The prince was killed, and the Principality of Antioch was subsequently pillaged and reduced in size as its eastern border was pushed west.

After the death of Nur ad-Din's father Zengi in 1146, Prince Raymond of Antioch invaded the vulnerable province of Aleppo (part of the Seljuk Empire), which was threatened by hostile powers on all sides.

After establishing his own authority in Aleppo and successfully defending Edessa in 1147, Nur ad-Din invaded Antioch in late 1148 and besieged Afamiya.

[4] In June 1149, Nur ad-Din invaded Antioch and besieged the fortress of Inab, with aid from Unur of Damascus and a force of Turcomans.

For their part, Count Raymond II of Tripoli and Queen Melisende of Jerusalem refused to aid the prince of Antioch.

Feeling confident because he had twice defeated Nur ad-Din previously, Prince Raymond struck out on his own with an army of 400 knights and 1,000 foot soldiers.

A small force was left behind to prevent reinforcements from entering the city, while Nur ad-Din went down to the sea to bathe in it as a sign of victory.

[11] Upon receiving news that King Baldwin III of Jerusalem was marching north with some Templars to relieve the siege, Nur ad-Din opened negotiations.

His goal became the destruction of the Crusader states, and the strengthening of Islam through jihad; he had already set up religious schools and new mosques in Aleppo, and expelled those he considered heretics from his territory, especially Shiites.