The Templars and the Second Crusade
The Second Crusade (1147–1149) was the second major Crusading expedition, called by Pope Eugenius III in response to the fall of the County of Edessa to the Muslim leader Imad al-Din Zengi in 1144. The Crusade was preached by Bernard of Clairvaux, the most important early champion of the Knights Templar, and the Templars played a major role in the Crusade. The Second Crusade ended in disaster, and its failure had a major impact on the Order and on the broader Crusading movement.
This article examines the role of the Templars in the Second Crusade. It is a companion to Bernard de Clairvaux and the Templar Rule and to The Knights Templar in the Holy Land.
The Call to Crusade
The Second Crusade was called in response to the fall of the County of Edessa, the easternmost and most vulnerable of the Crusader states, to the Muslim leader Imad al-Din Zengi in 1144. The fall of Edessa was a major shock to the Latin Christian world, and it prompted Pope Eugenius III to issue the bull Quantum praedecessores on December 1, 1145, calling for a new Crusade.
The Pope asked Bernard of Clairvaux to preach the Crusade, and Bernard did so with great enthusiasm. Bernard traveled across France and Germany, preaching the Crusade and winning recruits by the thousands. The response was overwhelming, and the armies of the Second Crusade were among the largest of the medieval Crusades.
For the broader context of the Crusades, see The Military Orders of the Crusades.
The Templar Participation
The Knights Templar were deeply involved in the Second Crusade. The Order, which had been founded only 28 years earlier, was still a relatively small organization, but it was already a major military force in the Holy Land. The Templars contributed to the Crusade in several ways:
- Recruiting: The Templars helped to recruit soldiers and to organize the logistics of the Crusade.
- Fighting: The Templars fought in the major battles of the Crusade, including the disastrous Battle of Dorylaeum in 1147 and the failed Siege of Damascus in 1148.
- Diplomacy: The Templars helped to negotiate with the various Muslim powers in the East, including the Seljuk Turks and the Ayyubid leaders.
- Logistics: The Templars provided logistical support for the Crusader armies, including supplies, transport, and medical care.
The Order’s participation in the Second Crusade. See The Knights Templar in the Holy Land.
The Bernard Connection
The most famous aspect of the Second Crusade, in the context of Templar history, was the involvement of Bernard of Clairvaux in the preaching of the Crusade. Bernard, who had been the most important early champion of the Order, was also the most important preacher of the Second Crusade.
Bernard’s involvement in the Second Crusade was, in a sense, the culmination of his long relationship with the Order. He had helped to found the Order, drawn up its Rule, and defended it in print. Now, he was calling on the knights of Christendom to take up the cross and to follow the example of the Templars.
The story of Bernard and the Templars. See Bernard de Clairvaux and the Templar Rule.
The Disaster of the Second Crusade
The Second Crusade ended in disaster. The army of the French king Louis VII and the German king Conrad III was badly beaten in Asia Minor, and the joint French-German army in the Holy Land failed to capture Damascus.
The Battle of Dorylaeum in 1147 was a major defeat for the Crusader forces. The Seljuk Turkish army, led by the atabeg of Iconium, inflicted heavy losses on the Crusader army, and the remnants of the army were forced to retreat to the Latin Christian territories on the coast.
The Siege of Damascus in 1148 was a failed attempt by the Latin Christian forces to capture the major Syrian city. The siege was lifted after only a few days, and the failure of the siege was a major embarrassment for the Latin Christian leadership.
The story of the Second Crusade. See The Military Orders of the Crusades.
The Impact on the Templars
The failure of the Second Crusade had a major impact on the Knights Templar. The disaster reinforced the Order’s military role in the East, and it led to a major expansion of the Order’s military activities in the following decades. The Order, which had been a relatively small organization, was now a major military force in the Holy Land, and it would continue to grow in the following decades.
The failure of the Second Crusade also had a major impact on the broader Crusading movement. The disaster discredited the idea of a great military expedition to recover the Holy Land, and it led to a long period of relative quiet in the Latin East. The next major Crusade, the Third Crusade of 1189–1192, would not be called for another 40 years.
The story of the Latin East in the 12th century. See The Knights Templar in the Holy Land.
The Death of Bernard
Bernard of Clairvaux died on August 20, 1153, less than four years after the failure of the Second Crusade. The failure of the Crusade was a heavy burden for Bernard in his final years, and he died with the disillusionment of the failed expedition still on his mind.
The story of Bernard’s death. See Who Was Bernard of Clairvaux?.
Conclusion
The Second Crusade was a major event in the history of the Knights Templar, and the Order played an important role in the expedition. The Crusade was preached by Bernard of Clairvaux, the most important early champion of the Order, and the Templars contributed to the military and logistical efforts of the expedition. The Crusade ended in disaster, and its failure had a major impact on the Order and on the broader Crusading movement. The story of the Second Crusade and the Templars is told in The Knights Templar in the Holy Land and in The Military Orders of the Crusades.