Edessa The fall of the crusader city of Edessa to the Muslims was the spark that ignited the Second Crusade. © DEA/Icas94—De Agostini Picture Library/Getty Images. (more) Siege of Edessa Second Crusade [1144] Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Edessa Feedback Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Rupert Matthews Rupert Matthews's work appears in Encyclopaedia Britannica as part of a joint publishing agreement with the publisher of 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History, where the work originally... Rupert Matthews Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Dec 11, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Quick Facts Date: November 28, 1144 - December 24, 1144 (Show more) Location: Syria (Show more) Participants: Zangī (Show more) Context: Crusades Second Crusade (Show more) See all related content The fall of the crusader city of Edessa to Seljuq Muslim troops after a siege carried out from November 28 to December 24, 1144, was the spark that ignited the Second Crusade. The victory entrenched Zangī as leader of the Muslims in the Holy Land, a mantle that would be taken up by his son Nūr al-Dīn and then by Saladin.

　　After victory at the Battle of Harran, the Muslim forces in the Holy Land fractured into warring factions. In 1128 Zangī of Mosul captured Aleppo and cowed neighboring Muslim rulers into submission. In 1144 Zangī learned that Count Joscelin of Edessa had argued with Prince Raymond of Antioch and then taken almost his entire army to Diyarbakır to interfere in a dispute between Seljuq princes. Zangī marched a large army to Edessa, just north of the Syrian border in what is now southwestern Turkey, hoping to overwhelm the city before Joscelin could return. Zangī was confident that the city would fall easily, since, as chronicler William of Tyre recorded, “The population of Edessa was made up of Chaldeans and Armenians, unwarlike men, scarcely familiar with the use of arms and accustomed only to the acts of trade. The city was only rarely visited by Latins, and very few of them lived there.”

　　Crusades Events keyboard_arrow_left

　　Siege of Antioch October 20, 1097 - June 28, 1098

　　Battle of Harran May 7, 1104

　　Siege of Edessa November 28, 1144 - December 24, 1144

　　Siege of Lisbon July 1, 1147 - October 25, 1147

　　Siege of Damascus July 23, 1148 - July 28, 1148

　　Battle of Ḥaṭṭīn July 4, 1187

　　Battle of Jaffa August 5, 1192

　　Albigensian Crusade 1209 - 1229

　　Siege of Toulouse 1217 - 1218 keyboard_arrow_right Zangī arrived on November 28 and began battering the walls with trebuchets and mining under the foundations. The city walls were, however, exceptionally strong, and the defenders, most of them mercenaries, put up determined resistance despite their low numbers. Queen Melisende of Jerusalem mustered a relief force that marched for Edessa, but Prince Raymond of Antioch refused to help. On December 24 a section of the walls collapsed into a mine, and Zangī’s troops poured into the city, capturing everything except the citadel. Zangī had the local Christians separated from foreign Christians and then had all the latter executed. The men holding the citadel surrendered on December 26 on condition that their lives be spared. Joscelin and the troops sent by Melisende arrived a few days too late to save Edessa, but they did hold on to the lands west of the Euphrates River.

　　When news of the fall of Edessa reached Rome, Pope Eugene III called for the raising of the Second Crusade. This would greatly strengthen the remaining crusader states, although Edessa was never recaptured.