Final attempts to find a role for the crusaders were unsuccessful; departure of Conrad III

Summary:
After retreat from Damascus, the Christians returned to the kingdom, leaving the people of Damascus to rejoice. The Christian rulers met again to discuss other plans for co-operation, like th capture of Askalon, which would involve much shorter distances. However each proposal was rejected as soon as it was made. Conrad III soon decided that he had no further role to play, and so he prepared his ships and left for Byzantium. He may have left in the same ships of Nikephoros Dasiotes in which he had come 
Dates:
1148: 
Baldwin III, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 53)
  • He returned despondently to the kingdom with the other Christians, while the Damascenes rejoiced; the Christian rulers met to discuss other plans, like the capture of Askalon, but each proposal was rejected as soon as made; Conrad 53 decided he had no role to play, so prepared his ships and left (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 7.45-8.3
Conrad III Hohenstaufen, king of Germany (Conrad 53)
  • He returned despondently to the kingdom with the other Christians, while the Damascenes rejoiced; the Christian rulers met to discuss other plans, like the capture of Askalon, but each proposal was rejected as soon as made; Conrad decided he had no role to play, so prepared his ships and left (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 7.45-8.3
Louis VII, king of France (Louis 101)
  • He returned despondently to the kingdom with the other Christians, while the Damascenes rejoiced; the Christian rulers met to discuss other plans, like the capture of Askalon, but each proposal was rejected as soon as made; Conrad 53 decided he had no role to play, so prepared his ships and left (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 7.45-8.3
Nikephoros Dasiotes, ship captain (Nikephoros 17002)
  • Commanded the ship which took the German ruler Conrad 53, with considerable Byzantine money, to Palestine and back to Thessalonike (:) Kinnamos 86.21-87.4