Crusader State of Antioch (1098-1149)

One of the most important events affecting world history in religious, political, social and economic fields is the Crusades. Especially the states established through the crusades played extremely effective roles in the history of their region. The Principality of Antioch, one of the important examples that reveal this situation, was founded by Norman leader Bohemond in 1098 after a difficult siege that lasted about 7 months during the first crusade and had been effective roles in the region until 18 May 1268. Until 1149, which we examined in our thesis, Antioch chronologically was ruled by Bohemond I, Tancred, Roger de Salerne, Jerusalem King Baudouin II's Regency, Bohemond II, Alice's Regency and Raymond de Poitiers. In this period, the greatest danger to the Antioch Crusaders was the Seljuk Emirate of Aleppo and Byzantium. In addition to that, during the power struggles in the region, Muslim leaders such as Najm ad-Din Ilghazi ibn Artuq, Imad al-Din Zengi and Nur al Din Mahmud Zengī caused the crusaders of Antioch to suffer great losses. The Byzantine Empire had the most mutual relationship with the Principality of Antioch among the crusader states. t should be emphasized that in the whole process that started with the vassalage oath of its founder, Princeps Bohemund, the legitimacy of the administration of Antioch has always been discussed. Emperor Alexios and later Ioannes Komnenos II always had made big efforts to add Antioch to the borders of his own country. One of the biggest problems of The Principality of Antioch was that they had to be ruled by regents. After Roger de Salerne, the state until the founding leader's son, Bohemond, who was born in Europe, is old enough to take over the administration, had been ruled by regency of Baudouin II. Here, we should also emphasize that Alice's struggle to take over the administration completely was the biggest obstacle to the expansion of the Crusaders. On the other hand, the almost complete annihilation of the Crusaders of Antioch by Nūr al-Dīn Zengī in the Battle of Inab in 1149 caused the Principality of Antioch to iv take a different position. From that moment on, the Crusaders of Antioch has became a less threatening factor for Aleppo and its surroundings