The Battle of the Meander took place in December 1147, during the
Second Crusade. The
French crusader army, led by
Louis VII of France, successfully fended off an ambush by the
Seljuks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes
by the Turk ...
of
Rum
Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Ph ...
at the
Meander River.
Background
King Louis VII led the French army on the march across Europe and
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
to
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
. The army decided to march along the coast of Asia Minor, because the defeat of Emperor
Conrad of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and his army at
Dorylaeum
Dorylaeum or Dorylaion ( el, Δορύλαιον; tr, Şarhöyük) was an ancient city in Anatolia. It is now an archaeological site located near the city of Eskişehir, Turkey.
Its original location was about 10 km southwest of Eskişehi ...
had made it clear that marching inland was too dangerous. In December 1147 the army was marching across the valley of the river Maeander to reach the major port of
Adalia.
Odo of Deuil Odo of Deuil (1110 – 18 April 1162), his first name also spelled Odon, Eude or Eudes, was a French historian of and participant in the Second Crusade (1147–1149).
Born at Deuil to a modest family, he became a monk and was a confidant of Suger ...
, who participated in the march, makes it clear that the Maeander Valley was treacherous.
[Odo of Deuil, ''De profectione Ludovici VII in Orientem'', tr. V.G. Berry (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1948), p. 111.] Its mountain crags and slopes allowed the Turks to constantly harass the Crusaders with lightning raids.
Battle
The Turks launched a particularly heavy ambush as the Crusaders attempted to finally cross the river. They used their usual tactic of attacking and then quickly retreating before the enemy could regroup and counter-attack. On this occasion however, Louis had already placed his strongest knights to the front, side and rear, allowing these tough troops to engage the Turks before they could do much damage.
The Turks suffered heavy casualties,
[Odo of Deuil, p. 113.] although many were able to escape back into the mountains on their swift horses.
According to
William of Tyre
William of Tyre ( la, Willelmus Tyrensis; 113029 September 1186) was a medieval prelate and chronicler. As archbishop of Tyre, he is sometimes known as William II to distinguish him from his predecessor, William I, the Englishman, a former ...
, writing later, the Crusaders also managed to capture many of the raiders. Neither William nor Odo reported on total Crusader casualties, although it can be assumed they were light, because only one significant nobleman, Milo of Nogent, was killed. A rumour that defence was led by an unknown white-clad knight gained popularity among the Crusaders following the battle.
Aftermath
The victory was not enough to stop the Turkish attacks. Just days after the Battle of the Meander, the French army suffered a catastrophic defeat at
Mount Cadmus
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
. Nevertheless, the historian Jonathon Phillips says that the Battle of the Meander is important because it helps in fully understanding the failure of the Second Crusade. He says that this engagement shows that the failure of the Crusade was not due to any inferior martial abilities of the Crusaders, as may seem the case.
[Phillips, ''The Second Crusade'', p. 198.]
References
Bibliography
Primary sources
*Odo of Deuil, ''De profectione Ludovici VII in Orientem'', trans. V.G. Berry (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1948).
*William of Tyre, ''A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea'', trans. E.A. Babcock and A.C. Krey (Columbia University Press, 1943).
Secondary sources
*Jonathan Phillips, The Second Crusade: Extending the frontiers of Christendom, (Yale University Press, 2007).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meander, Battle of the
Battles of the Second Crusade
Battles involving the Sultanate of Rum
Conflicts in 1147
Battles involving France
1147 in Asia