Bursuq II

Bursuq ibn Bursuq was a Turkmen general in the service of the Seljuq Sultan Muhammad I Tapar, and was the most notable son of Bursuq the Elder.^[1][2] As Emir of Hamadan, he participated in the military campaigns against the crusader states since 1110.^[2] Ilghazi, Artuqid Emir of Mardin defeated the supreme commander of the Sultan's army, Aqsunqur al-Bursuqi, in late 1114, and later declared rebellion.^[3][4] Muhammad I soon replaced Aqsunqur with Bursuq, also charging him with the direction of jihad against the Crusaders.^[2][3] After gathering new troops in Mosul and Jazira, Bursuq invaded Syria in early 1115.^[4][5][6] After besieging Edessa for a short time, he marched towards Aleppo where he wanted to establish his base of operation.^[4][5] The eunuch atabeg of Aleppo, Lulu, sent envoys to Ilghazi, and the atabeg of Damascus, Toghtekin, seeking their assistance against Bursuq.^[5] Ilghazi and Toghtekin approached Roger of Salerno, who ruled the Principality of Antioch, and Roger soon called on the heads of the other crusader states, Baldwin I of Jerusalem, Pons of Tripoli and Baldwin II of Edessa.^[5] Roger defeated Bursuq in the Battle of Tell Danith on 14 September 1115.^[6][7] After Bursuq's defeat, the Seljuks of Mosul refrained from launching a new military expedition against the crusader states in Syria for ten years.^[2]