Second Crusade

The Second Crusade (1145-1149) included three different campaigns in the Baltic, the Iberian Peninsula and the Holy Land and was called in response to the fall of the county of Edessa.

This crusade involved a failed siege of Damascus -- a brilliant concept, since at the time the city had a truce with the Crusaders and was basically neutral towards them. Afterwards, of course, it served notice to all the surrounding territories that truces signed with the Crusaders and the fiefs of Outremer were subject to breach by the Christians whenever they felt they wanted.

The Crusade is also notable for the involvement of Bernard of Clairvaux, who preached it throughout Western Europe, and Eleanor of Aquitaine, who travelled with her husband, Louis VII of France, and who thereafter separated from him, to marry Henry II of England.