Editing 1138 (section)

==== Middle East ====
* Spring &ndash; Emperor [[John II Komnenos|John II]] (Komnenos) leads a Byzantine expeditionary force into [[Bilad al-Sham|Syria]] and arrives before the walls of [[Aleppo]] on [[April 20]]. The city proves too strong to attack, but the fortresses of [[Bizaah|Biza'a]], [[Atarib|Athareb]], [[Ma'arrat Nu'man]] and [[Kafartab]] are taken by assault. While the Byzantines besiege the city of [[Shaizar]], the Crusader allies Prince [[Raymond of Poitiers]] of [[Principality of Antioch|Antioch]] and Count [[Joscelin II, Count of Edessa|Joscelin II]] of [[County of Edessa|Edessa]] remain in their camp playing [[dice]].<ref>[[Steven Runciman]] (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', pp. 173–174. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29876-3}}.</ref>
* [[Siege of Shaizar]]: The Byzantines under John II besiege the capital of the [[Banu Munqidh|Munqidhite Emirate]]. They capture the lower city on [[May 20]], but fail to take the citadel. John negotiates with Emir [[Banu Munqidh|Abu'l Asakir Sultan]] – who sends him an offer to pay a large indemnity and becoming a [[vassal]] of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. John, disgusted by his Crusader allies, accepts the terms and raises the siege on [[May 21]].<ref>Steven Runciman (1952). ''A History of The Crusades. Vol II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem'', pp. 173–175. {{ISBN|978-0-241-29876-3}}.</ref>
* [[October 11]] &ndash; [[1138 Aleppo earthquake|An earthquake]] in [[Aleppo]], [[Syria (region)|Syria]], kills about 230,000 people.
* [[Al-Rashid Billah]] (Deposed caliph of [[Baghdad]]) fled to [[Isfahan (city)|Isfahan]] where he was assassinated by a team of four [[Order of Assassins|Nizari Ismailis (Assassins)]] in June 1138. This was celebrated in [[Alamut Castle|Alamut]] for a week by [[Shia]]s.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Daftary |first1=Farhad |title=The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines |date=1992 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-42974-0 |page=384 |language=en}}</ref>