Analysis Of The Foundation And Development Of The County Of Edessa(1098-1124)

The Crusades were the most influential events that took place in the Middle Ages,Pope Urban II launched the Holy War which in order to recapture the Holy Land Jerusalem at the Council of Clermont in November,1095.The First Crusade had defeated the Muslims,recaptured the Holy Land,and founded four Crusader States.The County of Edessa was the Crusader State to be established during the war,located the northernmost among them,and directly faced the Seljuk Turks’ attacks.This paper focuses on the establishment and development of the County of Edessa,and analyzes the important reasons for its existence for more than 40years—how to deal with the relationship of local Armenians.The County of Edessa was actually founded with the help of the Armenians,maintaining the alliance of Franks and Armenians was the first task of every count.The first chapter introduces the process of the foundation of county.The first military alliance between the Crusaders and Armenians was formed in Nicaea after the Crusaders had entered into Asia Minor.The Crusader continued south,in the course of passing through the Anatolian Plateau and dividing into their army for entering Cilicia,relations between the two sides had warmed further along the way.Baldwin went east into Northern Syria and entered the city at the invitation of the Lord of Edessa,Thoros,involved in the political struggle in Edessa.Finally,Armenians overthrew Thoros,Baldwin became the new ruler and founded the County of Edessa.Soon after the foundation of the county,Baldwin had successfully held off the army of Mosul,and made an important contribution to Crusaders’ final victory of capturing Antioch.The second chapter expounds the dawn of the county and faced the first crisis.Baldwin I firstly established Frankish authority in the county,and blended in Armenian community through intermarriage and other forms,but there also had rebellions that the Armenian nobles against his policies.As the same time as calming the civil unrest,Baldwin I attacked and occupied some cities around the county which had been captured by Turks before,the power of county was gradually stabilized.Before long,there had occurred the first unrest in the North Syria after the establishment of county,Bohemond was captured by Danishmend Turks;Baldwin I left Edessa for Jerusalem after Godfrey’s death,his younger cousin succeeded him as the new count.Baldwin II was captured by the Turks after his defeat at the Battle of Harran,this turn of events had left the Country of Edessa facing an existential crisis.The third chapter expounds the defusion of national crisis and the post-war consolidation.In the case of the count’s capture,Armenian people successful resisted the Seljuk Turks’ attacks on the city of Edessa led by Tancred.After Baldwin II was redeemed,because of the ownership of the county of Edessa and other problems,there had broken out a war between he and Tancred,finally they achieved the peace under the King Baldwin I’s intervention.In the meantime,he became suspicious of Armenians’ loyalty,he changed his previous soft policy towards Armenians,and despoiled the lands of Armenian lords by force,but such these violent ways did not provoke the civil crisis.After Joscelin I had succeeded,he devoted himself to restore relation with Armenians,reestablished the important position of Armenians in the county.When they faced the common enemy,Frankish rulers and Armenian people all needed the support and help of each other.The conclusion is that in the course of the foundation and existence of the County of Edessa,the alliance of the Franks and Armenians had always existed,although there were some conflicts due to their different interests,they also could ensure the continued existence of the county through co-operation.