The Fall of Saruj in 1145 saw the main surviving Frankish fortress of Edessa fall to the Zengids.

Following the capture of Edessa in 1144, the Zengid ruler, Imad al-din Zengi, wanted to exploit his victory by clearing the remaining Crusader fortresses on the east of Euphrates, which was his main goal. In early January 1145, Imad al-Din marched towards the city of Saruj, the second-greatest Crusader fortress on the east of Euphrates. The Crusader garrison and the inhabitants evacuated the town to Birecik before the arrival of the Zengids. Imad al-Din captured the city without a fight. Zengi went to besiege Birecik after that, but after three months of siege, he retreated.[1][2][3]

References

  1. ^ Taef El-Azhari (2016), Zengi and the Muslim Response to the Crusades, The Politics of Jihad, p. 101 [1]
  2. ^ Jean Richard (1999), The Crusades, C.1071-c.1291, p. 153
  3. ^ Steven Runciman (1987), A History of the Crusades, Vol. II, p. 237
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Saruj
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