Aleppo

Cities of the Crusades

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Currently in northern Syria (one of the northern-most cities of Syrian, in fact), Aleppo is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world (competing with Damascus) and can trace its history back to at least 1800 BCE. The origins of the name Aleppo can be traced the Semitic word Halab, which means "fresh milk." According to tradition Abraham lived here briefly and gave milk to all who asked it of him.

Cities of the Crusades: Aleppo
Aleppo From the Air	Aleppo Fortress

Other names for the city have included Khalpe and Beroea. The oldest portions of the city are contained within a 3-mile-long wall with seven gates. The medieval portions of the city are mostly on a very large mound in the center. All around the nearby region are other, dead cities dating back hundred and thousands of years.

Originally a part of the Amorite kingdom of Yamkhad, it became a Hittite center when they overthrew the Amorites in 1595 BCE. Around 800 BCE the Assyrians took over and later control passed to the Persians until Alexander the Great arrived in 333 BCE. From there it was part of the Seleucid Greek empire until the province of Syria was brought under direct Roman control in 64 BCE.

Later Aleppo was part of the Byzantine Empire until captured by Arabs in 637 CE. Aleppo was ruled by Seljuks from 1090 to 1117, by the Ortoks from 1117 to 1183, was besieged by the Crusaders in 1098 and 1124, but they never capture it. Aleppo was then ruled by the Ayoubites from 1183 to 1260, by the Mongols after 1260, and then finally came under control of Muslims again in 137 and then the Ottoman Turks in 1517.

In 1119, at the Battle of the Field of Blood (Ager Sanguinis), Muslim forces defeated Roger of Antioch and a Frankish army at Aleppo. In 1128 Imad ad-Din Zengi became the atabeg of Aleppo after taking control of it from the Ortoqid emirs. Zengi would go on to be a major threat to Crusader states in the region.

In 1160, Raymond of Chantillion was captured during a Muslim ambush and is imprisoned for 14 years in Aleppo. Once released, his hatred of Islam and Muslims would be even greater than before and would be instrumental in the Third Crusade being launched.