The Second Crusade 1146–48

The Second Crusade was triggered by the fall of Edessa to the Muslim warlord Zengi. It had a promising start when it was led for the first time by European kings. Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, along with fellow nobility, commanded contingents from across Christian Europe. However, once in Asia Minor, the royal armies were separately beaten in battle with the Seljuk Turks. The remnants of their forces were marshalled to attempt to take Damascus but without support from the local crusader lords the kings were forced to abandon the siege. The recriminations surrounding the Crusade’s disintegration persisted, creating a resistance to further military support for the kingdom that foreshadowed its later fall to Saladin. It was alleged that the Byzantines had colluded with the Turks and consequentially Constantinople was sacked by future crusaders. Its one real success was the recapture of Lisbon from the Moors.