Baldwin II tried, but failed, to defend Kharpurt against Balak

Summary:
Balak was warned of the crisis by his dream of Joscelin, and immediately surrounded the castle. Baldwin II tried to fortifiy Kharpurt, rejecting a polite offer of a safe-conduct for himself and his companions to Edessa or Antioch. Balak quickly lost patience with the negotiations, threatened vengeance, and undermined the fortress, brought down a tower, and eventually forced Baldwin to surrender unconditionally. The fifty Armenians were brutally butchered. The remaining prisoners, including Baldwin, his nephew and Waleran, were recaptured and taken for safer imprisonment to Harran 
Dates:
1123 
nephew of Baldwin II of Jerusalem (Anonymus 4039)
  • Imprisoned with his uncle, Baldwin 52, in Kharpurt, he was freed by Armenians, but then recaptured by Balak and moved to Harran (: ) William of Tyre bk. 12, 19.31-35
Balak of Khanzit (Balak 4001)
  • He confronted Baldwin 52 at once, seeking to recover his castle by offering hostages and giving Baldwin a safe-conduct to Antioch or Edessa; when this failed he lost his temper and spoke of vengeance, digging into the rock on which the castle stood and undermining it (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.26.1-2
  • His undermining, followed by a fire, caused the collapse of a tower in Kharpurt, and compelled Baldwin 52 to surrender unconditionally; he cruelly butchered the 50 Armenians who had freed his captives, but returned Baldwin, Waleran 4001 and Anonymus 4039 to a safer prison at Harran (:) Fulcher of Chartres 3.26.2-4
  • Warned by dream of Joscelin 4001, he soon surrounded Kharpurt; when Baldwin 52 rejected offer of safe-conduct, undermined citadel, forcing unconditional surrender; moved Baldwin, Waleran 4001 and Anonymus 4039 to Harran, butchering the 50 Armenians (: ) William of Tyre bk. 12, 19.1-41
Baldwin of Bourcq, Baldwin II, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 52)
  • Fortified Kharpurt against Balak 4001; rejected safe-conduct for himself and companions to Antioch or Edessa, but was forced to surrender unconditionally when the fortress was undermined; he was taken to Harran with Waleran 4001 and Anonymus 4039, but 50 Armenians were killed brutally (: ) William of Tyre bk. 12, 19.1-41
Waleran of Birejik (Waleran 4001)
  • After Balak 4001 had recaptured Kharpurt from Baldwin 52, Waleran, like the other remaining captives, was sent to a safer prison at Harran (:) Fulcher of Chartres 3.26.4