Siege of Edessa Begins
In 1144, Joscelin II tried to make a new alliance. He teamed up with Kara Arslan, a Muslim ruler from Diyarbakır. They wanted to stop the growing power of Zengi, a very strong Muslim leader. Joscelin marched out of Edessa with almost his entire army to help Kara Arslan.
Zengi, who had been looking for a chance to attack since King Fulk's death, quickly moved north. He arrived at Edessa on November 28 and began the siege. The city had been warned, but with Joscelin and the army gone, there was little they could do.
Who Defended the City?
The defense of Edessa was led by three important religious figures:
- Archbishop Hugh (a Latin Christian leader)
- Bishop John (an Armenian Christian leader)
- Bishop Basil bar Shumna (a Jacobite Christian leader)
John and Basil worked hard to make sure that the local Christians stayed loyal and did not join Zengi.
Help That Didn't Arrive
When Joscelin heard about the siege, he took his army to a nearby town called Turbessel. He knew he couldn't defeat Zengi alone. He needed help from the other Crusader states.
In Jerusalem, Queen Melisende sent an army to help. But another important Crusader leader, Raymond of Poitiers, did not send help. His army was busy fighting the Byzantine Empire elsewhere.
The Fall of Edessa
Zengi surrounded the entire city of Edessa. He knew there was no large army inside to defend it. His soldiers built special machines to attack the walls. They also started digging tunnels under the walls to make them collapse. Zengi's army grew stronger as more soldiers, including Kurdish and Turcoman fighters, joined him.
The people of Edessa fought back bravely, but they were not experienced in defending a city under siege. Many of the city's defense towers were empty. They also didn't know how to dig their own tunnels to counter Zengi's.
The Walls Collapse
On December 24, a part of the city wall near the Gate of the Hours collapsed. Zengi's troops rushed into the city. They killed many people who couldn't escape to the Citadel of Maniaces, a strong fortress inside the city. Thousands more were crushed or suffocated in the panic, including Archbishop Hugh.
Zengi eventually ordered his men to stop the killing. However, all the Latin Christian prisoners were executed. The local Christians were allowed to live freely. The citadel was handed over to Zengi on December 26.
Zengi appointed one of his commanders, Zayn ad-Din Ali Kutchuk, as the new governor. Bishop Basil, who seemed willing to work with the new ruler, was recognized as the leader of the Christian people.
What Happened Next?
In January 1145, Zengi captured another town called Saruj. He also started to attack Birejik. But the army from Jerusalem had finally arrived and joined Joscelin. Zengi also heard about problems back in Mosul, so he quickly returned there.
In the Muslim world, Zengi was praised as a hero. He was called "defender of the faith" and "the victorious king." People wrote poems celebrating his victory. Zengi did not continue to attack the remaining Crusader lands right away.
Joscelin's Attempt to Reclaim Edessa
Joscelin II continued to rule the parts of Edessa that were west of the Euphrates River from Turbessel. But over time, more of his land was taken by Muslims or sold to the Byzantines.
In 1146, Zengi was killed by a slave. His son, Nur ad-Din, took over in Aleppo. Joscelin saw this as a chance to get Edessa back. In October 1146, he recaptured most of the city, but not the citadel.
However, Joscelin had no help from other Crusader states. His plan was not well organized. In November, Nur ad-Din's forces drove Joscelin out of Edessa. Joscelin was worried about the Christian Armenians in the city. He tried to create a path for them to escape to safety. But his attempt failed. Nur ad-Din's troops attacked the fleeing Armenians, killing many and forcing the survivors into slavery.
The Call for the Second Crusade
News of Edessa's fall reached Europe. Raymond of Poitiers had already sent a group to ask for help from Pope Eugene III. On December 1, 1145, Pope Eugene III issued a special message called Quantum praedecessores. This message officially called for the Second Crusade.
This new crusade was led by King Louis VII of France and Emperor Conrad III of Germany. But by 1148, the Second Crusade had ended badly. Edessa was never recovered by the Crusaders.
Images for kids
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The castle of Edessa, also known as Urfa Castle, in modern-day Turkey.
