24 December, 1144 – Zengi, Atabeg of Mosul and the Seljuk Turks captures the city of Edessa from Joscelin II, Count of Edessa.
February, 1145 – Word of the fall of Aleppo begins to reach Europe via pilgrims returning from the Holy Land.
15 February, 1145 – The Council of Cardinals elects Bernardo da Pisa as the next Pontif. He selects the name Eugene III.
25 February, 1145 – Eugene III consecrated Pope at the Monastery of Farfa outside of Rome because of interference from the newly established republican Commune of Rome. Eugene III does not return to Rome, but goes to reside in the papal fortress of Vetralla north of Rome.
March, 1145 – Eugene III sends letters to leading nobles throughout the Italian peninsula looking for support to return him to power in Rome.
August through October, 1145 – The frequency of violence increases throughout Rome.
November, 1145 – The people and senate of Rome depose of Giordano Perleoni as patrician and leader of the Commune of Rome. A delegation from Rome visits Eugene III to convince him to return to Rome.
1 December, 1145 – In Vetralla, Eugene III issues the bull Quantum praedecessores. The bull directly addresses Louis VII of France. It mourns the loss of the ancient Christian city Edessa and promises the remission of sins for those who complete a crusade to the Holy Land.
15 December, 1145 – Louis VII announces to his court his intention to undertake a journey to the Holy Land.
25 December, 1145 – Eugene III returns to Rome under the escort of troops sent by Roger II of Sicily and under the command of Robert of Selby. POD. Roger II sends twice the number of troops as IOTL and orders Robert of Selby to stay in Rome for up to a year in order to secure Eugene III’s control of the city.
January, 1146 – Many of the more outspoken leaders of the Commune of Rome movement, such as Giacomo da Vico and the monk Arnold of Brescia, begin to disappear.
10 January, 1146 – Eugene III commissions Bernard of Clairvaux to preach the 2nd Crusade and endows him the authority to grant indulgences to those who accept the pilgrim’s cross to take up the crusade.
3 February, 1146 – Eugene III asks Robert of Selby to correspond with Roger II of Sicily about whether Roger would support the crusade with ships and troops.
31 March, 1146 – Bernard of Clairvaux preaches the crusade at Parliament convoked at Vezelay, Burgundy. Louis VII and many of the leading nobles of France accept the pilgrim’s cross to take up the crusade.