Mosul and Aleppo Governor Imad Al-Din Zangi’s Fight Against the Crusaders
Birsel KüçüksipahioğluRecognised as one of the greatest heroes of the Turkish & Islamic worlds, Imad al-Din Zangi b. Aq-Sonqur was the son of Aleppo Governor Qasim al-Dawla Aq-Sonqur. Following the death of his father, Imad al-Din was taken under protection and brought up by the Islamic world’s most important commanders Mosul Governor Kerbogha, Chokurmish, Chavli, Mawdūd, and Aq-Sonqur elPorsuqi. Each being an important name in the fight against the Crusaders, these commanders took him with them to the wars in which they engaged, and thus enabled him to gain experience. Iraqi Seljuk Sultān Mahmūd assigned Imad al-Din as the Military Governor of Baghdad and Iraq in 1127, and also assigned him as the Governor of Mosul in the same year. He was also in charge of al-Jazeera and Northern Syria, and Sultān Mahmūd approved him being assigned as the Atabeg of his two sons, Ferrukh shāh and Alparslan. Thus the Atabegdom of Mosul was constituted. Imad al-Din Zangi’s appearance on the stage of history coincides with the occupation and invasion of Anatolia, Syria and Palestine by the Crusaders, when there were Crusader States of Edessa, Antioch, Jerusalem and Tripoli. Imad al-Din Zangi aimed at ensuring a strong unity and order in the Turkish & Islamic world, followed by the preparation of regular and well-disciplined military troops to fight the Crusaders since he considered a confrontation with them in the absence of a plan, a policy and sufficient military power to be extremely hazardous. This power and ideal had a significant effect on the ending of the Crusader County of Edessa by Zangi, and he realised his dream by conquering Edessa on December 24, 1144. Thus The Crusader County of Edessa which was the first Crusader state found in Anatolia also became the first county to collapse. This achievement which was received with extreme joy in the Turkish & Islamic world greatly impacted the Crusaders in Europe and the East, leading to the Second Crusade.
Musul ve Halep Valisi İmâdeddin Zengi’nin Haçlılarla Mücadelesi
Birsel KüçüksipahioğluTürk-İslâm dünyasının en büyük kahramanlarından biri olan İmâdeddin Zengi b. Aksungur, Halep Valisi Kasîmüddevle Aksungur’un oğluydu. Babasının ölümünden sonra İslâm dünyasının önemli komutanlarından Musul Valisi Kürboğa, Çökürmüş, Çavlı, Mevdûd ve Aksungur el-Porsukî’nin himayesine girerek onlar tarafından yetiştirildi. Her biri Haçlılarla mücadelede önemli isimlerden olan bu komutanlar katıldıkları savaşlara onu da yanlarında götürerek tecrübe kazanmasını sağladı. Irak Selçuklu Sultanı Mahmud tarafından 1127 yılında Bağdat ve Irak şahneliğine getirilen İmâdeddin Zengi aynı yıl Musul Valiliği’ne atandı. O aynı zamanda El-Cezire ve Kuzey Suriye’den de sorumluydu ve Sultan Mahmud, iki oğlu Ferruhşah ve Alparslan’ın atabegi olarak onun atanmasını uygun görmüştü. Bu sayede Musul Atabegliği oluştu. İmâdeddin Zengi’nin tarih sahnesine çıktığı dönem Anadolu, Suriye ve Filistin’in Haçlılar tarafından işgal ve istila edildiği dönemdi ve bu süreçte Urfa, Antakya, Kudüs ve Trablusşam’da Haçlı devletleri bulunmaktaydı. İmâdeddin Zengi, Türk-İslâm dünyasında birlik ve düzeni güçlü bir şekilde sağlamayı sonrasında ise düzenli ve disiplinli askeri birlikler hazırlayarak Haçlılarla mücadele etmeyi hedefledi. Çünkü onların karşısına plânsız, siyasetsiz ve askeri güçten yoksun olarak çıkmayı büyük bir tehlike olarak gördü. Zengi’nin Urfa Haçlı Kontluğu’na son vermesinde bu gücün ve idealin büyük tesiri bulunmaktaydı ve nitekim 24 Aralık 1144’te Urfa’yı fethetmek suretiyle bu düşüncesini gerçekleştirdi. Böylece Anadolu’da ilk kurulan Haçlı devleti olan Urfa Haçlı Kontluğu aynı zamanda ilk yıkılan kontluk olarak kayıtlara geçti. Türk-İslâm dünyasını sevince boğan bu başarı Avrupa ve Doğu’daki Haçlıları büyük bir yıkıma uğrattı ve İkinci Haçlı Seferi’nin başlamasına neden oldu.
Recognised as one of the greatest heroes of the Turkish & Islamic worlds, Imad al-Din Zangi b. Aq-Sonqur was presumably born circa 1084 as son of Aleppo Governor Qasim al-Dawla Aq-Sonqur. Until the killing of his father in 1094 by Tutush, the Seljuk Ruler of Syria, he received decent education under his father’s supervision. Having been trained in riding, archery and war tactics until then, Imad al-Din was taken under the protection of, and brought up by, the Islamic world’s most important commanders Mosul Governor Kerbogha, Chokurmish, Chavli, Mawdūd, and Aq-Sonqur el-Porsuqi after the death of his father. Each being an important name in the fight against the Crusaders, those commanders took him with them to the wars in which they engaged, and thus enabled him to gain experience. As such, Imad al-Din joined Mawdūd in the Battle of Tiberias in 1113, and joined the Mosul governor Aq-Sonqur el-Porsuqi who was charged with fighting against the Crusaders in 1114.
Staying in Mosul until the death of Sultān Muhammad Tapar in 1118, Zangi then entered the service of the Sultān’s son and the new Seljuk ruler Mahmūd (1118-1119), remaining loyal to him to the end. With the new era introduced with the defeat of Sultān Mahmūd in the Sāveh battle he engaged his uncle Sanjar in 1119, which opened the way for Sanjar (1119-1157) to accedeto the throne of Great Seljuk Empire, Mahmūd was assigned to the Iraqi Seljuk Sultānate (1119-1131), continuing his rule there. In 1124, Sultān Mahmūd granted the city of Wasit to Imad al-Din Zangi as a ıqta, and conferred him the Military Governorship of Basra together with Baghdad and Iraq in 1127. The reason behind such assignments was to attempt to impede Abbasid Caliph al-Mustarshid (1118-1135) who then wished to build a worldwide dominance. Indeed, the efforts of Zangi in the fight of Mahmūd, whom Sanjar urgently sent to Baghdad, against the Caliph ensured the Sultān became victorious, and he contributed to the efforts in damaging the sole authority and dominance claims of the Caliph. Following the deaths of Mosul Governor Aq-Sunqur el-Porsuqi and his successor and son Mas’ud in the same year in 1127, Zangi was appointed Governor of Mosul. He was also in charge of al-Jazeera and Northern Syria, and Sultān Mahmūd approved him being assigned as the Atabeg of his two sons, Farrukh shāh and Alparslan. Thus the Atabegdom of Mosul was formed. Him being assigned as ruler of these districts was not only due to the personal confidence of the Sultān in Imad al-Din but also the support by prominent statesmen who were on the side of Imad al-Din. Actually, these statesmen pointed out that only a courageous, heroic and experienced person could stand against the growing strength of the Crusaders in al-Jazeera and Syria, and thus took a stand that brought Imad al-Din to the forefront. Actually, the Crusaders were continuing their moves to expand their presence further with an increase in their hostile moves against the Turkish & Islamic world and there were the Crusader States of Edessa, Antioch, Jerusalem and Tripoli.
Imad al-Din Zangi aimed at ensuring a strong unity and order in the Turkish & Islamic world, followed by the preparation of regular and well-disciplined military troops to fight the Crusaders since he considered a confrontation with them in the absence of a plan, a policy and sufficient military power to be extremely hazardous. This power and ideal had a significant effect on the ending of the Crusader County of Edessa by Zangi and he realised his dream by conquering Edessa on December 24, 1144.
Since the very first day of its foundation, the Crusader County of Edessa had been a threat to the Islamic world. The county which recently started to cause harm everywhere in the al-Jazeera region was posing danger against Harran, Nisibin, Ra’s al-Ayn, Raqqa, and Amid. Therefore, Zangi decided to conquer the city. Zangi had full confidence in himself and his army, and then the political situation was suitable for this. Actually, the Crusaders loathed the Byzantine Empire due to the campaigns of Emperor Ioannes. Furthermore, there were conflicts between the Crusader States of Antioch and Edessa, bearing hostility and even hatred against each other. It seemed quite difficult that the Kingdom of Jerusalem would come to help the Crusaders as King Fulk died in 1143, and the kingdom was ruled by his wife Melisende and his minor son Baldwin. That is why Zangi deemed fit to take advantage of those circumstances and decided to besiege the city. His only concern was that Edessa had very strong and reinforced walls, which was the main reason behind the failure of previous Edessa sieges. Therefore, Zangi planned to conquer Edessa when the Count Joscelin II was not in the city. For this purpose, he sent spies to the city, and tried to collect intelligence about when Joscelin II would leave the city. He even tried to give a false impression that he was in a fight against Artuqids in the Diyarbakir region. He also besieged the Amid Castle which had an agreement with Qarā Arslan, the ruler of Hisn Keyfa. Against this attempt of Zangi, Qarā Arslan called for help from Joscelin II, promising that he would give him Bābalou (Babalu) Castle in return. With the idea of expanding his dominion, Joscelin II accepted the request for help, and set off from Edessa with a force that he prepared, and headed Amid to help Qarā Arslan. Purportedly, Amir Fadlullah b. Ja’far of Harran, informed Zangi about his departure from Edessa, and finding the opportunity which he had been seeking, Zangi lifted Amid siege, and started to march toward Edessa. However, Zangi preferred to send an army commanded by Salah al-din al-Yaghisiyāni to the city before hand. Two days later, he arrived in front of Edessa with his all forces.
When Zangi arrived in front of Edessa he asked that the city to surrender in order to prevent bloodshed according to Islamic traditions. The offer was rejected by Latin Archbishop Hugh II and Armenian and Assyrian clerics who were then in charge of city’s defence. They rejected it because they believed that Antioch and Jerusalem would come for help when they called for help. Upon refusal of the request to surrender the city according to Islamic traditions, Zangi decided to besiege the city from all directions. With available siege equipment and catapults, Zangi besieged the city from all directions and then ordered the destruction of the walls. They also attempted to put the city into a difficult situation by shooting arrows. Zangi further ordered the mining of city’s weak northern walls. Meanwhile, Joscelin immediately came to the territory, and started to organise an operation to save Edessa from the east of Euphrates. However, they seemed to have no possible chance of victory against Zangi. As Zangi continued the siege of the city, he made a second surrender request which failed once again. Thereupon, he ordered that flammable materials inserted in the mines be burnt to destroy the walls. Flammable materials placed in the mined section of the walls were set on fire, destroying the walls on December 24, 1144, and Turks entered the city. Frightened and worried, peopled started to rush to the inner castle. However, Archbishop Hugh ordered that the gates should not be opened unless he ordered so as a result the people amassed in front of the door, crushing and killing each other in a stampede.
When Zangi entered the city and witnessed what had happened, he sorrowed, and ordered that the city not be destroyed, the captives taken be liberated, and the articles and booties be returned. Then he negotiated the surrender of the city with those in the inner castle, and ensured its surrender on December 26. Except for 100 Crusaders whom Zangi ordered to be killed, Zangi forgave all the people in the city, and then ordered the reconstruction of the city. He even kept the Christian churches of intact, and recognised their freedom of belief. The Turkish & Islamic worlds were extremely delighted with the abolishment of this county which had put the Turkish& Islamic worlds into a very difficult situation since 1098, disconnecting the link between Mosul and Aleppo thus separating the Muslims in Syria from the Muslims in the East from each other. At the same time, it made them think that the Crusaders would be wiped off the lands they lived in. Zangi who made them cherish such a victory was honoured with the most glorious titles. Indeed, Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtafi deemed Zangi worthy of the titles: al-Malik al-Mansūr, Nasir Amir al-Mu’minin, and Zayn al-Islam. The conquest of Edessa had a grave impact on the West and the Eastern Crusader States. Three other Crusaders States that thought that they would be the next to fall in to despair, sent messages to Europe to organise preparations for a new Crusade. As a result, on the grounds of Imad al-Din’s capture of Edessa, Europe organised the Second Crusade which would be destined to fail.
