The 2nd Crusade Arrives

Fun Fact:

(From Chapter 16 of Dan Jone's Crusaders) 

In 1147 Manuel Komnenos of Constantinople was wary of sleepover the leaders of the 2nd Crusade, King Conrad and King Louis, had planned at his kingdom.  Conrad and his 50,000 arrived first. Manganeios Prodomos, a Byzantine poet, described the Germans as Gadarene swine. After a serious mishap in which Conrad's army camped on a plain between two rivers, both of which flooded during the night, washing away men and supplies, Manuel assisted them across the Bosphoros. 

Conrad split his force, sending half along the coast under the command of his brother Bishop Otto, while he took the rest on the road to Antioch--one of the lesser known Hope and Crosby films. The route took him through the Turkish kingdom of Mas'ud. The Turks deployed light mounted archers to attack and retreat in flying raids to exhaust the heavy cavalry and then descend upon them with the sword. In a short time, survival became a serious issue for the Germans. Conrad turned around and went back to Constantinople.

Louis had been granted a wonderful reception in Constantinople, although his army itself was denied entry into the city. Manuel, however, had already agreed to a ten-year peace with Mas'ud. Profiting from Conrad's experience, Louis agreed to take the remnant of Conrad's force with him on the winding path through Smyrna and Ephesus. Nevertheless, as soon as they left Byzantium land, the Turkish cavalry attacked them. The Franks drove them away with the appearance of the white knight who struck the first blow against the Turkish attackers. 

In early January 1148, Louis' force arrived at Laodicea. He decided to head for a Adalia, a Byzantine stronghold in Turkish territory. During the 15 day journey the Turks continued to attack. During a particular difficult crossing of Mount Cadmus, the French columns became separated and the Turks swooped down. Louis himself narrowly escaped death, and was forced to give command of the expedition to 130 Knights Templar, under senior officer Gilbert, which had accompanied the expedition since Paris. They arrived in Adalia January 20. 

They spent two terrible months outside Adalia, suffering Turking attacks, bad weather, and exorbitant food prices. Finally, the army broke up. Louis and his queen took part of the army by ship to Antioch. Others tried to travel overland and were killed. March 19, 1148, two and half years after Edessa had fallen, the Second Crusade arrived.