Editing Eleanor of Aquitaine (section)

==== Ephesus to Jerusalem (1148–1149) ====
[[File:RaymondOfPoitiersWelcomingLouisVIIinAntioch.JPG|thumb|Crusaders welcomed at Antioch (Marmerot)|alt=Illustration of the crusaders being welcomed at Antioch, by Marmerot]]
In January 1148, Louis decided to travel inland towards [[Laodicea on the Lycus|Laodicea]] in [[Phrygia]], to reach [[Antalya]] on the south coast and thus Antioch more quickly. They reached Laodicea on 6 January and then their route took them across the mountains. On the day of their crossing of [[Topçambaba Mountain|Mount Cadmus]], Louis took charge of the rear of the column, where the unarmed pilgrims and the baggage trains were, while the [[vanguard]] was commanded by the Aquitainian, [[Geoffrey de Rancon]], and instructed to set camp on the plateau before the next pass. They reached the summit of Cadmus, one of the highest in their path, but Rancon, in concert with Louis's uncle [[Amadeus III of Savoy]], chose to continue on through the pass to the next valley.{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=60–61}}{{sfn|Marvin|2019}} Accordingly, when the main part of the column arrived, and approached the pass, separated from both the vanguard and rearguard, they were ambushed by the Turkish forces. In the ensuing [[Battle of Mount Cadmus]], the Turks inflicted great losses on the French, while Louis barely escaped.{{sfn|Berry|1948|pp=118–119}}{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}

The chronicler [[William of Tyre]], writing between 1170 and 1184 and thus perhaps too long after the event to be considered historically accurate, placed the blame for this disaster firmly on the amount of baggage being carried, much of it reputedly belonging to Eleanor and her ladies, and the presence of non-combatants.{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}} Louis was a weak and ineffectual military leader with no skill for maintaining troop discipline or morale, or of making informed and logical tactical decisions.{{sfn|Marvin|2019}}{{sfn|Phillips|2003|p=91}} Official blame for the disaster was placed on Geoffrey de Rancon, who had made the decision to continue. Since Geoffrey was Eleanor's vassal, many believed that it was she who had been ultimately responsible for the change in plan, and thus the massacre. This suspicion of responsibility did nothing for her popularity in [[Christendom]]. She was also blamed for the size of the baggage train and the fact that her Aquitanian soldiers had marched at the front and thus were not involved in the fight. The survivors reached Antalya on 20 January.{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}{{sfn|Marvin|2019}}{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=61–62}}

[[File:2nd Crusade council at Jerusalem.jpg|thumb|[[Council of Acre]]: [[Conrad III of Germany]], [[Louis VII of France]], and [[Baldwin III of Jerusalem]]|alt=Illustration showing Conrad, Louis and Baldwin at the Council of Acre]]
[[File:Siege of Damascus, second crusade.jpg|thumb|[[Siege of Damascus (1148)|Siege of Damascus]]|alt=Illustration showing the siege of Damascus in 1148]]
In Antalya, the crusaders found there was a limited number of ships available, and those that were required more money than they were willing to pay. Consequently, the royal party sailed from the port with a relatively small group of followers, arriving in Antioch on 19 March, well behind schedule. The remainder attempted to complete the journey with great hardship and much loss, only about half of them completing the journey.{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=62–63}}{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}

While the crusaders were initially welcomed, tensions grew between them and Raymond. Raymond's agenda was to attack [[Aleppo]] and regain control of Edessa, and hence gain some security, while Louis was determined to press on to Jerusalem, despite the original papal decree being to recapture Edessa.{{efn|The crusade had been prompted by the [[Siege of Edessa (1144)|siege and subsequent capture]] of the crusader state of Edessa in 1144 by the Turkish ruler [[Imad al-Din Zengi|Zengi]]}} Louis was not keen to fight in northern Syria, and his forces were badly depleted. Furthermore, he had a personal agenda to journey in pilgrimage to [[Jerusalem]].{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=62–63}}

Eleanor's loyalty to her uncle created conflict between her and Louis.{{sfn|Chambers|1941}} Eventually the French, now only a tenth of their original strength, left Antioch abruptly on 28 March, despite Eleanor's protests and attempts to remain with Raymond. These conflicts once again led to the question of consanguinity being raised.{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=63–67}}{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}{{sfn|Hodgson|2007|pp=131–134}} According to [[John of Salisbury]], it was Eleanor who prompted this.{{sfn|Chibnall|1986|pp=52–53}} The crusaders reached Jerusalem in May, entering by the [[Jaffa Gate]], where they were greeted by [[Queen Melisende]] and [[King Baldwin III]]. A [[Council of Acre|conference]] was then held at [[Acre, Israel|Acre]] on 24 June, to discuss strategic plans. This resulted in the disastrous [[siege of Damascus (1148)|siege of Damascus]] on 24 July. The crusaders' forced withdrawal after only four days effectively ended the crusade and many of the survivors started making plans to return, but Louis vowed to celebrate Easter 1149 in the Holy Land, despite the pleas of Suger.{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=67–70}}{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}

The sojourn in Antioch, the conflict between the rulers and the resulting rift between the royal couple led to chroniclers, such as John of Salisbury and William of Tyre, hinting at an adulterous and incestuous affair between Eleanor and Raymond. Such an affair would become an enduring part of her legend, which in some versions also depicted her as having an affair with a Saracen leader. Contemporary accounts suggest it was her attention to political affairs that was considered the greatest stain on her character.{{sfn|Weir|2012|pp=65–66}}{{sfn|Turner|2009|loc=cap 3}}{{sfn|Crawford|2012}}