Siege of Baalbek
 | This article cites its page references. (September 2022) ) |
| Siege of Baalbek | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Zengids | Burids | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Imad al-Din Zengi | Buri | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Heavy losses, garrison massacred | ||||||
The siege of Baalbek in 1139 was undertaken by Imad al-Din Zengi who laid siege to the city in August and captured it in October.[1]
In 1139 Imad al-Din Zengi marched south of Aleppo to Baalbek which he laid siege to on 28 August with a large army and fourteen siege engines.[2][1] The town was captured on 9 or 10 October and the citadel surrendered on 12 or 21 October after Zengi swore to spare the lives of the garrison.[1][2] Zengi broke his oath and they were all brutally massacred, the governor was flayed and most of the others were hanged.[1][2] The massacre was intended to terrify the Damascenes.[2] Zengi named Nağm ad-Din Ayyub, the father of Saladin, as the governor of Baalbek.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d Stevenson, W. B.. The Crusaders in the East: A Brief History of the Wars of Islam with the Latins in Syria During the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades. Vol. 3. CUP Archive, 1987.
- ^ Müller-Wiener, Wolfgang. Castles of the Crusaders. London: Thames & Hudson, 1966.