Battle of Melitene

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Melitene


caption=
partof=the Crusades
date=1100
place=Malatya, Turkey
result=Danishmend victory
combatant1=Principality of Antioch
combatant2=Danishmends
commander1=Bohemond I of Antioch
commander2=Malik Ghazi Gumushtekin
strength1=Unknown
strength2=Unknown
casualties1=Most killed, a few captured
casualties2=Unknown
In the Battle of Melitene in 1100, a Crusader force led by Bohemond I of Antioch was defeated by Danishmend Turks commanded by Malik Ghazi Gumushtekin.

After acquiring the Principality of Antioch in 1098, Bohemond allied himself with the Armenians of Cilicia. When Gabriel of Melitene and his Armenian garrison came under attack from the Danishmend state to their north, Bohemond marched to their relief with a Frankish force.

Malik Ghazi's Danishmends ambushed the expedition and "most of the Crusaders were killed." [Eggenberger, p 272] Bohemond was captured along with Richard of Salerno. Among the dead were the Armenian bishops of Marash and Antioch. Bohemond was held for ransom until 1103, and his rescue became the object of one column of the ill-fated Crusade of 1101.

This battle ended the string of victories enjoyed by the participants of the First Crusade. Baldwin, Count of Edessa and later king of Jerusalem, successfully relieved Melitene afterward. However, the Danishmends seized the town in 1103.

References

* Eggenberger, David. "An Encyclopedia of Battles." New York: Dover Publications, 1985. ISBN 0-486-24913-1

Footnotes