History of the Crusade Principality of Antioch (1119-1161)

The Crusader Principality of Antioch was established in 1098 during the First Crusade. The Crusaders were effective in the politics of the region where they were established during their 170-year rule in Antakya. The greatest danger to the principality is the Byzantine Empire and the Muslims in Aleppo. The period examined is a period in which Muslims in the East started to struggle with the Crusaders in unity and solidarity and their spread in the region was prevented. The principality was ruled by King Baudouin II of Jerusalem, Bohemund II, Raymond de Poitiers, and Renaud de Chatillon between 1119 and 1161. During this period, Muslim leaders such as Artukoğlu İlgazi, Imadeddîn Zengî and Nureddîn Zengî inflicted great losses on the Crusaders of Antakya. Especially, with the conquests of Nureddîn Zengî, the principality was squeezed into the coastline. It was not easy for the Crusaders of Antakya to make up for the losses against the Muslims. This situation weakened the power of the principality. In this period, although the Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos made an expedition to Cilicia and Antakya in 1137 and 1142 to include Antakya within the borders of his own country, he was not successful. Emperor Manuel Komnenos I came to Antakya in 1159 and made the principality his vassal. In the period under investigation (1119-1161), the Principality of the Crusades of Antioch was ruled mostly by naibs, especially in the Battle of Tell Afrin (Bloody Field War) in 1119, it was difficult to recover the military power it lost, and after that, it was either It is seen that they develop a strategy based on defending themselves and that they need outside support in their struggle against Muslims. It was determined that the Crusader authors of the period exaggerated the achievements of the Crusaders, and on the contrary, briefly touched upon the victories of the Muslims against the Crusaders. Even if a little, Muslim authors also applied to this.