Siege of Damascus

From July 24 to 28, 1148, the armies of Louis VII, Conrad III and Baldwin III surrounded Damascus. After conquering the western orchards, they installed siege machines and palisades but suffered violent counter-offensives led by Mu'in ad-Din Unur. Fearing the arrival of Zengid reinforcements, the crusaders moved their camp to the southeast; the maneuver fails and the siege is raised in confusion.

The Council of Acre (June 1148) decided to attack Damascus to neutralize the main Muslim power close to Jerusalem. The city, once an ally of the Franks, moved closer to Nur ad-Din after the fall of Edessa. The crusaders arrived exhausted and divided: rivalries between French, Germans and overseas barons, distrust of the Byzantines and lack of food during the Syrian summer.

The crusaders first exploited irrigated orchards to establish their lines; the Damascenes felled the trees to clear the field of fire, used the canals to flood the approaches and launched archer sorties. The redeployment towards the south-east, towards higher walls devoid of machines, leaves the army exposed; the announcement of the arrival of the Zengid vanguard triggers the retreat.

The failure discredited the Second Crusade: Louis VII and Conrad III left without glory, the Latin princes lost the confidence of the Muslim allies and Damascus joined the Zengid camp. The unification of Syria under Nur ad-Din then Saladin became possible, preparing for the catastrophe of Hattin in 1187. In the West, enthusiasm for new crusades diminished.