Tragic Story of the Second Crusade: When Kings Failed

The Second Crusade was a military campaign launched by the Pope and European nobles in 1147-1149 CE to recapture the city of Edessa, which had fallen to the Muslim Seljuk Turks in 1144 CE. The Crusade was led by two kings, Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, and involved campaigns in the Iberian peninsula and the Baltic region as well. However, the Crusade failed to achieve its main goal in the Levant and suffered a humiliating defeat at Damascus. The Crusade also caused tensions between the Byzantine Empire and the western Christians, and increased the confidence of the Muslim forces under Nūr al-Dīn. The Crusade was seen as a disaster by many and prompted a search for explanations and reforms.

#history #crusaders #medievalhistory #crusades #seljuks #byzantine_empire #jerusalem #europeanhistory #seljukempire