The Christians captured a suburb of Shayzar, slaughtering its people; but not the citadel

Summary:
As he approached Shayzar, the local people formed themselves into a unified force for defence; they put up resistance in the marshes, but were defeated and driven back to the city, leaving the Byzantines to plunder everything in the countryside and small towns. The house of a friend of Usama, Yusuf b. Abi l-Gharib, was destroyed by a stone from a Byzantine siege-engine. Ioannes' men, organised by ethnic group, made steady progress into Shayzar despite resistance; he would have captured the city and its wealth, but for bad news of grave danger at Edessa; so he accepted gifts, including a table and cross, some of the spoils of Mantzikert, and withdrew back towards Antioch. As he left, he was attacked by the troops of 'Imad al-Din Zanki, haughtily riding their swift horses; but they paid for this pride with defeat and losses, especially the capture of two relatives of prominent men 
Dates:
1138 
Son of atabeg in Zengi's army (maybe of Zengi himself?) (Anonymus 25006)
  • He was captured alive, with Anonymus 25007, during a proud attack by Zengi 4001 on Ioannes 2 and his army as they left Shayzar: a kind of punishment for their pride (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 31.11-15
brother of Samouch, amir in Zengi's army (Anonymus 25007)
  • He was captured alive, with Anonymus 25006, during a proud attack by Zengi 4001 on Ioannes 2 and his army as they left Shayzar: a kind of punishment for their pride (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 31.11-15
amir of Shayzar (Anonymus 25045)
  • He defended his city against a hail of stones from catapults, in the hope of salvation; he was fortunate, being treated by Ioannes 2 with the utmost mercy (:) Italikos 263.8-15
Emperor Ioannes II Komnenos (Ioannes 2)
  • As he approached Shayzar, the people of the area formed themselves into a unified force for defence; they put up resistance in the marshes, but were defeated and driven back to the city, leaving the Byzantines to plunder all else (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 29.54-67
  • His men, organised by ethnic group, advanced into Shayzar despite resistance; he would have won the city and its wealth, but for news of grave danger at Edessa; so he accepted gifts, including some of the spoils of Mantzikert, and withdrew (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 29.68-31.7
  • As he was withdrawing from Shayzar, he was attacked by troops of Zengi 4001, haughtily riding their swift horses; but they paid for this pride with defeat and losses, especially the capture of Anonymus 25006 and Anonymus 25007 (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 31.8-15
  • In the captured suburb only Christians were spared; this alarmed Murshid 101 and the citizens, who offered a large sum to stop the siege; contemptuous of the Latins for whom he was fighting, Ioannes took the money and announced withdrawal (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.63-2.21
  • He assaulted Shayzar, which was difficult to attack, with showers of stones from catapults, but its ruler Anonymus 25045 sought clemency and was successful, being confirmned in its rule, in return for gigantic quantities of booty (:) Italikos 263.1-265.10
  • He attacked Shayzar, winning a terrible victory in the river flowing through it, which became red with blood; the desperate defenders offered him money and jewels, including an amazing cross, and he showed them mercy and left (:) Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 66.9-68.9
Yusuf b. Abi l-Gharib, friend of Usama (Yusuf 101)
  • His house was destroyed by one of the heavy stones hurled by the Byzantines during their siege of Shayzar (:) Usama 113
'Imad al-Din Zanki, atabeg of Mosul (Zengi 4001)
  • He attacked the army of Ioannes 2 as it left Shayzar, his cavalry proudly riding swift horses; as if as punishment for this pride, he lost as prisoners Anonymus 25006 and Anonymus 25007, the relatives of two prominent men (:) Niketas Choniates, Historia 31.8-15