This Day in History: 1098-12-12

(12 December) The Syrian city of Ma’arrat al-Nu’man fell to the Crusaders. After their victory, the Crusaders massacred about 8,000 inhabitants of the city. One of the Crusader Commanders wrote to the pope*, “A terrible famine racked the army in Ma’arra, and placed it in the cruel necessity of feeding itself upon the bodies of the Saracens.”