Sufferingatthesametimeforwantofprovisions，theyfellaneasypreytotheirpursuers。CountBernhard，oneofthebravestleadersoftheGermanexpedition，wassurrounded，withhiswholedivision，notoneofwhomescapedtheTurkisharrows。TheEmperorhimselfhadnearlyfallenavictim，andwastwiceseverelywounded。Soperseveringwastheenemy，andsolittleableweretheGermanstomakeevenashowofresistance，thatwhenConradatlastreachedthecityofNice，hefoundthat，insteadofbeingattheheadofanimposingforceofonehundredthousandfootandseventythousandhorse，hehadbutfiftyorsixtythousandmen，andtheseinthemostwornandweariedcondition。
TotallyignorantofthetreacheryoftheGreekEmperor，althoughhehadbeenwarnedtobewareofit，LouisVII。proceeded，attheheadofhisarmy，throughWormsandRatisbon，towardsConstantinople。AtRatisbonhewasmetbyadeputationfromManuel，bearingletterssofullofhyperboleandflattery，thatLouisisreportedtohaveblushedwhentheywerereadtohimbytheBishopofLangres。TheobjectofthedeputationwastoobtainfromtheFrenchKingapromisetopassthroughtheGrecianterritoriesinapeaceableandfriendlymanner，andtoyieldtotheGreekEmperoranyconquesthemightmakeinAsiaMinor。Thefirstpartofthepropositionwasimmediatelyaccededto，butnonoticewastakenofthesecondandmoreunreasonable。Louismarchedon，and，passingthroughHungary，pitchedhistentsintheoutskirtsofConstantinople。
Onhisarrival，Manuelsenthimafriendlyinvitationtoenterthecity，attheheadofasmalltrain。Louisatonceacceptedit，andwasmetbytheEmperorattheporchofhispalace。Thefairestpromisesweremade；everyartthatflatterycouldsuggestwasresortedto，andeveryargumentemployed，toinducehimtoyieldhisfutureconqueststotheGreek。Louisobstinatelyrefusedtopledgehimself，andreturnedtohisarmy，convincedthattheEmperorwasamannottobetrusted。Negotiationswere，however，continuedforseveraldays，tothegreatdissatisfactionoftheFrencharmy。ThenewsthatarrivedofatreatyenteredintobetweenManuelandtheTurkishSultanchangedtheirdissatisfactionintofury，andtheleadersdemandedtobeledagainstConstantinople，swearingthattheywouldrazethetreacherouscitytotheground。Louisdidnotfeelinclinedtoaccedetothisproposal，and，breakinguphiscamp，hecrossedoverintoAsia。
Hereheheard，forthefirsttime，ofthemishapsoftheGermanEmperor，whomhefoundinawoefulplightunderthewallsofNice。Thetwomonarchsunitedtheirforces，andmarchedtogetheralongthesea-coasttoEphesus；butConrad，jealous，itwouldappear，ofthesuperiornumbersoftheFrench，andnotlikingtosinkintoavassal，forthetimebeing，ofhisrival，withdrewabruptlywiththeremnantofhislegions，andreturnedtoConstantinople。Manuelwasallsmilesandcourtesy。HecondoledwiththeGermansofeelinglyuponhislosses，andcursedthestupidityortreacheryoftheguideswithsuchapparentheartiness，thatConradwashalfinclinedtobelieveinhissincerity。
Louis，marchingonwardinthedirectionofJerusalem，cameupwiththeenemyonthebanksoftheMeander。TheTurkscontestedthepassageoftheriver，buttheFrenchbribedapeasanttopointoutafordlowerdown:crossingtheriverwithoutdifficulty，theyattackedtheTurkswithmuchvigour，andputthemtoflight。WhethertheTurkswerereallydefeated，ormerelypretendedtobeso，isdoubtful；butthelattersuppositionseemstobethetrueone。Itisprobablethatitwaspartofaconcertedplantodrawtheinvadersonwardstomoreunfavourableground，wheretheirdestructionmightbemorecertain。Ifsuchwerethescheme，itsucceededtotheheart’swishofitsprojectors。Thecrusaders，onthethirddayaftertheirvictory，arrivedatasteepmountain-pass，onthesummitofwhichtheTurkishhostlayconcealedsoartfully，thatnottheslightestvestigeoftheirpresencecouldbeperceived。“Withlabouringstepsandslow，“
theytoiledupthesteepascent，whensuddenlyatremendousfragmentofrockcameboundingdowntheprecipiceswithanawfulcrash，bearingdismayanddeathbeforeit。AtthesameinstanttheTurkisharchersstartedfromtheirhiding-places，anddischargedashowerofarrowsuponthefootsoldiers，whofellbyhundredsatatime。Thearrowsreboundedharmlesslyagainsttheironmailoftheknights，whichtheTurksobserving，tookaimattheirsteeds，andhorseandriderfelldownthesteepintotherapidtorrentwhichrushedbelow。Louis，whocommandedtherear-guard，receivedthefirstintimationoftheonslaughtfromthesightofhiswoundedandflyingsoldiers，and，notknowingthenumbersoftheenemy，hepushedvigorouslyforwardtostay，byhispresence，thepanicwhichhadtakenpossessionofhisarmy。Allhiseffortswereinvain。Immensestonescontinuedtobehurleduponthemastheyadvanced，bearingmenandhorsebeforethem；
andthosewhosucceededinforcingtheirwaytothetop，weremethand-to-handbytheTurks，andcastdownheadlongupontheircompanions。Louishimselffoughtwiththeenergyofdesperation，buthadgreatdifficultytoavoidfallingintotheenemy’shands。Heescapedatlastundercoverofthenight，withtheremnantofhisforces，andtookuphispositionbeforeAttalia。Hereherestoredthedisciplineandthecourageofhisdisorganizedanddisheartenedfollowers，anddebatedwithhiscaptainstheplanthatwastobepursued。Aftersufferingseverelybothfromdiseaseandfamine，itwasresolvedthattheyshouldmarchtoAntioch，whichstillremainedanindependentprincipalityunderthesuccessorsofBohemundofTarentum。
AtthistimethesovereigntywasvestedinthepersonofRaymond，theuncleofEleanorofAquitaine。ThisPrince，presuminguponhisrelationshiptotheFrenchQueen，endeavouredtowithdrawLouisfromthegrandobjectoftheCrusade——thedefenceofthekingdomofJerusalem，andsecurehisco-operationinextendingthelimitsandthepowerofhisprincipalityofAntioch。ThePrinceofTripoliformedasimilardesign，butLouisrejectedtheoffersofboth，andmarchedafterashortdelaytoJerusalem。TheEmperorConradwastherebeforehim，havingleftConstantinoplewithpromisesofassistancefromManuelComnenus；assistancewhichneverarrived，andwasneverintended。
AgreatcounciloftheChristianprincesofPalestineandtheleadersoftheCrusadewasthensummoned，todiscussthefutureoperationsofthewar。ItwasultimatelydeterminedthatitwouldfurtherthecauseoftheCrossinagreaterdegreeiftheunitedarmies，insteadofproceedingtoEdessa，laidsiegetothecityofDamascus，anddrovetheSaracensfromthatstrongposition。Thiswasaboldscheme，and，haditbeenboldlyfollowedout，wouldhaveinsured，inallprobability，thesuccessofthewar。ButtheChristianleadersneverlearnedfromexperiencethenecessityofunion，thatverysoulofgreatenterprises。Thoughtheyallagreeduponthepolicyoftheplan，yeteveryonehadhisownnotionsastothemeansofexecutingit。ThePrincesofAntiochandTripoliwerejealousofeachother，andoftheKingofJerusalem。TheEmperorConradwasjealousoftheKingofFrance，andtheKingofFrancewasdisgustedwiththemall。ButhehadcomeouttoPalestineinaccordancewithasolemnvow；hisreligion，thoughitmaybecalledbigotry，wassincere；andhedeterminedtoremaintotheverylastmomentthatachancewasleft，ofeffectinganygoodforthecausehehadsethishearton。
ThesiegeofDamascuswasaccordinglycommenced，andwithsomuchabilityandvigourthattheChristiansgainedaconsiderableadvantageattheveryoutset。Forweeksthesiegewaspressed，tilltheshatteredfortificationsanddiminishingresistanceofthebesiegedgaveevidencethatthecitycouldnotholdoutmuchlonger。Atthatmomenttheinsanejealousyoftheleadersledtodissensionsthatsooncausedtheutterfailure，notonlyofthesiege，butoftheCrusade。A
moderncookery-book，ingivingarecipeforcookingahare，says，“firstcatchyourhare，andthenkillit；“amaximofindisputablewisdom。TheChristianchiefsonthisoccasionhadnotsomuchsagacity，fortheybeganaviolentdisputeamongthemselvesforthepossessionofacitywhichwasstillunconquered。TherebeingalreadyaPrinceofAntiochandaPrinceofTripoli，twentyclaimantsstartedfortheprincipalityofDamascus，andagrandcounciloftheleaderswasheldtodeterminetheindividualonwhomthehonourshoulddevolve。Manyvaluabledayswerewastedinthisdiscussion，theenemyinthemeanwhilegainingstrengthfromtheirinactivity。Itwasatlength，afterastormydeliberation，agreedthatCountRobertofFlanders，whohadtwicevisitedtheHolyLand，shouldbeinvestedwiththedignity。Theotherclaimantsrefusedtorecognisehim，ortoco-operateinthesiege，untilamoreequitablearrangementhadbeenmade。Suspicionfilledthecamp；themostsinisterrumoursofintriguesandtreacheryweresetafloat；andthediscontentedcandidateswithdrewatlasttotheothersideofthecity，andcommencedoperationsontheirownaccount，withoutaprobabilityofsuccess。Theyweresoonjoinedbytherestofthearmy。Theconsequencewasthattheweakestsideofthecity，andthatonwhichtheyhadalreadymadeconsiderableprogressintheworkofdemolition，wasleftuncovered。Theenemywasprompttoprofitbythemistake，andreceivedanabundantsupplyofprovisions，andrefortifiedthewalls，beforethecrusaderscametotheirsensesagain。Whenthisdesirableeventhappened，itwastoolate。SaphEddin，thepowerfulEmirofMousoul，wasintheneighbourhood，attheheadofalargearmy，advancingbyforcedmarchestothereliefofthecity。Thesiegewasabruptlyabandoned，andthefoolishcrusadersreturnedtoJerusalem，havingdonenothingtoweakentheenemy，buteverythingtoweakenthemselves。
Thefreshnessofenthusiasmhadnowcompletelysubsided；——eventhemeanestsoldiersweresickatheart。Conrad，fromwhosefiercezealattheoutsetsomuchmighthavebeenexpected，wasweariedwithreverses，andreturnedtoEuropewiththepoorremnantofhishost。
Louislingeredashorttimelonger，forveryshame，butthepressingsolicitationsofhisministerSugerinducedhimtoreturntoFrance。
ThusendedthesecondCrusade。Itshistoryisbutachronicleofdefeats。ItleftthekingdomofJerusaleminaworsestatethanwhenitquittedEurope，andgainednothingbutdisgraceforitsleadersanddiscouragementforallconcerned。
St。Bernard，whohadprophesiedaresultsodifferent，fellafterthisintosomedisrepute，andexperienced，likemanyotherprophets，thefateofbeingwithouthonourinhisowncountry。Whatmadethematterworse，hecouldnotobtainitinanyother。Still，however，therewerenotwantingzealousadvocatestostandforwardinhisbehalf，andstemthetideofincredulity，which，unopposed，wouldhavecarriedawayhisreputation。TheBishopofFreysinghendeclaredthatprophetswerenotalwaysabletoprophesy，andthatthevicesofthecrusadersdrewdownthewrathofHeavenuponthem。ButthemostingeniousexcuseevermadeforSt。BernardistobefoundinhislifebyGeoffroideClairvaux，wherehepertinaciouslyinsiststhattheCrusadewasnotunfortunate。St。Bernard，hesays，hadprophesiedahappyresult，andthatresultcouldnotbeconsideredotherthanhappywhichhadpeopledheavenwithsogloriousanarmyofmartyrs。Geoffroiwasacunningpleader，and，nodoubt，convincedafewofthezealous；
butplainpeople，whowerenotwantingeveninthosedays，retainedtheirownopinion，or，whatamountstothesamething，“wereconvincedagainsttheirwill。“
WenowcometotheconsiderationofthethirdCrusade，andofthecauseswhichrendereditnecessary。Theepidemicfrenzy，whichhadbeencoolingeversincetheissueofthefirstexpedition，wasnowextinct，orverynearlyso，andthenationsofEuropelookedwithcoldindifferenceuponthearmamentsoftheirprinces。Butchivalryhadflourishedinitsnaturalelementofwar，andwasnowinallitsglory。ItcontinuedtosupplyarmiesfortheHolyLandwhenthepopularranksrefusedtodeliveruptheirable-bodiedswarms。Poetry，which，morethanreligion，inspiredthethirdCrusade，wasthenbut“caviaretothemillion，“whohadothermatters，ofsternerimport，toclaimalltheirattention。Buttheknightsandtheirretainerslistenedwithdelighttothemartialandamatorystrainsoftheminstrels，minnesangers，trouveres，andtroubadours，andburnedtowinfavourinladies’eyesbyshowingprowessinHolyLand。ThethirdwastrulytheromanticeraoftheCrusades。Menfoughtthen，notsomuchforthesepulchreofJesus，andthemaintenanceofaChristiankingdomintheEast，astogaingloryforthemselvesinthebest，andalmostonlyfield，whereglorycouldbeobtained。Theyfought，notaszealots，butassoldiers；notforreligion，butforhonour；notforthecrownofmartyrdom，butforthefavourofthelovely。