The Second CrusadeA religious war fought by European Christians to capture the Holy Land from Muslim control. was launched in 1147 after the fall of the Crusader state of Edessa to Muslim forces. Led by European kings (Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany), the campaign was poorly organized and ended in failure. Despite high hopes, the Crusaders failed to achieve significant victories, weakening support for future expeditions.
FactsthatCrunchWhat Were the Crusades?
The Crusades are one of the most significant events in the history of Europe and the Middle East. They were a series of religious wars carried out by Christian crusaders from Europe during the timeframe of the Middle Ages. Beginning in 1095 CE, the Crusades saw European knights and noblemen travel to the Middle East in an attempt to capture the Holy Land away from Muslim people that had controlled the region for the previous centuries. The term crusade means ‘cross’. Therefore, the Europeans that became crusaders viewed themselves as ‘taking up the cross’. In fact, many of the crusaders wore crosses on their clothing and armor as they made their pilgrimageA journey to a place of religious importance, made as an act of faith. to the Holy Land. This article details the events of the Second Crusade.  Click here to read more information about the other major Crusades.
Second Crusade – Why and When Did It Occur?
The Second Crusade occurred from 1147 until 1149 CE and was carried out in response to the fall of the County of Edessa to Turkish forces. As stated above, the crusaders of the First Crusade had established several ‘Crusader States’ during the timeframe of the First Crusade, including the County of Edessa. The leaders of the First Crusade established these states as a means of controlling the territory and creating a base from which they could launch further attacks into the region of the Holy Land. However, in December of 1144, Turkish forces of Imad ad-Din Zengi attacked and captured the County of Edessa. Edessa was at the northern end of the crusader statesChristian-controlled territories established in the Middle East after the First Crusade. and often faced attacks from the Seljuk Turks, which were Muslims who lived to the east of the Holy Land.​
The fall of Edessa in 1144 caused Pope Eugene III to call for another crusade in order to recapture the territory, but also as a general call to protect Christian lands in the Middle East. Pope Eugene III called for the crusade on December 1st of 1145 and wanted it to be led by some of the most powerful kings in Europe at the time. For example, Louis VII of France participated in the Second Crusade and announced his intention to do so in late December of 1145. Conrad III of Germany joined him, and both led approximately 35,000 crusaders (20,000 Germans and 15,000 French) during the Second Crusade. In fact, this was the first time that European kings had led the crusades. Support for the Second Crusade was strong for a variety of reasons. First and foremost was the religious faith of the participants. They were devoutDeeply committed to religious faith and practice. Catholics and wanted to be faithful to the church. The second reason for European participation in the crusades was that they believed that by participating in the fight they could be forgiven for their previous sins. Finally, many of the crusaders on the Second Crusade fought to support their king and their loyalty towards the monarch.
The Second Crusade was called because Muslim forces had recaptured Jerusalem.
Second Crusade – Major Events
The European crusaders began their journey on June 15th, 1147. Conrad III of Germany led the way east with a land route. Louis VII and the French crusaders followed Conrad III through the Byzantine Empire, until the crusaders arrived in the city of Constantinople on September 10th of 1147. Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) was the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and an important city throughout the period of the crusades because it was centrally located to the Holy Land. In reality, Conrad III had arrived in Constantinople just ahead of the French and decided to advance his troops into Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) to avoid a conflict with local forces. However, this decision backfired as Conrad III and the German forces faced off against Seljuk Turk forces alone in the second battle of Dorylaeum. In fact, the Germans suffered a terrible defeat in the battle, which took place on October 25th, 1147 and were nearly totally defeated. Injured himself in the battle, Conrad III ordered his forces to retreat back to Constantinople, where they met up with Louis VII and the French. Together, they advanced south along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and eventually used ships to cross over to the Crusader States of the Holy Land.
The French crusaders arrived in Antioch in March of 1148 while the German crusaders traveled further south to Acre. Louis VII and the French crusaders then marched south to Tripoli, as they made their way to Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem was the heart of the fighting of the crusades. The city was centrally located in the Holy Land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. While the history of the city itself goes back much further, it was a significant site in the crusades because of the importance it holds in the three main religions of the region: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. For Christians, Jerusalem was the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. As such, the city was vitally important to their understanding of the teachings and history of Jesus.​
In response to the arrival of the European crusaders in the Holy Land, the Turks amassedGathered together a large number of troops or resources in one place. a large amount of forces at the city of Damascus. Damascus was a Turkish controlled city north of Jerusalem. Both the French and German crusaders headed northeast from Jerusalem and attacked the Turkish forces in the SiegeA military attack where forces surround a city to cut off supplies and force surrender. of Damascus. The Siege of Damascus took place July 24th to July 28th in 1148. This battle was vitally important to the Second Crusade, as the crusaders were defeated in the battle and suffered heavy losses. As a result, the Second Crusade was over.​
Second Crusade – Significance
In all, the Second Crusade was a failure since the crusaders did not gain any new lands in the Holy Land and failed to push out the Muslims. The only source of pride at this time was when English crusaders attacked Muslim forces in Lisbon, Portugal. The Siege of Lisbon took place from July 1st to October 25th of 1147 and saw the Muslim Moors defeated and removed from the city of Lisbon. However, the failure in the Holy Land eventually led to the Third Crusade.​
FactsthatCrunchFrom July 1st to October 25th of 1147, English crusaders joined forces with Afonso I, King of Portugal, and besieged the city of Lisbon, forcing the Muslim Moors to surrender after nearly four months. It was the only clear Christian victory of the entire Second Crusade.
Lisbon held by Muslim Moors; Second Crusade struggling with defeats elsewhere
Lisbon captured and added to the Christian Kingdom of Portugal; crusaders gained one concrete prize while the Holy Land campaign collapsed
Explore Crusades · 1095 – 1291 CE
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Key Vocabulary
Crusade
Pilgrimage
Crusader States
Devout
Amassed
Siege
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the Second Crusade?
The Second Crusade was called after the County of Edessa fell to Turkish forces in December of 1144. Edessa was one of the Crusader States created during the First Crusade. Its loss alarmed Christians in Europe and in the Holy Land. Pope Eugene III responded by calling for a new crusade in December of 1145.
Who led the Second Crusade?
Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany led the Second Crusade. This was the first time that European kings personally led a crusade. Together they commanded about 35,000 crusaders, with roughly 20,000 Germans and 15,000 French. Their royal leadership raised hopes that the campaign would succeed.
Why did the Second Crusade fail?
The Second Crusade failed because the crusaders gained no new land and could not push out the Muslim forces. The campaign was poorly organized from the start. Conrad III’s army suffered a heavy defeat at the second battle of Dorylaeum in October of 1147. The failed Siege of Damascus in 1148 then ended the crusade entirely.
When did the Second Crusade take place?
The Second Crusade lasted from 1147 until 1149 CE. The crusaders began their journey east on June 15th, 1147. They traveled overland through the Byzantine Empire and reached Constantinople that September. The main fighting in the Holy Land ended after the Siege of Damascus in July of 1148.
What happened at the Siege of Damascus?
The Siege of Damascus took place from July 24th to July 28th in 1148 and ended in defeat for the crusaders. The French and German armies marched northeast from Jerusalem to attack this Turkish-controlled city. They suffered heavy losses and had to withdraw. This defeat marked the end of the Second Crusade.
Did the Second Crusade have any success?
The only real success came at the Siege of Lisbon in Portugal, far from the Holy Land. English crusaders helped defeat the Muslim Moors and took the city between July and October of 1147. In the Holy Land, however, the campaign achieved nothing. The failure there eventually led to the Third Crusade.
Cite This Article
To cite this article as a source, use one of the formats below.
MLA: Beck, Elias. “Second Crusade: A Detailed Summary.” HistoryCrunch, 18 October 2026, https://historycrunch.com/second-crusade/.
APA: Beck, E. (2026). Second Crusade: A Detailed Summary. HistoryCrunch. https://historycrunch.com/second-crusade/
Chicago: Beck, Elias. “Second Crusade: A Detailed Summary.” HistoryCrunch. October 18, 2026. https://historycrunch.com/second-crusade/
Sources
- Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives.
- Fordham Medieval Sourcebook
- Christopher Tyerman, God's War: A New History of the Crusades.
- The Met (Heilbrunn Timeline)
