Siege of Damascus

July 24, 1148

The reunited Second Crusade camped in the orchards outside Damascus and, after four days, made the strange decision to shift to the city's arid eastern side. Within hours their camp was raked by archers and they had to retreat in disarray. The humiliation effectively ended the crusade. The debacle at Damascus destroyed whatever trust remained between the Crusader residents and the newly arrived European kings, who blamed each other for the failure.