The Changing Muslim Response To The Crusades, 1095 - 1192 Flashcards
In the 11th century what did the Islamic world look like?s
They were split into two rivalries, the Sunni Seljuk Turks and the Shi’ah Fatimids
Why did the rivalry cause problems?
They both have different attitudes to power and a strong desire to rule over the entire Islamic world. Their disunity meant the Crusaders were able to take back Jerusalem in the First Crusade
❗️What was the early weakness for the Muslims before the First Crusade?
In 1092, their powerful leader Malik Shah had died
What was the effect of Malik Shahs death?
The Empire began to collapse into rival territories, the Seljuks became divided. Malik left Aleppo to his nephew - Ridwad, however, he was very unpopular and this created infighting. As a result of this people began to try and establish their own lands, losing loyalty
What opportunity did Kilij Arslan miss when the crusaders were travelling to Nicaea?
He had the opportunity to strike at the individual contingents rather than the whole force of the Crusader armies as they arrived by separate routes at separate times. If he had attacked, the siege of Nicaea would’ve ended before it began
Why did Kilij Arslan fail at the siege of Nicaea?
He had arrived at the siege after it had begun, by then the other contingents had time to arrive, discuss strategy, and secure supplies. Arslan would have to break into the city first and then defend the rest of the army. However, his forces were weakened by the campaign they have just left and could not break through
Why did Arslan decide to make one more attack on the Crusaders after the siege on Nicaea?
the Crusaders numbers have dropped. He believed he might be able to hold or slow down their progress
What was Arslan’s plan on attacking them?
His plan was to pick a moment when the full force of the crusading army was divided into smaller continue and then launch a surprise attack with his mounted arches. He would then withdraw and attack the next time the Crusaders split up
When was Arslan’s first opportunity for this plan?
1 July 1097, when Bohemond’s contingent marched ahead of the army
Why was the attack on Doryaleum a fail?
The Crusaders were able to hold the ground and stay in formation and contact the other half of their division. When Godrey’s contingent arrived Arslan was outnumbered and stood very little chance of victory. His army chose to flee
How did the failure of Doryaleum effect Arslan?
His reputation as a powerful Sultan was shattered. The crusading army face also faced very little opposition from other towns (they have found that a town had been abandon ahead of the arrival) - the locals realised that Arslan did not have the strength to defend his territory and resistance in the west had failed
What were the main consequences of Arslans defeat at Doryaleum? (2)
1: around 3,000 Muslims were killed during the counter-attack at Doryaleum
2: the Crusaders had witnessed the tactics of the Turks, and had seen how powerful the mounted arches were and learnt how the Turks would pretend to retreat in order to get the army to break formation
During the siege Antioch, what was Kerbogha’s (a Turk) mistake when he first attempted to stop the Crusaders?
When they were attacked by Robert of Flanders, the Turks managed to force Robert to defeat but then chose to take no further action, this meant the Crusaders survived to continue the siege
Despite 12,000 men, how were the Turks defeated at Antioch?
Bohemond’s leadership skills meant the Franks were able to surprise the Turks and force them into retreat
What was Kerbogha’s final attempt to stop the Crusaders at Antioch?
Fear of a crusader victory, he gathered 35,000 Turks to bring an end to the siege - drawing troops from across the different territories. Unfortunately the number of troops were not enough to defeat the Crusaders
What factors contributed to the outcome of failure to stop the Crusaders taking Antioch? (2)
1: Kerbogha spent three weeks in Edessa wasting time
2: Kerbogha lacked authority over some one the troops. He lacked the power to rally his troops which meant that when the Crusaders defeated the first wave of the Turks and they began to flee, he was unable to prevent the rest of his army from joining them
What was one large factor as to why the Muslims fail to defend Jerusalem?
When the Crusaders arrived outside Jerusalem, the city had just been captured by Fatimids. As a result the Fatimids had little time to prepare for the Battle of Jerusalem. Additionally the siege machines that they have used to take the city was found by the Crusaders which made it quicker for them to assemble it
Why was Zengi different from the other leaders?
He was the first Muslim ruler to present himself as a leader of Jihad - spread Islam until the whole world was under its influence
What was the limitation to Zengi’s power?
He faced a number of rivals who restricted his influence. For example, Muin al-Din Unur had an alliance with the Franks against Zengi
Why did Zengi attack Edessa?
An attack on a Edessa would be a way for Zengi to restore his reputation and reduce Frankish influence in the region
Explain Zengi’s victory at Edessa
In November 1144, Zengi lay siege to Edessa. He had tunnels dug under the northern walls, and on 23 December ordered the wooden planks of the tunnels to be set on fire causing them to collapse - the city was completely destroyed
When did Zengi die and what happened to his territories?
He was stabbed to death on 14 September 1146, his territories were inherited by his sons
What was Nur ad-Din’s two goals?
1: to unite Syria under one Muslim leader
2: to reduce the threat from the Franks
(while these goals were more limited than his fathers, he had a much greater chance of success)
❗️In Edessa, how did Nur ad-Din tackle his threats?
In November 1146, the people of Edessa tried to take back control of their city however, Nur as-Din forced them to surrender or flee the city. In a total, around 30,000 were killed - this insured that there was no further uprising against his authority in the city
