ʿImād al-Dīn Zangī ibn Aq Sonqur

Birth

1084

Zengi was born in 1084. “Zangi,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zangi-Iraqi-ruler.

The life of Zengi and the First Crusade

Period: 1084 to Sep 14, 1146

The Council of Clermont

Nov 27, 1095

Pope Urban II preached the First Crusade. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 7.

Crusading Movement

1096

The Crusaders first left Europe for the Middle East. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 35.

Jeruselam fell to the Christians

Jul 15, 1099

The Christian Crusaders marched on Jerusalem. Once the Christians breached the walls, they killed the majority of the inhabiting population. Jerusalem was home to both Jews and Muslims. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 32.

King of Jerusalem

Dec 25, 1100

Bladwin I became the first King of Jerusalem. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 37.

Warning to the Muslims

1105

The Muslim writer, Al-Sulami, wrote The Book of the Holy War as a warning to the Muslims that the Christians were coming to wage war and retake the Holy Land. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 43.

Templars

1111

The Knights of Templar were founded as a military order between 1111/1112. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

Hospitallers

1113

The Knights of Hospitaller military order became a recognized religious order. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 48.

Battle of Kafartab

1115

Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), 85.

Basra

1126

Zengi was appointed governor of Basra by the Seljuq sultan, Maḥmūd II. “Zangi,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zangi-Iraqi-ruler.

Mosul

1127

al-Mustarshid rebelled against Maḥmūd II, and he soon appointed Zengi as governor (or atabeg) of Mosul. “Zangi,” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zangi-Iraqi-ruler.
Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

The Rise of Zengi

1128

Zengi had begun his military conquests and had taken control of Aleppo and Mosul making him the most powerful Muslim leader faced by the Crusaders. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 42.

Templars

1128

The Knights of Templar officially gained rule as a religious order. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 46.

Aleppo

1128

Zengi captures Aleppo. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 42.
Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

Hama & Homs

Sep 3, 1131

Zengi leads attacks on Hama and Homs. Directly after the attacks, writer Usama entered into Zengi's service. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii, 242.

Tikrit

1132

Zengi fought a battle at Tikrit. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii, 242.

Bagdad

1132

Zengi campaigned against caliph al-Mustarshid near the city of Bagdad. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii, 242.

Mosul

Jun 13, 1132

After his defeat at Tikrit, Zengi fled to Mosul where he still held the "atabeg" status. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), 243.

Amid

1134

Zengi led campaings against Artuqids near Amid. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

Damascus/Antioch

1135

Zengi failed campaigns against Damascus and set out for Antioch. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii, 242.

Hospitallers

1136

The Knights of Hospitaller received a fortress near Ascalon. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 48.

Damascus

Period: 1136 to 1139

For nearly three years, Zengi repeatedly failed to breach the walls of Muslim Damascus to expand his Muslim reign throughout the Middle East. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 48.

Ascalon

Period: 1136 to 1142

King Fulk of Jerusalem constructed a ring of castles around Ascalon when he was unable to capture the city. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 49.

Homs

1137

Zengi, again, campaigned against the Homs. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

Ba'rin/Rafaniya

Jul 11, 1137

Zengi fought against the Franks at Ba'rin/Rafaniya. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii, 242.

Qinnasrin

1138

Zengi battled against the Franks at Qinnasrin. Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xii.

Muslim/Christian Alliances

1139

Because Zengi had repeated attempted to breach the walls of Muslim Damascus, the emir forged an alliance with King Fulk in Christian Jerusalem to keep Damascus out of the reach of Zengi. By this point, Zengi was not only feared by the Christian Crusaders, but also by their Muslim counterparts. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 49.

King Fulk

1143

King Fulk of Jerusalem died in a hunting accident. His wife, Queen Melisende, kept control of Jerusalem. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 49.

mujahid/jihad

1143

By this time, Muslim writers began referring to Zengi as a mujahid, or a jihad warrior. This was a new term for Muslims. Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 50.

Attach of Edessa

1144

Zengi led an attack on Edessa. Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades Islamic Perspectives (New York: Edinburgh University Press, 2000), 110.
Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 50.

Fall of Edessa

Dec 24, 1144

The attacks on Edessa resulted in the recapturing of the (then) Christian Crusader state. This was the first of the Crusader states to fall back into the hands of the Muslims, by Zengi's military forces. Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades Islamic Perspectives (New York: Edinburgh University Press, 2000), 22, 112.
Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 50.
Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xiii.

Nur al-Din

1146

Nur al-Din was Zengi's son, who took over the dynasty after his father's death. Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades Islamic Perspectives (New York: Edinburgh University Press, 2000), 22, 116.

Death

Sep 14, 1146

Zengi was killed by one of his drunken slaves. The slave had been scolded by Zengi for drinking all of his wine. The slave murdered Zengi in his tent. Carole Hillenbrand, The Crusades Islamic Perspectives (New York: Edinburgh University Press, 2000), 22, 112, 114.
Thomas Madden, The Concise History of the Crusades (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), 50.
Usama, The Book of Contemplations (New York: Penguin Classics, 2008), xiii.

The Second Crusade

Period: 1147 to 1149

The start of the Second Crusade began in direct response to the fall of Edessa in 1144. Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2018), 184.