A History of the Crusades-Vol 2 by Steven Runciman

Author:Steven Runciman [Runciman, Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Reference
ISBN: 9780521347723
Google: uDj9sNezWzEC
Amazon: 0521347726
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1987-07-14T14:00:00+00:00

1146: Murder of Zengi

In May 1146 Zengi moved to Aleppo to prepare for his Syrian expedition. As he passed through Edessa he learnt of an attempt by the Armenians there to shake off his rule and restore Joscelin. Kutchuk Ah easily crushed it; and Zengi ordered the ringleaders to be executed and a part of the Armenian population to be banished. Its place was taken by three hundred Jewish families, introduced by Zengi because the Jews were notoriously ready to support the Moslems against the Christians. In the summer Zengi led his army southward to Qalat Jabar, on the direct route from the Euphrates to Damascus, where a petty Arab prince refused to recognize him as overlord. While he was besieging the town, on the night of 14 September 1146, he quarrelled with a eunuch of Frankish origin whom he caught drinking wine from his own glass. The eunuch, furious at the rebuke, waited till he slept, then murdered him.

Zengi’s sudden disappearance was welcome news to all his enemies, who hoped that the dynastic disputes that usually followed the death of Moslem princes would disrupt his realm. While his corpse lay unburied and deserted, the eldest of his sons, Saif ed-Din Ghazi, accompanied by the vizier Jamal ed-Din of Isfahan, hurried to Mosul to take over the government there, and the second, Nur ed-Din, seizing the ring of office from the corpse’s finger, went to be proclaimed at Aleppo by the Kurd Shirkuh, whose brother Ayub had saved Zengi’s life when the Caliph defeated him in 1132. The division of the realm was the signal for its foes to invade. In the south Unur’s troops from Damascus reoccupied Baalbek and reduced the governor of Homs and Yaghi-Siyani, governor of Hama, to vassalage. In the east the Seldjuk Alp Arslan made another bid for power, but in vain, while the Ortoqids of Diarbekir recovered towns that they had lost. In the centre Raymond of Antioch led a raid up to the very walls of Aleppo, while Joscelin planned to reoccupy Edessa. His agents made contact with the Armenians in the city and won over the Jacobites. Joscelin then set out himself with a small army, which was joined by Baldwin of Marash and Kaisun. Raymond once more refused his help, this time with good reason, for the expedition was ill-planned. Joscelin had hoped to surprise Edessa; but the Moslems were warned. When he arrived before its walls, on 27 October, he was able, thanks to native help, to break his way into the city itself, but the garrison of the citadel was ready for him. His troops were too few to enable him to storm its fortifications. He lingered in the city uncertain what to do. Meanwhile messengers had reached Nur ed-Din at Aleppo. His army was now counter-attacking Raymond in Antiochene territory; but he at once summoned it back and demanded help from the neighbouring Moslem governors. On 2 November he appeared before Edessa. Joscelin was caught between him and the citadel.

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