The second crusade was called by Regent Melissande, after the fall of Edessa and the growing power of the Muslims became a threat. Pope Eugenius issues the
Quantum Praedessors to mirror the success of the First crusade. The second crusade was hailed as a failure because it did not achieve its aims of making the
Latin States survive. The second crusade could also be accused of attempting to much as it went to the Holy Land, Iberia and the Baltic
St Bernerd of Clairveux
Bernerd was uncomfortable with the blame of the second crusades failure so much so
that he wrote a letter in him and Pope Eugeniuse's defence and did not include his
crusade speech in Encyclical 363 (his life-time collection).
Bernerd was blamed for the failure of the second crusade because Quantum
Praedessors states the Pope only intended for a crusade consisting of french
knights. Whereas, Bernerd preached crusade to the Germans and French along with non-combants to go.
However, Bernerd can not be held responsible for the failure of the second
crusde becasue once the crusade had set off, there was no means of
controlling the crusade. unofficial preachers in Germany and parts of France
were also giving crusade speeches which were unfficial so Bernerd preached
to them to keep crusade under control. bernerd also saw the crusade as a way of saving souls rather than a military war.
Greeks
Conrad III and King Louis blamed the Greeks to the point they wanted a crusade against them.
They blamed the guides given to them by the Greeks to of led them into the ambush at
Dorylaeum chich ended the German crusade with 9/10ths of the army remaining.
On 1147, Emperor Emanuel agreedd a truce with the Turks and therefore did not threaten them. The Battle of Manzikert (1071) also weakened the
Byzantine empire so the truce was a way of preotecting themselves. The Greeks were not in need of a crusade so did not feel obliged to help . This is seen
when the Greeks ony provided 5/200 ships asked for meaning most of the army went by foot.
King Louis
King Louis only saw the second crusade as a personal matter and a means for salvation rather than
a military operation. His poor leadership was present in the crossing of the Cadamus mountains.
King Louis lacked military objective s becasue he wantedto capture dAmascus n ally becasue it was a
city mentioned many times in the Bible.
King Louis refused Raymond help in Aleppo and failed to re-build Edessa. He wanted Damascus which was the would split the
muslim world. Historian Ruciman described King Louis' decisions as "utter folly"
Local Lords
Raymond of Antioch was bribed by Damascus (counterfetti) to set King Louis up to failure