Conflict1147 – 1149
Second Crusade
After Edessa fell, Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany marched east, but they failed before Damascus and gained nothing.
Unknown author · Public domain · Source
At Pope Eugenius III’s request Bernard of Clairvaux preached the crusade, and for the first time kings led it in person. The two armies crossed Anatolia separately and suffered heavy losses to the Seljuks.
The survivors joined the Kingdom of Jerusalem to besiege Damascus in July 1148 but withdrew after four days. The failure cooled enthusiasm in the West and opened the way for Zengi’s son Nur ad-Din to unite Syria.