Ioannes II, increasingly contemptuous of his crusader allies, was bought off

Summary:
Ioannes II during the siege of Shayzar moved around all day fully armed, with a golden helmet, encouraging the army by word and example and arranging all military details. Young Raymond of Poitiers and Joscelin of Edessa, however, preferred dice to war, and influenced others. Ioannes tried secretly to improve their conduct, without success, and became angry at the slow progress of the siege. Murshid (Machedolus), who was in charge of the defence, was alarmed when all the citizens of a captured suburb were slaughtered, and offered a good deal of money and treasure to stop the siege. Ioannes, increasingly disillusioned with the lazy and faithless Raymond and Joscelin, for whom he was fighting, decided to accept Murshid's offer and leave Shayzar; Raymond and Joscelin now tried to dissuade him, but in vain. The ransom included some of the Byzantine treasures taken at Mantzikert 
Dates:
1138 
Emperor Ioannes II Komnenos (Ioannes 2)
  • Mustered his army in Cilicia, summoning Raymond 17001, Joscelin 4002 and other allies against Shayzar; in the siege he moved around fully armed, with a golden helmet, encouraging the army by word and example and arranging all military details (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.1-45
  • He noticed that young Raymond 17001 and Joscelin 4002 preferred dice to war, and influenced others; he tried secretly to improve their conduct, without success; angry at slow progress of the siege, he incited his men and they took a suburb (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.45-63
Joscelin II, count of Edessa (Joscelin 4002)
  • Was summoned by Ioannes 2 to take part in attack on Shayzar, but while Ioannes was busy all day pursuing the siege, Joscelin and Raymond 17001, being young, preferred to play dice, influencing others; Ioannes tried vainly to reform them (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.6-55
  • Ioannes 2, disillusioned with the lazy and faithless Joscelin and Raymond 17001 for whom he was fighting, decided to accept the offer of Murshid 101 and break off siege of Shayzar; Joscelin and Raymond now tried to dissuade him, but in vain (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.55-2.25
Majd al-Din Abu Salama Murshid, father of Usama (Murshid 101)
  • When Ioannes 2, Raymond 17001 and Joscelin 4002 besieged Shayzar, they captured a suburb and killed all but the Christians; this alarmed Machedolus and his citizens, who offered a large sum to stop the siege; it was accepted and the attackers withdrew (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.60-2.21
Raymond of Poitiers, prince of Antioch (Raymond 17001)
  • Was summoned by Ioannes 2 to take part in attack on Shayzar, but while Ioannes was busy all day pursuing the siege, Raymond and Joscelin 4002, being young, preferred to play dice, influencing others; Ioannes tried vainly to reform them (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.6-55
  • Ioannes 2, disillusioned with the lazy and faithless Raymond and Joscelin 4002 for whom he was fighting, decided to accept the offer of Murshid 101 and break off siege of Shayzar; Raymond and Joscelin now tried to dissuade him, but in vain (: ) William of Tyre bk. 15, 1.55-2.25