Battle of Hab In the Battle of Hab on August 14 , 1119 , a Crusader army commanded by King Baldwin II of Jerusalem won a disputed victory over a Muslim army led by Ilghazi of Mardin since the Muslim army claimed it as a victory . The battle partially stabilized the Principality of Antioch which had suffered a disastrous defeat only weeks before . Background . On June 28 , 1119 , Ilghazi ' s Turco - Syrian army destroyed the Antiochene army at the Battle of Ager Sanguinis . After his great victory , the Muslim leader ' s army captured a number of strongholds in the Latin principality , but more might have been achieved . " The failure of Il Ghazi to profit from his major victory . . . was due not only to his own subsequent and prolonged drunkenness , but to the scattering of his forces in search of plunder . " As soon as he heard the news , King Baldwin brought a force north from his Kingdom of Jerusalem to rescue Antioch . On the way , he picked up a contingent from the County of Tripoli under Count Pons . Baldwin assembled the remnants of Antioch ' s army and added them to his own soldiers . Then he moved toward Zerdana , 65 kilometers east - southeast of Antioch , which was besieged by Ilghazi . While camped at the Tell Danith watering point , Baldwin found out that Zerdana had fallen . Accordingly , the Crusaders prepared to retreat to the stronghold of Hab , c . 25 kilometers southwest of Zerdana . Battle . On the morning of August 14 , Baldwin carefully arranged the Frankish army for its retreat through open country . Leading the way were three squadrons of 700 knights . Behind them marched the several thousand infantryman , composed of bowmen and spearmen . Count Pons with his Tripolitan knights guarded the right flank . A body of Antiochene knights under Robert Fulcoy protected the left flank . More knights from Antioch guarded the rear . Baldwin led a reserve of mounted knights from Jerusalem , but it is not clear in what part of the formation he marched . The Artuqids hoped to provoke the Frankish cavalry into launching a premature charge or to open gaps in the enemy infantry formation . When such a favorable opportunity presented itself , they closed in to fight it out with lance and sword . As anticipated , the Artuqid horse archers began harassing the column at dawn . Ilghazi ' s attacks soon increased in intensity and the Crusader army was probably brought to a halt fairly early in the day . The three vanguard squadrons were dispersed and the main body of Latin infantry came under serious attack . The infantry sturdily defended itself , but , without its normal cavalry support , suffered heavy losses . On the left flank , Robert Fulcoy overcame the force opposed to him . But , after pursuing the Artuqids , he rode off with his knights to look into the possibility of retaking his stronghold of Zerdana . Meanwhile , the knights under Count Pons were scattered and some fled as far away as Antioch and Tripoli , spreading the news of a disaster . Count Pons and a handful of knights rallied to join Baldwin ' s reserve where they continued the contest . With adroit use of his reserve knights , Baldwin saved the day . By intervening at each threatened sector , he held his army together during the long and bitter fight . Eventually , the Artuqids admitted defeat and withdrew from the battlefield . Results . In Baldwin ' s narrow tactical victory , the Crusaders suffered serious losses . It may be surmised that the Turkish army also took painful losses , since Ilghazi withdrew his men from the fight , though claimed victory nevertheless . One historian notes that , " without opposition , Baldwin was able to recapture some of the places lost . " Strategically , it was a Christian victory which preserved the Principality of Antioch for several generations . The next major engagement in the area was the Battle of Azaz in 1125 .