County of Edessa
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Count of Edessa
)
County of Edessa | |||||||||||||
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1098–1144 | |||||||||||||
Count of Edessa | | ||||||||||||
• 1098–1100 (first) | Baldwin I | ||||||||||||
• 1131–1144 (last) | Joscelin II | ||||||||||||
Historical era | Nur ad-Din Zengi, and the rest sold to Manuel I Komnenos | 1144 | |||||||||||
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Today part of | Syria Turkey |
The County of Edessa (
Şanlıurfa, Turkey
).
In the late
Arabic. When the crusades arrived, it was still important enough to tempt a side-expedition after the siege of Antioch
.
Turbessel. The eastern border of Edessa was the Tigris
, but the County may not have extended quite that far.
The
Outremer and provoked the Second Crusade. All the later Crusades, however, were troubled by strategic uncertainties and disagreements. The Second Crusade did not even try to recover Edessa, calculating it to be strategically better to take Damascus. But the campaign failed and Edessa was lost for the Christians
.
History of Edessa
Founding
In 1098,
Count of Verdun
as a vassal of his brother in Europe).
In 1100, Baldwin became King of Jerusalem when his brother,
Seljuk Turks
.
The Frankish lords formed a good rapport with their
Joscelin of Courtenay
married a daughter of Constantine.
Conflicts with Muslim neighbours
Baldwin II quickly became involved in the affairs of northern
Danishmends
in 1103, and, with Antioch, attacked the Byzantine Empire in Cilicia in 1104.
Later in 1104, Edessa was attacked by Mosul, and both Baldwin and Joscelin were taken prisoner after their defeat at the Battle of Harran. Bohemond's cousin Tancred became regent in Edessa (although Richard of Salerno actually governed the territory), until Baldwin and Joscelin were ransomed in 1108. Baldwin had to fight to regain control of the city; Tancred was eventually defeated, though Baldwin had to ally with some of the local Muslim rulers.
In 1110, all lands east of the Euphrates were lost to Mawdud of Mosul. This was not followed by an assault on Edessa itself as the Muslim rulers were more concerned with consolidating their own power.
Baldwin II became King of Jerusalem (also as Baldwin II) when Baldwin I died in 1118. Although
Eustace of Boulogne had a better claim as the late Baldwin's brother, he was in France
and did not want the title. Edessa was given to Joscelin in 1119. Joscelin was taken prisoner once again in 1122; when Baldwin came to rescue him, he too was captured, and Jerusalem was left without its king. Joscelin escaped in 1123, and obtained Baldwin's release the next year.
Fall of the county
Joscelin was gravely injured during a siege in 1131 and was succeeded by his son
and began to threaten Edessa. Meanwhile, Joscelin II paid little attention to the security of his county, and argued with theRum
within a year. Edessa was the first Crusader state to be created, and also the first to be lost.
Population and demographics
Edessa was one of the largest of the
Roman Catholic archbishop. The fall of the city was the catalyst for the Second Crusade
in 1146.
Government
Counts of Edessa
- Baldwin I 1098–1100
- Baldwin II 1100–1118
- Tancred of Galilee as regent, with Richard of Salernoas governor (1104–1108)
- Joscelin I1118–1131
- Joscelin II1131–1144, d. 1159
- Joscelin III, titular Count from 1159
- Beatrice, titular Countess from 1200
Lordship of Turbessel
Acre
.
Officers
Church
See also
References
- ISBN 978-88-7257-103-3.