Battle of Azaz (1125)

Battle of Azaz
Part of the Crusades

Coin depicting Baldwin II of Jerusalem
DateJune 11, 1125
Location
Result Armenian-Crusader victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Jerusalem
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Principality of Antioch
County of Edessa
County of Tripoli
Seljuk Turks
Artuqids
Burid dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Baldwin II of Jerusalem
Leo I of Armenia
Joscelin I of Edessa
Pons of Tripoli
Aq-Sunqur il-Bursuqi
Toghtekin
Strength

3,100


1,100 knights
2,000 infantry
15,000
Casualties and losses
20 including 5 knights 1,000–5,015 killed

The Battle of Azaz was fought on 11 June 1125 between King Baldwin II of Jerusalem's crusader forces and allied Muslim forces led by Aq-Sunqur al-Bursuqi, the Seljuq atabeg of Mosul. One of the bloodiest confrontations before the Second Crusade, the battle resulted in a decisive victory for the Crusaders, causing disturbances of power in the Levant and weakening Seljuk domination in the area. Contemporary chronicler Matthew of Edessa even states that the remnants of al-Bursuqi's army were chased all the way to Aleppo. The battle effectively lifted the siege of Azaz and prevented it from falling to Turkoman hands. (One authority says the battle was fought on June 13.)