BATTLE OF THE FIELD OF BLOOD
“AS ONE MISFORTUNE OFTEN FOLLOWS A WORSE”
Roger had assumed the position of regent for Bohemond II in 1112, as the prince was only a young child. It was Roger’s good fortune to arrive at a time when the govern ance of Aleppo, the nearest and most powerful Syrian city, was plunged into chaos in the wake of the death of its long-reigning sultan, Fakhr al-Mulk Ridwan, in 1113. Roger wholeheartedly embraced the crusad ing spirit and would prove himself to be a fearsome warrior. Yet he had noticeable shortcomings as a strategist. He was impulsive and had a tendency to rush into battle against adversaries without heeding basic military precautions.
In the wake of Ridwan’s death, the Aleppine plain became a hotly contested region. Seeking to take advantage of the power vacuum, Seljuk Sultan Mohammed I Tapur appointed Bursuq ibn Bursuq, Lord of Hama dan, to invade northern Syria and wage war against the Franks. Bursuq received no support from
