One week had passed since Rodrigo and Geoffrey had spoken to Tancred, but no word had come regarding the mission. It was now the end of May, and news arrived in camp that sank the Crusaders’ morale just as it was starting to rise. Word had come from the city of Edessa to the east, now being governed by Count Baldwin, that they had been besieged by a massive Turkish army under the command of Kerbogah of Mosul.
Kerbogah had joined forces with Ridwan of Aleppo and Duqaq of Damascus, both of whom had suffered recent defeats by the Crusaders and were hungry for revenge. Their combined army numbered around thirty-eight thousand men. Growing frustrated with the stubborn defense of Edessa by Count Baldwin, Kerbogah decided not to waste any more time and lifted the siege after just three weeks and
