1. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lesson you will be able to...
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

2. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Task: Once you are
In and settled...
Fact Test!
You have 5 minutes.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

3. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Louis VII of France
- Vitry 1143
Announced he would
Travel Christmas 1145.
- Elite unsure.
Young with no heir.
Vezelay June 1147
kiss relics.
Oriflamme
Pope bestows Pilgrims
Wallet.
Bernard stripped,
Platform collapses.
Conrad III of Germany.
Experienced
Leadership of
German Crusaders.
Investiture contest
A thing of the past.
Confirmed Henry
Would succeed him.
Wanted to demonstrate
Piety and power.
- Welf VI Bavaria.
Manuel Comnenus I
Saw Crusade as threat
Tried to obtain guarantees.
Distrust over Antioch
Edessa’s restoration a
Threat.
Differences between RC
And Orthodox church.
Conflict with Roger II of
Sicily causes logistical issues.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

4. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Preparations for war…
Crusade also sought to
Attack Iberia and Baltic
Attacks on Almeria and
Lisbon.
“Wendish Crusade”
Attacked Pagans.
Eugenius and Bernard
Supported?!
Conrad and Louis rich,
But hit by bad harvests in 1140s.
Levies not successful, Louis
Had to write to Regent Abbot Suger
Row between Manuel
Comenus and Roger II
Division on routes, French
Struggle to make mind up.
No consultation with
Crusader states.
Monarchs pursuing their
Own agendas.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

5. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Some case studies…
Damascus
- Crusaders cannot decide who
To attack.
- Amir of Damascus, Mu'in ad-Din Unur
50,000 infantry and cavalry
Disagreement between Crusaders
- Advance through suburbs to
City walls.
Overnight standoff
Turkomen under Zenghi pour into attack
Pile of Frankish heads in
“Smell so great that the birds
Fell out of the air”
Dorylaeum
Conrad III stop at
Dorylaeum to rest
- Low on provisions.
Seljuk Turks led by
Mesud I move in,
Destroys nearly the
entire army of 20,000 men.
Market price of precious
metals throughout the
Muslim world drops.
Conrad III is only able
to escape with a small
force of 2,000 survivors,
Attempts to join up
with Louis VII at Nicaea.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

6. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Now you have a series of tasks…
Produce a map to show the course of the Second Crusade
Include a timeline showing the key dates and locations.
Provide a “web” showing the different links between
the key members of the Crusade.
4. Produce short biographies of each of the key figures
on Crusade showing their Motivations and goals.
5. Produce a ranked list of the reasons why the Crusade
failed.
6. Descriptions of the key events at Damascus and
Constantinople.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

7. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Lack of Clear Aims
- Lack of unity of purpose and clear aims.
- The Second Crusade included expeditions in the Iberian Peninsula and against the Wends on the Baltic coast – it simply attempted too much.
- Edessa lacked the earlier resonance of Jerusalem in the First Crusade. The call was to
save the Holy Land, and was too generally defined.
- ‘Crusade’ meant different things to different
groups – against Jews in Germany, pagans in Eastern Europe, Muslims in southern
Spain and Muslims in Lisbon.
- People desired spiritual reward in return for service, not through a desire to rescue the East.
Military
- King Louis VII lacked a clear military objective.
- The Crusade was not undertaken to
regain Edessa, but as a penitential pilgrimage after the events at Vitry.
- Weak leadership in the journey through Anatolia where he failed to maintain discipline, abandoned his army at Attalia.
- Significant mistakes at Antioch where
he refused to aid Raymond in attacking Aleppo.
- Role in the decision to attack Damascus in July 1148 and then shift the siege army Louis remained in Jerusalem until Easter 1149 he attempted nothing more.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

8. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
Manuel Comnenus
- French accused the Emperor Manuel of colluding with the Turks.
The Crusade was an inconvenience.
Manuel had a peaceful alliance with the Sultan of Rum Masud I.
Byzantium had to co-exist peacefully with the Turks.
Baldwin and Bohemond refused to restore territory to
Byzantium during the First Crusade.
The actions of the crusaders in pillaging Greek towns
Greeks ended up fighting fellow Christians, weakening the crusader force.
- 90% of Conrad’s force was wiped out near Dorylaeum.
Gives only 2 ships when Louis needed transport to Antioch. They go on foot!
Concerned with Byzantium’s position within the region than
the fate of the Latin states.
- Too focused on Normans in Sicily, tried to woo the Germans.
The Crusader States
- King Baldwin III and his mother Melisende
- Divisions over crusade aims between King Louis, Count Raymond and Count Joscelin
- The events at the council of Acre in June 1148 and divisions between the Palestinian
lords and the crusaders
- The decision to attack Damascus.
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

9. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*

10. LO: To evaluate why the Second Crusade failed
- Describe the course of the Second Crusade E-D
- Explain reasons why it was not successful C-B
- Judge the most important reasons for its failure A-A*