Siege of Shaizar

Siege of Shaizar
Part of the Crusades
John II Komnenos negotiating with the Emir of Shaizar, 13th-century French manuscript
Date April 28 – May 21, 1138 Location Shaizar, Syria 35°16′04″N 36°34′00″E / 35.26778°N 36.56667°E / 35.26778; 36.56667 Result Byzantine/Frankish victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire Principality of Antioch County of Edessa Knights Templar	Shaizar (Munqidhite Emirate) Zengids
Commanders and leaders
John II Komnenos Raymond of Poitiers Joscelin II of Edessa	Sultan ibn Munqidh of Shaizar Zengi of Mosul and Aleppo
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The siege of Shaizar took place from April 28 to May 21, 1138. The allied forces of the Byzantine Empire, Principality of Antioch and County of Edessa invaded Muslim Syria. Having been repulsed from their main objective, the city of Aleppo, the combined Christian armies took a number of fortified settlements by assault and finally besieged Shaizar, the capital of the Munqidhite Emirate. The siege captured the city, but failed to take the citadel; it resulted in the Emir of Shaizar paying an indemnity and becoming the vassal of the Byzantine emperor. The forces of Zengi, the greatest Muslim prince of the region, skirmished with the allied army but it was too strong for them to risk battle. The campaign underlined the limited nature of Byzantine suzerainty over the northern Crusader states and the lack of common purpose between the Latin princes and the Byzantine emperor.