Battle of Harran

Part of the Crusades

Date	May 7, 1104
Location	two days away from Harran, in the plain opposite to Raqqa
Result	Decisive Seljuk victory

Belligerents

Principality of Antioch
County of Edessa

Seljuk Turks

Commanders and leaders

Baldwin II of Edessa (POW),
Bohemund I of Antioch,
Tancred,
Joscelin of Courtenay (POW)

Jikirmish of Mosul,

Sokman

Strength

3,000 heavy cavalry
9,000 infantry and archers

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Heavy

Unknown

The Battle of Harran took place on May 7, 1104 between the Crusader states of the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa, and the Seljuk Turks. It was the first major battle against the newfound Crusader states in the aftermath of the First Crusade marking a key turning point against Frankish expansion. The battle had a disastrous effect on the Principality of Antioch as the Turks regained territory earlier lost.

In 1104 Baldwin II of Edessa had attacked and besieged the city of Harran. For his further support Baldwin sought help from Bohemond I of Antioch and Tancred, Prince of Galilee. Bohemond and Tancred marched north from Antioch to Edessa to join with Baldwin and Joscelin of Courtenay, accompanied by Bernard of Valence the Patriarch of Antioch, Daimbert of Pisa the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Benedict, the Archbishop of Edessa.

The Seljuks, under Jikirmish, governor of Mosul, and Sokman, the Artuqid lord of Mardin, gathered in the area of the Khabur, perhaps at Ra's al-'ain (Hellenistic Rhesaina). In May 1104 they attacked Edessa, perhaps to distract the crusaders from Harran, perhaps to take the city while the crusaders were elsewhere engaged.

...
Wikipedia