The battles of the 2nd crusade 1147-1149 CE
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Crusades |
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The Second Crusade The Second Crusade took place from 1147 - 1149 CE and was led by the German King Conrad III and the French King Louis VII. It was the first time that Kings had personally led a Crusader force. In the early summer of 1147 the German army marched across Europe to Constantinople. From there they continued eastwards where they were joined by the French, Italians and other Europeans. Their aim was to recapture the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia, which had fallen to the Seljuk Turks in 1144. In the end, they never reached Edessa. To save face the Crusaders besieged Damascus. However, on the 28th of July 1149, after a four day siege, they gave up and went home. The Crusade failed due to the conflicting interests of the participants and caused further tension between the Crusaders and the Byzantine's. |