Editing 1145 (section)

=== By place ===

==== Levant ====
* Spring &ndash; Seljuk forces led by [[Imad al-Din Zengi]] capture [[Suruç|Saruj]], the second great Crusader fortress east of the [[Euphrates]]. They advance to [[Birecik|Birejik]] and besiege the city, but the garrison puts up a stiff resistance. Meanwhile, Queen-Regent [[Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem|Melisende of Jerusalem]] joins forces with [[Joscelin II, Count of Edessa|Joscelin II]], count of [[County of Edessa|Edessa]] and approaches the city. Zengi raises the siege after hearing rumours of trouble in [[Mosul]]. He rushes back with his army to take control. There, Zengi is praised throughout Islam as "defender of the faith" and ''al-Malik al-Mansur'', the "victorious king".<ref>[[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', p. 192. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29876-3}}.</ref>
* [[Raymond of Poitiers]], prince of [[principality of Antioch|Antioch]], travels to [[Constantinople]] to ask Emperor [[Manuel I Komnenos]] for help to support his campaign against the Seljuks. When he arrives, Raymond is forced to accept the suzerainty of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. Manuel treats him graciously, gives him gifts and promises him a money subsidy.<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', p. 193. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29876-3}}.</ref>

==== Europe ====
* Spring &ndash; [[Arnold of Brescia]], an Italian priest from [[Lombardy]], turns [[Rome]] into a republic with a government patterned on that of the [[Roman Republic]]. Arnold becomes the intellectual leader of the [[Commune of Rome]], calling for liberties and democratic rights after the deposition of [[Giordano Pierleoni]].

==== Africa ====
* Spring &ndash; Almohad forces under [[Abd al-Mu'min]] defeat a Muslim [[Almoravid dynasty|Almoravid]] army at [[Tlemcen]].<ref name=Maghrebclassique /> Almoravid ruler [[Tashfin ibn Ali]] dies while escaping his enemies near [[Oran]]. He is succeeded by his son [[Ibrahim ibn Tashfin]].
* The [[Merinids]] of [[Morocco|Maghrib al-Aqsa]] attempt to resist the Almohads but are forced into the desert areas around the [[Tafilalt]].<ref name=Maghrebclassique>{{cite book|last=Meynier|first=Gilbert|title=L'Algérie cœur du Maghreb classique. De l'ouverture islamo-arabe au repli (658-1518)|year=2010|publisher=La Découverte|location=Paris|isbn=978-2-7071-5231-2|page=171}}</ref> Oran falls to the Almohads.<ref>Picard C. (1997) ''La mer et les musulmans d'Occident au Moyen Âge''. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, p. 64</ref> A [[Siculo-Norman|Norman]] raid against the [[Tripolitania]] region succeeds.

==== Asia ====
* Estimation: [[Merv]] (in the [[Seljuk Empire]]) becomes the largest city in the world, surpassing Constantinople.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm |title=Geography at about.com |access-date=March 1, 2006 |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818124242/http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>