What happened during the second crusade
The Second Crusade was a military expedition launched by the Catholic Church in response to the fall of the County of Edessa, one of the Crusader states in the Levant.
1. In 1144, the city of Edessa, located in present-day Turkey and held by the Crusaders, was captured by the Muslim forces, specifically led by Zengi, the atabeg (governor) of Mosul. This event caused great concern in Europe and led to the call for the Second Crusade.
2. European powers, including King Louis VII of France and Emperor Conrad III of the Holy Roman Empire, answered the call and launched expeditions to the Holy Land intending to regain control of Edessa.
3. The crusaders faced numerous challenges, including harsh weather conditions, lack of supplies, and difficulties coordinating their efforts.
4. One significant failure of the Crusade was the Siege of Damascus in 1148. The Crusader forces, under the leadership of King Louis VII and Emperor Conrad III, were unable to capture the city despite having surrounded it. The Crusaders faced resistance from both the Muslim defenders and tensions among their own ranks, causing the siege to ultimately fail.
5. The Second Crusade also saw various political and diplomatic maneuvers bearing little military impact. For example, King Baldwin III of Jerusalem sought alliances with Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, but those alliances didn't lead to significant territorial gains.
6. After their failures, both King Louis VII and Emperor Conrad III returned to Europe, effectively ending the Second Crusade without achieving its main objective of regaining Edessa.
Overall, the Second Crusade did not achieve its intended goals and saw limited military success. It highlighted the challenges and complexities of Crusader warfare and demonstrated the strength and resilience of Muslim defenses in the Levant.