Middle East Kingdoms

Central Levant States

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Christian Outremer (Beyond the Sea)

The First Crusade was called by Pope Urban II in 1095 during a momentous speech in Clermont-Ferrand in France. Having traversed Europe from west to east, the nobles, soldiers, and camp followers of the First Crusade assembled in the Byzantine capital of Constantinople, the last, great fortress of Christendom in Eastern Europe and arguably the greatest city on Earth, complete with one of the biggest churches on Earth, the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Hagia Sofia.

(Additional information from the BBC documentary series, The Crusades, first broadcast on 18 January 2012.)

1096

Nicaea in western Anatolia is the first Islamic town to fall to the Crusaders, who cross the Bosphorus alongside the forces of the Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenus. The Christian soldiers briefly besiege the town before it falls. Islam is divided and in conflict with itself, and the ruling Seljuq Turks are in no position to offer immediate retaliation.

After Nicaea, the vast 60,000-strong force of the Crusade divides in two, so that supplies will be more readily available along the way. With the plan of reuniting at Dorylaeum, an abandoned Byzantine camp 150 kilometres (a hundred miles) south-east of Nicaea, the first wing is led by Bohemond of Taranto. As it marches across the plains of Anatolia, Bohemond's force is ambushed by the Turks and experiences its first taste of eastern fighting. Horse-borne archers shower the Crusaders with arrows, and the Turkish soldiers howl like wolves. The Crusader camp is penetrated and soldiers and civilians are hacked down without mercy. Up to 4,000 Christians are killed, but the Crusaders stand firm and after five hours of fighting the Turks are driven off.

Enduring the heat of an Anatolian summer and a lack of water, many Crusaders drop out along the continued march southwards. Large numbers of their horses die, leaving Crusaders riding donkeys and mules as they face the terrifying traverse of the Taurus Mountains.

Crusaders

The coming of the Crusaders occurred at a time when the Islamic world was deeply involved in factional in-fighting, and at first they were dismissed as being a a mere Byzantine raid

1097 - 1098

After surviving the crossing of Anatolia, perhaps half of the original force of Crusaders survives. Leaving the main Crusader force in 1098, Baldwin I de Boulogne travels south into Cilicia, then east to Edessa. He has himself adopted by its Greek Orthodox lord as a son and heir and quickly inherits the city, becoming the first Crusader count of Edessa.

By the autumn of 1098, the rest of the Crusaders reach the great city of Antioch in Syria, complete with a defensive force of 5,000 Islamic troops and massive fortifications. The city is placed under siege for eight long months and with the threat of an approaching Islamic army which outnumbers the Crusaders by two-to-one, it takes Bohemond of Taranto to break into the city and defeat the Muslim garrison in a savage bloodbath of killing on 3 June 1098. Then the Muslim army under Kerbogha arrives and the Crusaders become the besieged, enduring desperate privations. Faced with total defeat and refused terms for an honourable surrender, the Crusaders launch themselves at Kerbogha's patchwork army and rout it. Bohemond becomes the first Christian prince of Antioch.

1099

With Fatamid power in the region at an all-time low, the main Crusader force, now under Godfrey de Bouillon, conquers the Holy City. Godfrey becomes the 'Protector of Jerusalem'. Islam barely registers the loss, so divided is it between warring Sunni and Shiite factions. The prevailing belief is that this is a short-term Byzantine raid in strength that will eventually go away. Instead, four main Crusader States are formed, Edessa, Antioch, Tripoli, and the kingdom of Jerusalem.

1102 - 1103

Count Raymond IV of Toulouse, one of the leaders of the First Crusade, begins a lengthy war with the Banu Ammar emirs of Tripoli (theoretical vassals of the Fatimid caliphs in Cairo). He gradually seizes much of their territory and besieges them within Tripoli itself before gaining total victory. Raymond's county of Tripoli is the last of the four major Crusader states in the Levant to be created.

1123

King Baldwin II of Jerusalem is captured by the Ortoqids in northern Syria. In his absence the kingdom is governed by the constable of Jerusalem, Eustace Grenier, and the Fatamid military vizier, Al-Ma'mum, spies an opportunity to capture the coastal stronghold of Jaffa. Launching his attack from Egypt, Al-Ma'mum's force is intercepted by Crusader troops, at the Battle of Yibneh (or Yibna), close to the Fatamid coastal fortress of Ashkelon (Ascalon). The battle is short and decisive, with the Fatamid fleet also being destroyed by the Venetians, and the Fatamid threat is virtually ended for the next thirty years.

1131

By the time of the accession of Fulk and Melisande to the throne of Jerusalem, the Christian invaders have become acclimatised to their new eastern home. They have gained a taste for the new foodstuffs the region has to offer, and for the fine silks that they can afford to wear. They have also largely been accepted by their mixed group of subjects, which include Muslims and eastern Christians.

1147 - 1149

When Edessa falls to the Saracens in 1145, Pope Eugenius calls upon Louis VII of France to play his part in defending the Holy Land. The king embarks for Jerusalem in 1147.

1182 - 1183

Saladin leaves his newly-founded sultanate Egypt to fight the Crusaders in Syria, never to return to the seat of his authority. The following year he conquers Damascus and Aleppo from Sinjar and, with his power secure on the eastern borders of Outremer, Saladin begins to build up a massive army at Damascus with which he can take Jerusalem.

1187

The Christians are defeated by the Ayyubid governor Saladin at the Battle of Hattin. As partially depicted in a somewhat distorted version of history in the film Kingdom of Heaven, 2005, Balian of Ibelin (sometimes referred to as being of the 'Balians of Jerusalem'), who is married to Maria Comnena, Sibylla's step-mother and a former queen of Jerusalem) and Raymond III of Tripoli are present at the Battle of Hattin and manage to fight their way out. Reynald de Châtillon, the bloodthirsty prince of Antioch (and not a Templar), is not so fortunate, and is personally killed by Saladin. Although the other captured nobles are ransomed, all of the captured Knights Templars and Knights Hospitallers are executed. The king and queen of Jerusalem evacuate the city and retire to Acre.

1189 - 1192

The Third Crusade sweeps across Outremer, bringing with it a wave of enthusiastic Latin Christians, including entire tranches of some noble families. The Angevin ruler of England, Richard the Lionheart, is the leader of the expedition, after spending a fortune in equipping his forces. Rather than follow the established route of marching across Europe, Richard decides on an ambitious naval voyage, which is launched from Marseille in France. After conquering Cyprus on his way there, he arrives at Acre and immediately places Saladin's garrison under siege. Saladin is forced to surrender Acre under terms, but when the Ayyubid sultan attempts to play for time, Richard massacres the garrison and lays down a marker for the way this new phase in the Crusader war is going to be conducted. Later in the year, the brotherhood of the Teutonic Knights makes its headquarters in Acre.

Richard's army proceeds south along the coastline of Palestine, to Asuf and Jaffa, carefully avoiding outright battle with Saladin's massive field army. Eventually forced into such a battle, Richard's forces shatter the shocked Muslims, scattering them. However, with the prize of a weakened Jerusalem in sight, from which Saladin is preparing to withdraw, Richard decides the city's defences are too great to attack when defeat would be a huge blow to his own name and reputation. He withdraws and leaves the Holy Land.

Christian Counts of Edessa
AD 1098 - 1144

The county of Edessa was different from the other Crusader states in that it was landlocked. Half of the county, including its capital, was located to the east of the Euphrates and therefore was positioned far to the east of the other states. The section west of the Euphrates was controlled from the stronghold of Turbessel, an important outpost in fending off the Seljuq Turks. Neighbouring Edessa to the west was the kingdom of Armenia, while to the north was the Seljuq sultanate of Rum.

In 1098, Baldwin of Boulogne left the main Crusading army which was travelling south towards Antioch and Jerusalem, and went first south into Cilicia, then east to Edessa. There, he convinced its lord, Thoros, to adopt him as a son and heir. Thoros was a Greek Orthodox, and was disliked by his Armenian Orthodox subjects. He was soon assassinated, although it is unknown if Baldwin had any part in this. In any case, Baldwin became the new ruler, taking the title of count (as he had been called in Boulogne).

1098 - 1100

Baldwin I de Boulogne

King of Jerusalem (1100-1118).

1099

Jerusalem is seized from the Seljuq Turks in a bloody fight. An independent Christian kingdom is formed, which is soon headed by Baldwin.

1100 - 1118

Baldwin II de la Bourg

Cousin. King of Jerusalem (1118-1131).

1110

All lands east of the Euphrates are lost to Mosul.

1118 - 1131

Joscelin I de Courtenay

Lord of Turbessel. Killed in battle

1131 - 1146

Joscelin II de Courtenay

Son. d.1159.

1144

Edessa is conquered by Zangî of Mosul (now known as Urfa in Turkey). The loss provokes Pope Eugenius into calling upon Louis VII of France to play his part in defending the Holy Land. The king embarks for Jerusalem in 1147, taking part in the Second Crusade.

1146

Upon the death of Zangî of Mosul, Joscelin briefly recaptures Edessa - for just two months.

1147 - 1149

The Second Crusade fails to recapture Edessa.

1150 - 1159

Joscelin is captured and imprisoned in Aleppo until his death in 1159 when Mahmud of Aleppo conquers the remnants of the county.

1159 - 1200

Joscelin III de Courtenay

Son. Titular count. Lived in, and served kings of, Jerusalem.

Norman Principality of Antioch
AD 1099 - 1268

The strategically important city of Antioch (modern Antakya in Turkey) was founded near the end of the fourth century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, who made it the capital of his Seleucid empire in ancient Syria. After the fall of the region to the Arab empire in AD 640, it was recovered by the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus II Phocas in 969. The city was lost again to the Seljuq Turks in 1085.

Thirteen years later, after an eight month siege, it was captured by the Crusaders during the First Crusade, and became the capital of an independent principality of Antioch (despite Bohemond's oath of allegiance to the Byzantine emperor before the Crusaders commenced their journey). The city of Gibelet, or Giblet (ancient Byblos) formed an important military base within the captured territories, which stretched from Iskenderun on the eastern side of the gulf of the same name (now in Turkey) to the region north of Tartus. To the east it was bordered by the Atabegs of Aleppo & Damascus.

Antioch and its domains remained in Crusader hands for the better part of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, until the city was captured by the Mameluke Sultan Baybars in 1268. Baybars' destruction of the city was so great that it was never a major city again.

1099 - 1111

Bohemond I of Taranto

Son of Robert Guiscard, duke of Apulia.

1099

Jerusalem is seized from the Seljuq Turks in a bloody fight. An independent Christian kingdom is formed.

1101 - 1103

Tancred

Regent.

1104 - 1112

Tancred

Regent. Re-appointed.

1111 - 1130

Bohemond II

Assumed power in 1126.

1112 - 1119

Roger of Salerno

Regent.

1119 - 1126

Baldwin II of Jerusalem

Regent.

1130 - 1164

Princess Constance

1140 - 1149

Raymond de Poitiers

Personally killed by Shirkuh, uncle of Ayyubid sultan, Saladin.

1149

Prince Raymond is killed by Asad ad-Din Shirkuh, an important military commander under Mahmud of Aleppo & Damascus.

1153 - 1160

Reynald de Châtillon

Personally killed by future Ayyubid sultan, Saladin.

1160

Reynald de Châtillon is killed by Saladin, who is in the service of Mahmud Nur ad-Din of Aleppo. Antioch's territories are greatly reduced by the defeat.

1163 - 1201

Bohemond III the Stammerer

1187

The Christians are defeated by the Ayyubid sultan, Saladin, at the Battle of Hattin. As partially depicted in the film Kingdom of Heaven, 2005, Reynald de Châtillon, the bloodthirsty prince of Antioch (not a Templar), is personally killed by Saladin at the end of the battle.

1201 - 1216

Bohemond IV the One-Eyed

Count of Tripoli (1187-1233).

1216 - 1219

Raymond-Roupen

1219 - 1233

Bohemond IV the One-Eyed

Count of Tripoli (1187-1233).

1233 - 1252

Bohemond V

Count of Tripoli.

1252 - 1268

Bohemond VI

Count of Tripoli (1252-1275).

1268

Antioch falls to the Mameluke Sultan Baybars.

1275 - 1287

Bohemond VII

Count of Tripoli and Titular Prince of Antioch.

County of Tripoli
AD 1109 - 1287

The county of Tripoli was the last of the four major Crusader states in the Levant to be created. It plugged the gap between Antioch and Jerusalem, and secured the entire eastern coastline for the Crusaders, while largely being neighboured to the east by the Atabegs of Aleppo & Damascus. Its territory reached from a little way above the Crusader town of Beirut in the south to beyond the city of Tartus in the north (which the Crusaders called Antartus or Tortosa), now in Syria.

The beginnings of the county came in 1102, when Count Raymond IV of Toulouse, one of the leaders of the First Crusade, began a lengthy war with the Banu Ammar Emirs of Tripoli (theoretical vassals of the Fatimid caliphs in Cairo), gradually seizing much of their territory and besieging them within Tripoli itself.

Raymond died in 1105, leaving his infant son Alfonso-Jordan as his heir, with a cousin, William-Jordan of Cerdagne, as regent. William-Jordan continued the siege of Tripoli for the next four years, when a bastard son of Raymond, Bertrand, who had been acting as regent of Toulouse, arrived in the east, leaving Toulouse to Alfonso-Jordan and his mother, who returned to France. Thanks to the mediation of King Baldwin I of Jerusalem, Bertrand and William-Jordan eventually came to an agreement whereby each would keep control of their own conquests, an agreement which worked best for Bertrand when he captured Tripoli later that year. When William-Jordan died a few months later, Bertrand became sole ruler.

1103 - 1105

Raymond I Count de Toulouse

Died at the siege of Tripoli.

1105 - 1109

Alfonso-Jordan

Son.

1105 - 1109

William-Jordan

Regent.

1109

Following a siege which lasts from 1103, Tripoli falls.

1109 - 1112