Zengi, a Seljuk Turkish atabeg (governor) of Mosul, rose to prominence in the 12th century as a skilled military leader and a formidable opponent of the Crusader states in the Levant. His conquests included the capture of Edessa, the first Crusader state established during the First Crusade, in 1144. The fall of Edessa marked a turning point in the Crusader-Muslim conflict, as it emboldened Zengi and other Muslim leaders to launch further attacks on the Crusader states, ultimately leading to the Second Crusade. Zengi's victories also solidified his position as one of the most powerful rulers in the region, setting the stage for the rise of the Zengid dynasty, which would play a significant role in the politics and military conflicts of the Middle East for decades to come.
