Islamic politics in the Muslim Near East, c.1119-1149

Question 1

Which regent of Aleppo had been murdered in 1117, allowing Il-Ghazi to take control?

Answer 1

Lu’lu

Question 2

Which capable Fatimid vizier was killed by the Assassins in 1121?

Answer 2

Al-Afdal

Question 3

At which battle in 1123 were the Fatimids decisively defeated, ending the threat from them for decades?

Answer 3

Yibneh

Question 4

At which battle in June 1119 were the forces of Roger of Antioch annihilated in by Il-Ghazi?

Answer 4

Field of Blood

Question 5

Which Aleppan preacher helped to raise the morale of Muslim forces before the Field of Blood?

Answer 5

Ibn al-Khashshab

Question 6

Which vice did Il-Ghazi have that limited his appeal as a Muslim role model?

Answer 6

Alcoholism

Question 7

At which battle in August 1119 were Il-Ghazi’s forces defeated by Baldwin II and Pons?

Answer 7

Hab

Question 8

When did Il-Ghazi die, leading to the succession of his nephew Balak?

Answer 8

1122

Question 9

Who captured Joscelin I of Edessa in 1122 and Baldwin II of Jerusalem in 1123?

Answer 9

Balak

Question 10

When was Baldwin II forced to abandon his siege of Aleppo after Aqsonqur’s arrival?

Answer 10

January 1125

Question 11

Which ruler of Mosul was killed by the Assassins in 1126 shortly after being made ruler of Aleppo?

Answer 11

Aqsonqur

Question 12

At which battle did Baldwin II defeat Aqsonqur in June 1125?

Answer 12

Azaz

Question 13

Conflict between Joscelin I of Edessa and which other Frankish ruler prevented an attack on Aleppo in 1126?

Answer 13

Bohemond II

Question 14

In what year did Zengi become the ruler of Mosul?

Answer 14

1127

Question 15

In what year did Zengi become the de facto ruler of Aleppo?

Answer 15

1128

Question 16

After whose death in 1128 were the Assassins/Nizari forced out of Damascus?

Answer 16

Tughtegin

Question 17

Which military order joined the unsuccessful Frankish siege of Damascus in November 1129?

Answer 17

Templars

Question 18

Which ruler of Damascus died from wounds inflicted by the Assassins in 1132?

Answer 18

Buri

Question 19

Which warrior emerged as the de facto ruler of Damascus from 1132 until his death in 1149?

Answer 19

Unur

Question 20

In what year did Zengi first besiege Damascus but was unsuccessful due to Unur’s actions?

Answer 20

1135

Question 21

What was the only city in Muslim territory near Aleppo that defied Zengi by the end of 1135?

Answer 21

Homs

Question 22

Which Frankish leader did Unur of Damascus’s forces capture and kill in March 1137?

Answer 22

Pons of Tripoli

Question 23

At which battle in Summer 1137 did Zengi defeat a force led by Fulk of Jerusalem attempting to aid the County of Tripoli?

Answer 23

Ba’rin

Question 24

Which ruler of Tripoli was temporarily captured by Zengi in Summer 1137?

Answer 24

Raymond II

Question 25

Which Turkish forces attacked John II of Byzantium’s supply lines in Anatolia in 1138 whilst he besieged Shaizar?

Answer 25

Danishmends

Question 26

Who murdered her son to prevent Zengi from gaining Damascus in 1135 but then married him in 1138?

Answer 26

Zumurrud

Question 27

The garrison of which Muslim town were crucified by Zengi in 1139 even though he had sworn an oath to spare them?

Answer 27

Baalbek

Question 28

Which key town did Zengi lose to Fulk in 1140 after Unur sided with the Franks against him?

Answer 28

Banias

Question 29

In what year did Zengi besiege Damascus for a second time, again unsuccessfully?

Answer 29

1140

Question 30

Which Muslim group gained Cadmus Castle in 1132 and Maysuf Castle in 1140?

Answer 30

Assassins

Question 31

Which Great Seljuk Sultan from 1118 was too distracted by rivals and civil war to directly aid the Muslim Near East?

Answer 31

Ahmed Sanjar

Question 32

Which rival Muslim Turkish dynasty were the greatest threat to Zengi as ruler of Mosul by the early 1140s?

Answer 32

Artuqids

Question 33

Which ruler of Edessa had established an alliance with Zengi’s Artuqid enemies in Summer 1144?

Answer 33

Joscelin II

Question 34

Where had Joscelin II taken up residence in late 1144 leaving Edessa vulnerable?

Answer 34

Turbessel

Question 35

With whom had Joscelin II of Edessa fallen out by late 1144, reducing potential Frankish reinforcements?

Answer 35

Raymond of Antioch

Question 36

What did Zengi portray the attack on Edessa to be part of to secure the support of Turcoman tribes?

Answer 36

Jihad

Question 37

What did Zengi use to successfully undermine the walls of Edessa in December 1144?

Answer 37

sappers

Question 38

When did Zengi capture the Frankish city of Edessa?

Answer 38

24 December 1144

Question 39

When was Zengi murdered in his sleep by his own servant as he pushed his army towards Damascus?

Answer 39

September 1146

Question 40

Which son of Zengi gained Aleppo and Edessa after his father’s death in 1146?

Answer 40

Nureddin

Question 41

Which son of Zengi gained Mosul after his father’s death in 1146?

Answer 41

Sayf ad-Din

Question 42

Which city did Nureddin recapture from Joscelin II’s opportunistic attack in late 1146?

Answer 42

Edessa

Question 43

Which daughter of Unur of Damascus did Nureddin marry in 1147 as part of a new alliance?

Answer 43

Ismat

Question 44

Which Seljuk Sultan of Rum’s forces defeated the German Second Crusade at 2nd Dorylaeum in October 1147?

Answer 44

Masud

Question 45

Where did an alliance of Masud of Rum and the Danishmends defeat the French Second Crusaders in January 1148?

Answer 45

Mount Cadmus

Question 46

The Second Crusade abandoned the siege of which city when they learnt that Nureddin’s forces were only days away?

Answer 46

Damascus

Question 47

When did Nureddin and Unur assist Raymond II of Tripoli against his rival and cousin, Bertram?

Answer 47

September 1148

Question 48

Where did Nureddin and Unur’s armies confront and kill Raymond of Antioch in June 1149?

Answer 48

Inab

Question 49

When did cooperation between Aleppo and Damascus collapse upon the death of Unur?

Answer 49

August 1149

Question 50

Which ruler of Damascus from August 1149 returned to an alliance with the Kingdom of Jerusalem?

Answer 50

Abaq