Failure at Damascus 1148

Who launched an attack on 24th July 1148?

• King Baldwin III from the orchards in the west

• Supported by Louis VIII’s soldiers

Conrad’s efforts

• River was won and crusaders established a camp outside the city

• Had a water supply from the river and food supply from the orchards

What did the crusaders decide on 27th July 1148?

• To shift their attack to a weak point in the eastern walls of the city

• Hoped it would speed up the siege - Nurredin had begun to mobilise troops from Mosul and Aleppo to stop the attack

Why was this a bad decision?

• There was no access to food or water on the eastern side of the wall

• After 3 days the crusaders retreated and the siege was at an end

8th September

• Conrad realised the crusade was over and began his journey home

What did Louis do?

• stayed in Jerusalem until April 1149 to fulfil his vow to spend a year there

Battle of Inab, June 1149

• Prince Raymond of Antioch was killed

Consequences of the failure at Damascus

• Crusader states began to struggle

• End of 1140s - king of Jerusalem had arranged to sell off the castles in Edessa and the rest of the county wa abandoned for good