Second crusade: Nur al Din

The crusaders held the holy city Jerusalem, and were desecrating all the holy places and artifacts of the Muslims. This was a great insult, but the Muslims were divided in their lands and lacked a leader to unite them. And so the crusaders did not find any opposition. 
 

Many crusaders went home, but a new order arose. The Hospitlers and the Templers. Knights to protect the people 24/7. Krak des Chevaliers, a great castle build for the Hospitlers and Templers.

Imad al din Zengi ruled a Turkish city and was tired of the crusaders. He took the city of Eleppo as his base of operations. In 1144 Zengi was able to unite the northern lands. With 30000 men he assaulted Edessa when their prince was away, and took the city. With this victory Zengi was a hero, but he was aggressive and ruthless. On a night he threatened one of his slaves to kill him the following morning because of a mistake. Taking by fear the slave took a knife and stabbed Zengi while he was sleeping. His son took up his challenge, Nur al Din.
 

Pope Eugenius the Third heard of the fall of Edessa and called for a second crusade. King Luis the Second answered. In may 1147 he set out for Edessa but because they traveled by winter, they couldn't stay in formation and the army was attacked in its weakest part. Most of the army was lost, but Luis survived. To beat down by the result he gave the control of the army to a templer.
 

During this time the forces were growing in Edessa, and the army changed direction and made for Damascus. But so was Nur al Din. Damascus was determined to stand their own ground and Al Vindaloui rallied them. "I have offered myself for sale of God has bought me". And so he led the attack on the crusaders. They fought brave, but lost in the end. The city now cried for Nur al Din, and he came to their rescue. But on hearing this, the crusader army fled and went home in shame, the second crusade a failure.