Battle of Bosra ( 1147 ) In the Battle of Bosra in 1147 , a Crusader force commanded by King Baldwin III of Jerusalem fought an inconclusive running battle with Turkish forces from Damascus led by Mu ' in ad - Din Unur aided by Nur ad - Din ' s contingent from Mosul and Aleppo . Since the Frankish army ' s attempted acquisition of Bosra was thwarted , the campaign ended in a strategic victory for Damascus . Background . In 1147 , Altuntash , the emir of Bosra and Salkhad squabbled with his nominal superior , Mu ' in ad - Din Unur , ruler of Damascus . Offended , Altuntash allied himself with the Crusaders and agreed to hand over his two cities . King Baldwin III concentrated his army , crossed the Jordan River and moved toward Bosra , about 65 miles south - southeast of Damascus and 50 miles east of the Jordan . Running battle . Soon after the Crusader march began , the Damascene army showed up in great strength to contest their advance . Many Latin soldiers were eager for battle , but more cautious heads prevailed . Posting extra guards to watch for a surprise attack , the Frankish army made camp and spent the night . After a council of war the next day , Baldwin and his officers determined to continue the expedition to Bosra in a fighting march . The Latin army moved in the usual formation when opposed by an army of Turkish horse archers . Provision was made to oppose attacks on the van , the flanks and the rear . The Frankish foot soldiers marched in close formation with foot archers ready to fire back at the Turkish horse archers and spearmen ready to repel a direct attack . " In order to maintain the solidity of the column , the pace of the mounted troops was made to conform to that of the infantry . " For four days , the Crusaders advanced toward their intended goal , under constant archery and probing attacks . Further , the soldiers were bedeviled by thirst in the hot summer weather . When they arrived at Bosra , the Franks managed to obtain water and other supplies . The Crusaders ' high hopes were dashed when they found that Altuntash ' s wife , made of sterner stuff than her husband , had introduced a Damascene garrison into Bosra ' s citadel . Unwilling to chance a siege close to an enemy host , Baldwin elected to withdraw . The Franks suffered even worse on their return march from the heat , dust and constant harassment by the Turks . One day , the Saracens set fire to the dry brush upwind of the Franks , adding to their misery . The Crusaders carried their dead and wounded with them so that their enemies would not be encouraged by their losses . " Any man who left his place in the ranks was threatened with severe penalties . " Leaving the ranks without permission was forbidden . However , one exception was that a knight was allowed to rescue a Christian if he was about to be killed by a Muslim . As the Franks neared their own territories , the Saracens redoubled their attacks on the Latin rearguard , trying to separate it from the rest of the formation . Near the moment of crisis , a Turk fighting with the Crusaders rode out without leave and killed an opponent in personal combat . This so dismayed the Damascenes and encouraged the Franks that " excuses were found for his breach of orders . " Ultimately , the Saracens were unable to stop the Crusader army from recrossing the Jordan and safely returning to the Kingdom of Jerusalem . The running battle lasted twelve days . Aftermath . Baldwin ' s bid to capture Bosra and Salkhad was a strategic failure . Mu ' in ad - Din Unur seized control of both cities soon afterward . The Bosra fight is interesting on two levels . It shows how careful and cautious the Crusader leaders often were , unlike the popular image of impulsive hotheads . It also demonstrates the ability of a well - led Latin host to literally march through its enemies if discipline and fighting power were maintained . The next actions involving Crusaders were the Second Battle of Dorylaeum in late 1147 , the Siege of Damascus in 1148 and the Battle of Inab in 1149 .