Battle of Ba'rin
Encyclopedia
In the Battle of Ba'rin (Mont Ferrand) in 1137, a Crusader force commanded by King Fulk of Jerusalem
was scattered and defeated by Zengi
, the atabeg
of Mosul
and Aleppo. This setback resulted in the permanent loss of the Crusader castle of Ba'rin.
, the Muslim emirate of Damascus
successfully resisted Zengi's efforts to conquer that city.
. When King Fulk marched with his host to raise the siege, his army was attacked and scattered by Zengi's forces. Nothing is known about the battle. The Christian chronicler William of Tyre
"gave no tactical information, and neither did the Arab historians."
After their defeat, Fulk and some of the survivors took refuge in Ba'rin castle, which Zengi surrounded again. "When they ran out of food they ate their horses, and then they were forced to ask for terms." Meanwhile, large numbers of Christian pilgrims had rallied to the army of Byzantine
Emperor John II Comnenus, Raymond of Antioch
and Joscelin II of Edessa.
With this host approaching the castle, Zengi suddenly granted Fulk and the other besieged Franks terms. In return for their freedom and evacuation of the castle, a ransom was set at 50000 dinar. The Franks, unaware of the imminent arrival of the large relieving army, accepted Zengi's offer.
but his efforts came to nothing when Zengi relieved the city in May. Ba'rin was never recovered by the Franks.
Fulk of Jerusalem
Fulk , also known as Fulk the Younger, was Count of Anjou from 1109 to 1129, and King of Jerusalem from 1131 to his death...
was scattered and defeated by Zengi
Zengi
Imad ad-Din Zengi was the atabeg of Mosul, Aleppo, Hama and Edessa and founder of the Zengid dynasty, to which he gave his name.-Early life:...
, the atabeg
Atabeg
Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince...
of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
and Aleppo. This setback resulted in the permanent loss of the Crusader castle of Ba'rin.
Background
When Zengi became ruler of Mosul in 1127 and Aleppo in 1128, the Crusaders were faced with a dangerous opponent. For several years afterward, Zengi gained power at the expense of neighboring Muslim states. By occasionally allying itself with the Latin Kingdom of JerusalemKingdom of Jerusalem
The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Catholic kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 after the First Crusade. The kingdom lasted nearly two hundred years, from 1099 until 1291 when the last remaining possession, Acre, was destroyed by the Mamluks, but its history is divided into two distinct periods....
, the Muslim emirate of Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
successfully resisted Zengi's efforts to conquer that city.
Battle
In early 1137, Zengi invested the castle of Ba'rin, about 10 miles northwest of HomsHoms
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
. When King Fulk marched with his host to raise the siege, his army was attacked and scattered by Zengi's forces. Nothing is known about the battle. The Christian chronicler William of Tyre
William of Tyre
William of Tyre was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from a predecessor, William of Malines...
"gave no tactical information, and neither did the Arab historians."
After their defeat, Fulk and some of the survivors took refuge in Ba'rin castle, which Zengi surrounded again. "When they ran out of food they ate their horses, and then they were forced to ask for terms." Meanwhile, large numbers of Christian pilgrims had rallied to the army of Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
Emperor John II Comnenus, Raymond of Antioch
Raymond of Antioch
Raymond of Poitiers was Prince of Antioch 1136–1149. He was the younger son of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse, born in the very year that his father the Duke began his infamous liaison with Dangereuse de Chatelherault.-Assumes control:Following the...
and Joscelin II of Edessa.
With this host approaching the castle, Zengi suddenly granted Fulk and the other besieged Franks terms. In return for their freedom and evacuation of the castle, a ransom was set at 50000 dinar. The Franks, unaware of the imminent arrival of the large relieving army, accepted Zengi's offer.
Aftermath
In April 1137, John Comnenus laid siege to ShaizarShaizar
Shaizar, Shayzar or Saijar was a medieval town and fortress in Syria, ruled by the Banu Munqidh dynasty, which played an important part in the Christian and Muslim politics of the crusades.- Early history :...
but his efforts came to nothing when Zengi relieved the city in May. Ba'rin was never recovered by the Franks.