Second Crusade 1148 : Disaster Outside Damascus (Campaign) -- Paperback / softback

A fully-illustrated account of the dramatic fight between Christians and Muslims at the siege of Damascus, which proved to be a turning point to the Crusades as a whole. Despite minor setbacks, Christian Europe had enjoyed success on previous Crusader campaigns. Pursuing an ambitious but politically flawed strategy against an Islamic state friendly to their Crusader neighbours, the knights of the Second Crusade suffered a crushing defeat at Damascus in 1148. Alongside illustrations and battle maps, David Nicolle explores the detail and outcomes of this battle, which shook the Crusaders' belief in their military supremacy and revived the Islamic states, marking a crucial juncture in the history of the Crusades.