Battle of Mount Cadmus
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Mount Cadmus took place near Laodicea
on January 6, 1148, during the Second Crusade
. The French crusader army, led by Louis VII of France
, was defeated by the Seljuks of Rum
.
, which he wanted to restore to his sovereignty, and also would weaken the Byzantine-German alliance against Roger II of Sicily
. While Conrad II
and Louis VII refused to pay homage to the Byzantine emperor in the fall of 1147, they retained the Byzantine troops. Consequently, Roger II seized Corfu
and Cephalonia, and plundered Corinth
and Thebes.
The French and Germans decided to take separate routes. Conrad's army was defeated at the Battle of Dorylaeum
October 25, 1147.
The remnants of the army of Conrad were able to join the army of the king of France. Both armies followed the path left by the first Crusaders advance to Philadelphia
in Lydia
. In this city, the Germans were still exposed to attack and decided to return to Constantinople. Conrad III, reconciled with Manuel, captured Acre with Byzantine ships. The troops of Louis VII followed the coast and then took the road to the East. The Seljuks waited on the banks of the river Meander, but the Franks forced the passage and marched to Laodicea
, which they reached on January 6, the day of the Epiphany. They then marched to the mountains that separate the Phrygia
of the Pisidia
.
, was recklessly placed too far ahead of the army. King Louis, with the main column, ignored that fact, and proceeded onward. The French soldiers walked with confidence, convinced that their comrades occupied the heights in front of them. However, the Seljuks had the advantage when the French ranks broke and rushed upon them swords in hand. The French retreated to a narrow gorge, bordered on one side with precipices and crags on the other. Horses, men, and baggage were forced into the abyss. King Louis VII was able to escape the fray, leaned against a tree and stood alone against multiple attackers. At night, the king took advantage of the darkness to join the vanguard of his army, which previously was believed dead. After the battle, the army of the king of France, which had suffered heavy losses, barely reached Attaleia
on January 20.
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
on January 6, 1148, during the Second Crusade
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
. The French crusader army, led by Louis VII of France
Louis VII of France
Louis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
, was defeated by the Seljuks of Rum
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
.
Background
The ill-disciplined Crusaders, especially in the German Crusade, had caused a number of incidents with the passage of the crusading army through the Balkans. The Byzantine emperor, Manuel I Comnenus, feared that the troops of the crusaders would strengthen the Principality of AntiochPrincipality of Antioch
The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade.-Foundation:...
, which he wanted to restore to his sovereignty, and also would weaken the Byzantine-German alliance against Roger II of Sicily
Roger II of Sicily
Roger II was King of Sicily, son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his brother Simon. He began his rule as Count of Sicily in 1105, later became Duke of Apulia and Calabria , then King of Sicily...
. While Conrad II
Conrad III of Germany
Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:...
and Louis VII refused to pay homage to the Byzantine emperor in the fall of 1147, they retained the Byzantine troops. Consequently, Roger II seized Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
and Cephalonia, and plundered Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
and Thebes.
The French and Germans decided to take separate routes. Conrad's army was defeated at the Battle of Dorylaeum
Battle of Dorylaeum (1147)
The second Battle of Dorylaeum took place at Dorylaeum on October 25, 1147, during the Second Crusade. Conrad III, running out of provisions, stopped there to rest, and his army of 20,000 men was annihilated by the Seljuk Turks led by Mesud I...
October 25, 1147.
The remnants of the army of Conrad were able to join the army of the king of France. Both armies followed the path left by the first Crusaders advance to Philadelphia
Alasehir
Alaşehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia , i.e. " brotherly love" is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay , at the foot of the Bozdağ...
in Lydia
Lydia
Lydia was an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located generally east of ancient Ionia in the modern Turkish provinces of Manisa and inland İzmir. Its population spoke an Anatolian language known as Lydian....
. In this city, the Germans were still exposed to attack and decided to return to Constantinople. Conrad III, reconciled with Manuel, captured Acre with Byzantine ships. The troops of Louis VII followed the coast and then took the road to the East. The Seljuks waited on the banks of the river Meander, but the Franks forced the passage and marched to Laodicea
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
, which they reached on January 6, the day of the Epiphany. They then marched to the mountains that separate the Phrygia
Phrygia
In antiquity, Phrygia was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now modern-day Turkey. The Phrygians initially lived in the southern Balkans; according to Herodotus, under the name of Bryges , changing it to Phruges after their final migration to Anatolia, via the...
of the Pisidia
Pisidia
Pisidia was a region of ancient Asia Minor located north of Lycia, and bordering Caria, Lydia, Phrygia and Pamphylia. It corresponds roughly to the modern-day province of Antalya in Turkey...
.
The Battle
The vanguard, led by Geoffrey de RanconGeoffrey de Rancon
Geoffrey de Rancon was a French army commander that lived in the 12th century. He served as Eleanor of Aquitaine's army commander during the Second Crusade. When the Crusaders, led by King Louis VII of France climbed Mount Cadmos, Rancon disobeyed orders and chose to march further than the spot...
, was recklessly placed too far ahead of the army. King Louis, with the main column, ignored that fact, and proceeded onward. The French soldiers walked with confidence, convinced that their comrades occupied the heights in front of them. However, the Seljuks had the advantage when the French ranks broke and rushed upon them swords in hand. The French retreated to a narrow gorge, bordered on one side with precipices and crags on the other. Horses, men, and baggage were forced into the abyss. King Louis VII was able to escape the fray, leaned against a tree and stood alone against multiple attackers. At night, the king took advantage of the darkness to join the vanguard of his army, which previously was believed dead. After the battle, the army of the king of France, which had suffered heavy losses, barely reached Attaleia
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
on January 20.