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Eduquas History
The Crusades
KQ5: What were main factors of failure for 2nd Crusade?
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Anti-Semitism
against the
jews
Cistercian
a
catholic
order of
monks
Emir
a
title
given to a
Muslim
ruler
Expedition
a
journey
taken by a group of people in
war
Papal
Bull
a public decree issued by the
Pope
Retreat
to move back or
withdraw
from battle
Causes of the Second Crusade:
Threat from
Muslims
increased under
Zengi.
Defeat of
Count Baldwin
II of
Edessa
by Zengi in
1129.
Zengi besieged
Edessa
in 1144 after death of King Fulk of Jerusalem.
Edessa
fell due to poor governance and lack of aid from Antioch.
Role of Zengi:
Became Emir of
Mosul.
Defeated
Count Baldwin II
outside Damascus.
Seized opportunity to besiege
Edessa.
Exploited poor relations between
Edessa
and
Antioch.
Pope Eugenius III:
Proclaimed the
Second Crusade
in
1145.
Response to fall of
Edessa.
Papal Bull
:
Quantum Predecessores.
Bernard of Clairvaux:
French
Cistercian abbot
and
reformer.
Played crucial role in securing
support
for Second Crusade.
Enormous
religious prestige.
Contribution:
Enthusiastically
championed
the cause.
Added
momentum
to crusade.
Papal Bull Reissue:
King
Louis VII's
contemplation of pilgrimage persuaded
Eugenius
to reissue papal bull in
March 1146.
Permission to Preach:
Bernard
given permission to
preach
the call to
crusade.
Most important speech at council in
Vezelay
in
March 1146.
Impact of Bernard's Speech:
Speech
at
Vezelay
had desired effect
King Louis of France:
Responded to
Bernard's
speech by placing himself before the
Abbot.
Pope's
cross
attached to Louis'
cloak.
Dramatic effect on Louis' wife
Eleanor
of
Aquitaine
and others.
Recruitment for Crusade:
Underway
after Louis'
commitment
Bernard's Tour
Traveled through
Lorraine
,
Flanders
, and
Germany.
Aimed to ensure success of
crusade.
Impact in Germany:
Outbreak of
anti-Semitism
initially.
Later turned into mini crusade against
Slavonic pagans.
King Conrad of Germany:
Agreed to join
Louis
in expedition to
Holy Land
after hearing
Bernard
preach at
Speyer
in
1146.
Issues Faced by Crusade:
Cooperation
between forces proved
difficult.
Louis
and
Conrad
not considered true crusaders.
Decision to take Queen
Eleanor
proved
disastrous.
Failed Attempt to Retake Edessa:
Against forces under Zengi's successor,
Nul ad-Din.
Muslim forces more accustomed to tactics of
Western knights.
Lack of Byzantine Support:
Unlike
First Crusade
,
Byzantine support
was lacking.
Byzantine Empire:
Emperor
Manuel
concluded peace agreement with
Turks
in
1147
, viewed as
treachery
by crusaders.
Norman knights of
Sicily
under
Roger II
refused to participate,
weakening
the force.
Land Route Through Byzantium:
German
and
French
forces planned to take land route through
Byzantine
Empire.
Intention was to meet up in
Constantinople.
Reception in Byzantium:
German
army reached Byzantium first, encountered frosty reception from Emperor
Manuel.
Byzantine troops sent amid fear of attack from
Germans.
Regular skirmishes
between forces ensued.
Flood and Arrival in Constantinople:
Severe flood resulted in
deaths
among
German
army.
Despite
Manuel's
requests, Germans reached
Constantinople
in
September.
Mistake by King Conrad:
After quarrel with Emperor
Manuel
, Conrad decided not to wait for
French
forces.
Split his
army
and proceeded to
Asia Minor
alone.
Disaster at Dorylaeum:
German
army attacked by
Seljuk
scouts while
resting.
Resulted in
defeat
and
massacre
, with estimates of up to
18,000
killed or wounded out of
20,000.
Consequences
Conrad escaped with remainder of
army.
Army finished as
fighting
force.
Began slow retreat to
Constantinople.
Mistakes by King Louis:
Took
coast road
, believing army would be safe in
Byzantine
territory, but regularly attacked by
Seljuk
forces.
Conrad fell seriously ill, forced to return to
Constantinople.
French pushed
inland
, often attacked by
Seljuk
forces, until reaching Antalya.
Lack of
Byzantine
support due to invasion by Roger II of
Sicily.
Weakness of
army
meant no major
offensive
possible.
Disagreement at Antioch:
Raymond of
Poitiers
wanted attack on
Aleppo
, gateway to
Edessa.
Louis wanted to finish
pilgrimage
to Jerusalem.
Eleanor
threatened to
divorce
Louis if
military
aspect not fulfilled.
Louis arrested Eleanor and set out for
Jerusalem.
Assembly at Jerusalem:
Crusaders assembled at
Jerusalem
, joined by recovered
Conrad
and
German
troops.
Failure at Damascus
Decision to attack Damascus made at
Council
of
Acre
in
June
1148.
Damascus threatened by
Nur ad-Din
, son of
Zengi.
Muslims prepared for attack, resulting in
disaster.
Suffered numerous attacks from
Muslim
forces.
Lacked
support
from local crusader
lords.
Louis
and
Conrad
decided upon retreat, ending
Second
Crusade.
Impact of Second Crusade Failure:
Weakened
Christian
cause, strengthened
Muslim
world.
Increased
hostility
between
West
and
crusading
states.
Idea of betrayal by
Byzantines.
Weakened
German
and
French
monarchies.
Damaged crusaders'
military reputation.
Enthusiasm
for further
crusades
diminished.
Europe
focused more on internal
politics
for
forty
years.