Major battles of crusades

The three major battles of the crusades are the sieges of Antioch, Sidon, and Acre.
This essay will explain the three major battles and its results. The battle of Antioch
was during the first crusade and was fought over the city of Antioch. Second is the siege
of Sidon during the Norwegian crusade. Finally is the siege of Acre where the crusaders
try to gain control of Jerusalem.

The first major battle is the battle of Antioch. This siege occurred in the first
crusade. The major leaders of this crusade were Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemund of
Taranto, and Raymond IV of Toulhouse. The major leaders of the Seljuk Turks were
Yaghi Siyan, Kerbogha, and Toghtekin. The Crusaders arrived just outside the city of
Antioch at the Orontes River. Shortly after this the army under Duqaq of Damascus
arrived. These armies attacked the crusaders and came to aid and relieve the city of
Antioch. Also one of the major crusader leaders became sick and there was a earthquake.
Not to mention there was also a great famine, and many of the crusaders were starving.
Next in May 1908 a Seljuk Turk army approached under a Muslim named Kerbogha.
While the Muslim approached the crusader army became desperate. So Bohemund a
crusader leader came into contact with Fiouz a Seljuk Turk inside the city to convince
him to open the gates. Fiouz told Bohemund to plan a siege at night and to scale the cities
walls and he would open the gates. The crusaders did exactly what he said and he kept
true to his word and opened the gates. As a massacre occurred the crusaders gained
control over the city.

Finally, is the second siege even though the crusaders had most of the control
over the city the Muslim army under Kerbogha had just arrived. The Seljuk Turks
formed there own siege over the city. The crusaders decided to come out of the city and
face the advancing armies. Kerbogha thought his army outnumbered the crusaders but as
they started to fire armies retreated therefore the Crusaders actually outnumbered the
Turks. Seeing this the Muslims retreated and the Crusaders won.

The outcome of the first crusade was the Norwegian Crusade in which the siege
of Sidon took place. The leaders of the Norwegian Crusade were Sigurd the Norwegian
king and Baldwin I of Jerusalem. Today Sidon is Lebanon. Also Skulason gives a valid
description of the battle. “The Norsemens king, the skalds relate, Has ta’en the heathen
town of Saet:the slinging engine with dread noise Gables and roofs with stones destroys.
The town wall totters too,-it falls; The Norsemen mount the blackened walls. He who
stains red the raven’s bill, has won,-the town lies at his will. The way the Crusaders
attacked the city was the Norwegians attacked by sea and Baldwin’s army attacked by
land. The city of Sidon fell to the Crusaders after only forty-seven days.

Last of all, is the Third crusade. This Crusade includes the two year siege of Acre;
the seaport of Jerusalem. The commanders on the crusaders side are Richard, Phillip,
Guy, Robert, and Gerard. The commanders of the opposing army were Saladin. While the
crusaders were running into problems; Saladin was unifying the Muslim world. At the
battle of Hattin Saladin determinedly defeated the Crusaders. Now the Crusaders only
controlled Tyre, Tripoli, and Antioch. After Europe found out the loss of Jerusalem there
was an order for a new crusade. Then Guy led his army outside the city of Acre. Where
he set up camp and waited for reinforcements. Saladin moved to the east to confront the
Crusader army. As they fought the Crusaders lost only ten thousand men. Even though
Saladins army partially won they could not afford to push the crusaders back more with
another battle.

In conclusion, those were the results of the three sieges. The three major points
are the siege of Antioch, Sidon and Acre. The first Siege which was the siege of Antioch.
The Crusaders successfully captured the city of Antioch. Second is the Norwegian
Crusade in the attempt to capture the city of Sidon which was successfully done in just
forty-seven days. Lastly, The third crusade during this time they tried to captured the city
of Acre. Even though there attempts to capture the city fell the still succeeded a little.