The First, Second, and Third Crusades: 1095-1192 | MEGA-COMPILATION DOCUMENTARY

in 1095 Pope Urban II preached before a great council at Claremont France there he presented a call to action to the knights and Warriors of the Latin Christian World Pope Urban called on these men to launch a military campaign in the East to bring Aid to the Eastern Christian Empire of Constantinople and to take control of Jerusalem and The Holy Land in Syria Palestine thus began that Monumental period of History known as the Crusades which spanned several centuries and deeply impacted the Mediterranean world the Crusades were a series of military campaigns sanctioned by the pope and conducted by Knights and rulers from the Latin West with the purpose of retaking or expanding Christian territory especially in the Holy Land Spain and Portugal and later the Baltic it all began with the First Crusade which saw a Latin Christian Army composed of Warriors from France England Germany Italy and other regions capturing Jerusalem itself and establishing new Latin Christian Kingdoms in the holy land and the surrounding territories but how did the Crusades begin and why did they begin when they did many people are intrigued by the fact that the Crusades began in the late 11th century some four centuries after the great expansion of the early Islamic caliphates in the mid 7th Century the early Arab conquests were among the most important events of the Early Middle Ages within a century the rashidun and umayyad caliphates conquered much of the old Roman Empire including Mesopotamia Syria Palestine Egypt Western North Africa and even Spain this rapid and spectacular series of conquests transformed the Mediterranean World greatly reducing the size of the most powerful Christian State at the time the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire as it's sometimes called much of the early Christian world had been centered on these Eastern regions which had been the wealthiest and oldest parts of the old Roman Empire Jerusalem located in Judea in the Roman province of Palestine had been an important holy site in the early Christian era prized as the location of Christ's death and Resurrection pilgrims had flocked to this region throughout the early Christian centuries foreign 638 Jerusalem was taken by the rashidun caliphate during the Arab conquest of Syria Palestine and yet it wasn't until 1095 some four centuries later that a pope called for a crusade to recapture Jerusalem at the time of the early Arab conquests the Latin Christian world was poor fragmented and still in its formative stages it's impossible to even conceive of a ruler in the Latin West at that time launching any sort of transcontinental Expedition especially to far away Jerusalem the pope was busy just trying to maintain some sort of coherent order in central Italy during the Early Middle Ages the Mediterranean world was dominated by the sprawling wealthy umayyad and Abbasid caliphates as well as the Byzantine Empire at this time the Latin West had scarcely emerged as a significant player the defining moment came with the rise of Charlemagne who United much of the old Western Roman Empire into a new carolingian Empire a distinctively Frankish entity that would leave its mark on the Latin world from then on the western world would be largely a Frankish world with markedly Frankish institutions but still the Latin West remained far poorer and less powerful than Byzantium or the great Islamic Empires and after the death of Charlemagne the carolingian Empire collapsed and fragmented it was during this period the 9th and 10th centuries that Latin Christendom experienced what historian Jeffrey baraklow called The Crucible of Europe the old order of Charlemagne's empire broke down and Europe seemed to experience attacks from all sides the fierce Norsemen of Scandinavia the Vikings ravaged Ireland England and France while the Magyar Horsemen invaded from the East and from the south the Arabs expanded in Spain captured Sicily and assailed the Italian coasts this was a formative period for the Latin West when a nightly Elite capable of providing defense emerged as the rulers of a new feudal Europe ultimately Latin Christendom would repel or even assimilate many of these invading forces the Vikings converted some of them becoming the Normans who gave their name to Normandy the magyars became the hungarians and Hungary became the easternmost Kingdom of the Latin West meanwhile in Spain the Christian Kings of astorias began to make small gains at the expense of the powerful umayyad caliphate of Cordoba by the early 11th century Latin Christendom was emerging as more politically organized more militarily powerful and increasingly prosperous with a growing population [Music] the Italian Coastal Powers were launching fleets capable of defeating the Arab Naval forces of Sicily and North Africa and securing valuable trade routes by the late 11th century the Normans closely Allied to the Pope in Rome had even conquered Sicily with its wealthy beautiful capital of Palermo many people don't know that Palermo was one of the most important Muslim cities during the Early Middle Ages the capture of Sicily by the Normans represented a major shift in the Strategic realities of the Mediterranean world another important Milestone came when the Christian king of Leon Castile in Spain Alfonso VI conquered Toledo in 1085 one of Arab Spain's lavish cultural and Military hubs foreign made note of these signs of the emerging power of the Latin Christians or the Franks as he called them when he wrote his Grand history centuries later IBN Outlet there wrote The Power of the Franks and their increased importance were first manifested by their invasion of the lands of Islam and their conquest of part of them in the year 478 that's 1085-1086 for that was when they took the city of Toledo and other cities of Spain as we have already mentioned then in the year 484 that's 1091-1092 they attacked and conquered the island of Sicily as we have also mentioned they descended on the coasts of Africa and seized some part which was then taken back from them later they took other parts as you shall see this passage in IBN allahir's Chronicle comes just before his discussion of the First Crusade which helps us understand why the Crusades began when they did by the mid 11th century Latin Christendom a region composed of many differing kingdoms and Powers nevertheless shared a common religious Allegiance and a common Latin Heritage derived from the legacy of the Western Roman Empire as well in many circumstances as a Frankish Legacy the Latin Christian world was increasingly powerful and Wealthy more and more competing on equal terms with the Byzantine East and the various Muslim caliphates and Empires during the 11th century the Latin Christian Church Consolidated its Authority Across the Western World and more importantly Consolidated its ideas the reform popes such as Leo the ninth Alexander II and Gregory VII began to articulate a vision of Christian Society with the Pope at the head and the Knights and the warrior Elite acting to defend and expand christendom's Frontiers the popes condemned the petty Wars among Nobles in France urging them to instead join together and travel to places like Spain and Sicily Pope Alexander II granted a Papal Banner to Roger of outfill the Norman prince who succeeded in overturning Arab rule in Sicily Rogers War according to the pope had spiritual Merit men who joined Roger could gain the church's blessing and spiritual benefits the popes were also giving their blessing to the Christian kings of Spain as they battled the Umayyads and the taifa kingdoms of Morris Spain here lay the roots of the ideas of the Crusade just as Charlemagne's heirs had battled the Vikings and the magyars so now the Knights of Latin Christendom were called on by the church to battle saracens and Moors both terms used by the Latins for various Muslim kingdoms and Powers in 1071 an event took place which sent shock waves throughout the Christian world that year the Eastern Byzantine emperor Romanus IV lost a critical battle against the seljuk Turks at manzakur in Asia Minor modern-day turkey the seljuk Turks were also an emerging power during the mid to late 11th century they'd converted to Sunni Islam and come to dominate much of the Arab East Swift horse archers their armies proved devastating to both their Muslim and Eastern Christian opponents they captured considerable territories from the powerful Fatimid caliphate in Egypt a prominent Shiite power during this period including the Syria Palestine region by their victory at months occurred the seljuk Turks captured almost the whole of Asia Minor one of the last important territories held by the Byzantine emperors the power of the Byzantine emperors nearly collapsed they now relied heavily on Western mercenaries to maintain their shrinking Empire from Constantinople the Byzantine emperor Alexius the first kaminus dispatched Messengers to the Pope in Rome hoping to acquire Western military assistance in driving the seljuk Turks from Asia Minor these events would lead to that Monumental Expedition known to history as the First Crusade foreign [Music] in March of 1095 Pope Urban II completed a tour of France and Italy by holding Council in piachenza In Lombardi here ambassadors from the Byzantine emperor Alexius kamninis appealed to the pope for Western military aid the seljuk Turks had seized control of most of Anatolia and were on the doorstep of Constantinople it's hard to discern precisely what Alexius hoped to gain from his appeal to the Pope alexius's daughter Anna kemnina in her Chronicle the alexid says nothing about her father requesting aid from the west and instead treats the First Crusade as a spontaneous movement initiated by the Latins however Anna wrote in the mid-12th century and she may have purposely tried to distance her father from Latin policy it's possible that the delegation at piachenza was there more on routine as part of The Emperor's ongoing efforts to recruit Latin Warriors into his service but it's also possible that Alexius meant to take advantage of Western military resources in a large and serious push against the seljuks the Council of piacenza is often viewed as the moment when Pope Urban decided to launch the First Crusade however Jonathan Riley Smith points out that the idea of a military Expedition sent to Aid Byzantium had likely been developing in the Pope's mind for years a highly learned broad-minded individual Pope Urban Reckoning the historical ties binding Rome and Constantinople and throughout his papacy strove to bring the two closer together one of his first acts as Pope was to lift the Latin Church's excommunication on Alexius at the Council of melfi in 1089 he established friendly correspondence with both the Byzantine emperor and the patriarch of Constantinople relations between the Latin and Greek churches warmed piachenza also was not the first time the Byzantine emperor had appealed to Latin Christendom for martial support only a few years earlier Alexius had asked the pope to send troops to fight the pechen eggs in the Balkans as mentioned earlier Alexius himself was no stranger to working with Latin Christians in 1086 Alexius had met with Robert the first count of Flanders who is coming back from pilgrimage to Jerusalem Alexius had shown Robert much hospitality and the two even embarked together on a campaign against the seljuks Constantinople had a sizable population of Western Europeans but the emperor's own Bodyguard the varangians made up of elite Scandinavian Warriors Pope Urban II recognized how a serious response to this appeal was the natural next step in the papacy's drive to assert its Spiritual Authority in the wake of the investiture controversy following Pope Gregory VII's expulsion from Rome in 1084 as a result of his conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor the papacy had been in a weakened State now at piachenza Urban vividly exercised papal power as historian Christopher Tireman says sitting in judgment on the state of the church and the morals of the clergy and debating the sins of Emperors and Kings specifically the conduct of Henry IV of Germany and the adultery of Philip the first of France a call to Aid the Greeks against the seljuk Turks would be yet another confident demonstration of papal strength after the Council of piacenza in March 1095 Pope Urban II began planning the expedition that would be known to history as the First Crusade he made an elaborate Tour of France the first pope to do so in half a century which was to culminate in the Council of Claremont in November to be attended by 13 archbishops 82 Bishops and a large number of abbots and other clergyman these church leaders would hail from the anglo-norman Realms in the north to Northern Austria in the East to Italy in the south the Pope's tour cover the bulk of southern central western and Southeastern France each stop featured Mass assemblies and preaching all designed to convey the gravity of the event Urban avoided areas under the direct control of the king of France who was to be excommunicated at Claremont for adultery everywhere the pope went there was great excitement over his presence there is strong evidence to indicate that prior to the Council of Claremont the pope met with Ramon IV count of Toulouse one of the wealthiest Lords in all of Europe Raymond had campaigned in the Iberian Peninsula alongside Alfonso VI of Leon and Castile who had granted Raymond his daughter Elvira in marriage deeply Pious and experienced in the wars against the Moors in Spain Raymond was a natural Ally to the Pope in his plans for a military campaign against the seljax in the East Ramon himself likely knew the details of Urban's Plan before Claremont and probably also committed to involve himself in the cause during his private talks with the Pope the pope also met with an important Bishop of Ramon's domains adamor of lapui who was designated spiritual head of the Crusade Additionally the pope consulted the bishop of kehor the Archbishop of Leon and the Abbot of Clooney as well as the Cardinals and Italian clergymen traveling with him one of whom was dambert Archbishop of Pisa destined to be elected patriarch of Jerusalem in 1099. clergyman were asked to encourage the local Knights and nobility to travel to Claremont for the council in November there is even a long-running legend that the first Crusader vows were made in October at a meeting in burgundy in examining Pope Urban's planning and travels throughout 1095 leading up to the Council of Claremont it's clear that the pope had a meticulous plan in mind that had been in development for much of his papacy in some ways the idea was forming long before Urban's election as Pope the popes had been concerned about the disintegration of christendom's Eastern Frontier for some time in 1074 news of Westward Turkish incursions had caused Pope Gregory VII to propose leading personally an army of some 50 000 Christians to quote liberate their brothers in the East Urban's goal was far more ambitious to mobilize the resources of christendom's military class under the command of important rulers like Ramon IV of Toulouse with the intent of bringing support to the byzantines and liberating Jerusalem even before 1095 many of Europe's major noblemen and clergyman were already aware of the plan now all that was left was to make the major announcement in the fall at Claremont Pope Urban II's Tour of France in 1095 culminated with the Council of Claremont which began on November 18. most of the high-ranking attendees were churchmen abbots and Bishops the council dealt with an array of ecclesiastical issues Church organization simony celibacy lay investiture as well as the excommunication of King Philip the first of France for refusing to maintain his relationship with his Queen and openly keeping a mistress in her place finally it was announced that on Tuesday November 27 the pope would address the public to make a great announcement a crowd gathered in response so large that it could not be hosted within the cathedral a platform was raised on the field before The City Gate here Urban made his speech five versions of the Pope's speech survived to this day while they are not identical they agree for the most part on the ideas expressed by the Pope in essence he called on the Knights of Europe to engage in a war of Liberation Eastern Christians were abused and humiliated by the seljuk Turks and it was the Christian duty of their Western Brethren to help them regardless of the costs involved Constantinople was emphasized as the rallying point for the Western forces with the idea that the Crusade would join forces with the emperor Alexius and Aid him in repulsing the Turks and winning back his territory but Alexius was not the only Lord Urban encouraged the knights to help Christ himself was to be given Aid by this Expedition the pope highlighted Jerusalem and The Holy Land as the inheritance of Christ on Earth and urged Western Christians to win back territory that lawfully belonged to him in this way Urban born of the nightly class himself spoke to the European nobility in terms that were deeply meaningful to them as Soldiers of Christ it was their duty to fight for his lands just as a vassal must fight to defend the lands of his feudal Lord Jerusalem had long been an objective veneration and pilgrimage for Western Christians in a society that prized relics the Holy Sepulcher the sight of Christ's death and Resurrection was the ultimate Relic for medieval Latins contact with the Holy Sepulcher provided a means of powerful connectedness to Christ the most sacred site on Earth the pope proclaimed must not remain in the hands of infidel it must be procured by Christians so that it could receive due honor Pope Urban must have been a remarkable speaker his words moved the masses gathered at Claremont and soon The Heir was filled with men shouting Deus Vault God wills it adamar the bishop of La Pui came forward and became the first man to receive the cross that is take the pledge to go on Crusade and many others followed his example one of our most important eyewitness accounts of the First Crusade is the guest of francorum written anonymously by a follower of Bowman of taranto possibly a knight the author of The gesta was not present at the Council of Claremont but he opens his Chronicle with an account of the Pope's speech which he must have compiled from the oral accounts of other Crusaders who had heard the Pope's words this version of urban speech is quite interesting because it gives us an idea of how the Pope's call to Crusade was perceived by a fairly ordinary participant the guester records the Pope's words as follows whoever wishes to save his soul should not hesitate humbly to take up the way of the Lord and if he lacks sufficient money Divine Mercy will give him enough brethren we ought to endure much suffering for the name of Christ misery poverty nakedness persecution want illness hunger thirst and other ills of this kind just as the Lord saith to his disciples ye must suffer much in my name and be not ashamed to confess me before the faces of men verily I will give you mouth and wisdom and finally great is your reward in heaven the guest aversion emphasizes the sacrificial aspect of the Crusade the idea that it was a great trial undertaken out of Devotion to Christ and a desire to gain Heaven this flies in the face of the incorrect idea held by some that most Crusaders were motivated out of material greed and not out of spirituality in fact the Deep spiritual motivations behind the First Crusade are evident everywhere in the primary sources we possess if the gesta was indeed written by an ordinary Soldier or Knight it's a fascinating glimpse into the religious convictions of such a person another important eyewitness chronicler of the First Crusade was full care of shatra a priest who served as chaplain to Baldwin of bologna and lived out his days in the early Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem full care who also offers an account of Pope Urban speech emphasizes the Crusade as an act of Love performed by westerners to Aid Eastern Christians suffering under seljuk rule for your brethren who live in the East are in urgent need of your help and you must hasten to give them Aid which has often been promised them for as most of you have heard the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of Romania as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean and the hellespawn which is called the arm of Saint George and they have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians and have overcome them in seven battles they have killed and captured many and have destroyed the churches and devastated the Empire if you permit them to continue the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them on this account I or rather the Lord beseech you as Christ's Heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank foot soldiers and knights poor and Rich to carry Aid promptly to those Christians I say this to those who are present it is meant also for those who are absent moreover Christ commands it full cares account also includes the plenary Indulgence promised by the pope to Crusaders all who die by the way whether by land or by sea or in battle against the pagans shall have immediate remission of sins Pope Urban II's Crusade was carefully organized and he expected participants to adhere to his instructions potential Crusaders were to get approval from their local clergy and they were to join one of the armies led by a great Lord such as Ramon IV of Toulouse or Godfrey of bouillon who had received the cross from Urban's preachers but not everyone obeyed the Pope's commands some bands of renegade Crusaders mostly made up of the desperately poor struck out on their own wild Lawless excursions in the spring and summer of 1096 armies from northern France southern France Italy and the Holy Roman Empire were busy preparing to depart for the east in response to Pope Urban's appeal but some of Europe's poor rejected the idea of following a great Lord or submitting to the Pope's terms and schedule Thomas Madden summarizes it well to many the extensive preparations of the church and the nobility for the Crusade seem not only Superfluous but also faithless if Christ's soldiers marched to the Holy Land would he not scatter the Infidel Turks as he had the Philistines long ago one man in particular advocated this view Peter The Hermit a ragged holy man who rode from town to town on a donkey mesmerizing crowds with his fiery preaching contrary to popular belief Peter The Hermit was most likely not asked to preach the Crusade by Pope Urban Thomas ashbridge states that Peter was quote most likely not endorsed by the papacy Peter's preaching seemed to have something Divine about it though gibbert of nojian a chronicler of the First Crusade would quote not report this as true and attributed this reputation to quote the common people who love novelties although Peter attracted large throngs of peasants into his company Jonathan Riley Smith points out that we should not believe that these forces consisted only of peasants there were some Knights among them some of whom ended up eventually joining the military Elite of the Crusader States but nevertheless Thomas asbridge says that the people's Crusade was a quote largely uncontrollable ramshackle horde by the time he left France in April 1096 and headed to Cologne a considerable train of disciples trailed Peter and in Germany as well he attracted even more while the real Crusade still prepared Peter's horde drifted Eastward poorly provisioned and short on cash the Crusaders quickly turned hungry pillaging was common as they crossed into the Byzantine Empire the Byzantine emperor Alexius kamninis was shocked when he heard reports of this mob descending upon his lands at once he arranged for them to be supplied with Provisions to put an end to their thieving when Peter arrived in Constantinople he met another Westerner who had traveled East with a Motley following Walter sense of War a minor but experienced Knight like Peter's group Walters throngs which included only eight Knights had plundered on their way coming to blows with the forces of king Coleman of Hungary both were interviewed by Alexius who was according to Thomas Madden impressed by Peter's abilities as an orator Alexius convinced Peter and Walter that they should await the arrival of the papalee sanctioned Crusader forces but the peasant armies were not convinced despite the protests of Peter and Walter The People's Army crossed the Bosphorus on August 6. entering Turkish territory The People's Army was without a plan and without means of fighting Peter returned to Constantinople to try to gain additional aid from Alexius meanwhile in Asia Minor Kili arslan the seljuk Sultan of room dispatched forces to intercept The Peasants Army Walter himself fell in the slaughter back in Constantinople Peter received word of what had happened and settled into await the arrival of the true Crusader armies the people's Crusade is a bizarre and tragic incident it cannot be considered a part of the First Crusade proper since it was conducted outside of the papily sanctioned expedition in his speech at Claremont Pope Urban had emphasized that the poor and inexperienced should not be participating in his crusade in essence the people's Crusade was everything Pope Urban had sought to avoid fortunately his careful planning did ensure that the Crusade proper was free of the chaos surrounding the people's Crusade the main armies of the First Crusade mobilized between December 1095 and August of 1096 adhering to the schedule laid out by Pope Urban II the Pope's directives called for the Crusaders to make their way toward the Byzantine capital of Constantinople where they would unite under the leadership of Emperor Alexius kimninis who would then guide them in a campaign of reconquest against the seljuk Turkish rulers of the Levant first to depart in August was the brother of King Philip the first of France Hugh the first count of vermandua leading a small army provided both by himself and by his brother the king sailing from Italy Hughes Fleet foundered on the dalmatian coast and the count had to be rescued by Byzantine officials who brought him to Constantinople to meet Emperor Alexius toward the end of August departed Godfrey of bouillon Duke of lower Lorraine in later centuries Godfrey would become the central figure in the mythology of the First Crusade idealized as the perfect Christian Knight however prior to taking the Cross he had been at odds with the papacy a vassal to Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV he'd even participated in the siege of Rome which drove out Pope Gregory VII in 1084 the fact that Godfrey answered the call to the Cross demonstrates the power of Pope Urban's message but also alludes to the complexity of late 11th century politics was Godfrey's opposition to the pope at any time any deeper than loyalty to his own Lord William of Tire tells us that Godfrey was tall powerful in billed with a beard and hair of blonde in a charter struck before his departure Godfrey's mother said he was quote preparing to fight for God in Jerusalem Godfrey was joined on the Crusade by its older brother Eustace III count of bologna and their younger brother Baldwin of Bologna dark-haired and taller than his brothers Baldwin had originally been destined for the church but his love of the nightly lifestyle prompted him to change careers before ordination however he'd received the literary education common to clerics at the time and all his life had an intellectual bent to his personality Jonathan Riley Smith says he was an intelligent calculating and ruthless man he was not pleasant but his strength of personality and quickness of mine were to be of great value to the Crusaders without any lands or wealth of his own Baldwin took Service as one of Godfrey's high-ranking Knights but he had his heart set on winning a lordship of his own with a considerable Army of Walloon and lotharangian knights behind him Godfrey marched through Germany his Men passed in perfect peace in order through Hungary where king Coleman was understandably nervous after the antics of the people's Crusade by December Godfrey came with Insight of Constantinople and laid down Camp outside the city near the head of the Golden Horn Bowman of taranto was the most experienced military commander of the First Crusade his martial skills had been honed in the Norman Wars against the byzantines a hugely tall powerfully built man Bowman is described by Anna kamnenna as perfectly proportioned with a hard Savage quality to his whole aspect and that even his laugh sounded like a threat in 1097 Bowman was in the process of besieging Amalfi which had rebelled against his uncle count Roger the first of Sicily when he encountered Crusaders on their way to the east Bowman whose family was closely Allied to Pope Urban II was so impressed by these men that he had once took the cross himself gathering around him a small but powerful force of Norman Warriors and set out for Constantinople meanwhile Godfrey of bouillon was camped outside of the Byzantine Capital with his men although Pope Urban had insisted that the Crusaders would find an emperor Alexius a trustworthy Ally eager to join them in the fight against the Turks Godfrey knew that Hugh vermandua was being held a virtual prisoner inside of Constantinople and was hesitant to put himself in the emperor's Power by entering the Royal Palace but Alexius refused to allow Godfrey to cross the Bosphorus until he'd come before him to swear loyalty there were a few tense moments but Alexius finally agreed to provide hostages to the Crusaders while Godfrey entered the palace Godfrey's chronicler Albert avakin says that Alexius declared Godfrey quote an adopted son Godfrey swore loyalty to the emperor and the emperor promised to provide Aid to the Crusaders by January 20 of 1097 Godfrey's Army crossed the Bosphorus Bowman showed up at Constantinople in April Anna kemnina tells us that Alexius was deeply anxious about Bowman's presence since in the past the Italian Normans had invaded Byzantine lands but Bowman conducting himself with perfect courtly decorum presented himself as utterly loyal to Alexius gladly swearing fealty to him an oath which Alexius did not believe the Norman intended to keep the emperor was convinced that Bowman meant to use the Crusades as some kind of opportunity to conquer Byzantine lands about the same time that Bowman appeared at Constantinople Robert II count of Flanders a man of considerable military prowess and piety arrived with his army a charter of count Roberts states that he was quote going to Jerusalem on the authority of the apostolic sea to liberate the Church of God which had been trampled underfoot by Savage peoples for a long time his Flemish Warriors would prove to be a valuable asset in the course of the Crusade next to arrive in Constantinople was Raymond IV count of Toulouse with his large splendidly equipped Southern French army as well as the papal legit the shabbatimer of lapui Raymond met with Alexius in April according to Anna kamnena the emperor had a deep affection for Raymond and was impressed by the count Superior intellect his untarnished reputation the purity of his life Anna says that Alexius and Raymond engaged in long discussion with one another and that the emperor quote unreservedly opened the doors of his soul to the count already enormously wealthy Thomas Madden says that Raymond had decided to finish his life in the service of God having personally discussed the Crusade with Pope Urban Raymond was Keen to see Alexius commit himself as fully to the cause as the Western princes Raymond's chronicler and chaplain says that when Alexius asked Raymond to take an oath of loyalty to him Raymond responded that he would gladly do so if Alexius would also take the cross and Lead his army to the liberation of the Holy Land Alexius insisted that he wanted very much to do so but that he could not leave Constantinople at this time Pope Urban's entire project had been predicated on the idea that eastern and western Christianity would be gloriously United in brotherly bonds against the saracens Anna kamninis says her father would have loved to join in the war against the Turks but that he feared the Latins would betray him to compensate Alexius promised to supply the Crusaders with Provisions troops and guides Raymond unwilling to bend on this issue would not swear an oath of loyalty to Alexius but instead took an oath simply to respect alexius's territories the emperor was satisfied with this and permitted Raymond to cross the Bosphorus and join Godfrey and Bowman for the Advance on nicaea the final Latin Army to arrive in Constantinople was that of the northern French led by William the conqueror's eldest son Robert curtos Duke of Normandy and his brother-in-law Stephen II count of bluewa kurtos and Stephen were warmly received by Alexius and were much impressed by his wealth and generosity they eagerly swore loyalty to him then continued on their way to complete the Crusader Army besieging nicaea on May 6 1097 the armies of the first crusade reached nicaea an ancient city on the Northwestern edge of Asia Minor situated on the eastern shore of the ashkanian lake it's only a short Journey from Constantinople opposite the Bosphorus and is the gateway to Anatolia from the West currently nicaea was in the hands of the seljuk Turks acting as the capital of the Sultan of rum the reduction of nicaea would open the way for the Crusader's long journey to the Holy Sepulcher and allow the byzantines to establish a base in Asia Minor from which further reconquests could be made in the region the guest of francorum written by one of Bowman's men says that on the day of the Ascension of the lord we began to attack the city on all sides and to construct Machines of wood and wooden towers with which we might be able to destroy Towers on the walls Kylie arslawn the Sultan of room was campaigning on his Eastern Frontier when he heard reports of the Crusader Army besieging his capital assembling his forces he marched on nicaea on May 21 arslan moved up from the south and immediately launched an attack meant to break the siege the army of Raymond of Toulouse bore the brunt of the assault but the Crusaders handled the situation well maintaining their blockade of the city while also dispatching troops to engage the Turks a decisive cavalry charge led by Godfrey and Bowman smashed the Turkish forces sending Kylie arslan into full retreat so the Celts won a glorious Victory wrote Emperor alexius's daughter Princess Anna using her favorite term for westerners Celts the guesta says our men hurled the heads of the killed far into the city that the Turks might be more terrified there at abandoned by killier Sloan the Turks of nicaea sent Messengers to Alexius offering to surrender the emperor sent his agents into nicaea to negotiate the transfer of the city to Byzantine power on June 18. Alexius excluded the Crusaders from this process but afterwards according to full care of shatra the emperor quote ordered gifts to be presented to our leaders Gifts of gold and silver and Raymond and to the foot soldiers he distributed copper coins historian Thomas asprich says that the siege of nicaea was a largely collaborative Venture in which Latins and Greeks cooperated effectively and the Crusaders willingly fought for the Byzantine Empire nicaea restored to Christian rule the way was open for the Crusaders to make the Long March east across Asia Minor to act as advisors to the Franks Alexius assigned a small Byzantine contingent led by titios an experienced half-arab half-greek General who had lost his nose in an earlier battle and wore a gold prosthetic in its place although this was not the large-scale support the Franks had wanted from Alexius they were undeterred and by June 29 were on the move having captured nicaea the Crusaders began a long march Eastward across the vast sunscorch territory of Anatolia it was summer in Asia Minor and the heat was brutal and unrelenting worse still the sultan Kili arslan had ravaged the territory burning crops into spoiling water sources in hopes of halting the Crusaders advance to reduce Supply problems the Latin princes divided their armies with the first body led by the Norman's Bowman and Robert curtos and the second marching a day behind under Raymond of Toulouse and Godfrey of bouillon during the march Bowman spies informed him that kileyar Sloan lay ahead with his army preparing an ambush on the evening of June 30 as his forces approached the ruined Byzantine town of Dory lamb Bowman ordered the Infantry to pitch a defensive camp at a stream and organized his Cavalry for battle on the morning of July 1st Kili arslawn struck but Bowman was ready swarms of Turkish Horsemen descended upon the Christian Camp Bowman and Robert curtos made several charges but the light Swift Turkish Cavalry eluded them Wheeling away when attacked then sweeping back in to harass the Crusaders with arrows things quickly went bad for the Christians they were losing men and horses and even the unarmed pilgrims hunkered down in the camp were being killed a lesser Commander might have panicked but Bowman reacted instantly and effectively immediately changed tactics ordering his Knights to Dismount and stand with the Infantry in a tight Shield wall encircling the camp allowing them to protect the horses supplies and pilgrims inside this worked suddenly the Turks had to move in nearer to harass the Crusaders who held their ground and began to kill Turks venturing too close for several hours the Crusader Knights and foot soldiers stood side by side in this cramped formation unbreakable before the increasingly desperate Turkish assaults the heat was intense the air choked with dust women in the camp trudged back and forth from the stream carrying buckets of water to the men on the lines this deadlock was broken with the arrival of the second Crusader Army caught unawares Kylie arslawn had no time to react Godfrey and Raymond LED their cavalries in a charge that scattered the Turks Kylie arslawn's Army retreated the crusaders had won a great Victory though narrowly the Battle of Dory lamb demonstrated Bowman's top-notch capabilities as a general for one he'd known that the enemy attack was coming and chose a well-watered site for Camp finally at a desperate moment he had organized his troops in such a way that allowed them to hold until reinforcements arrived the victory also demonstrated the effectiveness of the Frankish cavalry charge well executed by Raymond and Godfrey but the seljuk Turks had also performed quite well and their Swift harassing tactics had proven very effective despite the ultimate results of the battle the Turks Left Behind the whole of their Camp filled with gold and silks horses and weapons which the Crusaders immediately seized Kylie arslan abandoned his city of Iconium and retreated deep into the interior of Anatolia hoping now to avoid the Christians as they moved across Asia Minor after they subdued the seljuk Sultan of room the armies of the First Crusade spent four months journeying across the rest of Anatolia they dispatched two small reconnaissance forces ahead of them one under Godfrey of bouillon's younger brother Baldwin of bologna and another under Bowman's nephew tankrid Baldwin and tankrid established contacts in cilicia with the local Armenians this helped to secure a safe route through the mountainous territory on the Northern approach to Syria Baldwin of Bologna rejoined the main Army in Mirage in October 1097. he found his wife godvara seriously ill she died before the month's end whether or not Baldwin grieved he was composed enough to approach his brother Godfrey about a new project Baldwin had learned from his Armenian contacts that there were Christian cities in Mesopotamia eager for a strong Lord to protect them from the Turks Godfrey agreed with his brother's plan to establish a Frankish state in Mesopotamia which would provide a reliable source of supplies for the Crusaders during their coming campaign in Syria with Godfrey's blessing Baldwin Departed the main army with a small Battalion of knights since he had given up his studies for the priesthood Baldwin had served as his brother's Knight but he had larger Ambitions and now seemed poised to achieve them on entering Mesopotamia he quickly captured the turkish-held towns of ravindell and turbosil Baldwin's success attracted the notice of thoros Armenian Lord of Odessa who feared a coup from his subjects since he could not protect the city from raids by his Turkish neighbor Baldrick of samosata thoros offered Baldwin an alliance and Baldwin gladly accepted in February 1098 Baldwin crossed the Euphrates and entered Odessa to cheering crowds of Armenians by now Baldwin was reputed as a Victorious leader and the locals were eager for a champion so enthusiastically was Baldwin welcomed the thoros decided to make him his adopted son in a strange ritual Baldwin and thorough stripped to the waist and embraced one another publicly while a long shirt was placed over them both to seal their new status as father and son Baldwin next set out with his men to neutralize the threat of Baldrick of samosata he established a castle near to samasata which could check any Turkish raids on his return to Odessa Baldwin discovered that a group of Armenian noblemen were plotting to kill thoros and Elevate Baldwin as Soul ruler Baldwin appears to have been unwilling to prevent this plot from going through and was very likely at least passively complicit in it thoros was seized by a mob of odessans who stabbed him to death in the streets Baldwin of bologna now ruled a powerful State centered around Odessa he had risen to power through martial prowess and ruthless political Intrigue but he would prove to be the strong leader the odessans desired making their City powerful again and neutralizing the threat of neighboring Turks soon he captured samosata and his new state the county of Odessa would straddle the Euphrates for half a century Baldwin established close bonds with the Armenians Marrying an Armenian woman and employing Armenians as Knights Governors and advisers in the late summer of 1097 the Crusaders entered Northern Syria making their way toward the ancient city of Antioch secured by Massive curtain walls set with 400 Towers Antioch was considered impregnable overwhelmingly Antioch was populated by Christians Armenians Greeks and syrians the Arab chronicler IBN al-athir says that yagi Sian the city's Turkish Governor worried when he heard of the approaching Frankish Army that antioch's Christians would side with their co-religionists so he sent the Christian men outside of the city wall to dig a moat they labored on until the evening but when they wished to enter the city yagi sin prevented them and said you can leave me Antioch until I see how things will be with us and the Franks it was October 1097 when the Vanguard of the Crusader Army arrived before Antioch the anonymous author of the guest of francorum who was a follower of Bowman writes that we established a strict blockade on three gates of the city for we could not besiege it from the other side because a mountain high and very steep stood in our way indeed the Crusaders concentrated their efforts on the Northwestern quarter of the city which gave them access to the Iron Bridge and the river boom and placed his army before the Saint Paul Gate the northern French under Robert curtos Robert of Flanders U of vermandua and Stephen of bluewa cover the section of wall just anti-clockwise of Bowmans Raymond of Toulouse and the southern French blockaded the dog gate while Godfrey of Beyond's lotharangians and Germans covered the Gate of the Duke tatikios and the byzantines camped some distance away from the walls presumably to act in support of the Franks you can see from this diagram how much of Antioch could not be blockaded including the wall running up into the forested mount silpius to the East and the portion of the wall that hugged the River on the southern end in the opening months of The Siege the Crusaders sparred with the Turks on the walls full care of chartres says that the Crusaders found a number of boats in the aforsad river these they took and fashioned into a pontoon bridge over which they crossed to carry out their plans this bridge of boats was strategically crucial since it allowed the Crusaders to quickly access the plain Southwest of Antioch which the Turks initially used as a staging ground for armed sorties from the city the Frankish leaders also dispatched squadrons into the surrounding Countryside to take control of the nearby castles such as Harem for the purpose of denying yagisian control of antiox territory by mid-november winter cold was setting in and the crusaders had to send foraging Expeditions farther and farther from the city in search of food now grain and all food began to be excessively dear before the birthday of the Lord says the guest to Frank Korum cold and hungry the Crusaders celebrated Christmas in their damp ramshackle Camp seeking sustenance in their faith and in the thought that Beyond Antioch lay the object of their longing the holy city of Jerusalem three days after Christmas Bowman himself along with count Robert of Flanders led a small force of knights into antiox Hinterland in search of Provisions during their Journey the foragers were surprised by a Turkish Army sent from Damascus to relieve Antioch the Turks instantly fell upon the Crusaders but Bowman and the count of Flanders quickly organized their men into a solid defensive formation while the count of Flanders led a direct attack on the Turkish Cavalry Bowman moved his Normans into a flanking position that prevented the Turks from surrounding count Robert's Knights in the confusion of the battle the Turks retreated although boom and lost a sizable amount of men he did manage to prevent the Turkish force from bringing Aid to Antioch unfortunately for the Crusaders Bowman and his foragers managed to secure only modest provisions as the year came to a close the crusaders had made little progress in the siege of Antioch and remained huddled outside the massive City walls with little hope of ever breaking through them the first months of 1098 were cold and miserable in the Crusader Camp before the walls of Antioch food was scarce illness common and little progress had been made in reducing the enormous ancient city on the orantas desertions from the Army's Rank and file became a problem even Peter The Hermit and William the carpenter the former leaders of the people's Crusade snuck away and tried to flee in the night but they were caught by Bowman's nephew tankrid who dragged them back to his uncle's tent to face the Wrath of the giant Norman almost evil of all whom the Earth endures why did you so vitally flee was it perchance for the reason that you wish to betray these Knights and the host of Christ Peter and William begged Bowman to be merciful and ultimately he did pardon them but a far more serious desertion occurred by the end of January when the Byzantine General titicos departed with the Greek contingent tatikios insisted that he only meant to retrieve supplies after which he would return to Antioch few Crusaders believed him in February a Turkish Army led by ridwan of Aleppo moved toward Antioch via the Iron Bridge Bowman led a contingent against them and through a brilliantly timed cavalry charge defeated them the victory boosted Crusader morale and with the arrival of spring warmth an English Fleet appeared off the coast of Saint Simeon carrying much needed provisions and supplies also lavish Gifts of horses and weapons arrived from Odessa now a Latin State under Godfrey's brother Baldwin throughout the siege Bowman who spoke fluent Greek had made it a point to personally Patrol the walls of Antioch he often conversed with guards on the towers and by April he had established contact with one feruz an Armenian convert to Islam according to the Muslim chronicler IBN al-kalanisi ferus nurtured a grudge against yagi sien the Turkish governor of Antioch because of some ill usage and confiscations which he had suffered at his hands Bowman cultivated his relationship with faroos exploiting the armenian's anger toward yagisian promising him Rich Rewards eventually firuz agreed to betray his Tower to the Crusaders and he and Bowman began to secretly arrange a plan meanwhile reports began to reach the Christian Camp of an enormous Turkish Army led by one kerbuka the atabag of mosul advancing now to relieve Antioch news of kerbuka's approach spread dread among the Crusader forces finally after languishing all winter outside Antioch were they to be smashed against the Walls by Caribou God's Army full care of chartra recounts how one of the Christian Army's primary Latin leaders was so Disturbed that he withdrew from The Siege then Stephen countablua left the siege and went home to France by sea we all grieved on his account because he was a very noble man although Stephen was among the wealthiest of the Crusades leaders he had little talent for military matters his flight from Antioch would in time prove to be an unbearable disgrace on his name as pressure mounted in the Latin Camp Bowman prepared to set his trap ever driven by personal ambition he kept his alliance with faroo's secret and sought to arrange things so that Antioch would be his and his alone Bowman came to all the leaders bearing joyful words to them in this wise men most illustrious Knights see how all of us whether of greater or lesser degree are an exceeding poverty and misery and how utterly ignorant we are from what side we will fare better therefore if it seems good and honorable to you let one of us put himself ahead of the rest and if he can acquire or contrive the capture of the City by any plan or scheme by himself or through the help of others let us with one voice Grant him the city as a gift the Grim old count Raymond of Toulouse immediately objected to this insisting that Antioch belonged to Alexius kamninis and no other Bowman in his characteristic loud bravado reminded the council that alexius's troops had abandoned them and there was no sign that the emperor intended to help them further in any way by now the other leaders had come to trust Bowman and with good reason although the least wealthy of the princes the Norman's talents had carried the day when all had seemed lost and thus he had essentially become the leading figure in the Council of Lords and by now everyone understood that Bowman's personal ambition could always be trusted Raymond despite being the richest of the leaders was out voted the other Lords agreed to Bowman's plan Bowman dramatically announced that very shortly Antioch would be Christian again and with that departed the council it's safe to assume that probably all the Lords even Ramon believed him having secured the Loyalty of the Armenian guard firuz on one of antioch's towers Bowman organized the whole of the Christian Army in a ruse to fool the Turkish Garrison and gain control of the city on the afternoon of June 2nd a large Detachment of Crusader infantry and Cavalry marched away from Antioch in plain view of the Garrison the Muslim troops on the walls were meant to believe that the Crusaders were sending off a substantial foraging Expedition and thus they should not expect any major offensives anytime soon however under cover of Darkness on the night of June 3rd the Crusaders snuck back toward the city and took up positions in hiding just beyond the walls awaiting boom and signal Byzantine Princess Anna kamnenna explains how Bowman by sneaking up to the wall below farooza's Tower sprung his trap and Bowman immediately went off to the tower The Armenian according to his agreement opened the gates Bowman climbed at once with his followers to the top of the tower as fast as he could within minutes Bowman and his troops had complete control of feruza's tower this allowed Bowman to dispatch squadrons throughout the city to kill more patrolling guards and open the main city Gates on Signal of a trumpet Blast from one of Bowman's Knights on farooza's Tower Godfrey boyon and Roberta Flanders rushed into the city with their troops there followed a brutal sack in which Crusaders and Native Greek and Armenian Christians spread throughout the city killing the seljuks and capturing booty for the Greeks and Armenians this was a moment of Vengeance in which they vented years of restrained anger at antiox occupiers Thomas asbridge explains that in those crucial first few minutes the combination of surprise the confusion of darkness and fear of the Crusaders unrestrained brutality paralyzed The Defenders yagi's seeing himself in a panic fled the city via the Iron Gate but was thrown from his horse and left for dead by his companions there lying bleeding on the ground the Turkish Emir was discovered by some Armenians decapitating the city's Fallen Governor the Armenians took the head to Bowman who promptly rewarded them Bowman had already raised up his blood red banner over the city walls and raimond of Toulouse occupied the city's lavish Greek palace by the morning of June 4th it was over the crusaders had control of the city with each of the major leaders holding various portions of the walls only the Citadel on the top of the mountain remained in Muslim hands barricaded by the last survivors of the Garrison in a desperate last attempt to escape death Bowman however had taken a position with his troops just outside the Citadel and was intent on resting it from the last Turkish Defenders thus ended the siege of Antioch after eight grueling months the crusaders had captured the most important city in Syria and they had done it completely without Byzantine help indeed the byzantines had withdrawn from The Siege instead it was Bowman's abilities which had delivered Antioch into Christian hands Baldwin of Bologna's capture of Odessa proved helpful to the Crusaders in another way as well on his way to Antioch the Turkish atabag of mosul kerbaka stopped for three days to besiege Odessa delaying its progress when he failed at this task The Turk continued on intent on destroying the Crusader Army camped outside of Antioch the crusaders had already captured Antioch and by the time kerpocas forces began to arrive before antioch's walls on June 5th the crusaders had already firmly established themselves within the city Only The Citadel on Mount silpius remained in Turkish hands and this garbaka bolstered with a Garrison of his own the Army karabaka commanded was awesome to behold so large in fact that it could fully blockade the city Antioch had just been through a months-long Siege and so food was scarce within her powerful walls penned in by kerbaka's troops the Crusaders once again faced the very real Prospect of starvation meanwhile far away in Anatolia another sizable Army was on its way to Antioch this one Byzantine and headed by Emperor Alexius kamninis who had finally elected to bring Aid to his beleaguered Latin allies however at philomelion the emperor encountered one Stephen count of bluewa who had fled Antioch just before its fall Stephen eager to justify his premature departure from the fight assured Alexius that the whole Christian Army had already been destroyed and thus the cause of the Crusade completely lost Alexius was perhaps a little too eager to trust Stephen's word and quickly elected to abandon his mission together the Byzantine emperor and the count of bluewa picked up and headed back for the safety of Constantinople meanwhile from the walls of Antioch the Crusaders under the de facto leadership of Bowman were gazing down at the enormous Army of kerbuka and folding them like the coils of a serpent it seemed incredible that after their astounding capture of the powerfully Fortified City Christ Warriors should perish all the same within their prize naturally everyone in the Army was looking toward Bowman the man who time and time again had carried the day for a solution the Norman giant was weighing his options carefully and already formulating a plan to defeat the mighty caribouka meanwhile the desperation of the situation caused many Crusaders to pray for a miracle one Southern French priest called Peter Bartholomew approached count Raymond of Toulouse with Tales of a vision from Saint Andrew the Saint Peter insisted had assured him that buried somewhere beneath antioch's magnificent Cathedral of Saint Peter was the lands that had been used at Calvary to pierce the side of Christ if the Crusaders found this Relic and carried it into battle against karabuka God would grant them Victory although many were skeptical of Peter's story others were convinced by it among them the pious old count Ramon who on June 15 began an excavation beneath the altar of Saint Peter's Cathedral Peter himself was among those digging in the dirt at one point Peter cried out and scrambled out of the hole holding an old iron Shard and shouting that he discovered the precious Relic news of Peter's Discovery exploded throughout the city a few Skeptics remained such as Bishop adamar of lapui but for the average Rank and file Soldier this could be nothing but a sign from God considering the gravity of the situation it was exactly what the Crusaders needed morale was boosted and the weary hungry Christian soldiers were convinced now that they would indeed triumph over karabaka's hordes whatever Peter Bartholomew pulled out of the hole in Saint Peter's that day there can be no doubt of the spiritual impact on the Christian Soldiers it came at the right time as well for the leaders of the army had decided on a very daring and dangerous strategy a full-on battle with kerbokam careful God's troops were numerous and his position strong but within the Turkish forces there were internal divisions between jealous emirs says historian Thomas Madden citing the potential fractiousness of caribou God's vast Coalition Army nevertheless the Turkish atabag seemed poised to capture Antioch and destroy the Christian forces inside by late June count Ramon of Toulouse was ill and thus it fell to Bowman alone to lead the upcoming counter-attack against Caribou in choosing to confront kerbaka head on the Crusaders faced several enormous challenges for one Gerber God's Army greatly outnumbered them also the Turks had plenty of horses while the Crusaders by now had no more than 200 horses of military quality remaining the majority of their troops would have to fight on foot but Bowman also understood that the Crusaders who had survived up to this point had been hardened into a battle-tested efficient fighting force the trials of War had bound them with the Brotherhood of soldiers who have long fought shoulder to shoulder Bowman's battle plan was astounding writes historian Thomas sasbridge its execution exceptional Bowman chose the bridge gate for the selling point placing the Latins on the Western Bank of the orantas preventing the Turkish troops on the Eastern Bank from quickly engaging them first to emerge from the city was a division of archers under Hugh of vermandua which hammered the Turks with arrows driving back the first line of Muslim troops and opening a space for the remainder of the Crusader Army to deploy Bowman had divided the remainder of the army into five distinct divisions to provide cohesion in the midst of battle once the bridge gate had been cleared the northern French under Robert of Flanders and Robert of Normandy emerged in column behind Hughes archers and then maneuvered to his left next Godfrey bouillon marched out with his lotharangians and Germans followed by Bishop adamer leading the southern French each division fanned out leftwards in a semi-circle with Bowman commanding the largest and final contingent allowing him to bring aid to any portion of the army that came under heavy attack Thomas ashbridge calls this disposition of the troops the finest expression of Bowman's military genius but despite this well-ordered deployment had kerperga reacted differently the Crusaders might have been crushed as they came out of Antioch once he realized that the Crusaders were sailing forth from the bridge gate kerbuka had two options immediately attacked with his main force or wait and meet them in battle on grounds of his own choosing in that kirpaka chose the latter probably because he did not judge the Ragged Crusader Army to be much of a threat had he launched an immediate attack he could have inflicted heavy losses but he also would have ended The Battle Before the Christians were fully deployed no doubt the bulk of their numbers would have retreated and many might not have even deployed at all instead care but God chose to allow the Franks to bring the whole of their army out of Antioch thus giving him the opportunity to crush them completely in one grand stroke this would allow him to avoid a long Siege but this does not mean the Crusaders were able to march unmolested out of Antioch while kerbuka's main Force held back the Crusaders as they struggled to get into position before the bridge gate were attacked fiercely by the advanced Turkish troops there was a vicious counter-attack from the Turks who had been guarding the bridge gate followed almost instantly by an assault from the Turks sweeping down from positions before the Gate of Saint Paul and the Gate of the Duke most pressing of all Turks positioned before the Gate of Saint George quickly began crossing the river and coming up behind the Crusaders for an attack the Christians were surrounded militarily this was a near impossible situation to survive a small infantry-based army while attempting to deploy out of a narrow gate was being heavily attacked from all sides by enemy cavalry at this crucial moment the Crusaders by now tested in countless battles against the Turks Rose to the challenge the Knight Reinhardt of tool was dispatched with the contingent of French and lotharangians and they met the Southeastern attack with such ferocity that the enemy broke in panic meanwhile the main body of the Franks held formation against the onslaught of Turkish arrows just as they had done at Dory lamb Unbroken by the Turkish Onslaught and United as a solid impenetrable body of infantry the Crusaders now marched forward fighting with precision and ferocity before this powerful counter-attack the Turkish Advanced guard utterly broke turning tail and fleeing kirpaka realizing what was going on began a rushed panicked advance and ran right into his own retreating troops this caused more Turkish units to break off in Retreat meanwhile the Crusader infantry continued their Advance shattering the Turkish formations with brutal efficiency it wasn't long before the entire Turkish Coalition was in full flight with kerbaka himself barely escaping with his life it was over a tiny Army of weary hungry Christian Soldiers had utterly shattered an enormous well-equipped Turkish Army within hours the Turkish troops inside the Citadel surrendered to Bowman and now the whole of Antioch truly was securely in Christian hands it was an astounding Victory probably the most important of the First Crusade now the way lay open for the march on the Ultimate Prize Jerusalem following their defeat of garboga the Crusaders controlled a wealthy stretch of territory from Odessa to Antioch and the important port city of Saint Simeon but since the Army was according to full care of shatra weary by many days of arduous labor the Council of leaders decided not to march on Jerusalem until November 1st for the remainder of 1098 the Franks settled into Antioch consecrating churches and dispatching parties of knights to subdue nearby fortresses Bowman who occupied The Citadel essentially acted as antioch's prince in accordance with the council's decision during The Siege there had been one stipulation to that agreement however that Bowman Could Only Rule Antioch so long as Emperor Alexius did not come to claim her Alexius had failed to bring Aid to the Crusaders during their desperate standoff with kerbuka despite his daughter Anna's claim that the emperor was much concerned to bring help personally to the Celts after Bowman's brilliant defeat of the enormous Turkish Army all the Army's leaders were quite content for him to have the city all that is except for count Ramon Ramon continued to insist that Alexius had not been given sufficient opportunity to claim Antioch he convinced the council that one final attempt should be made to offer the city to the byzantines the Army's leaders selected Hugh of varmandua to lead an embassy to Constantinople to request that the emperor come and claim Antioch meanwhile Bowman would continue to act as antioch's Prince in August the Army suffered a devastating loss Bishop adamer the spiritual father of the Crusade revered by all fell ill and died Ralph of Gunn a follower of tankards describes adamar as a man of great Merit and a man worthy of honor in any place adamar was so respected by both Bowman and Ramon that he was often The only voice in the army that could mediate between the two as the months wore on and the leaders began planning the march on Jerusalem Bowman and Raymond's disagreements continued there was still no word from Alexius and Bowman was busily establishing his new state the principality of Antioch it became clear that the Norman Prince had no intention of joining in the march on Jerusalem Ramon insisted that Bowman keep his vow to participate in Jerusalem's capture Ramon even promised to accept Bowman's rule in Antioch if the Norman would swear to Aid in the campaign for Jerusalem Bowman agreed to this November 1st came and went and the Army remained stalled in Antioch with a Bowman still unwilling to march on the holy city regardless of his earlier promise Rymal and for his part hesitated to withdraw from Antioch and thereby guarantee Bowman total control of the city by now the common soldiers eager to fulfill their vows at Jerusalem were quite impatient with their leaders delays everyone understood that Bowman would never move his forces out of Antioch and so the ordinary soldiers began to press Ramon to lead them to Christ City who else but he could guide them to Jerusalem they asked Raymond was an old man at the time of his departure for the East he had been one of the wealthiest Lords in Europe perhaps only piety explains why such a man could forsake all that for the Perils of crusade now pressed by the common pilgrims of the Christian Army the Aged count at last relented in his long struggle with Bowman on January 13 1099 count Raymond of Toulouse Barefoot unarmed and carrying a pilgrim staff departed Antioch at the head of the army adopting the guise of an ordinary Pilgrim as a statement about the true purpose of the Crusade following him was the whole of the Christian host singing Psalms rejoicing that at last they journeyed to Jerusalem only Bowman in the bulk of his Normans remained behind in Antioch though a small Norman contingent under Bowman's nephew Tankard did accompany Ramon with Ramon of Toulouse in the lead the Christian Army traveled south through Syria along the way they encountered saracen fortresses which sent out tribute payments and Provisions in exchange for being left unmolested by the now famous destroyers of kerboka many of these small Muslim statelets were in Rebellion against the Emir of Damascus and other Turkish princes and thus were Keen to remain neutral additionally Palestine was now in the hands of the fatimids a Shiite egyptian-based Empire so the seljuks and Damascus had no interest in hindering the Frankish Advance sworn enemies of the Sunni seljuk Turks the fatimids had kept track of the Crusader's progress and had even sent embassies to them offering to collaborate against the Turks so long as the Franks agreed not to attack Jerusalem the fatimids did not yet grasp but the Christian Army would settle for nothing less than control of the holy city on May 19 1099 the Crusaders entered Fatima territory they marched along the coast passing the ports of Beirut sidon tire and acre all willing to offer supplies in trade for peace the Crusaders obliged and by June 3rd they reached the Inland Road just north of Jaffa which led to the holy city news arrived at a fatiman army was now mobilizing in Egypt the Christians were undeterred they veered Inland confident that if they maintained faith God would provide victory by June 6 the Crusaders reached Bethlehem an entirely Christian city which welcomed the Army as liberators the following day the Franks climbed the famous hill of Mount Joy the point on the road at which Jerusalem becomes visible the Latin sources emphasized the Elation of the pilgrims at this first sighting of the holy city Tankard riding ahead with a scouting party was one of the first to top Mount Joy and Ralph of gone describes his reaction getting his first glimpse of Jerusalem from a distance tankrid greeted her placed his knees on the ground his heart on heaven the chaplain of Ramon of Toulouse describes how the Franks organized The Siege Duke Godfrey and the count of Flanders and the Duke of Normandy besieged the city from the north side from the church of Saint Stephen located in the center of the city Southward to the angular Tower next to the Tower of David count Ramon and his army however settled down on the western side and besieged Jerusalem from the camp of the Duke to the foot of Mount Zion the Crusaders didn't have the numbers for a full encirclement and the city was strongly fortified amid Rocky harsh terrain the Fatima Governor iftikar had expelled all of Jerusalem's Christian inhabitants since the story of antioch's betrayal was also well known local cisterns had been poisoned or spoiled and water was scarce Jerusalem's Christians joined the Crusaders in their Camp confirming the rumors of an Egyptian Army on the way to relieve the holy city faced with little time the Franks decided on a bold all-out assault on the city on June 13 the Christian troops stormed Jerusalem's walls but they were quickly beaten back by the Fatima Defenders Thomas Madden says that the Crusaders lack sufficient scaling ladders and Siege Machinery to threaten seriously Jerusalem's towering walls the city of Jerusalem is located in a mountainous region which is devoid of trees wrote full care of shatra meaning the Crusader Army had no timber for the building of Siege engines however shortly after the failure of the first assault on the city a fleet of genoese and English ships loaded with building materials arrived at Java having responded to earlier pleas for AIDS sent back to the West singing this God's blessing the Latin set to constructing catapults ladders and Towers it was hard labor in the Palestinian Sun but they worked briskly for as the chronicler IBN al-kalanisi wrote news reached them that aleph Dal the Fatimid vizier was on his way from Egypt with a mighty Army to engage in the Jihad against them by early July the crusaders had completed their machinery and were ready for a proper assault on the city but first the leaders announced that they would invoke God's Aid on July 8 the Army Barefoot and bearing relics processed around the walls of Jerusalem singing prayers the fatimids watching from Jerusalem's ramparts shouted jeers at the Christians and defiled crosses and icons taken from the city's churches the Crusaders finally stopped the Mount of Olives the sight of Christ's Ascension to Heaven here they offered final prayers that God would grant them victory at dawn on July 14 trumpets blasted through the Crusader Camp announcing the commencement of the assault the Muslims inside the city immediately rushed to the walls for the defense but as they gazed down over the ramparts they realized that the westerners had staged an ingenious ruse for weeks Godfrey bouillon's contingent had busily built Siege equipment before Jerusalem's powerful quadrangular tower saracens had responded by working just as hard to bolster the fortifications of that already strong section but now the fatimates found that overnight Godfrey's men had dismantled all their Machinery moved it one kilometer to a point just east of Saint Stephen's gate and reassembled the siege engines there this was an incredible feat of physical endurance for a single night the saracens were stunned and terrified for the portion of the wall now swarming with Crusader Siege equipment was the weakest point in Jerusalem's defenses fighting raged all of July 14 with count Ramon's Army managing to bring their Siege Tower close to the city although Fierce resistance from the fatimids prevented Ramon's men from actually capturing the wall however on the morning of July 15 Godfrey's Tower was successfully brought up against the city Godfrey's Knights ludolf and Engelbert were the first to enter Jerusalem followed quickly by Godfrey and more of his men it was a crucial moment with Godfrey fighting alongside his Knights In A desperate battle to secure the wall they captured the Gate of the column which Godfrey ordered opened allowing the whole of the Crusader Army to rush into the city Fatima resistance collapsed as the Christians spread throughout Jerusalem Thomas Madden writes that by the standards of the time adhered to by both Christians and Muslims the Crusaders would have been justified in putting the entire population of Jerusalem to the sword despite later highly exaggerated reports however that is not what happened it's true that many of the inhabitants of both Muslims and Jews were killed in the initial Fray yet many were also allowed to purchase their freedom or were simply expelled from the sitting Tankard and the Normans drove deep into the city's heart where they plundered the Temple Mount if takar and the high-ranking fatimate officers took refuge in the tower of David which they surrendered to count Ramon who protected their lives and later provided them with safe passage back to Egypt the crusaders had done it Pope Urban's dream had come true a Latin Army had reclaimed Jerusalem for Christendom the chaplain of Raymond of Toulouse writes now that the city was taken it was well worth all our previous labors and hardships to see the devotion of the pilgrims of the Holy Sepulcher how they rejoiced and exalted and sang a new song to the Lord it was the crowning moment for the Crusaders to kneel in prayer before the tomb of Christ but although they had captured Jerusalem the Christian hosts still had to deal with a large Egyptian Army on its way to reverse their victory the Crusaders acted quickly to secure the newly conquered Jerusalem on July 22 1099 Godfrey of bouillon was elected defender of the Holy Sepulcher ruler of the nascent kingdom of Jerusalem It is popularly believed that count Ramon IV of Toulouse was unhappy with Godfrey's election but historians John and Lorita Hill conclude that Raymond very likely concurred in Godfrey's appointment as defender of Jerusalem soon word arrived from tankrid who is scouting the southern coast that indeed a fatimate army at Ashkelon Was preparing to march on Jerusalem Godfrey's response was to Rally the Christian forces to the offensive while the Latin and Greek clergy gathered together in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to pray for victory Godfrey along with the forces of Roberta Flanders marched South rendezvous at ramla with the armies of Raymond of Toulouse and Robert of Normandy as well as tankrid who had captured Nablus earlier that month the newly elected patriarch Arnold carried the relic of the True Cross at the head of the Christian host the Egyptian vizier had assembled a massive Army made up of troops from all over the Fatimid caliphate he camped in the plane of al-mashdal just outside of Ashkelon with the plan of next marching on Jerusalem to drive out the Franks He was unaware that the Crusaders were already on the move Godfrey and Ramon divided their forces into nine divisions then rapidly Advanced on the Fatimid position on August 12 the fatimids were caught unaware when the Crusaders attacked unlike the Turks the fatimids did not employ large numbers of mounted archers and their lance-wielding Arab and Berber Cavalry which moved closely with their infantry offered a solid Target for the devastating Frankish cavalry charge historian RC smale says that the charge alone secured a Latin Victory and the best sources agree that the duration of the battle was brief Olaf Dahl's troops scattered and as full care of chartra writes in the sweeping attack the saracens perished on all sides the entire Egyptian Camp filled with horses and Provisions was captured by the Christians it's commonly believed that in the aftermath of their defeat the fatimids at Ashkelon offered to surrender the city to the Crusaders but a quarrel erupted between Ramon and Godfrey over who would possess it the fatimids hearing of this quarrel broke off negotiations and Ashkelon was lost to the Crusaders the source of this tale comes from Ralph of Khan and Albert avakin neither of whom were present at the Battle and both of whom were biased against count Ramon our best saracen source IBN al-kalanisi offers a very different account the Franks besieged Ashkelon until at length the townsman agreed to pay them twenty thousand dinars as protection money and to deliver this some to them forthwith they therefore set about collecting this amount from the inhabitants of the town but it befell that a quarrel broke out between the Frankish leaders and they retired without having received any of the money IBN al-kalanisi unimpacted by the various Regional loyalties of the Latin chroniclers is probably our best source for this incident he says nothing about a specific quarrel between Godfrey and Ramon just that some sort of disagreement resulted in a failure to collect tribute from Ashkelon but not a missed opportunity to actually possess the city itself an offer of total surrender of Escalon at this stage seems questionable at best as the city was well fortified the disagreement may have been as John and Lorita Hill point out that most Crusaders considered their vows fulfilled and were not interested in aiding the leaders in a full-on Siege of the Egyptian City the Crusader victory at Ashkelon meant that Jerusalem was Secure as a Christian possession with the holy city secured Godfrey bouillon ruled a tiny Latin Outpost surrounded by hostile Muslim Neighbors over the next two decades the kingdom of Jerusalem would expand dramatically through Relentless conquests of the surrounding territories for now Godfrey and only 300 Knights committed themselves to the defense of Jerusalem while the bulk of the army returned home to Europe a similar process began in the North in the newly founded principality of Antioch and County of Odessa in December of 1099 the rulers of these two states Prince Bowman and count Baldwin traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas with Godfrey and to worship at the holy severger meanwhile Robert of Flanders Robert of Normandy and Ramon IV of Toulouse returned to Constantinople where Emperor Alexius the first kamenus received them as Heroes and hosted lavish feasts in their honor while the two Roberts returned to Europe Ramon IV ultimately returned to utramere to lay the groundwork for the fourth Crusader State the county of Tripoli which would exist between the principality of Antioch and the kingdom of Jerusalem news of Jerusalem's Liberation spread across Europe throughout the Latin world people celebrated the restoration of the Holy Sepulcher returning Crusaders were welcomed as Heroes their stories immortalized in songs in the coming decades Pilgrims from every corner of Europe would make the long journey to the now Christian rule Jerusalem where they could worship safely at the Holy Sepulcher the first Crusades Triumph solidified in the minds of Latins this new concept of the Crusade a war waged with the blessing of the church not for selfish Petty reasons but in the cause of Christendom to expand and defend the domain of Christ for the Christians of the medieval West only God's blessing explained this victory in the East and therefore the concept of crusading must be pleasing to him for generations to come many Latins would flock to the crusade in the Holy Land to fight for the Holy Sepulcher foreign [Music] on November 10 1143 near the city of acre in the Crusader Latin kingdom of Jerusalem King Falk and queen melisson were enjoying an afternoon hunt as the Royal party pursued a hair through the scenic Countryside the king held his lands and urged his horse to gallop faster suddenly the king's horse stumbled and folk was thrown from his Steed and struck his head on the ground the king's companions that once slept from their horses to attend the injured Folk Queen melissan too rushed to the king's side as the queen held her husband's bloody body it was clear to everyone the King was dead melisand was inconsolable although she and the King had butt heads early in their reign they'd grown close over the years and together they'd ruled the Crusader Kingdom well for over a decade folk had been a wise ruler and a capable military commander he'd done much to bolster the Kingdom's defenses many important Frontier castles such as the famous trans Jordan castle of karak were constructed during Folk's reign however Queen melisson was a capable ruler and her eldest son Baldwin was a healthy youth of 13 who'd been educated to one day assume the throne on Christmas Day 11 43 the Nobles Knights and clergy of the kingdom of Jerusalem gathered in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to witness the crowning of melisand and her son Baldwin III the queen was expected to wisely guide the kingdom until Baldwin III was old enough to rule alone however for the Kingdom's greatest enemy the death of folk was a welcome event zengi ruler of mosul and Aleppo had spent the past decade constructing a powerful state already he'd captured most of the turkish-held regions in Syria so rapidly and efficiently had zengi expanded that the Emir unar of Damascus forged an alliance with the Crusaders of Jerusalem to protect his own domains now zengi felt ready to mount a major offensive against the Crusaders zengey's reputation among his fellow Muslims was mixed IBN al-kalanisi a chronicler from Damascus understandably held a mostly negative opinion of the Great atebeg famously IBN al-kalanisi recorded zengi's treacherous dealings with the Garrison of balbeck during the atebeg's long war with Damascus foreign but when the Fortress was in his hands he violated his pledge and went back on his guarantee of security owing to a personal Grudge and irritation against its Defenders which he nursed in secret he ordered all to be executed and none of them escaped except those whose Destiny guarded them the people were horrified at his action and at such an unheard of breach of oath on his part but for many of the Turkish Warrior Elite zengi offered the best chance of driving the Crusaders from Syria and Palestine as zengi's conquests increased he gained the Loyalty of many Turkish emirs and commanders along with their Warriors zengi was undeniably the most powerful single opponent yet faced by the Crusaders meanwhile the two northernmost Crusader States the principality of Antioch and the county of Odessa were near to war Raymond of Poitier Prince of Antioch and Jocelyn II of Odessa had long feuded over territorial disagreements and now with no strong King in Jerusalem to impose an accord between them the two seemed ready to settle their differences on the battlefield the shrewd zengi was keenly aware of this [Music] in November 1144 Jocelyn II was in the western part of his County with his best troops zengi gathered a large army of turcomons from the Jazeera between the upper Euphrates and the upper Tigris a region that the chronicler IBN al-atir tells us had often been raided by Crusader forces launched a surprise attack on the great city of Odessa itself Odessa was strongly fortified with a large curtain wall and 45 towers as well as a citadel defended by an internal wall however at the time odessa's Garrison was lacking in troops and the citizens had no leader around which to Rally the population was made up primarily of Armenian Christians [Music] from Turbo cell count Jocelyn II received news that his Capital was Under Siege at once he appealed for Aid to his enemy Raymond of Poitier Prince of Antioch but Raymond refused to help meanwhile in Far Away Jerusalem Queen melissan organized a relief expedition to Odessa however Odessa was short of time zengy's catapults hammered at the city and his miners dug tunnels at last a huge section of the wall collapsed and zangi's forces stormed into the city What followed was a brutal sack thousands of the city's inhabitants tried to get into the Citadel many of them trampled to death in the Panic crowd IBN al-kalanisi says that the atabag's forces set to pillaging slaying capturing ravishing and looting and their hands were filled with such quantities of money Furnishings animals booty and captives as rejoiced their spirits and gladdened their hearts the chronicler Michael the Syrian describes the clergy gathering in the churches clutching to Sacred relics and sang Mass until they were cut down by the invading forces at last zengi ordered an end to the sack he issued a decree through the city commanding his men to cease their plundering all those who had survived the massacre were allowed to return to their homes two days later zengi promised The Defenders of the Citadel that their lives would be protected if they surrendered The Defenders agreed it was December 23rd 11 44. Odessa held by the Crusaders since 1098 was once more ruled by a Muslim Prince after the Carnage had come to an end zengi found an old man who'd been stripped beaten and dragged through the streets as it turned out this was basil bar sramana the Jacobite Bishop of the city zengi had the old man dressed and brought with honor into his tent there zenge gave the Jacobite Bishop some authority over the Christian population of the city zengi knew to prevent the Franks from retaking Odessa he needed to win the Goodwill of the Greek and Armenian Christians who made up the bulk of the population Michael the Syrian tells us that after the sack zengey's forces protected the Armenians and Greeks of Odessa however any Franks found within the city were immediately put to death news of the fall of Odessa soon reached Antioch and Jerusalem many blamed Prince Raymond for failing to carry Aid to the odessans the force sent by Queen melissan arrived at Antioch where they joined with Prince Raymond in an expedition against the Turks but zenge drove them back in February or March of 1145 there would be no reverse zengi's conquest of Odessa [Music] the atabeg quickly mopped up all of the frankish-held castles on the Eastern Bank of the Euphrates in little time the county of Odessa was cut in half zengey's capture of Odessa was a vital strategic importance now the Crusader States in Northern Syria were far more vulnerable with Antioch itself more exposed however zengi did not immediately press his advantage against the Crusaders instead he renewed his most cherished project the conquest of Damascus besieging the great Syrian City again in 1145 but sengi's Siege failed [Music] with Odessa lost the Latins of the Crusader States dispatched urgent requests for Aid to the Christian kingdoms of the West news of odessa's Falls shocked the Latin World Messengers arriving in Germany France and other regions reported that Jerusalem itself was in peril what was needed was another Crusade and immediately not since the crusade of 1101 had a major Expedition been launched by the kingdoms of the west but now with Odessa Fallen Pope eugenius III prioritized the calling of a new Crusade on December 1st 1145 the pope issued the bull Quantum predecessoras the bull recalled the victories of the First Crusade and called on the Knights of Christendom to emulate the Deeds of their forefathers to take the cross and lead a relief Expedition for the reconquest of Odessa the Bishops and Priests of the church spread the Pope's message across Christendom the Second Crusade had begun [Music] Pope eugenius's bull of crusade recalled the First Crusade and the establishment of the Christian states in the Levant it described the fall of Odessa as a threat to the Church of God and all of Christianity the pope insisted that the defense of the holy places in the East was the responsibility of Europe's nightly Elite hailing from the austere order of the cistercians Pope eugenius urged Knights to shun finary fur-lined garments gilded armor and hunting dogs and Hawks however even for Pope eugenius political concerns at home slowed the mobilization of the Crusade the pope wanted the Crusade preached in France and Italy but he was reluctant to see the ruler of Germany Conrad III take the cross for the pope needed the Germans to support him in his disagreements with the Norman Kingdom of Sicily meanwhile in France the 25 year old King Louis VII expressed a desire to join the Crusade though his own nobles advised against it even the king's high counselor Abbott suger of Saint Denis advised Louis not to get involved in the risky overseas Expedition Jonathan Riley Smith calls Louis VII one of the most attractive of the medieval French monarchs and describes him as tender-hearted and courteous Pious and Sirius a loyal son of the church but not weak however his power was geographically limited and dependent both ideologically and politically on the church Louis is said to have been unconcerned by his poverty in comparison to other kings he once remarked here in France we have nothing but bread wine and joy before he committed to The Crusade Louis wanted the opinion of Bernard of clairvaux whom the King was said to have often consulted as though he were an oracle revered throughout Europe as a living Saint Bernard of clairvaux was the most influential Churchman of the age Pope eugenius himself had been one of Bernard's monks and pupils Bernard was instrumental in defining a new chivalry a Knighthood blended with spiritual vows in the form of military orders like the Knights Templar A Warrior's true calling according to Bernard was to renounce pride and wealth and commit himself to the defense of Christendom for Bernard of clairvaux the Crusade represented the manifestation of this ideal Saint Bernard and his cistercians fanned across France preaching the cross Bernard's surviving letters from the period contained some of the most powerful examples of crusade ideology Bernard's ideas would shape a Church's approach to the Crusades for centuries to come this age is like no other that has gone before a new abundance of Divine Mercy comes down from heaven blessed are those who are alive in this year pleasing to the Lord this year of remission this year of veritable Jubilee I tell you the Lord has not done this for any other generation before nor has he lavished on your father's gifts so copious [Music] Bernard cast The Crusade as a gift from God a showering of blessings upon the Warriors of the age he emphasized the idea that those participating were fortunate to be living in an era of unique blessings from God also Bernard frequently referred to the Holy Land as Christ's lands emphasizing the feudal obligation of a vassal to protect his Lord's domain if Christ's domain was in Peril How could a Christian Warrior neglect to defend it Louis VII took to heart Bernard's ideals and lived more like a monk than a king shunning finery and dressing in poor garments praying frequently and fasting at a visit on March 31st 11 47 in a field outside the town Saint Bernard preached The Crusade much as Pope Urban had preached at Claremont half a century earlier attending Were King Louis VII and his Leading Men in a dramatic ceremony Louis received the cross from Bernard most of the king's leading vassals took the cross as well soon Saint Bernard ran out of cloth crosses to affix to the cloaks of newly avowed Crusaders the charismatic Abbot tore his own habit into strips to make more crosses even Louis Queen the beautiful Eleanor of Aquitaine took the Pilgrim's vow to travel east with her husband in terms of Personality King Louis and queen Eleanor seemed rather mismatched unlike Louis Eleanor was extravagant and worldly a lover of poetry and song Rich garments and the finer trappings of Court life however their marriage had been a political win for Eleanor was the heiress to the vast wealthy duchy of Aquitaine and her territories greatly enhanced the kingdom of France Louis seems to have been deeply devoted to its bright lovely Queen though the experience of the Crusade would strain their relationship to the breaking point by November Saint Bernard was preaching in Germany territory ruled by Conrad III Riley Smith describes Conrad as shrewd sincere intelligent Pious courageous and hard-working in the past Conrad had expressed interest in crusading although never formally crowned Emperor Conrad was nevertheless ruler of the Holy Roman Empire and styled himself King of the Romans at Christmas Mass at Spire Cathedral Saint Bernard preached directly to Conrad asking the ruler to imagine himself at the final judgment approaching the Throne of Christ the Savior would name all the gifts he'd granted to Conrad wealth power kingship wisdom courage strength then recalling that Conrad had refused the Crusader's vow Christ would ask son what more should I have done for you Conrad the tall brawny King of the Germans wept openly kneeling he proclaimed I am ready to serve him Bernard received the emperor's vow to Crusade along with many of the Great Men of the Holy Roman Empire now the king of France and the Holy Roman Emperor two of the most important rulers in Christendom had agreed to lead the Second Crusade [Music] earlier on March 13 1147 a large group of Saxon Nobles and knights approached the cistercian Abbott and asked him to extend the scope of the Crusade they wanted to fulfill their Crusader's vow by Waging War against the Pagan winds who dwelt east of the elbe river the Saxons explained to Bernard that these pagans were a threat to the local Christians raiding their territories and carrying God's people into bondage where Christian Knights not called to oppose God's enemies everywhere not just in Palestine Bernard needed little convincing he agreed and at once asked Pope eugenius to extend the Crusade to Christendom central European Frontier in the Northeast the pope who rarely refused one of Bernard's requests approved the idea formally the Second Crusade was extended to include a new Northeastern front where dwelt the Pagan wins the Saxons who battled the winds would gain the same spiritual merits as the knights who would travel to Syria as it happened the territory of the Winds was the most logical point of expansion for the Christian Saxons however Saint Bernard insisted that the object of the wendish Crusade must be spiritual he forbade the Saxon Crusaders from Making Peace unless the winds agreed to be baptized we utterly forbid that for any reason whatsoever a truth should be made with these people either for the sake of money or for the sake of tribute until such a time as by God's help they shall be either converted or wiped out this is a striking condition imposed by Saint Bernard in effect the Saxons were to offer their Windish enemies the choice to convert or die this was the first time crusading included such a ruthless Maxim Riley Smith points out that Bernard appears to be contradicting his own words here for in the past the Abbot had stated that conversion must never be forced traditionally Crusaders in both the holy land and Spain had not insisted on the conversion of their Muslim opponents and had frequently made treaties with them indeed the Crusader States would have been unable to function had they not dealt diplomatically with neighboring Muslim states this shows the Divide between an uncompromising vision and the realities of war and politics as managed by those who actually lived and governed on christendom's Frontiers the Templars themselves would be masters of diplomacy and would make many treaties with their Muslim Neighbors The wendish Crusade represented the start of yet another thread in crusade's history the northern Crusades and quickly the northern Crusaders would learn to deal diplomatically with their Pagan opponents as often as did other Crusaders but the Second Crusade would not be limited to two fronts King Alfonso VII of Leon Castile sent a request to Pope eugenius III asking that the Crusade boom be extended to include Spain Alfonso had his eye on Al Maria held by the alma Ravid Empire of North Africa and the king of Portugal Alfonso the first was interested in crusading to conquer Lisbon held by the Muslim taifa of bada holes for years now popes had been issuing Crusade bulls for the wars against the Moors in Spain in keeping with the tradition Pope eugenius extended the Second Crusade to include the Iberian front the pope went so far as to issue a separate Crusade bull for Spain and Portugal specifically many genoese sailors and men from Southern France opted to join the crusade of King Alfonso VII those taking the Cross in 1147 had their choice Spain Central Europe or the Holy Land the Second Crusade was in effect the first International project of the Crusades but would this stretch the forces of Latin Christendom too thin as the popes called to Crusade spread across Western Christendom events began to Trend more favorably for the Crusader states in the Eastern Levant foreign 1146 zengi while sleeping was stabbed to death by one of his own slaves news of zengey's death was welcome among the Franks of the Latin East inevitably a period of instability arose within zengy's domains as his two sons Mahmoud clashed over their father's Empire established a power base in mosul while Nur Adeen secured his hold over Aleppo hoping to take advantage of the situation count Jocelyn II assembled his troops and marched on Odessa briefly the count managed to reoccupy the city though the Citadel itself held out however when Nur Adeen arrived with a large Turkish Army prospects for the Christians securing Odessa evaporated Nur aden's forces overwhelmed count Jocelyn and his Franks who were treated suffering heavy losses Nur Adeen then massacred odessa's population and raised the city to the ground leaving behind a useless husk of the once Splendid Town it was a tragic end to the city's life no doubt Nur Adeen wanted to eliminate the possibility of the Franks retaking Odessa while he dealt with the conflict with his brother this first and decisive Act of nuradin foreshadowed his profound significance in the history of the 12th century East Nur Aden would in time become the most important enemy of the Frankish Crusader States [Music] in the Iberian Peninsula The Crusade was underway by early 1147 led by local rulers long accustomed to crusading after the proclamation of Pope eugenius's Crusade bull King Alfonso the first of Portugal had sent his brother Pedro to meet with Bernard of clairvaux personally to discuss the recruitment of troops for the crusade in Portugal Alfonso of Portugal was one of medieval Europe's truly remarkable rulers it was Alfonso who established Portugal as an independent Kingdom indeed he was the first named king of Portugal foreign early in his Reign Alfonso had Allied himself closely with the Knights Templar the king even described himself as a brother in the fraternity of the Templars indicating that he himself had become an associate of the order Alfonso granted the Templars important Frontier castles in his kingdom and from then on the Templars would be key participants in the ongoing Portuguese Crusade [Music] in March of 1147 King Alfonso assembled his troops at coimbra and made a rapid thrust South surprising and capturing the Muslim town of santarem with this rapid Victory Alfonso now controlled the passage of the tagus river the great city of Lisbon was now isolated Alfonso was poised to launch the greatest campaign of his reign meanwhile in April 1147 a fleet of Crusaders departed cologne as they passed through the North Sea and the English Channel they were joined by Crusader ships from Flanders and England this Coalition was no small Force but altogether contained around 164 ships and 13 000 men cruising past northern France and along the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula the Crusaders dropped anchor at Porto where they met the local Bishop Pedro the bishop had been expecting them indeed some men in this Fleet had already made arrangements to crusade in Portugal with Bernard of clairvaux when the Great Abbott had toured the low countries Bishop Pedro urged the Crusaders to join with his King Alfonso in the Crusade to conquer Lisbon the bishop emphasized the meritorious nature of the war act like good soldiers he told them for the sin is not in fighting but in fighting for the sake of booty [Music] though the fleet set out for Lisbon on June 28 there was still much debate among their ranks about whether or not to join in Alfonso's Crusade some Crusaders opposed halting for the Portuguese campaign for their ultimate destination was the Holy Land but many were attracted by Alfonso's offer a treaty guaranteeing them a share in the city's plunder and trading privileges throughout Portugal these privileges would be generational and their sons would inherit them as well arriving at The Siege Camp before Lisbon the Crusaders met with King Alfonso personally the leaders of the Crusader Fleet were Harvey of Glanville Christian of Giselle and count Arnold of Airship the king appealed personally for their help repeating his offer and insisting on the sanctity of his cause Alfonso even promised to Grant lands to any Crusaders wishing to settle in his kingdom among the Crusaders Alfonso's greatest advocate was Harvey of Glanville who appealed to his comrade sense of Honor Harvey voiced his agreement that the king's cause was a holy one and reminded his peers of the wealth waiting within Lisbon for the taking Harvey's advocacy won out the Crusader Coalition agreed to join with Alfonso's Army in the campaign to capture Lisbon the king sent the bishop of Braga to formally request the surrender of Lisbon's Muslim rulers you have held our cities and lands already for 358 years said the bishop returned to the homeland of the Moors once you came leaving to us what is ours not surprisingly Lisbon's Muslim Governors saw things differently they accused the Christians of acting out of greed and declared their intention to resist with all their powers until Allah should determine otherwise [Music] the Portuguese Crusader Coalition formally laid Siege to Lisbon on July 1st 1147 Alfonso and his army blockaded the city from the land approaches while the Crusader Fleet blockaded from the sea Alfonso's men assembled their Siege equipment and began to batter the walls with catapults and trebuchets six weeks passed the Muslims proved courageous in their defense of the city the Crusaders began to grow frustrated but then the Christians intercepted letters from Lisbon's rulers the letters were desperate requests for help to Abu Muhammad the Emir of evara and other Moorish rulers and described the desperate conditions of hunger and disease that prevailed within Lisbon encouraged the Christians pressed on with the siege German and Flemish Crusaders continued digging mines beneath the walls while the Normans and the English constructed an enormous movable Tower with which to assault the city walls Lisbon's Defenders became so desperate with Hunger that they began collecting refuse thrown from the Christian ships as it was carried in by the waves below the city's walls seeing this the Crusaders began laying traps for their opponents setting food out in front of the city and then capturing enemy troops when they came out to collect it finally the Christian Siege engines and sappers caused the collapse of a very large section of the wall one Christian chronicler described hearing the Defenders cry out in anguish after the wall fell at last in October when The anglo-norman Siege Tower reached the city's walls the Muslim Defender sent a messenger to King Alfonso to ask for terms Lisbon surrendered the Christian Army made its triumphal entry into the city on October 24 1147 although the king allowed the Muslim Defenders to leave with their lives the city was sacked and many lives were lost in this violence the Crusaders also captured the nearby Fortress of sintra to the west and the castle pomela south of the tagus river many of the Crusaders decided to settle in Lisbon and one of them an Englishman named Gilbert of Hastings was elected Bishop of the city however most of the German Flemish and English Crusaders would sail onto the Holy Land in February 1148 Alfonso next launched a campaign to capture many of the nearby castles soon all of Portugal north of the tagus river and south of coimbra was under the king's control thank you as a result of the Lisbon Crusade Portugal's Frontier was dramatically expanded the episode represents a major development in the ongoing Reconquista of the Iberian Peninsula [Music] a conquest of Lisbon was King Alfonso's crowning Victory the 1140s were a time when all of Christian Iberia expanded Southward but Portugal's achievements were the most important for this period of the rayconquista the most Landmark development since the fall of Zaragoza in 1118 or the fall of Toledo in 1085. the fall of Lisbon would be one of the second crusade's most enduring legacies surely such a victory is exactly what saint bernard envisioned for the whole of the international multi-front campaign [Music] while Alfonso of Portugal was engaged in the conquest of Lisbon Alfonso VII the king of Leon Castile was waging his own crusade to capture the great Port City of almaria Alfonso the seventh is an important and intriguing figure and his participation in the Second Crusade merits some examination of his rise to prominence he was the son of queen uraka of Leon and the grandson of King Alfonso VI of Leon Castile the famed patron of el Sid Alfonso the seventh father Raymond of burgundy was a Frenchman if that term could be used for this period Raymond was one of those many knights from the land of the Franks who traveled to Spain during the late 11th and early 12th centuries such men found willing sponsors in the Iberian Kings who employed them in campaigns of Conquest in the Muslim south or in the desperate Wars against the almaravids thus Alfonso raimundes as he was known sprang literally from that mingling of the Frankish and Iberian legacies in part generated by crusading and by the increasing religious unity Western Christendom under the latin Church Alfonso was born in a troubled period for his mother's Kingdom when the Rival kingdoms of Portugal and Aragon were on the rise and the almaravids of North Africa were at the peak of their power however under Alfonso VII the great territory of Leon Castile would once more be the dominant power on the Iberian Peninsula and the ancient Imperial dreams of Alfonso's forefathers seemed plausible yet again the king played a key role in reducing the power of the almaravids on the peninsula as he invested their castles throughout the tagus valley steadily defeating and replacing their garrisons indeed Alfonso styled himself emperor of all Spain an ambitious title never fully realized nevertheless we can see in Alfonso VII the clear blending of crusading ideals with the dreams of Spanish reconquest Alfonso VII quite deliberately asked the pope to extend the Second Crusade to Leon Castile he also invited his vassals Ramon Behringer IV of Aragon Barcelona and William of Montpellier to join in the Crusade quote for the Redemption of their souls Alfonso is both a crusader and a reconqueror a self-conscious member of the greater project of Latin Christendom spearheaded by the Pope in Rome as well as an heir to the ancient dream of Alfonso the Great and the other early monarchs of medieval Spain the house of Leon Castile considered itself the authentic continuation of the Throne of the visigothic king Roderick Alfonso VII may have been one of Latin christendom's first rulers to become aware of Pope eugenius III's plans to launch the Second Crusade in 1145 one of Alfonso's most important counselors and magnates Archbishop Raymond of Toledo was in Rome when news arrived of the fall of Odessa it wasn't Spanish rulers alone who were interested in extending the Second Crusade to Spain the genoese asked the pope to allow them to fulfill their crusading vows in the conquest of al-maria the genoese viewed al-muria as a nest of pirates and saw an opportunity to both destroy an enemy and gain from one of the mediterranean's wealthiest ports Alfonso would need a naval Ally in the Enterprise and so he welcomed cooperation with Genoa [Music] now Alfonso VII's active participation in the Second Crusade began in 1146 that April he assembled his army in Toledo in may he attacked portoba captured a portion of the city and obliged the alma Avid Governor IBN gania to acknowledge Him as Overlord in August the king returned to Toledo where he met with his genoese allies by September Alfonso and the genoese had hammered out a formal pact Alfonso would Supply land forces and contribute 30 000 maravatis Genoa would provide a fleet troops and Siege equipment for the siege of Almeria the genoese would receive a third of all conquests and would have the right to establish factories and markets in Almeria they would also be exempt from all tolls in Alfonso's dominions Ramon Behringer IV ruler of the kingdom of Aragon and the county of Barcelona agreed to participate in the Crusade as well the plan was to take Almeria in 1147 and then when tortosa for Ramon Barringer in 1148 the genoese would Supply the naval power for both campaigns in November of 1146 Alfonso VII met with count Ramon Barringer and King Garcia Ramirez of Navarre at San estebende gormas to coordinate plans for the campaign as in the Holy Land the Iberian Crusade would be a multinational affair [Music] but Alfonso did not rest that winter he launched an expedition from his Southern frontier to capture the alma rabbit-held Fortress of calatrava in January of 1147 the king had full control of that castle which was crucial for his upcoming campaign he then returned to Toledo to take up the Kingdom's normal business meanwhile the pope eugenius III reissued his Crusade bull this time specifically mentioning Spain as a front in the Second Crusade the king of the Spains wrote the pope is strongly arming against the saracens here the pope affirmed Alfonso's preferred title of Overlord of the entire Iberian Peninsula in the summer of 1147 King Alfonso VII joined with his ally King Garcia Ramirez of Navarre for an attack on baiza an important Morris stronghold Al andaluz on the guadal kavir the two kings capture The Fortress in mid-august having secured baiza as a critical Supply base Alfonso and Garcia then LED their troops in the grueling dangerous March over mountains and desert to reach the Mediterranean Coast arriving at the Port City of Almeria the two kings rendezvous with the genoese fleet and the forces of count Ramon Barringer [Music] the genoese fleet had already arrived back in July their Fleet contained 63 galleys and 163 other ships an impressive Force Alfonso had with him a modest but effective Army of 400 nights and around 1 000 foot soldiers Ramon behringer's Force included a single ship and 53 knights we must remember that armies weren't particularly large in the mid-12th century Bishop Arnaldo of astorga preached before the Crusaders proclaiming now it is necessary that each one confess himself well and fully and know that the gates of paradise are open in effect he was saying that those who would fall in this battle would be martyrs at the time Al Maria was a rich thriving Port the City's population numbered around 28 000 with walls that contained some 79 hectares of land the almarian fleet was considerable but faced with this imposing Crusader Coalition withdrew before the city was fully invested it looked as though no relief was coming from other Muslim lands the governors of Almeria offered Alfonso 100 000 maravadis if he would withdraw he refused on October 17 11 47 a week before the fall of Lisbon Al Maria surrendered [Music] Alfonso's Crusade had triumphed it was the crowning achievement of an already impressive career and not surprisingly the king would tout this Victory widely the genoese two were proud of their accomplishment which they considered both economically and spiritually profitable [Music] in 1148 the momentum of the crusade did not slow down that July the genoese rejoined count Ramon Barringer along with the Knights Templar and the Knights hospitaler for an assault on the port city of tortoso at the head of the Delta of the Ebro River to show the broad recruitment for these Iberian campaigns William of Montpellier and Bertrand of Toulouse both brought forces to this Siege and some veterans from the Lisbon Crusade joined as well tortosis surrendered in December and so the count of arrogant Barcelona had his victory from the Second Crusade as did the Kings of Leon Castile and Portugal [Laughter] Ramon Behringer continued his crusading into 1149 that year he captured the important cities of Fraga larida and mechinenza thus reversing the gains of the almaravids after the battle of Fraga in 1134 the whole of the old lands of the once magnificent taifa of Zaragoza where el-sid had once served as a mercenary to the Emir had now fallen to the Christians [Music] the Second Crusade had been a resounding success throughout the Iberian Peninsula it had expanded Christian territory from tortoza in the East to Lisbon in the west these were significant gains which placed important cities in the hands of the Christians although the alma ravids had been in Decline throughout the previous decades the Second Crusade put a stamp on the collapse of the alma Ravid Empire throughout the Crusade the alma rabbits had failed to bring Aid to Iberian castles technically under their Rule and the remaining great cities of the Muslim South began to operate once more as independent taifa kingdoms by 1149 the Second Crusade was over in Spain and Portugal the successes were unquestionably dramatic Bernard Riley summarizes the territory gained the Portuguese border had been carried permanently south from coimbra on the mondego to santarem and Lisbon on the tagus the entire Basin of the Ebro had fallen to arrogant Barcelona in the East Leon Castile had cleared the hole of the plane of Castile La Nueva of the alma ravids and had established a strong position in the upper Basin of the guadalupeer and al-maria all three of the major Iberian campaigns received assistance from the Crusaders from outside of the Iberian Peninsula Germany Italy France England and other regions and kingdoms all sent assistance to the Iberian Crusade but how would the Second Crusade fair in other theaters the Northeast and in the Holy Land will continue with our look at the Second Crusade by examining the Saxon campaign in Central Europe the Windish Crusade [Music] as part of the Second Crusade Bernard of clairvo secured papal's sanction and Crusade indulgences for the summer campaign of 1147 against the Pagan Slavs or wens who dwelt between the rivers elb and Odair historian Christopher Tireman says that this decision set the tone for perhaps the most radical and effective Association of crusading and territorial expansion this was the start of the northern Crusades which would last for at least two centuries and impact every region east of the elbe along the coast eastwards and northwards to Livonia Estonia Finland and the Gulfs of Finland and Bosnia these expansionist wars coincided with the territorial interests of Christian Danish German and polish princes looking to press East or north spiritual gains went hand in hand with gains in land wealth and power ultimately the northern Crusades would bring the Pagan communities of the eastern and Northern Baltic literal into the realm of Latin Christendom however in 1147 all this lay in the future at the time it was a matter of Saxon Christian nights seeking to sanctify their war against the Eastern Slavs by the big event of the year the Second Crusade the idea of crusading in this region wasn't new though it hadn't yet taken off back in 1108 the Archbishop of magdeborg sought military assistance for the vulnerable Christian lands along the elm Frontier urging Knights to come and help in the liberation of quote our Jerusalem [Music] including this region under the larger Crusades umbrella was a natural development if Christians battling saracens in Spain and the Holy Land received the Pope's endorsement then why not the Saxons who fought Pagan tribes for the Saxons the prize wasn't spiritual alone but the wealth of new conquests the magdeborg appeal demonstrates this quite plainly their land is the best rich in meat honey corn and birds and if it were well cultivated none could be compared to it for the wealth of its produce and so most renowned Saxons French lorainers and Flemings and conquerors of the world this is an occasion for you to save your souls and if you wish it acquire the best land in which to live may He Who with the strength of his arm led the men of Gaul on their March from the Far West in Triumph against enemies in the farthest east give you the will and power to conquer those enemies who are nearby and to prosper well in all things note the direct reference to the First Crusade no wonder that the northern Crusades quickly evolved into one of the most active theaters of crusading nevertheless historian Eric Christensen writes when the Saxons demanded to be let loose on the Slavs they did so for good old-fashioned reasons either to get submission and tribute or to seize more land for the Danes it was an opportunity for revenge and retaliation against the Pirates and slavers and for the polls a chance of intimidating the prussians but who were these tribes that were to be battled across the Eastern Frontiers and the Pagan lands that stretched along the Baltic Shore to the Gulf of Finland the peoples were divided into numerous principalities tribes or extended family groups the most prominent division was linguistic between the Keel and vestula dwelt the Western Slavs or winds among the winds tribal and political groups were sustained by a lively polytheistic religion directed by a powerful Priestly class region had its particular cult with its own temples stocked with sacred images the rural areas were dominated by territorial princes but markets and trade existed in towns on the coast farther East political life was less recognizable to the Latin Christians more tribal and primordial among the winds one Prince stood out as most capable of resisting the coming Crusade niklot Prince of the wendish abbatrites niklot presided over the substantial abatrite Confederation which included various other tribes and amounted to a considerable military power [Music] niklot was aware of the preparations of the Crusaders [Music] in April 1147 the pope appointed Bishop Anselm of haverberg as his legate for the wendish campaign June 29 the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul was designated for the muster the Crusaders were to gather on that date at Magda Borg [Music] however that June niklot launched a preemptive campaign his wendish army struck at the newly established German settlement of lubic the Winds brutally devastated the Flemish and Friesian villages in fact niklot's initial attack only further bolstered the cause of the Crusade but better proof that the winds were an immediate threat to Christendom Eric Christensen notes that niklot's attack stiffened the sinews of the assembling armies for it made it plain that he meant to have his own again [Music] the Coalition of the wendish Crusade was composed of a Danish Force Under The King's kanut V and Sven III troops under Archbishop Albert of Bremen and Duke Henry the lion Saxons Warrior Bishops would be a common feature over the history of the northern Crusades in mid-july the Archbishop and Duke Henry LED their armies into abbatrite territory to besieged niklot's newly built Fortress of Dobbin meanwhile from the north a Danish Army and Fleet descended on the stronghold niklot and his Slavic forces resisted fiercely surrounded by Marsh and Lake Dobbin was well defended the Crusader armies were stretched thin a crusader Force had to guard the Danish Fleet at Wismer Bay early on nikolotes set his allies the rubians to attack the Danish Fleet by sea while necloth's troops launched a Sally against the Danish forces outside of daben the Danish troops were isolated by the lake Outside The Fortress and so the winds managed to devastate the Danes before the Saxons could bring help this early malling of the Danish contingent caused the two kings Knute the fifth and Sven the third to quickly cut their losses and withdraw from The Crusade thus the Christian Coalition was greatly reduced undeterred Archbishop adelbert and Henry the lion maintain their Siege of the Windish fort as the Saxon troops ravaged the countryside some of the Nobles objected one chronicler recorded their dismay is not the land we are devastating our land and the people we are fighting our people why are we destroying our own incomes if they couldn't conquer this region for the time being the Saxons generally preferred to extract tribute from it rather than destroy it but didn't this go against Bernard of clairvo's Maxim ultimately The Siege devolved into a costly stalemate soon the Saxons came to terms with Prince Nick Lowe The Garrison of Dobbin accepted baptism and freed their Danish prisoners niklot restored his alliance with a count of Holstein and agreed to pay tribute historian Christopher Tireman describes this treaty as quote escanti fig leave to allow the Danes and Saxons to withdraw the Saxon chronicler helmet of bosau mocked the Windish conversions as false niklot's rule remains strong as well as his people's Pagan religious system with its temples and priesthood and the wendish slave markets continue to circulate Danish prisoners but the wendish Crusade wasn't over at magdeborg in early August the main Army assembled under the papal legate and selm of hoverboard as well as six other German Bishops Albert the bear led the sacks and marcher Lords and an imperial contingent under the Abbot vibald of corvi was also present campaigning far from Dobbin this essentially papal-led Army fought its way some 100 miles deep into wendish territory possibly preparing to assault the strategically significant island of rugen the Crusaders attacked demin on the river pineb the Crusaders managed to overrun myshoff to the South where they destroyed the Pagan Temple however at demon wendish resistance was fierce once more a stalemate developed once more the Crusaders ultimately withdrew persuaded by some of the frontier margraves the bulk of the German Army now moved on steten in Pomerania however it soon became apparent that this town had already accepted the Christian religion for the inhabitants hung crosses from the walls the town's Bishop came out to talk with the leaders of the German Army chastened the Crusader Coalition Dooley withdrew [Music] in his famous history God's War Christopher Tireman notes that the wendish Crusade begun with such Acclaim at Frankfurt and attracting recruits from as far afield as Moravia Denmark and the southern Rhineland petered out in a failed Saxon land grab while the wendish crusade of 1147 produced minimal results in the immediate it set a precedent that it would shape the history of the region it was only the beginning the northern Crusades would continue the lands of the Winds would be the first to fall ultimately German polish and Scandinavian Crusaders would press farther east and north deep into the Baltic absorbing tribe after tribe into the fold of Christendom niklot had had his victory but his descendants would one day be Christians for the time being the wendish Crusade was widely regarded as a disappointment especially when compared to the sweeping victories of the Second Crusade in Iberia we did what we were told but it didn't work the Abbott vibald of corvi famously historian Eric Christensen notes on the other hand if this campaign had not been undertaken as a crusade it would have seemed fairly successful it rounded off the Saxon occupation of wagria and palabia and made Prince niklot a tributary and Ally of the Saxons It produced a certain amount of loot freed a certain number of slaves and suffered only one serious defeat when the Danes were driven back at Dobbin it was only from the point of view of Saint Bernard and the clergy of the slav missions that the campaign appeared a failure it was they who had decided to make the permanent conversion of the Slavs the main aim of the undertaking and it's worth asking why they imagined that this could be achieved through a military campaign interesting comments from Eric Christensen which opened the door to further discussion and contemplation [Music] this leaves us with a final theater of the Second Crusade the Holy Land itself what would happen when the king of France and the Emperor of Germany LED their armies against the seljuk and zenged forces of the Eastern Levant stay with us for the full story [Music] the Pope's Norman Italian adversary King Roger II of Sicily wanted to capitalize on the energy of the Second Crusade Roger already maintained a close alliance with King Louis VII of France and so he offered his own Fleet to transport the French army to the Holy Land Roger proposed that along the way the Crusaders could further the cause of Christendom by subduing once and for all the Byzantine Empire which Roger described as treacherous and unreliable since the days of Robert giscard the Normans of southern Italy had long cherished hopes of one day conquering Byzantium over the course of the history of the Crusades many Latin Christians had developed a mistrust of the Eastern Empire which seemed to them a nest of double dealing snakes at best and unreliable and cowardly Ally in the fight against the saracens a robust anti-byzentine party existed at the Royal Court of France and many of King Louie's advisors urged the Monarch to accept Roger's offer Louis however felt that he would need Byzantine support to prosecute his Crusade he also preferred to travel over land like the heroes of the First Crusade politely Louis declined King Rogers proposal [Music] meanwhile in Constantinople Emperor Emmanuel kamninis was not at all happy about the prospect of a new Crusade he'd spent a great deal of energy cultivating an anti-saicilian Coalition composed of Venice the pope and the Holy Roman Empire he was also loathed to see his peace with the seljuk Turkish Sultan of room disrupted like all Byzantine emperors Manuel is concerned that the Crusade would ultimately be turned against his own lands to secure his Eastern flank Manuel reaffirmed his peace with the seljuk Turks and prepared himself to deal with the Western armies that would soon descend upon his Empire foreign the German Army under Conrad III departed Regensburg in May 1147 and headed east accompanying the knights and soldiers were a great many civilian pilgrims hoping to visit the holy places one veteran lamented this fact and stated that Pope eugenius should have required civilians to stay home quote for the weak and helpless are always a burden to their comrades and a source of prey to their enemies now the Germans marched along the Danube to Vienna Hungary and finally reached the Byzantine Frontier at brunitz around July 20. the size of the German Army is unknown but it must have been substantial for it moved quite slowly a reasonable estimate would be between seven thousand and thirteen thousand on the lower end and between ten thousand and twenty thousand on the higher end small by modern standards but substantial for the mid-12th century hearing of the approaching Germans Emperor Emmanuel negotiated an agreement with Conrad the Germans would refrain from causing trouble in Imperial lands while Manuel would provide supplies and markets for the Crusaders as it marched from the Danube to Thrace the German Army kept good order but once they reached Thrace German discipline became lacks and there were violent clashes between locals and Crusaders at philippopolis there was another violent incident in Adrian opal but at last Conrad's Army reached Constantinople on September 10. here the Germans found the Byzantine capital on full military alert despite the unruly March of the German Army Manuel was eager to maintain good relations with Conrad the Byzantine emperor was worried that the German ruler intended to attack his capital torturous negotiations followed however Manuel's wife Bertha of soulsbach was a relative of Conrad's and the two rulers managed to maintain friendly terms on both sides there was mistrust many in the Byzantine Camp believed the Germans harbored hostile intentions while many of the Crusaders were suspicious of the byzantines nevertheless after a month camped outside the walls of Constantinople the German Army traveled on ships provided by Manuel across the Bosphorus Manuel provided guides and food to the Crusaders although some of the Army's commanders wanted to remain encamped to await the arrival of the French under Louis VII Conrad was eager to press on to Syria as hindsight would prove Conrad should have waited the German Army divided one contingent led by Conrad the other led by Conrad's half-brother Otto of friesing Otto's contingent took the coastal roads southwards through Byzantine territory while Conrad's contingent proceeded Southeast toward Dory lamb and Iconium for 10 days Conrad's contingent made the grueling Trek across the treacherous interior of Asia Minor food ran short and discipline began to break down from the hills fans of Turkish horse archers stalked the exhausted Germans picking off the weak or the stragglers unlike the army of the First Crusade Conrad's troops lacked cohesion and proved ideal prey to the harassment tactics of the seljuk Turks the Crusaders failed to adapt to Turkish tactics despite the presence of Byzantine guides the famed historian of the Latin East William of Tire would later accuse these Guides of deliberately leading the Christian forces into Danger it was common talk and probably quite true wrote William that these perilous wanderings were devised with the knowledge of the Greek Emperor who has always envied the successful advance of the Christians it's true that Manuel wasn't happy about the Crusade taking place at all but would he have gone so far as to have deliberately sabotaged its progress on October 25 near Dory lamb the site of a dramatic Crusader victory in 1097. Conrad's Army was ambushed by a substantial seljuk Turkish host led by the Sultan of room himself mesood the first the Turks executed their trap brilliantly an advanced force of Turks appeared and Drew the German heavy Cavalry into an early charge pursuing the retreating Turks the German Cavalry left their infantry and ran right into an attack by a much larger Turkish Force the German Cavalry was devastated and the Infantry was subsequently mauled by the triumphant Turks German casualties were atrocious desperate Conrad Otto and the other commanders ordered a retreat back to Byzantine territory as the Germans struggled to withdraw they were continuously harassed by Turkish skirmishers The Retreat turned into a total route the German rear guard was utterly wiped out William of Tire records the devastation our army hemmed in on all sides was in Mortal Danger from the constant Showers of darts and arrows they had no chance to retaliate or to engage the foe At Close Quarters nor could they lay hold of the enemy as often as they tried to make a counter-attack the Turks broke ranks eluded all their attempts and galloped off in different directions [Music] the Second Battle of Dory lamb was in marked contrast to the first battle of Dory lamb in 1097 when Bowman and the other leaders of the First Crusade had held their forces together with tight discipline and dealt effectively with his seljunk Turks leadership seems to have been a major factor in the German failure Conrad proved unable to maintain discipline or to demonstrate the imagination necessary to achieve victory in the most trying of circumstances Conrad himself was wounded in the head by an arrow during the desperate retreat a starving shattered remnant of the German Army limped back into nicaea in early November many survivors immediately abandoned the Expedition taking the first ships Bound for the West the German contingent of the Second Crusade even before it had reached the Holy Land had effectively ceased to exist the bankrupt hungry and wounded rump of the German Army could do nothing but accept the hospitality of the byzantines and the French who were now encamped around nicaea [Music] for Louis VII and the French army the appearance of the defeated badly depleted German host was an ominous event some of the French blamed the Byzantine guides for misleading their German allies Conrad however placed the blame on himself feeling that his own leadership had failed at the most critical hour historian Christopher Tireman writes in truth the German Crusade founded on poor intelligence fallible Logistics inappropriate tactics and over-optimistic strategy as much as by lack of Greek support or the skill of the Turkish archers from the rebellious despised foot slogers and pilgrims to the mounted Elite for all their numbers and weaponry the Germans proved in all respects except courage singularly ill-equipped for Anatolian Warfare or the needs of a contested March [Music] at nicaea Louis and Conrad discussed their next move after the Turkish victory at Dory lamb Conrad commanded only a tiny Force Louis was now the main commander of the Crusade for if it were to succeed it would be up to the French both Conrad and Louis agreed not to attempt another Crossing of central Anatolia instead they prepared to March along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Asia Minor thus keeping within Byzantine territory as long as possible departing nicaea the Crusaders marched to Smyrna and then Ephesus where Conrad became dangerously ill at Manuel's suggestion the German Emperor sailed to Constantinople where he was personally cared for by the Byzantine emperor and empress A Renewed Alliance was established between Manuel and Conrad when he was healthy enough Conrad sailed directly from the Byzantine Capital to the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem thus the German effort in the Second Crusade concluded in a dismal and costly failure [Laughter] [Music] um Christopher Tireman points out that the Second Crusade was the first occasion for a Frankish King to lead a foreign Conquest since Charlemagne The Crusade emphasized Louis VII sovereignty by associating the great magnates of France in a specifically Royal policy the Frankish contingent was the royal Army Louis VII's Army The Crusade was one of the most important projects of the King's career Louis established relationships with Leading Men that in later years solidified the Royal Court as once again Central to French politics his chaplain recalls how at Verdun and Mets where the king gathered his army in June of 1147 although the king found nothing there which belonged to him by right of lordship he nevertheless found all subject to him voluntarily enthusiasm for the Crusade was strong throughout France especially after the preaching tours of Bernard of clairvaux considered a living Saint Bernard was a striking figure years of hard pennants had made his body lean and almost frail but there was a severe strength about him his vigorous powerful intellect was matched by a profound Charisma and eloquence he was both the most influential royal advisor of the time and the most effective public orator the cistercian Otto of rising described Bernard as endowed with wisdom and a knowledge of letters renowned for signs and wonders and as being like a Divine Oracle the great assembly at vesley on Easter Day in 1146 where Louis presided as king and Bernard spoke as advocate of the Crusade provides an obvious parallel to Pope Urban II's preaching of the First Crusade at Claremont in 1095. like Urban Bernard delivered a powerful speech but more important was the symbolism of the moment the king made his public pledge to the Crusade and appeared as its leader with Bernard representing the church's full endorsement of the Expedition here Latin Christian Society stood United for centuries commentators have criticized Louis VII for electing to lead his army via the land root across Asia Minor and into the Holy Land however at the time this was a reasonable option the First Crusade had taken this route and quite successfully the power offering to transport Louie's Army by sea was the Norman Kingdom of Sicily a bitter enemy of the byzantines king Roger of Sicily had already asked Louis to join him in a campaign to conquer the Byzantine Empire Louis had declined but he may have been concerned that ultimately Roger wouldn't take no for an answer if Louis placed the whole of his army in Rogers care Roger may have used that leverage to compel the king of France to attack Constantinople in addition Louie's Army of Frankish knights was more suited to an Overland Journey unlike modern commentators Louis VII didn't know the future his decision to travel by land made sense at the time [Music] in another dramatic ceremony King Louis VII and his court gathered at the great Cathedral of Saint Denis on June 1146 here surrounded by stained glass windows depicting the great Heroes of the first crusade king Louis prostrated himself before the altar kissed a relic of the church's patron saint and received the oriflam the Crimson Banner mounted on a gold Lance from abatsugar and finally the Pilgrim's script from the pope all three symbolize the initiation of the Crusade Louie's Army included many of France's great Lords and magnates flandersong Barr pointu Neville toenail the Alvernia champagne and Southern burgundy all sent contingents among the greatest contingents was the force led by tiri count of Flanders as well as Southern French vassals to the king's wife Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine including Joffrey Ronson the king's brother count Robert of Drew head of the king's core party Eleanor herself was attended by a considerable party of ladies and later poets would imagine them fantastically dressed as Amazon Warrior maidens the king's personal chaplain the monk Odo of doya accompanied his master and his Chronicle is today one of the most important sources for the Second Crusade in the Holy Land one notable feature of the Second Crusade is the virtual Universal approval it elicited from the powerful institutions of Latin Christendom only Roger II of Sicily the Pope's enemy refused to participate this is in contrast to the first crusade in which Pope Urban had to rely primarily on his own allies the northern French the provencals and the Normans the First Crusade had been called amid a bitter feud between Pope and Holy Roman Emperor now half a century later the Crusades had become an institution firmly accepted as the business of God the Pope's Prestige and Authority had been greatly bolstered by the success of the First Crusade and helped the papacy win the investiture contest with the German emperors Bernard of clairvaux emphasized that God would secure victory in the Second Crusade the first Crusades Triumph had been a miracle said the saint and the second would be another miracle of God however Bernard also emphasized practical aspects of the campaign in his letters he recalled the disasters of the people's Crusade led by Peter The Hermit in 1096. Bernard wanted his crusade to be led by competent military men to ensure a success similar to the First Crusade the cost involved in mobilizing Louis VII's Army is difficult to overstate many Nobles bankrupted themselves financing their participation wealthy Church institutions especially Abbeys made considerable contributions meanwhile in the Holy Land the Knights Templar prepared for the arrival of the Crusaders and sent representatives to meet the French at Constantinople after mustering at Mets in June 11 47 Louis VII and the French army numbering tens of thousands crossed the Rhineland reached the Danube in early July and Then followed the root of the Germans through Hungary historian Jonathan Riley Smith writes that Louie's Army was amply supplied by the hungarians with whose King Louis was on good terms thus far we were engaged in play recalled Odo because we neither suffered injuries from Men's ill will nor feared dangers arising from the cunning of crafty men however from the time when we entered Bulgaria a land belonging to the Greeks our Valor was put to the test and our emotions were aroused Odo notes that an agreement had been formalized between King Louis and Emperor Emanuel of the Byzantine Empire ahead of time but he insists that as soon as the Franks entered Byzantine territory the Greeks quote stained themselves with perjury Odo writes Here For the First Time wrongs began to arise and to be noticed for the other countries which sold us supplies properly found us entirely peaceful the Greeks however closed their cities and fortresses and offered their Wares by letting them down from the walls on ropes but food furnished in such measure did not suffice our throng therefore the pilgrims unwilling to endure want in the midst of Plenty procured supplies for themselves by plunder and pillage however Odo doesn't entirely blame the Greeks called the byzantines today for this situation he writes some thought that the State of Affairs was the fault of the Germans who preceded us since they had been plundering everything and that the Greeks therefore fled our peaceful King unlike Richard the lionheart and Frederick Barbarossa during the Third Crusade both of whom would impose universal codes of conduct on their armies and meticulously keep all their men supplied Louis proved unable to assert Universal discipline over all of his contingents Greek ambassadors kept Louis and the Royal party well supplied throughout this portion of the March but many divisions of the army were left to forage on their own resulting in clashes with locals after this ominous start the French Crusaders finally reached Constantinople between September and October of 1147 Manuel had shown suspicion toward Conrad but now he showered King Louis with favors the emperor held a lavish banquet in the French King's honor and personally accompanied King Louis and queen Eleanor on a tour of constantinople's churches and holy sites Manuel provided abundant markets and Provisions for the French forces but Louie's ability to enforce Universal discipline remained lacking and some elements of the Crusader host continued their unruly conduct the emperor even arranged a joint Mass celebrated by both Frankish and Greek clergy to honor Louie's Patron Saint Saint Denis on October 9. clearly Manuel wanted to maintain positive relations with the French and went out of his way to avoid any rupture with the Franks Louis for his part was entirely in agreement with Manuel's policy foreign however within the Frankish encampment outside of Constantinople not all of the French Nobles and Bishops agreed with their King by now it was common knowledge that Manuel had forged a peace with the seljuk Sultan of room and this appeared as treachery to many of the Crusaders many of the French felt certain that Manuel intended to betray them and tried to persuade King Louis VII to launch an attack on Constantinople itself arguing that the capture of the Byzantine Empire would position the Crusaders to better Aid the Holy Land however historian Thomas Madden notes that Louis absolutely refused to entertain the idea of turning his Army against a Christian Empire Manuel's spies kept him informed of the debate among the French and so the emperor exerted pressure on the Crusaders to cross the Bosphorus squeezing the flow of supplies spreading false rumors that the Germans were scoring great victories in Asia Minor and quickly assembling a fleet to provide transport Louis agreed with the emperor and between October 16 and 17 the French army was ferried over to Asia safely away from the Byzantine Capital now Manuel sent Messengers to Louis about an agreement of homage which further agitated the French Nobles ultimately a pact was signed Jonathan Riley Smith summarizes the agreement the Crusaders made homage and promised not to take any place under Imperial jurisdiction in return they were promised guides and supplies and the Greeks recognized that they would have to plunder where Provisions were not made available however Manuel refused to provide a Byzantine contingent to join in the Crusade on October 26 the French reached nicaea where they met Conrad III and German survivors fleeing from the disastrous Battle of Dory lamb this was a sobering moment for Louie's troops who had been led to believe by manual that Conrad had scored a major victory over the Turks from that moment on according to Christopher Tireman the French campaign never lost a sense of crisis joining with the depleted rump of the German Army the French pressed on the road South Thomas Madden writes for obvious reasons the rulers decided not to venture into Central Anatolia again instead they made preparations to March along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Asia Minor thus remaining in Byzantine territory as long as possible as they pressed on to Smyrna the Crusaders found the local Greeks unwilling or unable to provide markets and so the Army was forced to forage for food this provoked more clashes with locals and indeed the exhausted battle scarred German Survivor still trickling in to join Louie's Army experienced attacks by some local forces Thomas Madden notes rumors spread quickly that Manuel was attempting to weaken the Crusade so that it could be crushed by his friends the Turks lack of supplies was a major concern especially with winter approaching thank you the cracks in Louie's discipline only widened as many contingents looked to their Regional Lords primarily for guidance unlike the commanders of the First Crusade Louis was unable to maintain consistent cohesion during the march different units became widely separated from one another desertions became increasingly common as soldiers abandoned the march to seek out ships Bound for the West at Ephesus the Crusaders met Greek ambassadors warning of a large Turkish Army preparing to attack the French if they continued their March the emperor himself said the ambassadors advised Louis and his troops to hunker down for the winter within Byzantine castles this was useful advice but as Christopher Tireman notes such intelligence hardly compensated for what later struck some Crusade Veterans as Manuel's highly cynical policy he had failed to provide an adequate flow of Provisions or a large enough shadowing Fleet to sucker or transport the Western host even if impotent to keep Turkish incursions Down The Valleys of Western Asia Minor from attacking the French Manuel failed to encourage local Greek officials or citizens to show Hospitality welcome or open markets with the German Army destroyed Manuel's policy appeared less nervous and thus less supportive his alliance with Louis now redundant while not wishing the Crusaders ill Manuel no longer needed to appear to promote their interests especially if they endangered his own in Anatolia or Northern Syria Tireman goes on so when Conrad fell ill at Ephesus Manuel saw the chance to reverse his diplomacy abandon the French to their fate good or ill and reconstitute the Byzantine German alliance against Roger of Sicily whisking Conrad off to Constantinople by sea Manuel personally tended to the invalid amidst generous Hospitality that the German king must have contrasted with the dry forbidding welcome he had received at Constantinople only three months before then he commanded one of the largest fighting forces ever sent from Western Europe now he returned a sick old man nursing wounds to bodies spirit and reputation only too grateful for any comfort offered [Music] and so the German Emperor Conrad III departed via a Byzantine ship for Constantinople to recover from his illness under the care of Manuel kimninis foreign Louis VII led the Crusader Army onward swinging Inland from Ephesus heading east over the Meander Valley the Christian host was in for a lengthy grueling slog of over 200 miles across rugged landscapes their destination was Adalia a port on the southern shore of Asia Minor from there they could reach cilicia ruled by The Armenian Christians lacking the support of a Byzantine Fleet this direct Overland March seemed like The Logical course however it would expose the Christian troops to Turkish attack [Music] as it turned out the March was brutal Turkish Cavalry forces tracked the French column every step of the way and launched an attack on Christmas Eve when the Crusaders were encamped outside of Ephesus in this minor engagement the Crusaders successfully repelled the seljuk forces however the Turks continued to track the progress of the Crusaders [Music] David Nicole writes Louis carefully arranged his line of March with well-armed knights in the front rear and flanks while the vulnerable baggage train and the wounded remained in the center they reached the treacherous Meander River Valley here the Crusaders would have to forward the river and here the sultan mesood the first of room had set his trap mesu divided his host concealing the first part of the Army on one side of the Meander where it could attack the Christian rear guard as it approached the river meanwhile on the opposite Bank of the river the second part of massoud's army would block the advance of the Christians and attack them as they attempted to forward the waters the Christians approached the river only to find the seljuk Army arrayed before them on the opposite Bank thus on January 1st 1148 began the first major engagement between Louie's Army and the army of the seljuk Sultan of room the battle of the Meander River initially everything worked according to messud's plan as the Christian Vanguard approached the river they faced a hail of Turkish arrows while their rear guard was suddenly attacked by the first division of masood's army however the Crusaders managed to secure a Ford and mesut's Cavalry wasn't able to retreat in time William of Tire recounts the battle at last they found the Fords and despite the enemy's efforts forced a passage across the river and rushed upon the Turks they killed many of them and took numerous Prisoners the rest turned and fled the Victorious Franks at once seized the Turkish Camp which was filled with Spoils of the richest kind and supplies of every description and by vigorous action made themselves masters of the farther Bank crucially the Frankish Knights were able to engage closely before the Turks could retreat as David Nicole writes the attacker's withdrawal was too slow and they were hit by a counter charge driving the enemy back with substantial losses this Victory boosted Spirits in Louis Army and alleviated some of their supply problems although masood's Army had suffered serious casualties and the loss of their Camp the Turkish forces remained intact and were fully capable of regrouping and attacking again the Crusaders reached laodicea on January 3rd a region where Byzantine control was tenuous and many believe the local governor was in League with the seljuk Turks now the Christians face their most daunting challenge the enormous mountain of Cadmus tried to maintain a sound marching order for this is what had afforded him the victory at the Battle of the Meander River most of the Cavalry marched with the Vanguard while the baggage was in the center and King Louis himself commanded the rear guard on January 8 as the Christian hosts struggled to surmount the treacherous path over Mount Cadmus Queen Eleanor's vassal Joffrey of Ronson commanded the Vanguard at some point the Vanguard became separated from the rest of the army Joffrey pressed ahead searching for a suitable Campground either ignoring or being unaware of orders to Halt and wait for the rest of the Army on the crest [Music] meanwhile the rear guard paused to guard the foot of the pass intending to march on the next day this left the vulnerable and cumbersome baggage train almost unguarded as it moved over the mountain Sultan Masood seized this opportunity occupying the crest of the past mesu dispatched forces to assail the Christian baggage train which was strung out to almost 10 kilometers on the treacherous mountain path Louise chaplain Odo was with the baggage train when the Turks initially struck Panic spread across the center column Odo galloped to the rear guard under King Louis when Louis realized what was happening he had once rushed forward with his royal guard but the Steep terrain made it difficult for his Horsemen to operate effectively Fierce fighting followed Louie's personal courage in the moment is admirable accompanied only by his household Knights the king managed to protect his infantry and non-combatants by charging the enemy most of the king's Royal Guard were killed at his side Louis himself was nearly captured and Odo provides a now famous account of the king's narrow Escape during this engagement the king lost his small but renowned royal guard keeping a stout heart however he nimbly and bravely scaled a rock by making use of some tree roots the enemy climbed after in order to capture him and the most distant rabble showered arrows at him but the king's armor protected him from the arrows and to keep from being captured he defended the Craig with his bloody sword cutting off the heads and hands of many opponents in the process since they did not recognize him and felt that he would be difficult to capture the enemy thereupon turned back to collect the spoils before nightfall in this case Louie's unkingly appearance may have saved him under cover of night the king along with other stragglers managed to regroup with the Vanguard which had returned to help defend the baggage column toward the end of the battle the Turks had won a brilliant Victory and inflicted enormous casualties on the Crusader Army however the dogged fighting Spirit of the Christians had averted total Annihilation the Army remained intact more than could be said for Conrad III and his forces the French had suffered a defeat at the Battle of Mount Cadmus but they had survived Masood the first had shown himself a very effective General despite the setback at the Meander River he'd pick the perfect location for his next attack and inflicted a serious defeat on his enemy his victory at Mount Cadmus was as important as his earlier Victory against the Germans at Dory lamb [Applause] to avoid another disaster Louis placed command of the army with the Knights Templar led by their grand master everard de Barr over the course of the March Louis had come to rely on the advice of the Templars so now in this moment of Crisis he naturally turned to them ever divided the Army into units of 50 each subject to an individual Templar Each of which was subject to a general Commander named brother Gilbert [Music] Arrangement proved effective though the Army was already badly reduced after the defeat at Mount Cadmus the Turks adopted a scorched Earth policy so that the land was all but devoid of plunder [Music] foreign by the time the Crusader Army reached Adelia on January 20 it was hungry and exhausted at this point they found a Byzantine Fleet too small to transport the whole of the Frankish host to secure the basic food needed for survival Louis had to again swear an oath of loyalty to Manuel before the local Byzantine Governor there were only enough ships to transport the king and the nightly Elite of the army initially Louis insisted that he would march on with the bulk of the army via the land root but the upper ranks objected to this insisting that the king must make all hastes of the holy land with the Army's best fighting units shamefully King Louis allowed himself to be persuaded by these arguments a general who separates himself from his troops does more damage to his cause than his enemy Louis did just that boarding the Byzantine ships along with the other Knights and upper ranks of the French host the king left the bulk of the Infantry and non-combatants to carry on Overland it's not known how many of these people ever made it to Antioch some of them didn't even try electing to remain in Adelia some took service with the local Byzantine Garrison some according to the chaplain Odo even took service with the Sultan of room who did not require them to renounce Christianity of those that did attempt to March over land many fell in the Hills to the arrows of Turkish Horsemen only a very few finally made it to Antioch [Music] years later Richard the lionheart would avoid all these problems by carefully Contracting and organizing his own Fleet for the journey to the Holy Land Louis here was at the mercy of forces Beyond his control after surviving the brutal march across Asia Minor his army was ultimately broken up by poor Logistics news of the victories of the Sultan of rooms spread throughout the Muslim world the zengid chronicler IBN al-athir provides a good sense of how the Muslim World perceived the initial stages of the Crusade this year the king of the Germans came from his lands with a great host and a large following of Franks aiming to attack Islamic territory and not doubting that he would conquer it with the easiest of fighting because of the great multitude of his following and the abundance of his money and equipment in Damascus word of the defeat of the French and German armies in Asia Minor bolster the confidence of the Muslim population one chronicler from Damascus noted that this news convinced the demisecenes of the invasion of the Franks would fail Jonathan Riley Smith writes it must be stressed that although for most of his March Louis had been leading his army through a region supposedly under Byzantine control it had received little support from the population the government or its officers and the survivors can only have remembered the frustration and broken promises a recent historical judgment is that Manuel's fear of the French was so great that he connived at their destruction the French had been distrustful of the byzantines before they had left France their experiences in the Balkans and Asia Minor had borne out the complaints of their predecessors and left them with an abiding bitterness foreign [Music] Damascus Spirits were bolstered by news of the victories of Sultan Masood over the Crusaders in Asia Minor the Damascus chronicler IBN al-kalanisi records fresh reports of their losses and the destruction of their numbers were constantly arriving until the end of the year with the result that men were restored to some degree of Tranquility of mind and began to gain some confidence in the failure of their Enterprise and their former distress and fear were alleviated in spite of the repeated reports of the activities of the Franks after a three-day Voyage Louis Eleanor and the other high-ranking French reached the port of Saint Simeon and the principality of Antioch on March 19 1148 at last the king had arrived in the Crusader States for months the Latin Christians of the Crusader States had waited patiently for the arrival of vast reinforcements under the rulers of France and Germany instead Louis VII and a remnant of his great Army showed up at Antioch in the spring of 1148 the bulk of the crusading forces both French and German had either deserted or perished in Asia Minor thank you King Louis and queen Eleanor were welcomed by the ruler of the principality of Antioch Raymond of Poitier Raymond was a most gracious host to the king and queen showing them every hospitality Raymond was eager to secure the aid of the king of France in extending his own Frontier to the East and so he was motivated to make the king and his Entourage feel particularly welcome Queen Eleanor was delighted by the lavish social life at Antioch Raymond was Eleanor's uncle and his court abounding in music and color reminded Eleanor of her beloved Aquitaine later Eleanor's political enemies would claim that she'd broken her marriage vows at Antioch by engaging in illicit Affairs but there's no evidence to support this what inspired later French chroniclers to Heap her with so much slander was the fact that she and Louis would ultimately divorce and Eleanor would marry Henry II of England thus empowering the great rival of the king of France in reality all evidence indicates that Eleanor simply relished the poetry and Lively social occasions at Antioch the idea that Queen Eleanor are constantly surrounded by her ladies Royal Guards and other attendants would have had occasion to engage in adultery is itself rather fanciful and says more about modern fantasies than medieval realities Antioch was a splendid and Wealthy City one wonders if Louis felt any guilt at abandoning his men to continue the dangerous March over land while he relaxed amid antiox luxuries together Louis and Raymond discussed the next move for the Crusade Odessa had been demolished by noradin and was no longer a viable goal but Raymond explained the zengeids were now entrenched in civil conflict nor Adeen ruler of Aleppo was quarreling with his brother Sai fadin Prince of mosul now was the perfect time for the Crusaders to launch a campaign to conquer the strategically crucial city of Aleppo Raymond and Louis were very different men Raymond was tall handsome and dashing a natural military man steeped in a chivalric ideals of Aquitaine Louis was Pious austere and withdrawn there is a popular idea that Clash of personalities explains why Louis declined to join Raymond in a campaign against Aleppo the Christopher Tireman points out that strategic realities most likely determined Louie's decision Louis had a substantial force of knights with him but he'd abandoned his infantry and support staff in Asia Minor such forces would have been essential to reduce a stronghold like Aleppo meanwhile the king knew that fresh Crusader forces were currently arriving by sea farther south at the ports of tire and acre in the kingdom of Jerusalem essentially Louis would have to go to where the troops were he would have to go to the kingdom of Jerusalem in effect to rebuild his army this accorded with Louie's personal preferences as a Pious man he was deeply interested in visiting the holy city thus it's no surprise that Louis announced he would depart for Jerusalem with his forces this is where tensions erupted between the king and queen Raymond made his case to his niece and Eleanor wanted to support her relative Eleanor went so far as to Proclaim that unless Louis joined her uncle's campaign she would seek an annulment of their marriage this was only the first great rupture in what had been a long simmering discontent between Louis and Eleanor Louis worshiped his beautiful extravagant wife but the queen found her Monkish drab husband unappealing but even this Outburst was too much for the mild Louis to tolerate he placed the queen under house arrest and departed Antioch for Palestine by the time Louis reached Jerusalem Conrad recovered from his illness was already there as well with Conrad was a substantial Army of fresh Mercenaries Crusaders arriving from Provence as well as veterans from the conquest of Lisbon were showing up by ship around this time as well combined with the local forces of the kingdom of Jerusalem the crusade's strength was greatly replenished Christopher Tireman argues that despite the distractions defeats desertions and high casualties the Western forces that gathered in utramere in the spring of 1148 constituted easily the largest Christian Army to arrive in utramere since 1097 through 1099 that is since the first crusade however this may still have been a fairly small army historians Emily Babcock and AC cray argued that the army that besieged Damascus was not a very large one probably no larger than the one which had attempted the same task 20 years before here Babcock and cray are referencing Baldwin II's Army that besieged Damascus in 1129 which contained around 2 000 Knights and 10 000 infantry interestingly this is about the size of the army of the First Crusade when it besieges Jerusalem in 1099 it contained about 13 000 men in total this gives us a good idea of the size of the army that assembled in Jerusalem in the summer of 1148 [Music] on June 24 1148 Louis and Conrad joined the teenage King Baldwin III of Jerusalem and his mother Queen melissan for a council to discuss the Crusades next move most of the magnates of Jerusalem endorsed a campaign against Damascus the Amir unar of Damascus had formerly been an ally to the kingdom of Jerusalem but recently unar had opted to forge an alliance with nor Adeen of Aleppo instead in fact nor Adeen had recently married unar's daughter it made sense to try and prevent the powerful zengids from bringing Damascus fully under their control the conquest of Damascus would solidify Frankish power in southern Syria and Northern Palestine it would provide the kingdom of Jerusalem with the natural Frontier of the Eastern desert and effectively split the Muslim World in two cutting off Egypt from zenged Syria Louis and Conrad were convinced Damascus would be the next Target of the Second Crusade [Music] in hindsight many commentators have criticized the decision to besiege Damascus some today still mistakenly believe that the Crusaders were attacking an ally but the alliance between Damascus and Jerusalem had already collapsed and the Emir unar of Damascus had struck a new alliance with noradin but opinions were divided within Damascus and Powerful figures within the city remained hostile to the zingids the Templars and other leading figures in the kingdom of Jerusalem may have had contact with treacherous elements within the city and this may be why they felt that Damascus could be taken quickly it made sense to try and capitalize on the Discord within Damascus before the city was brought firmly under the control of the powerful zengeid Dynasty [Music] meanwhile the Emir unar of Damascus prepared for war rumors had been circulating since the spring that the Crusade would likely be directed against Damascus and so he had considerable time to prepare he summoned local Arab tribes to join with his own Army and alerted the governors of Frontier provinces he also posted Scouts on the roads to Damascus and dispatched men to cut off or divert Water Supplies on the route that would be taken by the Crusaders most importantly he secured the help of the zenged rulers Saif Adin and Nur Adeen who put aside their civil conflict and organized their Oscar troops and armies within days of receiving unar's appeal everything about the planning for the attack on Damascus indicates that the Crusaders anticipated a rapid campaign they believed that the city would either surrender quickly or be overwhelmed by a swift assault the Christian Army led by Louis VII of France Conrad III of Germany and Baldwin III of Jerusalem mustered at Tiberius in mid-july uniting around the relic of the True Cross the Kingdom's most prized standard thank you they then struck out for Damascus arriving before the city on the 24th the Christians approached the city from the west where grew immense Orchards watered by the burrata River these Orchards were useful both defensively and as a source of Provisions for the Army plus the river would provide the besieging forces with abundant water initially the local forces of Damascus tried to hold the Orchards but the Crusaders attacked and pushed them out the city's Cavalry forces now made a stand at the burrata River but the Christians attacked under the leadership of Conrad III the German Knights fought in a tight formation on foot drove the Muslim forces back and secured control of the barata river the Christians were now well positioned to launch an assault but after two days of attacks the city did not fall news arrived at both nor Adeen and his brother saifaddin were approaching with their armies for the relief of Damascus [Music] William of tire claims that at this point the Crusaders moved their Camp to the Eastern side of the city since the defensive walls here were weaker however Emily Babcock and AC cray point out that William of tire was writing much later and was not a witness to these events IBN al-kalanisi the Damascus chronicler was present in the city at the time and his account is the best and most accurate for The Siege and he does not describe the Crusaders Shifting the location of their camp Babcock and cray explain none of the Arab writers mentioned such a shift of the Christian Camp kalanisi the best Authority on The Siege gives a day-by-day description of the battles from Saturday to Thursday with a statement of the location according to him the Christians remained in the same general area until the day they withdrew from The Siege entirely on the fourth day of The Siege the Crusaders found themselves dealing with increasingly stiff resistance Babcock and cray note that Muslims summoned by letter were arriving in constantly increasing numbers the crusaders had gambled on a quick Conquest but resistance within Damascus had proved more stubborn than expected ultimately the approach of noradin and saith Adin with large zingid armies left the Crusaders with no option but to withdraw after only a four-day Siege the Christian Army retreated in good order at dawn on July 28 back to Jerusalem given the circumstance the Christian leaders had no other option to remain would have risked annihilation Siege of Damascus had failed although the Crusader forces remained intact they nevertheless achieved nothing [Music] once the Christian Army returned to Jerusalem The Crusade at last unraveled Conrad departed on September 8 sailing for thessalonica and then arriving again in Constantinople once more the German Emperor was entertained by the Byzantine emperor now fully reconciled Conrad and Emmanuel discussed plans to once and for all destroy their Mutual enemy Roger II of Sicily Louis VII remained in Palestine until Easter of 1149 from France Abbott suger kept writing to his King asking him to return but Louis was determined to remain in the holy land until he could at least do some good for the Crusader Kingdom Eleanor was kept under armed guard but she was now determined to end her marriage as soon as she was back in Europe indeed this is part of what kept the French party in Palestine for Louis hoped to convince his wife not to seek an annulment before they sailed home it's clear from his correspondence that Louis is convinced that the Byzantine emperor Manuel kamninis had played a key role in the failure of the Second Crusade in fact when the King was returning home on Sicilian ships he was detained by a Byzantine Fleet the byzantines very nearly arrested Louis himself Eleanor of Aquitaine traveling on other ships was also detained for a Time by the Byzantine Navy by the time Louis arrived in Italy his experience over the past two years had brought him around to the view of Roger II of Sicily the two monarchs began to discuss a new Crusade this time directed against the byzantines the failure before Damascus brought an end to the Second Crusade in the Eastern Levant when the Christian Coalition returned to Jerusalem there was a brief discussion about launching a campaign to take ascalon Conrad III waited but few agreed to participate in another offensive after a week the German Emperor departed for the West harboring bitter feelings toward the nobility of the Latin East having led the largest army Conrad had lost the most during the Crusade his nephew Frederick the future Frederick Barbarossa had been with him throughout the long horrific experience and his future events would reveal took many lessons from it Frederick one day as Emperor himself would lead his own Crusade and his march across Anatolia would be impeccable indeed in 1190 during the Third Crusade Frederick Barbarossa would crush the seljuk Turks on the battlefield numerous times and then dictate terms to them after capturing their capital city of Iconium Frederick wasn't alone in taking valuable lessons from the experience Second Crusade had very much been Bernard of clairvo's project and he'd emphasized the role of God's Providence future Crusaders like Barbarossa and Richard the lionheart would tend to the spiritual side of the campaign but would be particularly meticulous in seeing to the organization of their armies making arrangements for supplies and maintaining their independence from rulers encountered along the way Barbarossa was particularly wary of the byzantines and during his Crusade he would face outright treachery from a collapsing Byzantine regime but in barbarossa's case it wouldn't matter very much for his well-oiled powerful Army would dominate the byzantines easily Conrad's brother the bishop Otto of friesing tried to see a silver lining in the whole miserable experience recalling although it was not good for the enlargement of boundaries or for the advantage of bodies yet it was good for the Salvation of Souls although a failed Crusader Louis VII returned to the West with his reputation enhanced in a society in which crusading had become the ideal the King was admired for having taken up God's work in the Holy Land suffering along with Christ in Palestine his authority as King was magnified as well as was his relationship with the princely houses of champagne and Flanders in 1150 Louis even discussed launching another crusade to Aid the East but this came to nothing as an old man the King was often heard to swear by the Saints of Bethlehem across Christendom there was much sorrow over the outcome of the Holy Land campaign even in the Iberian Peninsula where the Crusade had been a universal success many were saddened by the terrible defeats suffered in the east some churchmen criticized the Enterprise accusing its leaders of arrogance immorality and rapacity but were men like Louis VII and Conrad III less morally upright than the heroes of the First Crusade Pope eugenius III stated that the failure in the East had caused quote the most severe injury of the Christian name that God's church has suffered in our time a later Pope Hadrian IV probably got to the heart of the matter when he criticized Louis VII for undertaking The Crusade quote with little Caution if Louis VII and Conrad III were guilty of anything it was failing to plan exhaustively they organized large Splendid armies but failed to take steps toward maintaining discipline and unity or toward ensuring the steady flow of supplies both rulers had to rely on Manuel kamninis who proved to be a poor Ally later Richard the lionheart and Frederick barbarosso would both lay out meticulous codes of conduct for their armies and then enforce them strictly in Richard's case he organized and controlled his own Fleet both men exercised such effective leadership over their armies that they were capable of subduing questionable allies in Sicily or in Byzantium and Richard even conquered his own Supply base at Cyprus it's hard to imagine either Louis or Conrad showing such resourcefulness Bernard of clairvaux came under a particular criticism though his reputation for Holiness remained intact the saint issued a defense of he and the Pope's Crusade policy de consideration between 1149 and 1152 not surprisingly Bernard pointed to sin as the main cause of the crusade's failure but he also acknowledged the finality of divine judgment impenetrable to the minds of men he compared the whole Affair to the disobedient Hebrews of the Old Testament wandering in the wilderness casting himself and Pope eugenius as Aaron and Moses doing God's work however difficult I would rather that men murmur against us than against God wrote the Abbot it would be well for me if he deigns to use me for his shield Otto of rising points out that the memory of the Eastern campaign lingered long throughout Christendom and cooled enthusiasm for Holy Land Crusades for at least a generation he wrote so great was the disaster of the army and so inexpressible the misery that those who took part bemoted with tears to this very day although there would not be another major Crusade launched to the east until Jerusalem itself fell in 1187. the Holy Land continued to concern the West Christian rulers popes continued to call for new Crusades though the response from the 1150s through the early 1180s was generally tepid Louis VII and Henry II of England would raise substantial funds to be sent to the kingdom of Jerusalem in truth however the Crusader states did not enter a period of decline although the county of Odessa had been lost the kingdom of Jerusalem grew in strength and wealth conquering Ashkelon in 1153 new castles were raised on the frontier in part from funds provided by the monarchs of France and England the Templars and hospitalers continued to attract large endowments and deployed increasingly strong military forces in Palestine by 1170 the Latin East was flourishing and holding its own against the challenge of its powerful neighbors crusading continued to evolve and become more prominent on the Northern front as well as in the Iberian Peninsula the rulers of Spain and Portugal established their own military orders and Crusaders continued to join the Iberian Kings in their regular campaigns against the Moors the Second Crusade produced wildly mixed results but as a whole it provides a striking picture of Latin Christendom in the middle of the 12th century here was a civilization undeniably on the rise now increasingly wealthy well-equipped kings of France and Germany were leading substantial offensives into the seats of empire in the east the Second Crusade also demonstrates the increasing religious unity of Latin Europe the religious unity amounted in many ways to a certain political Unity expressing itself in an almost continent-wide joint Enterprise from Portugal to the Slavic Northeast Italy to England the Christian World took up the same cause France and Germany acting in concert division still existed and Wars within Latin Christendom would remain a regular reality but the unity of the Second Crusade is remarkable and in some ways is the product of the triumphant First Crusade the First Crusade had also brought Latin Christendom together this would continue through the high Middle Ages throughout the age of crusading [Music] 1187 proved to be one of the most critical years in the history of the Crusades in July Saladin ruler of Egypt and Syria defeated the army of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem at the Battle of hatim selda next conquered Jerusalem itself as well as virtually all the other cities and castles in the Christian kingdom back in Europe This sent shock waves throughout Latin Christendom in response Pope Gregory VII issued audita tremendi an eloquent document calling on Christendom to take up arms to recover the kingdom of Jerusalem the Third Crusade had begun [Music] hope Gregory's call resonated throughout Christian Europe for decades the rulers of Latin Christendom had largely ignored calls for help from their crusading brethren in the East now with Jerusalem Fallen the Latin World swung into action Pope Gregory called for a seven year truce throughout Christendom so that the rulers could focus on recovering the Holy Land he also called on all Christians to do Penance for their sins for he insisted that only through sin had Jerusalem been lost [Music] the pope knew that France was vital to the success of any Crusade and so he had once set to work on securing peace between the king of France Philip II and Henry II King of England and ruler of the vast anjavan Empire which included Normandy anju and other portions of modern France in January 1188 Henry and Philip met at the traditional conference site on the borders of Normandy here the bishop of Tire preached powerfully to the two monarchs about the need for a new Crusade The Bishop's words deeply moved the crowd and suddenly the ancient feuding of the two kings seemed meaningless compared to the plight of the Holy Land Philip and Henry agreed to a piece on the 21st both rulers took the cross that is vowed to lead their armies in Crusade however Henry's son the courageous richer the lionheart had already vowed to join the Crusade back in November at Tor within hours of receiving news of the fall of Jerusalem Henry later chatted his son for taking the Cross without his permission but Richard's example inspired thousands of others throughout France and England men were taking the Cross the first major power to depart for the East was the Holy Roman Empire led by Frederick Barbarossa the Imperial Army set out for the east in April 1189 barbarossa's Crusade is one of the most pivotal episodes in the larger Third Crusade although he is nearly 70 years old Frederick still is an energetic ruler his long and successful Reign has gained him great power across Germany and he is now eager to Crown his career with a campaign to recapture the Holy Land however Frederick is no naive Crusader as a young man he fought under Conrad III of Germany who led an army to the east during the Second Crusade Frederick well remembers the problems experienced by Conrad's Army above all Frederick recalls the dangerous journey across Asia Minor where the seljuk Turks had brutally defeated Conrad's knights in 1147. Frederick is eager to avoid Conrad's mistakes and intends to meticulously organize his army for the long campaign he dispatches envoys to secure safe passage in the lands through which his army must pass on its Journey Frederick exchanges envoys with the Byzantine Empire envoys from the Byzantine emperor Isaac Angelus ashure Frederick of the German Army will be permitted to safely move through Byzantine territory however in truth Isaac views Frederick as an enemy recently Frederick had forged an alliance with the Normans of Sicily an avowed enemy of Byzantium furthermore Isaac is terrified by the notion of a large German Army moving through his territory where it could do immense damage ultimately Isaac believes Frederick's Crusade is a fraud and that the German ruler intends nothing less than the conquest of Constantinople itself although he's confirmed a piece with Frederick Isaac contacts the target of the Crusade Saladin and the two confirm a treaty Isaac promises Saladin that he will do all that he can to inhibit the German Army as it crosses the Byzantine Empire um in addition Frederick exchanges envoys with another major power that controls part of his root the seljuk Turks who rule much of Eastern Anatolia the seljuk sultan also agrees to friendship with Frederick promising that the German Crusaders will be able to pass peacefully through seljuk territory having taken care of diplomatic matters Frederick Barbarossa departs from Regensburg on May 11 1189 at the head of the largest Crusader army ever to set out for the east marching with him is his son Frederick the Duke of swabia and most of the important German nobility it's a momentous event the crowning achievement of a long and triumphant reign as the great Crusader host passes through the towns of Germany the citizens cheer many feel certain but such a tremendous Force led by so wise an emperor will succeed in retaking the Holy Land Frederick's March proves to be a model of discipline historian Christopher retirement States in sharp contrast to Louis VII's ordinances for his Crusade Army in 1147 Fredericks were enforced loudish Behavior led to the loss of hands theft to execution such harsh discipline was coupled with a constant emphasis on the pious nature of the operation the general effect on morale and Military Effectiveness stood in marked contrast to the shambles into which Conrad III's Army had descended in Asia Minor in the Autumn of 1147 Frederick and his army passed through Hungary where King Bella III and his wife Queen Margaret a daughter of King Louis VII of France welcomed them the hungarians provide lodging supplies and markets for the Crusaders after a comfortable stay in Hungary the Germans enter into Byzantine territory on July 2nd almost immediately they are harassed by armed bands at Nish Frederick encounters Serbian Rebels who ask the Germans to join them in an uprising against the byzantines Frederick refuses stating that his mission is to liberate the Holy Land not to fight with other Christians however as the March continues ambushes from local forces intensify increasingly the journey resembles a fighting March the Germans capture some of their attackers who before being hanged claim that they are acting on the instructions of the Byzantine emperor when they reached Sophia on August 13 the Crusaders find that Isaac's promised markets have been withdrawn after fighting their way through the mountains the Crusaders reached philipopolis which has been abandoned by its Byzantine Defenders its fortifications dismantled on Isaac's orders more than a decade before 1204 the byzantines are already displaying remarkable confusion and impotence under Isaac's rule as the Crusaders enter the abandoned philipopolis Frederick learns that his envoys at the Byzantine Court have been thrown into prison he also receives tactless Communications from Isaac demanding hostages to guarantee good behavior from the Germans and a share of future conquests Isaac's refusal to afford Frederick his proper title in this correspondence is the icing on the cake the Holy Roman Emperor is in no mood to negotiate especially since it's becoming increasingly clear that he has the military Advantage he responds angrily to Isaac's message demanding that his envoys be released and that the byzantines provide peaceful passage to the Crusader Army Isaac releases the envoys but shows fickleness in making any agreement of peaceful relations meanwhile Frederick's troops occupy philippopolis and the surrounding territory securing food and markets through their own prowess Frederick settles on a strategy to force the byzantines to cooperate Isaac Angelus is an understandably nervous ruler he came to power in a particularly bloody coup and he himself remains fearful of insurrection he worries that the very presence of the German Army may spark Rebellion among already restive regions despite Isaac's paranoia historians today find little evidence to justify the idea that Barbarosa had prior designs on the Byzantine Empire Christopher Tireman States Frederick kept his eyes fixed firmly on the goal of the holy land and Jerusalem he saw himself as a knight of Christ bound to avenge the events of 1187 not an indiscriminate Hammer of Islam or anybody else indeed it's Isaac's own hostility toward Frederick that ultimately provokes German conquest of Byzantine territory Frederick next captures Adrian opal which he establishes as a headquarters he occupies Thrace and makes contact with rebels in the Balkans at this point Frederick appears to be seriously contemplating an attack on Constantinople Byzantine forces seem powerless to oppose Frederick's garrisons and foragers increasingly panicked Isaac again asks Frederick to negotiate only to again abruptly end negotiations on Christmas Eve just when a deal seems imminent Isaac's military feebleness and diplomatic schizophrenia caused his policy to implode the Byzantine chronicler nikitas kanyadas disdainfully records Isaac's incompetence left with no choice Isaac capitulates in the end Frederick proves remarkably lenient on February 14 1190 he confirms an agreement with Isaac that guarantees the Germans safe Passage through the remainder of the Empire ships to carry them across the hellespawn at Gallipoli and access to markets at reasonable rates in return Frederick promises to avoid Constantinople and withdraw from Byzantine territory for all his bravado Isaac Angelus has shown himself an impotent weak ruler whose own paranoia brought on the very disaster he'd initially feared Byzantine chronicler nikitas kanyadas judges the whole Affair as Isaac himself bringing ruin upon his own Empire [Music] the German Army next departs Byzantine territory and yet their greatest challenge awaits them in the lands of the seljuk Turks [Music] April 25 1190 the German Crusaders at last enter into territory under the control of the seljuk Turkish Sultan of room Kili arslawn II previous agreements with the sultan had produced Promises of friendships safe passage and markets for the Crusaders in seljuk territory however as in the Byzantine Empire prior negotiated agreements proved worthless unbeknownst to the Crusaders Gilly arslawn's son gutab Aldine the son-in-law of Saladin has effectively usurped his father and is now preparing his forces to oppose the Germans on May 7 near philomelium the Crusaders encounter a Turkish Ambush the emperor's son Frederick of swabia leads a counter-attack that decisively repulses the Turks who suffer heavy casualties the Crusaders press on through the rugged terrain beating back turokemon raids and increasingly suffering from Hunger despite these difficulties the German forces struggle on and maintain incredible discipline they fight their way to the city of Iconium the capital of the seljuk Turks although some of the leading men in the Army want to press on Barbarossa insists that they take the city rather than leave it as an enemy stronghold at their rear on May 18 outside Iconium the Crusaders come up against kotob aldine's Main Army what follows is a pitched battle and the most formidable challenge yet faced by Frederick's Crusade the emperor divides his army in two with his son Duke Frederick attacking the city while the old Emperor himself faces off against the Turkish Army although the Turks outnumber the Christians the German Knights deliver a cavalry charge that shatters cut of Aldean's divisions the Turks are beaten and suffer casualties numbering in the thousands Iconium falls to the Christian Army and the Germans pillage it at their leisure it's a moment of incredible Triumph the Turks are utterly defeated and Iconium yields immense booty to the Crusaders broken and humiliated gutub Aldine is removed from power and his father again resumes rule of the sultanate Kili arsalon II resumes his compliant policy toward Frederick who agrees to a piece if his army is provided with Turkish hostages and supplies the sultan submits to these terms triumphant the German Crusaders March unopposed through seljuk territory okay Frederick Barbarossa and his army have just achieved something remarkable they have completed the longest and most dangerous portions of the treacherous Crossing through Asia Minor despite opposition from the two greatest powers in the region the Byzantine Empire and the seljuk Turks Frederick's Knights have crushed the Sultan's men in battle and sacked the Turkish Capital the German Crusaders far from home have utterly dominated two formidable enemies this is no small achievement the Second Crusade and the crusade of 1101 were both badly defeated by the Turks of Asia Minor not since Bowman and the First Crusade as a major Crusader Army from overseas so triumphed over the Turks of Asia Minor Frederick has done it but barbarossa's Crusade is rarely remembered for this remarkable military operation which is a model of discipline and ranks as one of the outstanding Feats of the Medieval Era how many armies so far from home could overcome two powerful enemies in succession on their home turf instead it's subsequent and rather random events that have come to Define Frederick's crusade in the popular imagination some Weeks Later the German Crusaders marched into the friendly territory of Christian Armenia there on June 10 as the Army is crossing the river salad some unknown event takes place that ends the life of the great Holy Roman Emperor what exactly happens how exactly does the emperor die the sources disagree so we aren't certain some accounts say that the Army is crossing the river and the emperor's horse trips and Frederick Falls in other accounts state that some unknown accident takes place causing the emperor to fall other sources relate that the Army has already laid camp and the emperor goes down to bathe but then is injured in some accident or episode some accounts say that after the emperor is pulled from the Water by his men he lies ill in bed for 10 days before finally dying historians today still puzzle over the mystery and it seems likely that the elderly Emperor could have suffered from a heart attack or a stroke it's not surprising that a man of his age might be suffering from some latent medical condition that could manifest itself in sudden death regardless of what happens Frederick dies his followers are devastated but contrary to popular belief this tragedy does not lead to the disillusion of the Crusade the German Army fresh from its victories in Anatolia is fully intact They Mourn their Emperor but they continue on under the capable leadership of barbarosa's son Frederick of swabia who's shown incredible skill during the operations against the byzantines and the Turks the Crusaders continue on to Antioch it is here that the German Crusade finally breaks down defeated not by byzantines or Turks but by disease an epidemic breaks out in Antioch which takes the lives of many members of the German army at this point some of the survivors return home while some continue on to the holy land under the Duke of swabia by October 1190 Frederica swabia arrives at the siege of acre with some 700 knights from acre Frederick writes to his brother the new Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI asking him to request papal recognition for the German hospital at The Siege Camp of acre interestingly it's this German hospital that gives birth to the Teutonic Knights a German crusading order that will have a major role to play in the northern Crusades Frederick of swabia himself dies of illness at acre in early 1191 a much reduced German Coalition continues to serve at acre under the command of Duke Leopold of Austria however at this point the German Army has been so reduced in numbers by disease that it no longer plays a major role in The Crusade rather it's primarily the forces of Richard the lionheart and Philip II of France that will wage the war against Saladin Frederick's death is untimely and tragic but we should not forget the remarkable victories of his campaign the German Army demonstrated incredible competence and skill over the course of the grueling war in Asia Minor historian G.A loud writes while clearly suffering severely as it marched through Asia Minor Frederick's Army was far from being defeated there indeed in capturing Iconium and securing the submission of Kylie arslawn the emperor gained a significant military victory and finally it is not the emperor's own death that spells Doom for the German contingent without the epidemic at Antioch the German Army could have continued intact under the emperor's son a proven commander who had the Loyalty of the German forces [Music] perhaps the best Testament on Frederick's behalf comes from one of his enemies the Byzantine chronicler nikitas Canadas who despised his own Emperor and yet had this to say about Frederick he was a man who deserved to enjoy a blessed and Perpetual memory his burning passion for Christ was greater than that of any Christian monarch of his time following the example of the Apostle Paul he did not count his life dear to him but pressed forward even to die for the name of Christ as it turned out Henry II of England wouldn't live to crusade in July 1189 he fell ill and died his son Richard took the throne and it once launched into preparations for an expedition to Palestine foreign the titular king of Jerusalem was a prisoner to Sultan Saladin it was ghee who had lost the battle of hatin and thus brought on the total collapse of the Crusader position in Palestine but in June of 1188 Saladin agreed to Grant the disgraced King his freedom so long as gee took an oath never again to take up arms against the sultan once he'd regained his freedom gee received Absolution from his oath with a small Force under his command ghee marched to Tire the last City still held by the Christians in Palestine gee expected to be welcomed as king into tire but he was sorely disappointed tire was held by Conrad of monferon a gifted Commander from the West who had saved the city from Saladin tire was filled with Christian refugees who looked to Conrad to lead and protect them Conrad refused to admit ghee or even recognize him as king from Conrad's perspective Gee's kingship was nullified by his failure at hateen for months ghee now a King Without a kingdom had to make Camp outside of tire [Music] foreign Crusaders began to show up from Europe eager to join the fight against Saladin in August a peasant Fleet arrived before Tire ready to follow Gee's lead now in command of a moderately sized Army gee decided to act marching South he laid Siege to acre the most important port in Palestine and one of saldan's key bases on August 28 ghee established his army on the low Hill of Tyrone a mile and a half east of acre although ghee's force was small this position allowed him to press the city quite closely and to maintain a view of the surrounding territory meanwhile the peas and Fleet established a beachhead and attempted to blockade the harbor to counter this bold move by the Christians saldan arrived with his vast Army and established control of the countryside the sultan spread his troops throughout the hills setting up base on telkaisan some five miles Southeast of acre his forces extended all the way to the hill of Tel ayadia to the right and to the river Naaman to the left Saladin had put the besiegers to Siege however the very daring of Gee's attack made it effective new Crusaders arriving from the West rallied to ghee now Cass as the hero taking the fight to Saladin to recapture a key Christian City gradually Gee's Army grew and became more and more of a threat to acre later one Christian chronicler would write this was the beginning of the Deliverance of Christendom however ghee was far from capturing the prize Port of acre Saladin had greatly strengthened the city's walls and the Garrison was strong and well supplied saldan's own Army was so large that the Christians had to devote much time and energy to fortifying and guarding their own Camp nevertheless the Crusader Army continued to grow James of avena a prominent Flemish nobleman arrived with his knights in September as did a considerable Friesian and danish Fleet that same month Conrad of Montford was also obliged to join the procedures the growing strength of the Christian forces prompted the Crusades leaders to plan a general assault for October 4th the Muslim chronicler IBN al-afir describes this event saying that the Christians emerged in a broad and unified formation ghee himself led the attack with four clerics marching ahead of him bearing the Gospels the battle that followed was long and bloody the Knights Templar led by their grand master Gerard of ritterford charged Taki aldine's contingent on the Muslim right causing them to retreat this prompted Saladin to reinforce his right with troops from the center which consequently weakened the Sultan's Center formation the Christians in the center now delivered a charge which broke the reduced Muslim Center at this point Crusader infantry and Cavalry managed to penetrate the Muslim camp at Tel ayadia however the Christian forces now became overextended the Muslim Garrison of acre launched a sortie which placed serious pressure on the Christian Camp coordination among the various Christian contingents broke down with some attempting to press the attack While others fell back in an attempt to repel the Muslim sortie coming from Ager Selden now masterfully reorganized his faltering Center and in conjunction with his left and right launched a counter-attack that drove the Christians back toward their Camp the Templars pressing the fight to the end endured some of the heaviest casualties among them their grand master Gerard of ritterford who went down trying to protect the Christian rear guard as it retreated back into camp thus the Crusaders endured a serious defeat at the start of the siege of eager but despite selden's Victory the Strategic situation wasn't much changed the Christians though pressed on both sides still held on strong in their camp and their army survived to continue The Siege Saladin meanwhile was still in a good position to harass the procedures though he still was unable to dislodge them the battle for acre would slog on and would be the main focus of the Third Crusade for some time yet in 1189 while a Motley Crusader Army struggled to besiege acre in the Holy Land Richard the lionheart son of King Henry II of England prepared to set out on Crusade a learned articulate man gifted in music and in poetry Richard was also a top-notch warrior and Commander when he took the throne of England at age 32 he was at the height of his prowess having proven himself an effective conqueror since his teens tall with red gold hair and fierce blue eyes Richard LED from the front riding alongside his men into the heart of danger his soldiers were intensely loyal to him the lionheart was a force to be reckoned with once crowned Richard threw himself into preparing his Crusade he was a fervent Christian and felt obligated as a king to rescue the holy places in the east he was also committed to the poetic ideals of his age which prized crusading as the Paramount expression of Valor in addition to the funds amassed from the salad and tithe Richard committed his personal wealth to The Crusade he sold many of his properties to fund his War chest by this Richard raised an immense Fleet and army his efficiency and Effectiveness demonstrated strong administrative skills indeed Richard's abilities as an organizer and planner far more than his personal Valor were at the heart of his success this was a ruler as equally at home at the head of his army as he was tending to the tedious labors of administration meanwhile the king of France Philip II was nothing like Richard a 25 Philip was slight and sickly blind in one eye and intensely jealous of Richard who was in theory his vassal despite these shortcomings Philip was a calculating and shrewd man unscrupulous in seeking his interests and obsessively committed to the victory of his capetian line over the plantagenets unlike Richard Philip felt no higher calling to The Crusade but was pressured into joining the Expedition as a result of the mood throughout Europe his organization was half-hearted and the force he produced poorly funded in addition Philip did not command the Loyalty that Richard did and his control over his vassals was always tenuous [Music] Richard and Philip departed in July 1190 traveling by sea with their forces to the east both Kings stopped in Sicily and route to the Holy Land here tensions flared up between Richard and tankrid the Island's ruler techra had recently seized the throne after the death of King William II of Sicily who had been husband to King Richard's sister Joanna currently Tankard hell Joanna prisoner Richard demanded that she be released along with the full sum of her Dowry at first Tankard resisted but Richard quickly overwhelmed tankard's forces and Joanna was rescued from then on Joanna would be one of Richard's companions during the Crusade unlike his other siblings Richard was close to Joanna and the two seemed to have had similar personalities sharing a love of Music poetry and horses the lionheart added the wealth of his sister's Dowry to his well-funded War chest at the end of March 1191 Phillips sailed on to the Holy Land but Richard remained to meet his mother Eleanor who arrived in Sicily with the daughter of the king of Navarre baranguela this Spanish princess was to be the lionheart's bride and Richard greeted her with much fanfare Richard himself sailed with his Fleet for the holy land on April 10. however Richard's passage was hindered by a major storm several ships were blown off course and wrecked on the coast of the island of Cyprus Cyprus famed for its Vineyards and Cedars had long been a possession of the Byzantine Empire but five years prior Isaac Dugas caminis a rogue member of the Imperial family had arrived and taken control of the island declaring himself to be the legitimate emperor of Byzantium to maintain his Rule and Defiance of the emperor and Constantinople Isaac struck an alliance with Saladin when he learned of The Misfortune of some of the lionheart ships Isaac had once dispatched men to loot the wreckage and capture the survivors however one ship in particular interested Isaac the Royal ship carrying Richard's sister and his bride-to-be this vessel had not been wrecked but had been blown off course like some of the others and on April 24 dropped anchor off the southern coast of Cyprus near Lima Sol Isaac knew that if he could Acquire The King's sister and his fiancee he would have a powerful tool by which to control the Lion Heart at once he dispatched Messengers to the anchored ship asking the ladies to disembark and come ashore as his honored guests Joanna and baranguela weren't fooled and flatly refused [Music] on May 5th Richard arrived relieved to find baranguela and Joanna safe however when he learned that Isaac had imprisoned some of his men he was Furious he had once dispatched a messenger to the so-called Emperor demanding the release of his men and the restoration of the plunder Isaac refused he bolstered the defenses of Lima Sol assembled his army and prepared for war Richard now launched an invasion of Cyprus which is remembered as one of the most remarkable operations of the Middle Ages Isaac stripped Lima soul of everything that could be moved doors Furniture benches chests Stone anything that could be used to fortify the beach Isaac then arranged his army in a defensive position Behind These makeshift defenses Richard and his men were undeterred growing ashore in small boats the lionheart and his forces left onto the beach Isaac's archers loosed of volley of arrows while Richard personally led the charge at the enemy troops faced with the lionheart's fury Isaac's men broke and fled Richard entered lema's Soul where his men found an abundance of wine meat and grain Isaac retreated pitching Camp about five miles from the city he declared his intention to give battle the next day and then settled in for a night's sleep meanwhile Richard unloaded his horses and had them exercised by Moonlight while his Scouts surveyed Isaac's position on waking the next morning Isaac found his Camp totally surrounded Richard launched the attack and Isaac's forces were crushed with Isaac himself barely escaping still dressed in his night clothes Richard seized his enemy's standard treasure and horses this Victory prompted many local Aristocrats to offer their submission to the lionheart on May 11 his support dwindling Isaac sued for peace that same day Richard received a visit from two prominent commanders of the siege of acre Jeffrey and gee of lucanion as duke of Aquitaine Richard was obligated to the lucinions who were his vassals thus Richard offered his support when the brothers requested his endorsement of ghee's claim to Jerusalem's crown the lucians remained with Richard's party for an important event the following day on May 12th in Lima seoul's Chapel of Saint George Richard married the princess baranguela the Crusaders cheered their Valiant young king and his lovely Spanish bride who at this stage in their marriage appeared to be quite blissful the Norman Bishop John of evro crowned baranguela Queen of England it was a fitting moment to Crown the Triumph of the capture of Lima's soul soon after Isaac presented himself before Richard to confirm the peace but Richard knew through his spies that this was a ruse the would-be emperor was only stalling for time and weighing the lionheart's plans after lunch Isaac snuck out of Camp Richard only smiled when he received the news he now had his excuse to complete the conquest of Cyprus Richard gave part of his army to give lucanion and ordered him to pursue Isaac the king divided the rest of his forces into two Naval squadrons which circled the island seizing Coastal fortresses and enemy ships having completed this circuit Richard with his troops to Lima Seoul here he rendezvous with ghee who hadn't captured Isaac but had secured the Loyalty of more of the Island's landowners Isaac now retreated with the remainder of his troops to the northern castles high in the mountains bufavento Cantara and Saint hilarian here Isaac hoped to wait Richard out eventually reasoned Isaac the lionheart must continue on to the Holy Land and when he did Isaac could sweep back down from the mountains and regain control of all of Cyprus it was a far-fetched Planet best however when news reached Isaac that Richard had taken the coastal castle of carinio along with Isaac's own daughter the pseudo Emperor lost all will to resist he surrendered completely requesting only that he not be imprisoned in Iron shackles Richard accepted these terms and had special silver shackles made for his defeated opponent Isaac's daughter was placed in the custody of queen baranguela and the lady Joanna by June 1st the whole of Cyprus belonged to Richard the lionheart Richard's conquest of Cyprus is sometimes viewed as a distracting Prelude to the main action but in fact it was one of the most important achievements of a third crusade Cyprus was a wealthy Island and strategically positioned just off the coast of Syria Palestine possession of this island provided a valuable source of Provisions as well as the perfect staging ground for future Crusades in the immediate aftermath of his victory Richard used Cyprus to provide food supplies and horses to the Crusaders besieging acre Cyprus would serve a similar function for the remaining history of the Crusades and would be a possession of Latin Christendom for the next four centuries the Cypress campaign is also a remarkable example of Richard's Brilliance as a general the mountainous terrain made Cyprus difficult to fully subdue but as John Gillingham points out the operation was finally conceived and methodically carried out having secured a critical Supply base for the Crusade Richard Now set off to join his fellow Christian Warriors at the siege of acre by the time the fleet of Richard the lionheart arrived at acre on June 8 1191 a crusader Army had been battling Saladin for control of the city for nearly two years the Crusaders were positioned in their fortified Camp before Acres walls while Saladin sat behind them with his enormous Army besieging the besiegers the situation had devolved into a virtual stalemate with the Crusaders unable to overwhelm the city and Saladin unable to dislodge the Crusaders thank you but in the summer of 1191 King Richard plantagenet greatly improved the situation of the Crusaders first he conquered the nearby island of Cyprus from one of saldan's allies Cyprus now provided the Crusaders before acre with an abundance of food and supplies then Richard brought his own Fleet to the siege of acre Richard's First Act was to destroy one of saladin's Supply ships as it attempted to bring Provisions to acres Muslim Garrison as he disembarked Richard was greeted by King Philip II of France and the Overjoyed Crusader Army finally after two years of struggle the Crusaders felt confident that King Richard and his army would bring them victory the celebration lasted into the night with the Christians singing around bonfires meanwhile the Muslims of saladin's Army and inside of acre looked with Dread on the many ships and troops brought by the lionheart however both Richard and King Phillips soon fell ill this stamp in the spirits of the Christians somewhat but as King Richard improved he had himself carried out before the walls on a litter so that he might use his crossbow to launch arrows of the Defenders even as he continued to recover catapults and trebuchets belonging to Richard Philip the Templars and the hospitalers continued to bombard acre meanwhile Richard's Fleet so fully blockaded the harbor that Saladin could no longer send supplies to his men within the city the Muslims within acre were starving and increasingly desperate on July 4 salden made one final attempt to overwhelm the Christian Camp with his army but the Christians held firm behind their ditches and saldan's attack failed at this point the surrender of acre seemed all but inevitable on July 12 the procedures and the besieged at last agreed to terms of surrender The Garrison handed themselves over to the Christians with the agreement that they would be freed in exchange for two hundred thousand dinars 1500 Christian prisoners and the relic of the True Cross with King Richard and King Philip marching at their head the Christians entered acre and raised their standards over the city the Muslim Garrison was placed in the city's dungeons to await their Sultan's Ransom the siege of acre was over the Christians had regained one of the most important cities in Palestine this was a huge reverse for Saladin after several years of nearly unbroken victories once again acre was a Christian City the Crusaders immediately reconsecrated the churches and Richard and Philip began restoring the city's walls and Towers they also turned the prickly issue of the succession of the crown of the kingdom of Jerusalem both claimants gave lucenon and Conrad of Montford formally submitted their arguments to the Judgment of King Richard and King Philip after Consulting with the Templars hospitalers and the local Barons the two kings reached a compromise ghee would remain King until his death at which point Conrad and Isabella or their heirs would gain the crown both would share the Royal revenues the decision didn't fully satisfy ghee or Conrad but it satisfied the Crusaders who were eager to be done with this distraction and continue on with their efforts to defeat Saladin but this Concord was endangered on July 29 when King Philip announced that he would have been in the Crusade and returned to France future French chroniclers would criticize Philip for abandoning his solemn Duty as a Christian ruler in truth Philip had never wanted to Crusade he was far more interested in getting back to the west where he could plot to seize territory belonging to Richard Philip was reluctant to deal with Richard face to face but with the King of England far away on Crusade Philip had the chance to sow Discord at home Richard had no delusions about the ugly reality of Philip's character and so the lionheart asked the king of France to swear solemnly on holy relics that he would not attack plantagenet lands but why expect Philip to honor that oath when he was already breaking his Crusader's vow when Philip departed Richard also sent back one of his chief military captains mercadir with instructions to guard against Phillips attacks [Music] Philip's departure was devastating for the French army most of which remained in the Holy Land Richard provided funds to maintain them leadership of the Crusade now fell solely on Richard's shoulders a task for which he was certainly Suited he dispatched envoys to Saladin asking that the terms of surrender of acre be fulfilled saldan responded that he certainly would but asked that he be allowed to deliver the payments and prisoners in installments Richard agreed to this at once both sides agreed to a schedule of payments in which saldan would deliver the ransom gradually while both sides would exchange their prisoners however as each deadline came and went a pattern began to emerge saldan refused to keep his end of the bargain at each assigned date Saladin offered excuses as to why he could not deliver a payment or release prisoners Richard agreed to extend the deadlines but it became clear that the sultan was toying with the Crusader King and trying to undermine his authority above all Stalin wanted to keep Richard bogged down an acre endlessly negotiating over these prisoners while the Christian Army disintegrated even saldan's own chroniclers admit this whereas Richard famously was obsessed with the well-being of his own men on this occasion Salin was perfectly content to gamble with the lives of his most Valiant soldiers The Men Who had defended acre these men provided the sultan with a means of stalling his enemy and that mattered more to Saladin than obtaining their freedom Richard quickly recognized saladin's game he knew that the sultan was toying with him and trying to both break the momentum of the Crusade as well as make Richard appear ineffective after one more broken deadline and Litany of excuses from the Sultan's envoys Richard marched his prisoners out before Salman's encampment and executed them in full view of the Muslim Army in effect Richard had called saldan's Bluff and the results would prove disastrous for the sultan many emirs and Leading Men in the Muslim forces were enraged that Saladin had failed to Ransom the brave Defenders of acre and this would create loyalty problems for the sultan that would persist throughout the Crusade in addition salvin would from then on find it very difficult to convince his men to Garrison castles and cities since they now feared the fate of Acres Garrison ultimately Richard had given salad an ample opportunity to secure the lives of his men this was more than could be said for Saladin who had ruthlessly executed Templars and hospitalers taken prisoner after the battle of hatin giving them no opportunity to be ransomed by repeatedly reneging on the terms of the agreement Selden intentionally placed Richard in a very difficult situation Richard had no ability to permanently house these prisoners nor could he allow the Sultan's flagrant violations of the terms go unanswered it was a hard and bloody decision made in the midst of a hard and bloody war and ultimately Saladin himself should be criticized for abandoning the courageous acre Garrison to such a cruel fate compared to Richard who often risked his own life leading rescue missions when his own men were captured we can only Wonder at saldan's calloused and ungrateful attitude toward his bravest soldiers Selden tried to use the massacre as a propaganda win executing many Christian prisoners of his own in dramatic public spectacles but ultimately considerable numbers of his own followers continued to blame him for the needless deaths of their comrades Salomon would never overcome this bitterness that now infected his ranks capture of acre the Third Crusade achieved a critical success acre had served Saladin as one of his key garrisons in arms Depots with Icarus a base Richard the lionheart was determined to further his conquests after Consulting with the Knights Templar and the Knights hospitaler the king decided to March his army South along the Palestinian Coast reoccupying the Forts and towns along the way Richard's goal at this point was Jaffa the Port City closest to Jerusalem and another crucial Regional stronghold as Richard marched out of acre Salman gathered his forces determined to Halt the lionheart's advance Richard's route along the coast provided several advantages using his Fleet Richard could Supply his army throughout the March also the sea itself protected the Army's right flank and reduced the advantage of saladin's numbers since the Muslims could only attack the Christians from the left on August 22 the Christians began the grueling March the weather was hot the terrain treacherous saldan's Turkish horse archers harassed the Christian column with sudden bursts of arrows wounding or killing horses as well as men but Richard maintained strict discipline the Army's formation was impeccable and advanced down the coast intact despite harassment from saldan's forces finally on the morning of September 7 the Christian Army emerged from a wooded region north of arsuf Richard knew that Selden would likely try to force a Battle for the sultan had been summoning forces from across Egypt and Syria at dawn the Christians Drew toward arsuf arranged in 12 squadrons with the Templars leading the Vanguard and the hospitalers holding the rear guard in total Richard had about 10 000 infantry and around 1200 heavy Cavalry for a total of roughly 11 to 12 000 men saladin's Army numbered at least twice that amount at around 25 000. as the Crusaders emerged from the woods Saud and launched part of his army in attack while keeping some forces in reserve saldan's chronicler and biographer IBN shahdad says the enemy were tightly beset and the fighting was fierce and blazed into flame on both sides the enemy quickened their March in the hope of reaching the site where they could camp their situation became serious and the news about them tightened while the sultan was moving between the left wing and the right wing urging the men on in the holy war the guest of Regis riccardi an eyewitness account of the Third Crusade from Richard's Camp records how essential those Valiant crossbowmen and archers were that day those absolutely inflexible men in arms who brought up the rear of the army drove back the Relentless Turks as best they could with A continuous volley of shots Richard had arranged his inventory including his archers so that they marched alongside the Cavalry protecting the horses from enemy arrows nevertheless the guest to author says that the Christians were so hemmed in by saladin's attacks that they could see nothing but the sky and the enemy some crossed them and walked backward as the Christians advance so that they could maintain the marching order while holding back the Turks the effectiveness of the Crusaders marching order caused the Muslims to attack at closer and closer range now the Turks weren't just using their bows but taking out their lances for more direct attacks in the rear guard the hospitalers were particularly hard-pressed by these attacks the Spillers requested permission to give charge but the king refused in fact increasing boldness of the saracen attacks played into Richard's plan the lionheart hoped to force Saladin to fully commit his army to close quarter fighting so that the Christians could launch a decisive charge that would shatter the saracen ranks has settled and pressed the attack Richard's column continued to advance this prompted Boulder and Boulder attacks from the Muslims the chronicler IBN al-afir says that many saracen troops had by now taken a position close to the action and the guesta says that the Christians noticed that many of the Turkish cavalrymen had now dismounted in an effort to shoot their arrows more accurately it was at this moment that the Crusaders finally gave charge [Applause] describes his experience of this event with riveting detail then their Cavalry Mass together and agreed on a charge I saw them grouped together in the middle of the foot soldiers they took their lances and gave a shout as one man the inventory opened gaps for them and they charged in unison along their whole line our men gave way before them it happened that I was in the center which took to wholesale flight my intention was to join the left wing since it was nearer to me I reached it after it had been broken utterly so I thought to join the right wing but then I saw that it had fled more calamitously than all the rest IBN shaddad fled to where Saladin was positioned with his bodyguard he writes the sultan stood among them while men were fleeing on all sides but he was commanding the drummers to beat their drums without stopping he ordered the men to Rally to him but they were all fleeing around him the Muslims were in a complete route IBN shadad tells us that the Christians charged in a total of three different waves the charges were coordinated using signals from Richard's trumpeters in the initial charge the Muslims suffered serious casualties and with each additional charge saldan's Army was further devastated the Christian infantry moved up behind the knights finishing off wounded or fleeing enemy troops King Richard personally took part in the fighting charging at the Forefront of his Cavalry the guest to register cardi dramatically recounts the king's conduct King Richard pursued the Turks with singular ferocity fell upon them and Scattered them across the ground no one escaped when his sword made contact with them wherever he went his brandish sword cleared a wide path on all sides continuing his Advance with untiring sword Strokes he cut down the enemy as if he were reaping the Harvest with a sickle so that the corpses of saracens he had killed covered the ground everywhere selden's nephew Taki Aldine rallied some of the Muslims in an attempt to reverse the situation but when Richard LED his third and final charge the Crusaders devastated Taki aldeen's Cavalry at this point the victory was sealed Richard and his Knights had defeated saladin's Army the Crusaders were triumphant solidan himself retreated with his bodyguard into the wooded Hills where the survivors of his army rallied meanwhile the Victorious Christians occupied arsuf the Battle of arsif was a critical moment in the Third Crusade Saladin endured horrible casualties with around half of his army being slain however his army was not fully destroyed and he was able to Rally the survivors which numbered around half his original Force at a safe point in the Hills here IBN shadad tells us that Saladin was inconsolable after his defeat refusing to eat or even speak much to anyone Christian casualties were light but the Army was particularly moved by the loss of James of avena a Night well-loved by his comrades who had shown much bravery during the battle the Templars and the hospitalers searched the battlefield and when they found James's body They carried it carefully to arsuf here the Fallen Knight was buried with Richard himself assisting in the funerary rights the battle secured Christian control of the coastal plain and allowed the Crusaders to go on to occupy the port city of Jaffa from here to acre Richard now ruled a considerable chunk of Palestine [Music] I want to be [Music] Richard the lionheart's victory at arsuf was a devastating defeat for Saladin and allowed the Crusaders to occupy the key port city of Jaffa Selden retreated farther south to Ashkelon while the Christian Army began restoring Java's fortifications which had been demolished previously by the saracens the Crusader leadership met in Council to discuss their next move the French led by Duke Hugh of burgundy favored a direct attack on Jerusalem but Richard would not support this option Jerusalem lay far inland and the Supply route from Jaffa to the holy city would be stretched thin rather Richard wanted to drive south and attack Ashkelon the gateway to saladin's power base in Egypt if the Crusaders controlled Ashkelon they could harass the Sultan's supply routes from Cairo and rendered Jerusalem less defensible the debate was intense but the popular mood among the soldiers was oriented toward the immediate capture of Jerusalem Richard had to relent but reluctantly in October of 1191 Richard began leading the Crusaders in moves toward Jerusalem meanwhile the lionheart engaged in diplomatic talks with saldan's brother and second in command al-adil Richard knew that the Muslim Army was increasingly demoralized and he hoped to strike a deal with Saladin that would restore the bulk of the old Crusader Kingdom salden for his part was eager to get rid of Richard and hope through diplomacy to convince the Christian warrior king to depart for home during these talks al-adil even suggested a marriage Alliance proposing that he himself marry Richard's sister Joanna Richard said he might consider this if ala Dil would convert to Christianity ala deal would not agree to this and there's not much indication that either Richard or Saladin really took the whole scenario seriously but rather it was all part of the Diplomatic dance in which both parties probed and tested one another nevertheless over the course of these meetings there is indication that Richard and the Sultan's brother ala Dil who the Christians called safadine gained a certain respect for one another meanwhile seladon engaged in separate diplomatic talks with Conrad of Montford Conrad feared Richard's overwhelming influence but when saldan tried to convince Conrad to openly break with and even attack the lionheart Conrad flatly refused knowing well his own supporters would abandon him should he ever engage in such treachery Richard's Advance toward Jerusalem was extremely slow and cautious the lionheart insisted on occupying and rebuilding all the fortresses in the area to secure the Supply route between Jaffa and Jerusalem by January of 1192 the Crusaders occupied bait nuba just 12 miles from the holy city it was the height of winter and torrential storms made the roads virtually impassable although many in the Army wanted to attack Jerusalem Richard was still skeptical about the logistics of the situation he called it Council during which the Templars hospitalers and local Barons argued that Saladin was too well positioned in Jerusalem and a Siege during such conditions would inevitably fail rather they argued the Army should Advance instead on Ashkelon and fortify this crucial City Richard supported this verdict coming from the men most experienced with Warfare in the region although the Duke of burgundy disagreed strongly Richard's position won out burgundy and the French refused to go to Ashkelon and instead return to acre meanwhile Richard drove on to Ashkelon joined by the military orders and his nephew Henry count of champagne on January 20 the Crusaders began rebuilding ashkelon's walls which had also been destroyed by Saladin by April Ashkelon was restored and the King of England was making regular raids against saladin's Supply convoys Richard's plan had proved quite wise as Crusader control of Ashkelon turned out to be a major problem for the sultan who could no longer safely move Caravans from Cairo to Palestine meanwhile Richard ruled an extensive network of cities and castles stretching all along the Palestinian Coast however that same month Richard received word from his own kingdom that his brother John had formed an alliance with King Philip of France and he posed Richard's Lord Chancellor William Longchamp this news greatly troubled the lionheart he realized that if he continued with the Crusade he could lose his very Kingdom to the predations of his cowardly brother John and the treacherous King of France indeed as it turned out the whole Enterprise of the Crusade was threatened by the greed impiety and wickedness of Philip II of France reluctantly King Richard announced that he would return at once to his engine lands however to promote Unity among the Christians in the Holy Land he endorsed Conrad of Montfort for the crown of Jerusalem the magnates of the Crusader Kingdom ratified Conrad as king Montford was elated but his Triumph was short-lived on April 28 1192 Conrad was stabbed to death in the streets by two members of the Assassin cult the Duke of burgundy claimed Richard had hired the Assassins but this was false the Assassins led by the mysterious Old Man of the Mountain never hired out their work and they had a personal grudge against Conrad recently Conrad had seized a ship belonging to the old men of the mountain and refused to return it meanwhile Selden himself had offered the Assassins a large sum of money if only they would murder either Conrad or Richard with Conrad dead the English French and local Crusaders at once set about filling the yet again vacant Throne of Jerusalem the local Barons wanted someone who would please both Richard and the French the solution was Henry of champagne nephew to both Richard and Philip and a man who had proven himself as a commander since the early days of the siege of acre Richard the lionheart and the Duke of burgundy both offered their endorsement and the high court elected Henry Conrad's Widow Queen Isabella was married to Henry at once Henry then took up leadership of the recovering Crusader Kingdom at last Unity prevailed among the Crusaders Richard turned Ashkelon over to Henry and Henry put the forces loyal to Conrad at the disposal of the lionheart Richard's Hope was that Henry and the remaining Crusaders would defend what had been won so far and wait for Richard while he returned to secure his own anjuman Empire then as Richard planned it a grand Crusade would be launched against Egypt to eliminate saldan's Power Center forever and thus allow the Christians to once again control Jerusalem but the other Lords in the Army resisted this once again led by Hugh of burgundy they instead insisted that they would now at last lay Siege to Jerusalem whether Richard joined them or not this placed Richard in a very difficult situation for him an attack on Jerusalem now with salad and still in control of Egypt with suicide if the lionheart departed for home burgundy and the others would squander all that he'd restored losing the Christian Army in another hot team before Jerusalem which would allow Saladin to reconquer everything that Richard had so far won on the coast unwilling to allow this to happen Richard declared that he would remain in the holy land until Easter of 1193 the Army was elated they still hoped to press on to Jerusalem though Richard still wanted to convince them to invade Egypt when the leaders met in Council to discuss their next move Richard was once again outvoted Richard insisted that this was Folly and in fact refused to lead the campaign stating that he would not lead the Army to its certain destruction rather Richard pledged to march with them as a comrade not as their Commander the men agreed and on June 7 the Crusader Army departed Ashkelon for Jerusalem this time at the height of summer storms were not a problem the Army arrived in four days in bait nuba at Jerusalem saldan's forces were on high alert the sultan himself Departed the city for his own safety but before he did he wept openly in the Al-Aqsa mosque during Friday prayers fearing that once again the Christians would overwhelm the city meanwhile at bait nuba Richard learned from his Scouts that Saladin had destroyed all water sources in the area and that Jerusalem was well defended by a large Muslim Garrison once again Richard argued before the Council of leaders that an attack on the holy city was not feasible and once again Hugh of burgundy and the French Lords refused to listen and once again the Templars hospitalers and local Barons argued in Richard's favor the situation had not changed Selden still controlled this region and his forces could surround and cut off a Christian Army moving out against Jerusalem Richard in particular noted the problem of obtaining drinkable water the Army would quickly be suffering from extreme thirst and this would render the men and horses all the more vulnerable to saladin's forces once more Richard made the case for an attack on Egypt and the Templars and hospitalers agreed that this would be the best course at last a final vote was taken and the majority agreed that Richard's observations were undeniably correct the council voted to abandon the assault on Jerusalem inside Jerusalem the Muslims were elated Salah himself offered thanks to Allah having fully expected to face an attack from the Christians his Scouts reported to him the disagreements between Richard and the French and the sultan determined to use this division among his enemies to his Advantage Hue of burgundy and the other French Crusaders were incalcitrant they withdrew it once to acre and tire proclaiming that they would never participate in Richard's Egyptian campaign meanwhile Richard focused on securing Ashkelon and Jaffa and traveled to acre to plan his next move once again Unity had collapsed among the Crusaders with the French refusing to cooperate and Richard's Force reduced to his own vassals the Templars the hospitalers and some peasant and genoese sailors and crossbowmen the Third Crusade seemed on the verge of collapsing all right in the summer of 1192 the Third Crusade reaches an impasse in July King Richard declines to attack Jerusalem which is held by Saladin at this point Richard has retaken much of the Palestinian Coast but Richard's refusal to besiege Jerusalem highlights his dependence on his Fleet for support and shows that Saladin is in firm control of the hinterland by now the war has gone on for years and both the Christians and the Muslims long for an end to the hostilities Richard asked for terms the sultan sends his brother al-adil to ask Richard to demolish Ashkelon a coastal fortress on the doorstep of Egypt Richard refuses he wants the sultan to acknowledge Christian control of the coast including Ashkelon al-adil returns to his brother with the report that the English king refuses to demolish even a single Stone of Ashkelon meanwhile Richard strengthens ashkelon's defenses the war must go on toward the end of July Saladin hears that Richard is at acre the chief city of the Crusaders Richard is planning to besiege Beirut Saladin decides to counter this move by striking at Richard's Southern lands Jaffa has been newly restored and garrisoned by the lionheart located within Striking Distance of Jerusalem Joff is an important site if Saladin can capture it he will cut Richard's lands in two and threaten the Christian position in Palestine in the final days of July Salman gathers his army and moves toward Jaffa meanwhile at acre Richard is with his army preparing to besiege Beirut when he receives word that Saladin is advancing on Jaffa quickly Richard assembles his war council he instructs his nephew Henry of champagne and the Grand Master of the Knights Templar to assemble the Crusader forces and March down the coast from acre to Jaffa meanwhile Richard himself with a small Detachment sets off with his Fleet for Jaffa Richard knows that time is of the essence he doesn't want to wait for the land Army he wants to get to Jaffa as soon as possible [Music] July 28th Saladin arrives in full strength before the walls of Jaffa he divides his army placing the right wing under his son al-zahir and the left wing under his brother aladil while he commands from the center the sultan fully besieges the Christian stronghold Muslim sappers begin working to undermine the walls jaffa's Defenders are in a difficult situation their numbers are few but the city is well defended with newly built walls and Towers over the coming days the fighting is fierce salvin's troops managed to collapse part of the curtain wall but the Christians build a huge fire in the breach preventing the Muslim troops from crossing over given shahdad saldan's servant and biographer writes admirably of the courage of the Christian Defenders says the Christians left open the gates and stood in formation fighting in front of the gates by July 31st saldan's forces inflict even more damage on jaffa's walls the Christians send the night operons and Bishop Randolph of Bethlehem as emissaries to the sultan salden grants terms he will allow the Christians to Ransom their lives if they'll relinquish Jaffa the Christian Garrison withdraws to the Citadel to await the Sultan's agents while Muslim troops enter the town and put it to Sac by morning saldan's Camp is a buzz with rumor that King Richard is on his way with a fleet the sultan is eager to get the Christians out of the Citadel he sends IBN shadada and his son al-zahir to collect ransoms from The Garrison and remove them from the Citadel meanwhile Selden is confident that his troops on the shore can prevent the lionheart from making a landing on the morning of August 1st Richard's first ships begin to appear off the coast announcing their arrival with the braying of trumpets IBN shadad approaches The Citadel and demands that the Garrison Evacuate the Christians agree 47 Horsemen emerge IBN shadon collects ransoms from each of them documents their belongings and sends them on their way however at this point the Defenders realize that Christian ships have appeared on the sea and they decide to hold out IBN shadat says that he watched as the Garrison troops climbed up onto the walls with their Shields seeing this IBN shaddad realizes that the situation has changed dramatically he turns to one of his comrades and says take care the enemy have changed their minds in the next moment Frankish Horsemen emerged from The Citadel and charged through the Muslim troops standing outside IBN shadan's first-hand account of these events is quite gripping meanwhile Richard the lionheart's fleet approaches the shore of Jaffa at first the king and his companions are distraught for saladin's flags are flying over the city it's a devastating sight they're too late Jaffa has already fallen however the king and his men are amazed when they catch sight of a man swimming desperately through the waves toward the ships Richard's Knights helped bring the man aboard it's a priest and he has risked his life to deliver a message to the king sire says the priest the town has fallen but the Christians hold out in the Citadel please go to their aid now before it's too late when Richard hears this he grabs his Danish ax raises it high and shouts by God's calves saldan will never take the Christians with a small force of knights and archers Richard jumps into the surf and rushes onto the shore IBN shadad personally witnessed this stunning amphibious assault and describes it in his biography of Saladin the king of England hastened to gain the shore the first Galley to deliver its men on land was his he was red-haired his tunic was red and His Banner was red as was his device in only a short time all the men from the galleys had disembarked in the harbor all this went on before my eyes they then charged the Muslims who withdrew before them and were cleared out of the harbor I was on Horseback so I galloped as far as the sultan and gave him the news the two envoys were with him and he had just taken his pen in his hand to write their guarantee of safe conduct I whispered in his ear what had happened so he stopped writing and kept them busy in conversation hardly a moment later the Muslims came fleeing toward the sultan who shouted to those about him and all mounted their horses he seized the envoys and ordered the baggage train and the camp to move back to yazur this is a truly remarkable moment in military history Richard the lionheart accompanied by a small Force hurls back saldan's Army from the shores of Jaffa the king himself is at the Forefront wielding his ax against enemy troops having secured the shore the Crusaders now enter Jaffa itself Richard is the first to set foot in the city charging up a spiral stairway through a Templar house with his Knights the king storms through the narrow streets battling hand to hand with enemy troops soon the town is cleared of Muslim forces Richard's men Mount the walls throwing down selden's banners and raising up the standard of the lionheart euphoric the Christians emerged from The Citadel to cheer their King the lionheart has triumphed Jaffa is saved Richard occupies the position Selden had held while the sultan himself beats a hasty retreat salad had all but reduced Jaffa only to have Richard arrive and totally reverse the situation the riveting accounts from the primary sources make these events all the more alive to us it is fascinating that the most powerful and Vivid account of these events comes from saldan's own chronicler IBN shaddad who personally watched the lionheart in action Richard now has his men break up pieces of his ships to create a wooden fortification before Jaffa meanwhile Salon withdraws to ramla having secured Jaffa Richard dispatches a messenger to Saladin asking him to send envoys saldan sends his brother al-adil's Chamberlain Abu Bakr and several mamluks to meet with King Richard already Richard knows Abu Bakr and his companions well from past meetings with al-adil indeed Richard is on friendly terms with this group of Muslim Warriors IBN shahdad describes their meeting King Richard had made friends with several of the elite mamluks and had knighted some of them he was on very good terms with them as they met with him on numerous occasions when the group mentioned came before him he was both serious and lighthearted he said this Sultan of yours is a great man Islam has no mightier Prince on Earth than him how is it he departed merely because I had arrived by God I had not even put on my Halbert and was not ready for anything on my feet I wore only sea boots why did he withdraw here IBN shaddad provides us with a fast-inning glimpse into the subtleties of the lionheart's personality Richard is a highly capable Diplomat simultaneously he complements Saladin while emphasizing his own capability in battle and the extent of his victory at Jaffa all this is to encourage the sultan to come to terms it's also fascinating that a great Crusader King could strike up a certain friendship with Abu Bakr and other emirs and mamluks before Abu Bakr departs Richard asks him to greet the sultan for him and to urge the sultan to come to a peace ramla the sultan learns that Henry of champagne and the Templars are moving south from acre to reinforce the Lion Heart saldan decides that he might still turn defeat into victory Jaffa is damaged and Richard holds it with only a small Force if the Muslims attack quickly they might overwhelm the king before the main Christian Army arrives on August 3rd salden departs with his army for Jaffa King Richard is preparing for this the lionheart organizes his small Force to hold the city the guesta Regis ricardi written by one of Richard's followers describes the king's formation amid wooden Palisades Richard arranges the inventory in a shield wall man holds a long spear aimed forward with the blunt and planted in the ground between each of these spearmen Richard places across Bowman each cross Bowman is assigned to crossbows and an assistant to help him load one bow while he himself shoots the other bow meanwhile the king himself leads a small Cavalry Force containing so few men that the gesta names each of them individually incredibly Richard is about to fight this battle with between 10 and 20 mounted Knights this is confirmed by IBN shadad [Music] approaches Jaffa with a force of around 10 000 men when he realizes that Richard's force is so small he's exhilarated finally the moment has come when he will crush the Lion Heart the sultan has a fully equipped Army and Richard has less than 2 000 men with less than 20 horses the position of the Christian seems impossible [Music] immediately Selden launches the attack however as the Turkish horse archers Rush at Richard's formation the Christians hold firm the Sultan's initial attacks are repulsed again IBN shadan's description is powerful the enemy stood firm and did not move from their positions like dogs of war they snarled willing to fight to the death our troops were frightened of them dumbfounded by their steadfastness the number of their Cavalry was estimated at most as 17 and at the least as nine and their foot was less than one thousand some said 300 and others more than that the sultan was greatly annoyed at this and personally went around the divisions urging them to attack and promising them good rewards if they would as the battle progresses it becomes clear that Richard has made good use of his limited resources repeated attacks from the Turkish Cavalry fail and indeed the Christian crossbowmen are picking off saldan's writers with every charge soon selden's troops fall back and refused to obey the Sultan's orders to attack this infuriates Saladin who is horrified to see his army failing before such a small Force the sultan rides up and down his ranks demanding that his men fight but they refuse at this point King Richard decides to attack leading his 10 or 20 Horsemen he charges the Sultan's lines this is one of the lionheart's finest moments despite being terribly outnumbered Richard and his Knights inflict serious damage on saldan's Army the guest of Regis riccardi provides a vivid account of the action the king and his men realized that the saracens were not going to do anything else when they were unable to bear this half-hearted and evasive strategy any longer the king and those who had horses put spurt a horse and with Lance's couched charged powerfully into the thick of the enemy throwing them down to the right and the left emptying Saddles of their Riders and transfixing some of them Richard's decision to charge is no accident he recognizes the collapsing morale of saldan's Army and understands that the sultan likely won't be able to counter a Cavalry attack from the Christians however small it may be the Kings charge further demoralizes the Muslim host when it's all over Richard does something to further expose saladin's inability to control his own forces IBN shadad describes it the king of England took his Lance that day and galloped from the far right wing to the far left and nobody challenged him the sultan was enraged turned his back on the fighting and withdrew to yazur at this point Selden realizes the extent of his defeat he calls for a retreat and the Muslim Army withdraws once again Richard the lionheart has won a great victory over Saladin [Music] indeed one of the most remarkable victories in military history fortunately the battle was carefully recorded by the chroniclers in both camps who repeatedly confirmed one another's details we are fortunate that such a fascinating episode was so well documented the Battle of Jaffa destroys saladin's plan to dislodge King Richard from the coast Jaffa is saved for the Crusaders for Richard this is a crucial Victory had Saladin succeeded the very position of the Christian domain in Syria Palestine would have been threatened the Crusader victory at Jaffa secured far more than Richard the lionheart's status as a legendary Warrior it confirmed the Strategic reality of the situation in Palestine Richard could not take Jerusalem but salivan could not take Jaffa nor dislodge the Crusaders from the southern coast historian Christopher Tireman points out that saladin's failure at Jaffa inflicted deep psychological and Military blows on the saracens given the situation both sides recognize that they must negotiate some sort of truce after the battle Richard fell ill again he also received unsettling news from back home Philip II King of France was now actively attacking angevan lands like Saladin Richard was also ready to come to terms he dispatched Bailey and Avalon to act as his Chief Diplomat in the negotiations with Saladin on September 2nd 1192 the two sides included a formal three-year truce Saladin agreed to acknowledge most of Richard's conquests recognizing that the Crusaders would hold the coast from Tire to acre to Jaffa including towns and castles such as caesarea and arsif Richard agreed at last to demolish Ashkelon which would be held by neither side Saladin also agreed to give Christian pilgrims free access to Jerusalem protected by his own men Tripoli and Antioch were included in the truce as well the truce concluded many Crusaders took the opportunity to complete their Pilgrimage by visiting Jerusalem where some of them were entertained by Saladin himself Richard however was not among them refusing to ever enter Jerusalem as anything but its conqueror on October 9 1192 Richard by now recovered from his illness boarded a ship and set out for home with his Fleet the Third Crusade was over though the lionheart swore to return and build upon the success he'd already achieved he intended to come back with a new crusade to finally take Jerusalem [Music] [Applause] discussions of the Third Crusade and our pop culture often seem to conclude that the expedition was a failure because it did not recapture Jerusalem and yet historians frequently disagree with this assessment Thomas Madden says the Third Crusade was by almost any measure a highly successful Expedition Jonathan Riley Smith wrote that the third Crusades achievements were outstanding Andrew Aaron critz concludes that the Treaty of ramla which ended the Third Crusade must be regarded as a humiliating concession the Christian Invaders imposed on Islam so which is it was the Third Crusade a success or a failure the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem was much larger than the city of Jerusalem itself it included Hinterland castles like karak and Montreal Inland cities like ramla and Tiberius and a network of coastal cities like acre caesarea and Jaffa after the battle of hatin in 1187 Saladin the Sultan of Egypt and Damascus conquered virtually all of this in response to this Devastation of the Crusader Kingdom Pope Gregory VII called the Third Crusade when Richard the lionheart the primary leader of the Third Crusade arrived in Palestine with his army in 1191 he found the kingdom of Jerusalem as it existed prior to saladin's conquests all but lost only the port city of Tire remained in Christian hands but Richard began to reverse many of saladin's important gains acre the wealthiest and largest port city was reconquered by the Christians next Richard defeated Saladin at the Battle of arsuf re-establishing Crusader control of much of the coast and allowing the Christians to reoccupy Jaffa the Port City nearest to Jerusalem at this point Richard made two military demonstrations toward Jerusalem though he never actually attempted to recapture the city Richard's Navy allowed him to dominate the coast and keep his army well supplied but Jerusalem lay far inland where Saladin had the advantage therefore Richard determined that Jerusalem was not a viable military Target at this time the holy city of Jerusalem was the spiritual fixation of the Crusade the fact that Richard was unable to capture it was a disappointment to the Christian world but does this mean that the Third Crusade was a failure in fact the Third Crusade succeeded in several important ways as mentioned earlier Saladin had essentially captured the whole of the Kingdom but Richard's conquests re-established Crusader control of some of the most important territory in Palestine Saladin attempted to reverse the situation besieging Jaffa in 1192 but Richard repulsed this attack defeating Saladin soundly at the Battle of Jaffa prior to the Third Crusade Saladin had been poised to exterminate the Crusader presence in Palestine but by the end of the Third Crusade he was forced to recognize Richard's conquests in the Treaty of ramla saladin's servant and biographer bahadin tells us that Saladin was very unhappy about this treaty our enemy will grow strong now that they have retained these lands the sultan lamented we can see then how the Third Crusade was a reverse for solidine since he lost control of the economically important Palestinian Coast and although the third crusade did not regain Jerusalem it did regain acre Jaffa and other coastal cities so overall it was a net positive for the Christians in addition to the territory he reclaimed from Saladin Richard also captured the island of Cyprus off the coast of Syria for the Crusaders Cyprus was both economically and strategically important and its addition to Crusader territory was one of the most significant achievements of the Third Crusade we can see then why historians tend to judge the Third Crusade as overall a success for the Christians

Channel: Real Crusades History

Views: 140,798

Keywords: crusades, crusades documentary, middle ages, third crusade, first crusade documentary, knights, saladin, saladin documentary, richard the lionheart, godfrey of bouillon, bohemond, the normans, norman history, templars, knights templar, templar history, second crusade, zengi, nur ad-din, seljuks, siege of damascus, battle of antioch, battle of dorylaeum, medieval documentary, swords medieval, knights documentary, first crusade, northern crusades, niklot, louis vii of france

Id: GMUCREzfEUg

Length: 297min 15sec (17835 seconds)

Published: Mon May 15 2023