The foundation of new states and the Second Crusade, c1099–1149

Knights Hospitaller Established

1099

The Order of the Hospitallers was founded after the First Crusade. Initially their role was to care for pilgrims in Jerusalem but this was soon extended to providing armed escort and later becoming a substantial military force. Raymond du Puy offered the services of the Hospitallers to Baldwin, distinguishing itself as a military order in the Siege of Ascalon in 1153. One of the largest bases of the Hopitallers was Krak de Chevalier.

Pope Paschal becomes Pope

Aug 13, 1099

Pope Paschal II became Pope after Pope Urban II died in 1099. He reigned for almost 20 years.

Godfrey of Jerusalem Dies

Jul 17, 1100

Godfrey's death signalled a scramble of rivals to replace him. Daimbert, the patriarch of Jerusalem was unable to seize control on his own due to his Pisan support leaving. Bohemond had been captured by the Danishmends and held prisoner to 1103. Baldwin of Edessa came forward to take the crown, leaving his cousin Baldwin of Bourcq to rule in his place. He was crowned King of the Latins in Jerusalem in Bethlehem.
'Successful in warfare, but incompetent as an administrator' - Runciman on Godfrey

Coronation of Baldwin I

Dec 25, 1100

Godfrey's death left Jersusalem in 'a state of turmoil' (Asbridge). He had wished to pass lordship to his brother, but Patriarch Daimbert wished for Jerusalem to be the capital of an ecclesiastical state, with him as its ruler. Whilst Daimbert was involved with beseiging the port of Haifa, supporters of Godfrey's bloodline sent messages to Baldwin. The news reached Edessa. His brother Baldwin stepped up to claim the throne, and Baldwin of Le Bourcq, his relative, was appointed to rule Edessa.

Crusade of the Fainthearted/Crusade of 1101

1101

The Crusade of 1101 was a minor crusade of three separate movements. It is also called the Crusade of the Fainthearted due to the number of participants who joined after having turned back from the First Crusade. Calls for reinforcements came from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and Pope Paschal II urged a new expedition. He especially urged those who had taken a vow but never departed, and those who had turned back. Some of these people were already scorned at home, for example Stephen of Blois.

Capture of Caesarea

Jun 17, 1101

Caesarea was captured during the 1101 Crusade. The force consisted of King Baldwin I and the Genoese. Fulcher of Chartres said that most men fled or were killed but Muslim women were spared in order to work the mills.

Battle of Harran

May 7, 1104

The Battle of Harran took place between the Crusader states of the Antioch and Edessa, and the Seljuk Turks. The battle had a disastrous effect on Antioch as the Turks regained territory earlier lost. In 1104 Baldwin II of Edessa had attacked and besieged the city of Harran. Baldwin sought help from Bohemond I of Antioch and Tancred, Prince of Galilee. The Seljuks attacked Edessa, perhaps to distract the crusaders from Harran, or to take the city while the crusaders were elsewhere engaged.

Siege of Acre

May 26, 1104

The Christians were successful in taking the coastal city of Acre.

Bohemond of Antioch tours France seeking support for a Crusade against the Byzantines

1106

Bohemond named Tancred, his nephew, regent of Antioch whilst he toured Europe (particularly France) looking for support to start a crusade against the Byzantines. This resulted in an unsuccessful siege of Dyrrhachium in 1107.

Capture of Tripoli

Jul 12, 1109

The siege lasted from 1102 until 1109 and established the fourth crusader state of Tripoli. Raymond IV of Toulouse wanted to establish a crusader state after turning down becoming the King of Jerusalem.

Death of Baldwin I

Apr 2, 1118

Baldwin fell seriously ill in late 1116, but he recovered at the start of the following year. To strengthen the defence of the southern frontier, he launched an expedition against Egypt in March 1118. He seized Farama. Baldwin wished to attack Cairo, but an old wound that he had received in 1103 suddenly opened. On his death bed, he named his brother Eustace III of Boulogne as his successor. However, Baldwin of Bourcq succeeded him.

Baldwin II becomes King of Jerusalem

Apr 14, 1118

Baldwin II, also known as Baldwin of Bourcq, became King of Jerusalem after Baldwin I died instead of Baldwin's brother Eustace. Baldwin was believed to be Baldwin's second cousin by Asbridge.

Knights Templar Established

1119

The Templars were the wealthiest and most powerful order. They wore white mantles (to signify purity) with red crosses, and were the most skilled fighter in the crusades. They swore oaths like monks, which they held for life. They were well known for becoming the first form of banking, allowing people to donate money to the Latin states, and allowing them to put money in the West and take it out in the East and for building castles across the Holy Land. The Templars took care of Conrad III.

Battle of Ager Sanginis/Field of Blood

Jun 28, 1119

Roger of Salerno's army of Antioch was defeated by Ilghazi of Mardin's army, the Artuqid army of Aleppo. Roger was regent for Bohemond II. Most of the army, including Roger, was killed. The battle proved that the Muslims could defeat a Crusader army without the help of the Seljuks.

Council of Nablus

Jan 1, 1120

The Council of Nablus was a council of ecclesiastic and secular lords in Jerusalem. The council established the first written laws for the kingdom. It was also where Hugues de Payens obtained permission from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and Warmund, Patriarch of Jerusalem to found the Knights Templar.

Capture of Tyre by the Venetian Crusade

Jul 7, 1124

On 15 February the Venetians and Franks began the siege of Tyre, territory of the Atabeg of Damascus. The Venetians and Franks built siege towers and machines that could throw boulders to shatter the city walls. Tyre surrendered on 29 June. Baldwin II granted the Venetians commercial privileges in Tyre.

Arrival of Count Fulk V of Anjou to marry Melisende, heiress to Jerusalem

May 1, 1129

After going on a crusade in 1120, by 1127 Fulk was preparing to return to Anjou when he received an embassy from King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. Baldwin II had no male heirs but his daughter Melisende was to succeed him. Fulk was a wealthy crusader and experienced military commander. However, Fulk wanted to be king alongside Melisende. Baldwin II accepted. Fulk left Anjou to his son Geoffrey and married Melisende on 2 June.

Death of Bohemond II of Antioch

Feb 1, 1130

When Bohemond died, his wife, Alice, tried to secure the regency for Constance, their only child herself. Constance, was two when Bohemond died. Noblemen in Antioch preferred Alice's father Baldwin II of Jerusalem to be regent. After Bohemond's death, Roger II of Sicily tried to claim Antioch, but he was never successful.

Death of Baldwin II and Coronation of Fulk and Melisende

Aug 21, 1131

Fulk and Melisende became joint rulers, however Fulk assumed sole control of the government. He favored men from Anjou to the native nobility. Melisende's sister Alice of Antioch, allied with Pons of Tripoli and Joscelin II of Edessa to prevent Fulk from marching north. Fulk and Pons fought a brief battle before peace was made. In Jerusalem, Fulk was resented by the second generation who had grown up there since the First Crusade. These wanted Melisende's cousin, Hugh of Jaffa, to be King.

Revolt of Hugh of Jaffa

1134

The dispute between Fulk and Hugh caused civil war. Hugh and his supporters made a treaty with Ascalon and in response Fulk besieged the city. Hugh was forced to give up his lands and go into exile for 3 years. As he waited for a ship to take him away, he was stabbed and badly injured. This was blamed on Fulk. Hugh had been on familiar terms with Queen Melisende, and this stabbing caused hostility between the two.

First Invasion of John Comnenus

1137

John was angry that, as overlord of Antioch, he hadn't been involved in choosing Constance's husband, Raymond of Poitiers. He arrived at the city demanding that it should submit to him. Raymond swore homage and acknowledged that Antioch was subject to Greek overlordship. If Christian forces took Aleppo and Shaizar, they could hold these towns but return Antioch. The Franks were unsuccessful in this and so John threatened to take back Antioch anyway. An anti-Byzantine riot forced John to leave.

Second Invasion of John Comnenus

1142

John threatened Antioch again but Raymond managed to delay a full scale attack until the Byzantines withdrew to Cilicia for the winter. Here, John suffered a fatal hunting accident.

Emperor John Comnenus Dies

1142

John dies in a hunting accident whilst in retreat from threatening Antioch. This lifted the threat of invasion from Antioch.

Death of King Fulk, Melisende becomes regent for Baldwin III

Oct 11, 1143

Whilst Fulk and Melisende were in Acre, Fulk was killed in an hunting accident. His horse stumbled and fell and Fulk's head was crushed by the saddle. He was buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. He left two sons of Melisende's, Baldwin III and Amalric I.

The Fall of Edessa

Dec 24, 1144

Zengi, atabeg of Mosul and Aleppo, saw the opportunity to attack Edessa after learning that Joscelin and Raymond II of Antioch had fallen out. Joscelin, after making an alliance with an Ortoqid ruler against Zengi, had gone to help protect his lands from Aleppo. The county was left without their ruler. After gathering an army, siege engines and surrounding the walls of Edessa, they managed to tunnel under the walls.
'Islam became like the full moon after it had been obscured' - Ibn al-Athir

Pope Eugenius III issues Quantum Predecessores

Dec 4, 1145

Quantum praedecessores is a papal bull issued by Pope Eugenius III, calling for a Second Crusade. It was issued in response to the fall of Edessa. The bull was addressed directly to Louis VII of France and promised the remission of sins for all those who took the cross, as well as ecclesiastical protection for their families and possessions. Those who completed the crusade, or died along the way, were offered full absolution.

Death of Zengi, Succeeded by Nur ad-Din

1146

Zengi was assassinated by a Frankish slave named Yarankash. In Mosul he was succeeded by his eldest son Saif ad-Din, and in Aleppo he was succeeded by his second son Nur ad-Din.

King Conrad III of Germany takes the Cross

Dec 24, 1146

Bernard had set out to preach in Flanders and Germany. Conrad had already previously visited the Holy Land and was an important ally of the Pope against Norman Sicilian aggression in Italy. Conrad became one of the leaders of the crusade.

Armies of Conrad III and Louis VII set out for the Holy Land

1147

The plan for both crusader armies was to meet at Constantinople before heading to Edessa. This was seen as a threat to Manuel because the increase in crusader states would threaten Byzantine power in northern Syria. Therefore, Manuel made a truce with the Seljuk Turks to secure his border. The crusaders saw this as treachery.

Armies arrive at Constantinople

1147

Thousands of peasants had joined Conrad's army. A flash flood had hit the German camp on the way, and many crusaders and horses were drowned. Instead of waiting for Louis, Conrad moved onto Asia Minor, as Manuel refused to let the army into Constantinople. Manuel also convinced the French to leave quickly by spreading rumours that the Germans were having great success.

Capture of Lisbon

Oct 21, 1147

An English contingent of the Second Crusade who had intended to sail directly to the Holy Land had been forced to stop at Portugal due to the weather. They agreed to help the Portuguese King to attack Lisbon, with an agreement that the could pillage the city and ransom money. They were successful.

German Army Defeated in Asia Minor

Oct 25, 1147

The army reached an area of infertile land that had little food and come under attack from Seljuk Turks. They made the decision to turn back to Anatolia, and many left Conrad's army here.

Defeat of the French Army at Mount Cadmus

Jan 7, 1148

The French crusaders joined with the remains of the German army. Conrad decided that his head injury from a Turkish arrow was too serious, and he was invited back to Contantinople by Manuel so that he could nurse him. The Seljuks attacked the army with arrows. The remainder of the army was given to the Knight's Templar. After this, the French King moved to Antioch.

Failure at Siege of Damascus

Jul 28, 1148

Unur, ruler of Damascus, had been allied with Jerusalem against the threat of Zengi. Now, an alliance between Nur ad-Din and Unur had been made, by marrying Unur's daughter. The crusaders, along with King Baldwin III of Jerusalem and Melisende, agreed to attack Damascus. The crusaders had set up camp in a well-watered earlier, but were later convinced to move towards the city so that they could have a more direct attack. This left them exposed and without water, and they were forced to retreat.