Why did Edessa Fall to Zengi in 1144? Flashcards
(52 cards)
what are 4 reasons why Edessa fell to Zengi in 1144?
- Immediate Actions and 1144 Events
- Growing Muslim Threat/Unity since 1119
- Weakness of the Crusader States
- Christian Divisions
what recent actions of Joscelin II allowed Edessa to fall?
- He spent much of his time at Turbessel, which was very far away from the city of Edessa itself.
- Had also allowed himself to become involved in the intriguing of the Artuqids
why was it is an issue that Joscelin II spent much of his time at Turbessel?
it was very far away from the city of Edessa itself
how had Joscelin II allowed himself to become involved in the intriguing of the Artuqids?
he had formed an alliance with Kara Arslan
why was it an issue that joscelin II had allowed himself to become involved in the intriguing of the Artuqids?
Zengi had been able to exploit this to lure Joscelin II away from Edessa; without this, the attack on the city would not have been possible.
what recent actions of Zengi caused the fall of Edessa?
- Zengi was powerful and was in a position to strike.
- 1144: news reached Joscelin II that Kara Arslan had been attacked near Aleppo. Joscelin organized a relief force, but it was a ruse by Zengi to lure him away from the city.
- Dec 1144: Zengi encircled and captured Edessa
- Zengi gained support in 1144 by claiming that he had been acting in support of Jihad against the Franks.
what made Zengi powerful?
he was ruler of Aleppo and Mosul
why was Zengi in a position to strike before the fall of Edessa?
1144: his Artuqid rival, Da’ud, died, leaving his son Kara Arlsan as his new, inexperienced rival.
how did Zengi capture/enter Edessa?
used a complex series of tunnels (‘sappers’) to undermine and bring down a section of the walls.
how did Zengi gain support in 1144?
by claiming that he had been acting in support of Jihad against the Franks.
what was Zengi’s real aim, if not jihad against the Franks?
Zengi’s real ambition was arguably the capture of Damascus, in order to secure total dominance in Syria; the attack on Edessa was most likely opportunistic
what are some aspects of the growing muslim threat/unity since 1119?
- Desire for Jihad against the Franks growing
- Zengi
what was the importance of the field of blood in relation to jihad?
The Field of Blood marked the beginning of the involvement of religious classes against the Franks; the decisive victory inspired further development of the use of jihad.
how was religion used during the field of blood?
The preacher, Ibn-al-Khashshab, was with the Muslim army before the battle to raise their morale.
what evidence is there that jihad imagery grew in the aftermath of the field of blood?
the memorials of the Muslim leaders Tughtegin (Damascus, died 1128) and Balak (Aleppo, died 1124) noted their role in the ‘defence of Islam’.
what were Balak’s crowning achievements as a supporter of jihad?
- Autumn 1122: Balak captured Joscelin of Edessa
- 1123: Balak captured Baldwin II
how did Zengi utilise the growing desire for jihad?
Zengi claimed that he had been acting in support of Jihad against the Franks; he used this to gain military support from Turcoman tribes to attack Edessa in 1144.
who did Zengi he used jihad to gain military support from?
Turcoman tribes
what events show Zengi was a growing threat before the fall of Edessa?
- 1130: Zengi captured the border town of Al-Atharib from the Principality of Antioch
- 1133: invaded the County of Tripoli – Fulk had to aid Pons.
- By the end of 1135, he had gained all Muslim territory near Aleppo except Homs.
- 1137: Zengi defeated Fulk of Jerusalem at Ba’rin and temporarily captured Raymond II of Tripoli.
- 1139: Zengi captured Maarrat al-Nu’man and recpatured al-Atharib and Kafartab (which had been lost to the Byzantines in 1138)
what border town did Zengi capture from Antioch in 1130?
Al-Atharib
who did Zengi capture the border town of Al-Atharib from in 1130?
Antioch
which crusader state did Zengi invade in 1133?
Tripoli
how large was Zengi’s territory by 1135?
By the end of 1135, he had gained all Muslim territory near Aleppo except Homs.
where did Zengi defeat Fulk in 1137?
Ba’rin
