For several days the vast armies of the Crusaders prowled the fields and walls of the city of Smyrna as they gathered up the dead, dying, and wounded and began to police the area so as to stop the rot of sickness and diseases from becoming an issue. Over seven thousand bodies had to be disposed of from the fields of battle and the stench permeated everything. It became the task of any surviving Turks that might have been captured or the underlings and hanger ons that followed the Crusade as the soldiers and Lords rested on their laurels.
The Knight Hospitallers returned to their original purpose and tended to the caring of the sick and wounded as the not so small army of clergymen joined them, many sent by Godfrey of Bouillon himself. Over a thousand had to be attended too and buildings and dwellings that once were home to Turk and Arab soon became home to those unfortunate.
Speaking of the clergy, it was seen throughout the camps that Adhemar de Monteil, Bishop of Puy-en-Velay was quickly organizing the clergy into a more effective organization and bring them under his thumb as he continued to preach the word of God and the Crusader across all those that he came across. His efforts would not go unrewarded as men gathered to listen to him speak and when done felt better for it after.
Of course, there were also celebrations across the Crusader camps as they had won a great victory against the vile enemy and taking a major city in the process. Using plunder from the city and outlying areas the Crusaders drank and were merry long into the night after the sacking of the city. Friendship was had between Godfrey, Bohemond and Tancred as Godfrey hosted a gathering to help honor these men coming to his aid during the battle.
While it was decided on where the Crusade would march next, men began to train and repair equipment damaged during the fighting. Once more Godrey took steps to improve those around him, sending several Serjants to help train the mob that followed Peter the Hermit into actual soldiers. While it would take some time before these men were true soldiers work the transformation had begun.
Lastly, as the Crusaders waited several events would take place. Firstly the ships under command of John Doukas weighed anchor and took the sea once more. They sailed across the Gulf of Smyrna and quickly landed Byzantine Marines on the shores of the island of Chios, moving to reclaim it quickly after the defeat of the Turks on the mainland. A foothold was gained and the Byzantines quickly began to overrun the merger garrisons left on the island before coming to the city of Chios itself. The city itself was put to siege, but currently, Doukas did not have the soldiers to actually take it and a message was sent to the Emperor asking for more soldiers to help complete his task.
The second event was more of a series of events as a trickle of reinforcements began to arrive on several ships that were originally headed to Constantinople but instead changed course for Symrna with the news of it's fall. While no new leaders would emerge, it would see another one hundred knights (twenty of which joined the Hospitallers) and five hundred men at arms arrive to help offset some of the losses suffered along with goods from across Europe. Perhaps more would arrive when word returned to the shores of Europe of the victory at Symrna.
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Godfrey agains 1 Renown amoung the soldiers of the Crusade for his generocity and faith.
Adhemar de Monteil gains 2 Renown among the Clergy and Bishops.
Greeks under John Doukas have taken most of the Island of Chios, but are still siegeing the city and asking for assistance from the Emperor.
Small groups of Reinforcements arrive by ship along with supplies
Crusader wounded are currently being tended to in several hospitals within Symrna.
Praise be to God the almighty for the armies of Satan have been destroyed. Pope Urban in a great battle our forces have crushed those of the Turkish Khan Tzachas at his capital in Smyrna. The army of heaven performed valiantly in the battle and during the battle, Tzachas himself was slain on the field. Furthermore, I am pleased to report that the Genoan fleet has arrived safely and unmolested they have made port in Smyrna's harbor. I urge you, use word of our first great victory to rally the support of more knights and men to our cause. God is on our side and we need every ship, every horse and every man to bring about the final victory. During the remainder of the summer, I expect us to take more ports. I hope that you can send us more ships to aid in these efforts. Lastly, I would like to ask for your instructions Holy Father. What would you have me do here in your name?
-Adhemar of Le Puy
New Advances, One Step Back - Late June/Early July 1097
New Advances, One Step Back - Late June/Early July 1097
As the Crusaders took the city of Smyrna an army was assembled under the personal command of Emperor Alexios Komnenos around the military camp of Nicomedia. Here he assembled fifty-five hundred soldiers, not including elements of the Varangian Guard which added another five hundred heavily armed soldiers and over seven hundred locally recruited light cavalry. This force was ready to march by the end of May and marched off to follow the footsteps of the Crusading Latins.
For half of the march, the Emperor found that many of the people along the route cheered him on as they saw the return of their rightful rulers and were no longer under the oppression of the Turks. All was well until he came across burned-out villages and sacked towns marking the path that the Crusaders had taken, the men under his command growing visibly anger at the treatment their people had suffered. Yet Alexios was a man of words and was able to quiet down their resentment, especially as they came to reoccupy lost towns and people rejoiced. The various garrisons that the Crusaders had left joined up with the Emperor as he dropped off his own forces to keep the peace and control the newly reconquered territory. As he neared Pergamum however he would receive a frantic messenger on horseback with disastrous news, the camp at Nicomedia had been attacked.
With his decision to march around Nicaea and bypass it for a campaign to the west, the Emperor had ignored the threat the Sultan of Rum, Kilij Arslan, posed. While the vast Crusader army was further south and the Emperor's own force was marching to meet them a garrison of eight hundred souls (500 Peltasts and 300 Light Cavalry) were left under Manuel Boutoumites was left to keep the approach to the Capital secure. While this force was well lead, they were not prepared when a force of close to ten thousand Turks directly under Kilij Arslan arrived, his spies having noted the Byzantine army had left and having received the pleas from Tzachas about the approach of the Crusaders, he had decided to strike while he could.
The fighting would take place for several hours and while Manuel Boutoumites and his men would fight a magnificent fight they were unable to stop the horde before them with Boutoumites and around one hundred men actually breaking out and heading back towards the Capital. The camp would completely ransack and destroyed and the heads were removed from the Byzantine's bodies and sported on spikes for all to see before Kilij Arslan retreated south back to his capital at Nicaea.
As these events were taking place in the North, a smaller advance was undertaken by elements of the Crusader army. Under the command of Adhemar de Monteil, Bishop of Puy-en-Velay and supported by Stephen, Count of Blois, William, the Bishop of Orange, Peter the Hermit, and the Knight Hospitallers a force of around four hundred mounted men and six thousand infantry moved out of the Crusader camps and headed south. Before heading out however Peter the Hermit would once more give several speeches, aimed at trying to not only gain new soldiers from the masses but also to see to it that his followers were armed from the defeated Turks.
'"Brothers, It is said that Christianity is a religion of peace and this is true, the good news of Jesus is the peace he brings to all men. That is not to say that Christianity is only a religion of peace. It is also the religion of holy war.
As Jesus himself said "I come with the sword" Brothers is this is a contradiction?
No I say, for those who accept Jesus into their hearts must show goodwill to all men who do the same. The infidel and the heretic do not deserve nor receive the protections of the lord. For just as the heretic has turned his back on the lord the lord turns his back on the heretic. The heretic becomes less than a man; in fact, he becomes a disease upon the human race. A foul tumor that must be excised with fire and the sword. That brothers, is what God is calling us to do. He calls us to worship him not just with prayer and incense but also with our sword arms. Brothers, I implore you to answer the call of God and take up arms against these tumors.'
'Brothers, It is said we are an army of farmers, of merchants, of farriers and cloth makers. It is said that we are an army lacking in arms and Armour. That is unfortunately true, we lack weapons, armor and horses. But brothers, the Lord provides. The Lord saw our need and sent an army of Turkish dogs to fight us. When we smashed the Turkish dogs they left thousands upon thousands of dead, all armed and armored. So I say to you, go upon to the enemy take his weapons for his own take his horses and take his armor. upon this armor paint the cross to show our thanks to the lord.'
Unfortunately, Peter would find his efforts fall on deaf ears this time around as all the fighting men of the Crusades were already organized within the Princely Armies as well as the Turkish Arms, armor, and more importantly, horses having already been picked over and claimed. Still, this did not bar the force and they made decent time, as the area seemed to have a distinct lack of enemy forces, though the force was watched as they marched. After three days of marching, they arrived at the small village, with many being extremely disappointed in that though thought it would be a great town, of Ephesus and found it completely undefended.
Adhemar de Monteil quickly sent his loyal clerics to the Tomb of St. John (rumors of the home of the Virgin Mary proving to be a myth) and declared Crusade's first great theological victory has been won with the recovery of the bones of John the Apostle. Adhemar ordered that some of John's bones were to be exhumed (with some of the clergy and many of the soldiers not too happy with this, but calmed by Peter and Adhemar) with some to be sent back to Rome and Pope Urban II. Some were also kept by Adehmar and company and declared as holy relics with one given to Peter and another given to the Knight's Hospitallers. It seemed that God had blessed them all.
However, this was where things began to unravel as it was found that the "port" of Ephesus had salted over and when the ships from Genoa arrived they were unable to land their supplies and experienced rough times. The Crusaders were, however, did not falter and pressed on south, heading for the town of Miletus hoping to find the supplies they needed there.
Again there wasn't much opposition as they marched, however food and water started to become an issue with many dropping out of the march and even a few being lost in the heat of the summer. They would end up sacking many towns and villages on the way to gain the supplies needed, however when they arrived on June 19th in the town of Miletus, it was a much leaner force which had suffered the loss of five hundred men along the march. But glory to them they found the town to be defended by a force of Greeks, they having thrown off the Turkish garrison several days ago and reinforced by forces from the island of Samos. Their march over, the men fell out and set up camp as the men had earned a well-deserved rest as the Genoan Fleet arrived with supplies and food.
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Adhemar de Monteil, Bishop of Puy-en-Velay and supported by Stephen, Count of Blois, William, the Bishop of Orange, Peter the Hermit, and the Knight Hospitallers all gain +1 Renown for their march to Ephesus and recovery of the Tomb of St. John.
Alexios Komnenos and his army arrive at Smyrna on June 21st.
Reports arrive of the disaster at Nicomedia and Kilij Arslan's victory.
Those on the march suffer 500 losses.
Genoan Fleet arrives at Miletus to offload much-needed supplies.
To the most excellent lord, Henry (IV) @Skrevski, by the grace of God, august King of the Romans, &c,
Godfrey duke of Lower Lorraine, his faithful vassal, sends greetings and well wishes.
"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered," so says the Book of Proverbs.
If my Lord finds himself unaware of the latest goings on in the war against the Saracens allow me to elucidate. The armies of Christ, under my command, have won a great victory, the city of Smyrna is ours and the path to Antioch, and further Jerusalem, lay open. But, although we have won much we have also lost, far too many have perished at the hands of the vile Mohammedan. It is due to these losses and other misfortunes that I write to you. I beseech you to locate pious and just knights fitting and worthy of taking up the Cross, along with them whatever additional arms and funds that can be offered will be welcomed graciously. I believe in my long years of service to you I have shown myself to be a true friend of yours. If my words are valid I hope that you will find it suitable to act.
The first victory of the most great and pious host has been granted at Smyrna, which was returned to the hands of Alexios I, Eastern Roman Emperor as a sign of fidelity from Bohemund himself. Following this, the Council of Nobles that led the most holy crusade convened once more to determine the next move. In the halls of Pagos, known as Kadifekale to the Seljuks, the greatest among them gathered. In attendance were all those who held power and leadership within the armed pilgrimage. Among them stood Bohemond, a giant among the others, known for his brash and bold demeanor, sometimes leading troubles when his temper rose. His nephew, Tancred, was at his side but was not offered a seat at the table. Godfrey of Bouillon sat at the "head" of the table, as the most noble, pious, and unofficially recognized leader of the Crusade. Were it not for Bohemund and Raymond's ill-suited temperaments, this would not be the case, but alas, Godfrey was well liked by all gathered, and beloved by the faithful, and most importantly, the Pope. Raymond of Saint-Gilles was present at the other side of Godfrey, as well as Robert of Normandy, known in hushed circles as the "Beggar Prince" for his financial woes at home. Robert of Flanders was present as well, a well-respected lord from the Low Countries who brought his own sizeable host, as well as Hugh the Great and Stephen of Blois, the entourage from the French Heartland.
Together they gathered and listened to Raymond's bold plan of pressing forth to Attaleia, of which most if not all agreed, except for Bohemund and his nephew Tancred, who merely wished to maintain the entirety of the host in all of its strength, at least until the Holy Land was within sight. Many ideas were discussed, such as the disparate and overreaching attempts of the Bishop of Puy-en-Velay, who regularly reminded the Council of his position as appointed Apostolic Legate when his demands were not heard. Discussions of forming a seabound raiding force with the small flotilla granted to the Crusaders by Alexios were even tabled, but alas, the guiding and reasonable hand of Godfrey would align the Nobles gathered, as he reminded all of the tasks at hand, and the goal that was the Kingdom of Heaven, God's Kingdom, and his most holy of all cities at its heart. Any unnecessary delays would be considered blasphemy towards this most holy and precious destination, and the clearest route to Jerusalem lay through Attaleia itself, which was since agreed as the unilateral destination of the next foot of the crusade. Agreed, the lords departed back to the helms of their hosts, preparing to continue their great march in the name of the Lord.
Praise be to God the almighty for the armies of Satan have been destroyed. Pope Urban in a great battle our forces have crushed those of the Turkish Khan Tzachas at his capital in Smyrna. The army of heaven performed valiantly in the battle and during the battle, Tzachas himself was slain on the field. Furthermore, I am pleased to report that the Genoan fleet has arrived safely and unmolested they have made port in Smyrna's harbor. I urge you, use word of our first great victory to rally the support of more knights and men to our cause. God is on our side and we need every ship, every horse and every man to bring about the final victory. During the remainder of the summer, I expect us to take more ports. I hope that you can send us more ships to aid in these efforts. Lastly, I would like to ask for your instructions Holy Father. What would you have me do here in your name?
There is only one quest my holy brother in arms. The Holy Land must be reclaimed for the true believes in His Light and direction. To reclaim it would see our Faith rewarded both on Earth and in the holy realm of Heaven. Therefore you must continue to push for the eventually it with all haste and know that I, and God, will continue to support your efforts with all that is possible. His Will is great and rewards those who follow him.
To the most excellent lord, Henry (IV) @Skrevski, by the grace of God, august King of the Romans, &c,
Godfrey duke of Lower Lorraine, his faithful vassal, sends greetings and well wishes.
"One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
and one who waters will himself be watered," so says the Book of Proverbs.
If my Lord finds himself unaware of the latest goings on in the war against the Saracens allow me to elucidate. The armies of Christ, under my command, have won a great victory, the city of Smyrna is ours and the path to Antioch, and further Jerusalem, lay open. But, although we have won much we have also lost, far too many have perished at the hands of the vile Mohammedan. It is due to these losses and other misfortunes that I write to you. I beseech you to locate pious and just knights fitting and worthy of taking up the Cross, along with them whatever additional arms and funds that can be offered will be welcomed graciously. I believe in my long years of service to you I have shown myself to be a true friend of yours. If my words are valid I hope that you will find it suitable to act.
I have just received the tales of our, and your fellow Crusaders, victory at Symrna and praise God it be. While these years have not shown as much love for the Pope, we are still men of God and for that, I shall work to send you those who have taken the Cross but have yet made the march. I shall send arms and a donation to be carried with those that set off on this Holy Quest, but know it will be some months before they can reach you and by then I hope to hear of even more grand victories.
- Henry IV, King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor
From: Emperor Of the Byzantine Empire
To: Regent Of The Empire (Forgot The Name Ok
To My Regent Please Help John Take The Islandsof chios By Sending Him Troops at once. He needs your troops
The Emperor Makes A Speech To The People And The Army.
We Romans Will March With The Crusaders Towards the Holy Land As Well. We may be Battered And Our Shields Worn but we will not waver and never stop until our people are freed from the turk, and their barbarian ways. We will retake our homes taken from us we will get revenge for our family, friends and fellow ROMANS And Remember This Above all We the descendants Of ROME! Remember the heroes that made Rome Great Ceasar, Augustus, Trajan, Diocletian, Constantine, Remember Them for they have done great achievements for Rome And Her Successor City. I Will NOT let the Empire, the fruits of their labor be destroyed by Saveges and Evil Men. I Expect the same from you men fight hard and I assure you that you will be in the annals of history forever after amen. (OOC Ps: I actually said that whole thing outloud in my most badass Roman voice.)
Emperor Alexios, I urge you. Retake Nicomedia before it is too late. The Turks will burn Constantinople to the ground and you will doom yourself and your Empire if you do not act. The army of God does not require your presence to be successful Emperor Alexios. God is on our side and he has blessed us. We have all the men we need. Smyrna is yours and soon Antalya will join it. You must now confront Kilij Arslan and retake Niceae should you ever hope to retake Anatolia from the Turk.
Furthermore, I write to ask you to permit the Knights Hospitaller to take up residence around the Tomb of St. John the Apostle in Ephesus. These men are devoted warriors to Christ and they seek only to protect Christians pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. They do not seek to subvert your earthly powers or to collect your taxes. They only want to keep the bones of a Christian martyr safe. May God's guidance be with you, Emperor.
I want to take nicomedia but I fear I don't have the troops to do such a thing for my experience has shown me that it's probably well fortified. if you so wish for it to be done. we will more than my Army to do so for I am a sane man and will not allow my troops to be killed by the turks in a bloodbath
Following Pope Urban II's call to action at the Council of Clermont, Godfrey of Bouillon would be among the first to take up the cross. In this, he would be accompanied by his elder brother, Eustace, and younger brother, Baldwin, both of whom would travel alongside him to the Holy Land. To acquire the necessary capital to finance his travels Godfrey was quick to take out loans or in some cases outright sold his lands. This enabled him to amass a sizable army of knights and infantry, of which would be composed primarily of Germans, Walloons, and Flemings. Once mustered the army would set out around the middle of August 1096. It marched up the Rhine, down the Danube, and through the Balkans, arriving at Constantinople on 23 December.
Family & Household
Eustace III (b. 1050s), Count of Boulogne, older brother
Baldwin of Boulogne (b. 1060s), younger brother, accompanied by his wife Godevere, daughter of Raoul II of Tosny
Ruthard, Butler
Baldric, Seneschal (sent as an emissary to the King of Hungary)
Stabelo, Chamberlain
Heribrand, Castellan of Bouillon, and his relative Walter of Bouillon
Lords of Lower Lorraine
Werner, Count of Grez
Godfrey of Esch and his brother Henry, Lord of Esch-sur-Sûre, sons of the despoiler Fredelon of Esch
Giselbert, Count of Clermont-sur-Meuse
Hugh of Fauquembergues
Gervaise of Bazoches, an officer in the service of Baldwin
Franco I of Maasmechelen and his brother Sigemar, distant relatives of Godfrey
Conon, Count of Montaigu, and his sons Gozelo and Lambert
Baldwin II of Mons, Count of Hainaut, accompanied by his vassals: Gerard of Avesnes-sur-Helpe and Giselbert of Couvin.
Lords of Upper Lorraine
Louis, Count of Mousson
Dodo of Cons, accompanied by his wife Hadvide, daughter of Arnold I, Count of Chiny
Peter of Dampierre-le-Château, Count of Astenois (known as Peter of Stenay) and his brother Rainald III, Count of Toul,
Louis, Archdeacon of Toul, and six lords from the diocese: Rambert, Bencelin, Aldo of Fontenoy-sur-Moselle, and Lanfric with his son Olric and brother Hugh
Baldwin of Le Bourg, a member of the House of Montlhéry, accompanied by his vassals
Héribrand of Bouillon, married to a sister of Baldwin of Le Bourg
Adalbero of Luxembourg, son of Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg, Archdeacon of Metz
Roger of Rozoy-sur-Serre
Lesser Known Lords & Knights
Arnulf II, Lord of Oudenaarde
Gotmann of Brussels
Adam de Ireys
Fulbert of Bouillon, accompanied by his wife
Drogo of Nesle, formerly of the army of Emicho, Count of Flonheim
Bohemund was a man well known for his vigor and furor, traits that, once directed towards the right cause, would lead any man in his way to doom. During a war for the throne of Apulia against his younger Half-brother, Roger, Bohemund would find himself overcome with holy piety after the announcement of the Crusade for Jerusalem. A petition to Godfrey, the unofficial leader of the crusade, would be answered in kind, and from the Gulf of Taranto would a great and seasoned host set off through the Aegean to meet the fellow Crusaders at the gates of Constantinople. How Bohemund wished he would have beseeched these gates under different circumstances, consider his wars against the Eastern Roman Emperor with his father for Epirus and beyond. And yet, there were greater, more practical prizes to be had. So had the Sicilian Normans began their crusade.
Crusaders, Byzantines, and Turks on the March - Late June/July 1097
Since the beginning of the Crusade, much had happened across Anatolia as the armies of God marched towards their eventually objective of Jerusalem and see the liberation of the Holy Land from the infidel. They, however, were not the only ones on the march as Emperor Alexios Komnenos of the Byzantine Empire also marched to see the restoration of his Empire. Lastly, there were the various emirs and leaders of the Seljuk Turks who now found themselves being assailed by men claiming to fight for "God". With so many moving parts going on, the end of June and July of the year of our Lord 1097 would certainly be one to remember.
The Crusader armies had taken the city of Smyrna in the early part of June after defeating a determined push by the Turks to relieve the city. For several weeks the Crusaders stayed in the city, repairing weapons and armor, helping the wounded, burying the dead among other activities. Yet behind the scenes, the various leaders of the Crusade were divided on how to proceed on the road to Jerusalem. Most wished to march as one body and continue onto the town of Antalya, while others wanted to split up into smaller entities and march separate path to the town with a few talking about staying put for several months and waiting for the summer season to end before marching on.
A modified plan ended up being acted on as forces lead by Adhemar de Monteil, Bishop of Puy-en-Velay and supported by Stephen, Count of Blois, William, the Bishop of Orange, Peter the Hermit, and the Knight Hospitallers marched ahead of the main body and took the towns of Ephesus and Miletus without any opposition. While this force rested after their march, the main body, close to almost one hundred thousand souls began the trek south along the coast moving towards Antalya. As the Crusaders began marching they would witness the army of Alexios Komnenos begin to load up in transports and galleys of the Byzantine Fleet as it looked as if the Emperor was also leaving, but not after leaving a garrison within the city to keep it firmly under Byzantine control.
The Fleet leaving would cause great consternation for the Crusaders as they had been receiving much of their supplies from the fleet and now that source would be gone with only the Genoan Squadron to support them. The long lines of Crusaders and peasants and hangons made good time south to Ephesus as they were able to use the old military road built by the Byzantines hundreds of years before. As they turned south for Miletus they began to encounter difficulties as many of the villages they wished to gather supplies from had already been sacked by the earlier marching Crusaders and thus soldiers and peasants alike began to drop from the exertions of the and unbarring heat.
The main body would arrive at Miletus on June 29th, having made the journey in a week, though it would take several days for the lingering elements of the Crusader Army to fully arrive. Loading up with supplies from the countryside and Genoians, the Crusader Army marched out again with Raymond of Saint-Gilles forces leading the way. As the armies marched Bishop Adhemar held services for the Crusades, him holding a very public ceremony of absolving Godfrey of Bouillon of his sins and praising his efforts with helping Peter the Hermits followers as well as helping the wounded after the fighting at Smyrna. The Bishop would also begin to admonish those who took the Cross and only wished to establish themselves with land and treasure and did not care to actually reclaim the Holy Land and sent warnings that the Crusade would see its doom if it followed men of with this vision.
These words would cause a great issue with the Crusaders as it was a clear shot at those that were leading the Crusade and actually caused many men to shun the clergy (or their own leaders) as they were unsure just who to believe. Some even began to chant that disunity within the ranks would see the total end of the Crusade with all them perishing on the march, fortunately, these were only a few saying this. As the last of the Crusaders marched away from Miletus a small group of Knights Hospitallers would remain at the Tomb of St. John, with orders to begin to construct a garrison, and while permission had been asked of Emperor Komnenos, no official word had arrived on whether this was sanctioned or not.
As the Crusaders marched, the Army of Emperor Komnenos, less troops left to garrison the newly liberated towns and villages, sailed swiftly for Constantinople. The men under John Doukas watched as the fleet departed, they remaining on the island of Chios and sieging the town of the same name, their morale dropping a bit as saw the Emperor forces to return north. However, fortune would favor these men as several days later a squadron of ships barring the flag of Byzantium would arrive with more soldiers under the command of Roger, the son of Dagobert, a Norman who had sensed entered the service of Byzantines many years ago.
With these reinforcements, Doukas felt strong enough to breach the fortifications of Chios. The city would fall on June 27th after a furious day-long battle that would see heavy losses on both sides, including the death of Roger son of Dagobert. The return of the city to the Greeks would see that Smyrna was secure both at sea and on land and only a very determined effort by the Turks would see it threatened again.
In the north the Emperor would return to the capital of Constantinople to find it.. strangely calm. There were no signs of panic and in fact, the walls were well manned by Varangian Guard. Upon returning to the Palace of Blachernae he would find Caesar Nikephoros Melissenos waiting for him. There Alexios was informed that Melissenos had only recently returned to the palace himself, having led a detachment of the Varangian Guard along with several thousand Pechenegs Mercenaries back to Nicomedia and regarrisoned it.
It was here that some very confusing orders were issued from the Emperor with him ordering that any reconquered city would be given three options: Surrender and convert to Christianity with their leaders spared, surrender and be exiled, with their property seized by Greek soldiers and their property to be settled "after the war" and lastly not surrender and see their leaders and men killed and their heads placed upon pikes while the woman and children would be sent to penal colonies on various Greek islands. These orders horrified the vast majority of those that served the Emperor with many of them pointing out that the vast majority of the cities and towns were actually Greek and were merely under Turkish occupation. The orders stood however as the Emperor gathered up soldiers from the capital, Thrace, and other European themes and began a march on Nicaea, determined to see it fall.
While the Emperor gathered his army the Crusaders continued their march along the coast. While they were prepared at any moment to be assaulted by the Turks, their greatest enemy would turn out to be the heat and finding supplies. While a skirmish would take place here and there along the march, the Crusaders quickened pace slowed down as they entered rugged mountains and saw temperatures rise. Through this rough terrain and swelting heat they marched, it taking far more time then marching along the old military road due to having to navigate the terrain over paths with sometimes them having to make their own paths.
Men, woman, children, old and young dropped, many dying on the spot from which they fell. It was also here that the Crusaders felt the worst of the effects of the Byzantine Fleet heading back north as supplies began to become an issue. Forage parties were sent out far and wide to bring in the necessary supplies with countless villages and small towns ransacked and pillaged all in the name of "God". As the Crusaders passed the city of Myra, again devoid of any garrison, Godfrey of Bouillon visited the Church of St. Nicholas and there would take the remnants of bones that could be found of the Saint, to safeguard them against anyone wishing to ransack the Church as had happened back in 1087.
After taking Myra the Crusaders would find the way easier going as the terrain become must more manageable to navigate and march upon with many enjoying the waters of the Mediterranean Sea when they halted for the night. Finally, after their nightmarish march through the mountains, the various Crusading Armies arrived before the city of Antalya on July 15th. Here the Crusaders expected to find the well-known trade city heavily garrisoned or an army waiting for them but instead, they found the gates open to them.
It became known that Raymond of Saint-Gilles had ridden out the night before the army was to arrive to begin negotiations with the local garrison, with him proclaiming himself the head of the Crusading armies. After several hours of talks, the Turkish garrison was able to pack their belongs, gather their families and march out of the city, they were long gone when the first knights of the Crusade arrived at the gates. Thus a siege had been avoided and a major port had been taken that had stocks of food and supplies desperately needed by the Crusaders who were far worse for wear after their hellish march.
Back in the north Emperor Alexios Komnenos now lead forth one of the strongest armies that the Byzantines had been able to gather in several years. While many across the rest of the Empire were fearful that because so many troops were now in Anatolia that their numerous enemies would strike against them, but for now no threat emerged. So Emperor Alexios marched at the head of over ten thousand men to meet up with the detachment that Caesar Nikephoros Melissenos, which saw most of the capital stripped of its garrison as the heavily armed Varangian Guard made up a good portion of the army. The Emperor was determined to win glory for the Empire and show that the Byzantines could also achieve great things much like the Crusaders to his south.
Out he marched, moving along the military road and past the bones of and rotten bodies of those killed last October by the Turks. They turned south on the march to Nicaea, the Emperor ever hungry to be rid of the Turkish threat. As his army approached the town, the reason for why so few Turks had been spotted throughout the coastal regions became all apparent as the Emperor's army found itself confronted with over sixteen thousand Turks under Emir Kilij Arslan.
A series of engagements now broke out as the light and maneuverable Turks charged down on the infantry ladened Byzantine Army. The Greeks, however, did not panic as they were made up of the best troops the Empire had to offer, well most of them. Along with his son by marriage, Nikephoros Bryennios the younger, the Emperor would lead the heavily armored and armed kataphraktoi against the charging Turks, blunting several pushes by them but suffering heavy losses as thousands of arrows were launched at them. Several times the Byzantine lines were broken and but for counterattacks by the ever-shrinking cavalry and Varangians they might have been destroyed. For six hours the fighting lasted, with thousands littering the fields of battle, but in the end, Kilij Arslan choose to call off the assault on the Greeks and retired south once more, leaving the heavily fortified town of Nicaea in his wake.
It was unsure why the emir chose to leave the field, but it would be the extremely tired, and shrunken army of Emperor Alexios Komnenos that would claim victory on July 22nd, 1097. The losses, however, were appalling with over half the army lost in the fighting, leaving barely five thousand to place Nicaea under siege with the vaunted Varangian Guard but two thousand strong from the five thousand that had marched out in the morning. Yet news soon arrived for the Emperor and would make its way down to the Crusaders as well that help was on the way, as new batches of Crusaders were arriving in Constantinople and at ports across Europe, soon to be joining the quest for the Holy Land.
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Godfrey of Bouillon gains 1 Renown through efforts of praise of the Bishops and saving a holy site.
Raymond of Saint-Gilles gains 2 Renown for negotiating the surrender of Antalya.
Tensions are rising between elements of the Crusaders that wish to see the reconquest of the Holy Land and those that seek only land and glory.
Knight Hospitallers establish a chapter house at Ephesus, still unknown if the Emperor will support it or not.
Crusader Army suffers the loss of 3,000 soldiers and 7,000 non-combatants on the way through the mountains on this part of the journey, as well as due to the lack of supplies from the Byzantine Fleet heading north.
Emperor Alexios Komnenos and Caesar Nikephoros Bryennios gain 2 Renown for the Battle of Nicaea, but their army is cut in half.
Town and Island of Chios falled to John Doukas and the Greeks after heavy fighting.
Rumors arrive of many new Crusaders soon arriving to take up the Cross and march to the Holy Land.
Current Timeline: End of July moving into August.
Announcement To Byzantine People and army: to anyone who is worried that loyal Greek blood that maybe spilled in this campaign. Please note that any Greeks that we find in any city, regardless if the leaders chose not to surrender may choose to return to the Lord will be spared. anyone who does not convert and their leaders did not Surrender will be considered as enemies of the Lord and no longer shall be considered Greeks and will be punished accordingly. the turks shall not have this luxury
I also made a Mistake on my part when in comes to my original orders. I intended the options to be offered before and during a siege to speed up the war I apologize for my mistake in wording and I beg forgiveness.
From Emperor Alexios
To Crusaders: With The Battle for Chios over we may resume our routine resupplying of your troops I apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience. (In Compensation We have some gold waiting for you at a coastal city of your choosing within reason of course this should allow you to buy mercenaries)
To Knights Hospitalers: We Will Allow you to Guard the Holy Relics With the assumption we will get a share of the pilgrimage taxes and donations. You'll get a share as well of the taxes (50 50 Split)
A message arrives within the Crusader camps and is delivered to the leaders of the Crusade.
"Great Lords of his Holy Crusade,
We are thankful for your running out the Turk and seeing to our liberation. However, we have a concern over the future out our people. We have heard of the Emperor's new proclamation and we fear his rule will not be one we wish to see. We, therefore, ask for you to take over the governing of our towns so that we might see our people protected and not persecuted under the new Law that the Emperor seems to wish to enact. We hope you see the righteous path and help us in our hour need. May God be with you.
The successful Siege of Antalya pushed the morale of the crusaders ever higher, and their goal of the Holiest City of Jerusalem was now even closer to their reach. Stemming from their new forward base in Antalya, it would be Bohemund and his nephew Tancred who would lead the van this time, reaching out by messenger to the Prince of Armenian Cilicia, Constantine I. The Principality had fallen into ruin during the reign of Ruben I, and much land was lost to the Seljuks. However, with the arrival of the Christian Crusaders, an opportunity presented itself for a resurgence and a reclamation of lost lands. Thus was the goal of Bohemund's initiative to Adana with his nephew, to forge a much more pliable ally than the far-away and pompous Alexios of Constantinople. The meeting would be a fruitful one, and a pact would be made between the two Princes of Cilicia and Taranto respectively, dubbed the Princes' Pact, by which Bohemund and Constantine would bind themselves together, along with Godfrey, who would be wed to Constantine's daughter, Beatrice. The pact was sealed in the bond of matrimony, and with preparations to pass through the Cilician Gates towards the first jewel of the Levant, Antioch was only just past arms reach.
Saint Nicholas, Patron Saint of Upper & Lower Lorraine
Blessed Nicholas,
Holy Bishop of Myra,
Holy Saint in Bouillon,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, patron of children and seafarers,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, gift-giver and wonder-worker,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, friend of the poor and needy,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, icon of gentleness and generosity,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, Patron of Palestine's freedom,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, Protector of Lorraine and her parishes
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, model of meekness and charity,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, Defender of the Christian Faith,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, myrrh of the fragrance of Christ,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, helper of those who suffer wrong,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, faithful steward of the mysteries of God,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, guide of the penitent sinner,
Pray with us
Saint Nicholas, source of joy and thanksgiving,
Pray with us ---
...Veneration of Saint Nicholas would first come to prominence in Asia Minor, with pilgrimages to his tomb, located outside the town of Myra. There is an abundance of writing in both Greek and Latin that attest to the growth of his cult in Byzantine-Slavic areas and in Western Europe, to Rome and southern Italy, at the time under Byzantine control. During the Middle Ages, popularized by returning Crusaders, he became one of the most celebrated saints of Christianity and the hero of numerous legends regarding miracles in favor of the poor and deprived. Today, custody of the relics of Saint Nicholas are shared by Bari, Bouillon, and Saint-Nicolas-de-Port.
Prior to the year 1087, Saint Nicholas's remains were maintained in the cathedral of Myra, but when the city fell under Muslim rule their safety became a concern. This would cause Bari and Venice, direct rivals in maritime trade with the East, to compete for the translation of his relics. Ultimately in this endeavor, Bari would be victorious.
It would be due to this that, according to tradition, in 1087, a relic of the Saint, his right hand raised in blessing, in truth only the phalanx of his right hand, was brought to the village of Port in Lorraine from Bari by the lord of the place, Aubert de Varangéville. Following this, the village would rename itself in his honor and in 1093 a church would be built there dedicated to him to house his relic. It would be through these actions and the efforts of Godfrey of Bouillon that Saint Nicholas would become the patron saint of Lorraine.
During the First Crusade, as the armies marched into Myra, Godfrey of Bouillon, the Duke of Lower Lorraine, was shown the empty tomb of Saint Nicholas. There he prayed and gave thanks to God, but as he was departing someone recalled that the most important ceremonies had been celebrated in another location. Godfrey intrigued by this, and having heard of the tales of Saint Nicolas previously in Lorraine, decided to accompany the man. At this location, Godfrey found a large number of bone fragments unmolested by the Bares. He would see to it that these relics were translated to his home in Bouillon, there a church would be built to preserve and honor them….
A message arrives within the Crusader camps and is delivered to the leaders of the Crusade.
"Great Lords of his Holy Crusade,
We are thankful for your running out the Turk and seeing to our liberation. However, we have a concern over the future out our people. We have heard of the Emperor's new proclamation and we fear his rule will not be one we wish to see. We, therefore, ask for you to take over the governing of our towns so that we might see our people protected and not persecuted under the new Law that the Emperor seems to wish to enact. We hope you see the righteous path and help us in our hour need. May God be with you.
I appreciate your concern for your safety under such an erratic Emperor. After due consideration, I have come up with a proposal; swear allegiance to me and join me on my sacred quest of retaking the Holy Land and I shall take over the governance of your towns.
I appreciate your concern for your safety under such an erratic Emperor. After due consideration, I have come up with a proposal; swear allegiance to me and join me on my sacred quest of retaking the Holy Land and I shall take over the governance of your towns.
We thank you for your response but if we swear allegiance to you we do not mean to follow you to the Holy Land. Our land is here in Anatolia and we have no will to leave our homes and follow to the Holy Land. We have just been freed from the Turks so why would we give up what is now returned? Therefore we will declare our allegiance if you will stay in Myra and Antalya and rule from here.
Signed,
Mayors of Myra and Antalya
The March on Antioch (Part I) - Late July/Early August 1097
The March on Antioch (Part I) - Late July/Early August 1097
The Armies of God, or those that fought for him, had achieved much in the last three months in Anatolia as they continued their quest to liberate the Holy Land. By the end of July, they had taken the towns of Myra and Antalya and had even made contact with the Armenians in Cilicia and had arranged several alliances, one seeing Godfrey marrying the daughter of Constantine, one of the holders of land within Armenian Cilicia. Now the Crusaders set their sites further south, to the lands of Antioch.
The Crusaders spent a week collecting supplies and resting after their hellish march along the coast to get to Antalya and were finally ready to march again by July 22nd. While there had been a few instances in the past that had seen several Crusader forces march on their own, this march would be one of note to see one army attempt to get an advantage over the others.
Robert of Normandy had a sizable force at his disposal and had helped win the Battle of Smyrna but so far hadn't been seen above the rest and thus he resolved to change this. First Robert attempted to gain assistance from the Byzantine Fleet which he thought was located at Chios, however, either his messengers never arrived or it simply wasn't there, but Robert wouldn't know this outcome so he set his forces to march and attempted to be sneaky about it. Sending detachments out to "patrol and be on night duty" he began moving his army to a forward position ahead of the rest of the Crusaders. He was somewhat successful and had assembled around one thousand men before the rest of the Crusaders caught on to what he was doing, as it was rather hard to move close to seven thousand men out of a camp of tens of thousands.
Seeing that his "secret" march had been found out, Robert gathered up his knights and cavalry and raced ahead to meet up with this forward detachment and began the march along the coast, wishing to be the first to reach the city of Tartus. Robert, not wishing to see his forces drop from heat exhaustion sat out a slower pace of march, choosing to only move during the morning and moving from water source to water source. He also ordered his men to not loot or sack any town or village on the way and to pay for all supplies. His efforts would see that his forces suffered very little loss and earn respect from the Armenians but would also show that some of his troops were clearly put off at being told they could not enjoy the spoils of conquest along the way.
The slow pace saw Robert arrive at the town of Sycas (Anamur) on July 30th, where he came up against a Turkish Force of several thousand men, the town being part of the Sultanate of Rum. Turkish light cavalry charged forward and slashed at the flanks of the Crusader force, causing losses to the infantry as the mounted arm under Robert assembled to counter-charge. Both sides slammed into each other and heavy fighting would last for a couple of hours before the Turks would suddenly break off and flee from the battlefield. The reason for their breaking off would readily become apparent as several large clouds of dust could be seen moving up from the west. The rest of the Crusaders had arrived.
The Army had marched out quickly after learning that Robert had tried to steal a march on the rest of them, granted as quickly as a force of eighty-five thousand men and woman could. The forces under Godrey would also be delayed by a day as their leader remained within Antalya trying to arrange trade convoys to help keep the force supplied while on the march and later on in the campaign, thus he would be the last to leave the city on July 24th. The main force made good time, marching throughout the whole of the day, but unlike Robert's force would suffer from heat exhaustion with several hundred dropping out either exhausted or dead each day. However, Godrey's efforts would see that the force was supplied and even used his dowry from his recent marriage to help buy supplies for all armies involved while getting the clergy involved to help distribute supplies using their organization and common tongue of Latin to create an effective supply organization.
While most of the common folk and soldiers did not really care about what Robert had done, that was not the case within the leadership. Many now view Robert out for glory and possible land, instead of the recovery of the Holy Land. While not directly shunned a notable cold shoulder would be cast toward Robert for his attempt. The Crusaders would spend but a day at Sycas before marching again, scouts being sent out ahead by both Godrey and Robert to make sure their forces were not ambushed along the way.
The Army once more made decent time, however, summer was in full bloom and temperatures continued to rise as men and beast fell to heat and lack of water, as so many men and woman marching in the same region it was hard to keep everyone supplied. God was with them in one regard, however, in that they found parts of an old Byzantine/Roman road was still in decent shape along the coast which allowed them to make better progress each day. On August 5th the first elements of the Crusader army arrived before the great city of Tartus, the largest city in Armenia Cilicia.
Here the Crusaders found that city barred to them, as a sizeable garrison seemed to now occupy the town, they the force that Robert had fought having retreated to the city and linked up with forces sent south by Kilij Arslan as it seemed the man was expanding his authority over Anatolia. The Crusaders wasted no time and quickly surrounded the town and put it under siege. This siege, however, would not last long, as the garrison saw how hopeless their situation was, especially with the arrival of the first major reinforcements arrived by sea on August 10th.
Letters from various Crusaders had been sent back over the last months to the Pope, Kings, and areas held by the Crusaders themselves trying to gain more soldiers, horses, equipment, and ships. Finally, these efforts were showing a return as a fleet over fifty ships arrived, along with the Genoan Squadron already supporting them. A man by the name of Guynemer of Boulogne, a professional pirate, had gathered Danes, Frisians and Flemings under his direct command (around 1,500 Men) and joined by a number of other Crusaders that included Berenguer Ramon II, Count of Barcelona (with 1,200 Men), Hugh VI of Lusignan (the half-brother of Raymond IV of Toulouse with 2,000 Men) Welf IV of Bavaria (1,700 Men), 1,400 Hungarians, Sweyn the Crusader (with 1,500 Danish Knights), along with Dagobert of Pisa (who commanded a squadron from Pisa) and Guglielmo Embriaco and Primo di Castello of Genoa (with another nine Galleys).
It was this massive reinforcement fleet that convinced the Turks to surrender Tartus without a long siege. The Crusaders and townfolk celebrated this event as not only had a major port fallen they finally had a fleet of their own and reinforcements to continue their quest. Also with the fall of the city, the Crusaders had the option of either turning north and marching along the old Military road to Caesarea Mazacha and then down to Coxon and Maresh or continue along the coast to Adana and through Cilicia before turning south to assault Antioch. The last piece of good news would also arrive but for one man, as Beatrice wife of Godfrey informed her husband that she was with child.
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Robert of Normandy marches out before the rest of the Army, wins a battle against a small Turkish force and looses four hundred men, but his tactics allow his forces to take negligible losses on the march. Gains +1 Renown for the battle, +1 Renown from the support of the Armenians, but many of the Crusader Leaders are not happy.
Godfrey de Bouillon gains +1 Renown for his efforts to organize the supplying of the Crusade.
All Crusaders gain +1 Renown for the taking of Tartus and morale is skyrocketing with the arrival of so many reinforcements and they having their own fleet now.
Losses on the March: 2,000 Soldiers, 7,000 Civilians.
We thank you for your response but if we swear allegiance to you we do not mean to follow you to the Holy Land. Our land is here in Anatolia and we have no will to leave our homes and follow to the Holy Land. We have just been freed from the Turks so why would we give up what is now returned? Therefore we will declare our allegiance if you will stay in Myra and Antalya and rule from here.
Unfortunately, I am unable to take up such a position at this point. It would be an honor to rule your fine people, however, it would be greatly restricting as to my obligations as a crusader. I wish you and those dwelling in your cities best of luck and perseverance in the face of dangers from within and without the Empire.
Cordially,
Prince Álmos
Duke of Nyitra
The March on Antioch and Arrival - August/September 1097
The March on Antioch and Arrival - August/September 1097
The Crusaders had come far since beginning back in April, and some even earlier than that. Now they found themselves in the city of Tarsus in Armenia Cecilia, ever closer to their major objective of Antioch. The city had fallen when the garrison had chosen to surrender due to the arrival of a major Crusader fleet, bringing a great many reinforcements of those that had chosen to take the Cross.
These reinforcements now became much sought after as leaders of the Crusade worked to rebuild their battered armies. Guynemer of Boulogne quickly joined with Godfrey, as he and his men were from the same region as him. Hugh VI of Lusignan joined his forces with Raymond IV of Toulouse, him being his half-brother after all. The Hungarian contingent quickly mustered with Álmos, Duke of Nyitra as they were Hungarian. Welf IV of Bavaria was persuaded to also join with Godfrey they coming from the Holy Roman Empire and most entuned with their ways. The Danish knights and men under Sweyn the Crusader went on to join up with Robert of Normandy after many meetings and trading of loot and wealth between the two along as well as the Pisa squadron of Dagobert of Pisa. And so the armies of various "Princes" of the Crusader were strengthened for the next great hurdle: Antioch.
After a week of resting and gathering of many supplies the men of the Crusade were ready once more and took the road south towards their target. They moved onto the town of Adana within a few days, the eyes of scouts upon them but no force assaulted them as it seemed the arrival of reinforcements had scared off the enemy. Local Turkish garrisons either disappeared or were slaughtered by Armenians themselves. The main enemy to the advancement thus became the uncaring heat that caused first hundreds to drop along the march, which quickly began to climb up into the thousands as the hottest part of the year in this part of the world hit.
As the Crusaders passed through Adana, the town was taken over by Oshin of Lampron who had been trying to take the city for the last several months and thus freed the Crusaders from having to garrison it. They then marched on Mamistra and found the city overjoyed to be delivered from the hands of the Turks with the gates thrown open to them. The Armenians were quite happy to see the Crusaders and gladly took in the many hundreds that were suffering along the march, they hoping to regain their strength and rejoin the Crusade later on.
The Crusader army continued on their coastal approach and now came to the Amanus Mountains, a range that would take some time to get past. First, the Crusaders had to take the town of Alexandretta, an important seaside city still held by the Turks which they arrived at on August 30th. The vast army approached, as the fleet lead by Guynemer of Boulogne, quickly set the port under siege. The garrison, but three hundred strong, did not last long and surrendered but two days later. What lay before them was Antioch.
Along the march, which up to this point had not been the best for those involved due to the heat it should be noted that Robert of Normandy only marched his army during the mornings and late afternoons into the evening as he took up the rear guard position of the army. While his army didn't suffer as many losses as the others, he did develop a reputation within the ranks of the other armies and among the nobility of being "slow" and always behind the rest. He also tried to be generous to those who dropped of the march and been hurt during battle, much as Godfrey was doing as well. On the Crusaders marched and finally, after suffering greatly along the rather shoddy roads through the mountains the Crusaders found their prize on September 10th: Antioch.
Before them, they saw a grand city, a city that showed the wealth of a city that had existed for many many years. Mosques and Temples could be seen in the distance, along with Mount Silpius, and of course, the extremely well-defended walls that surrounded the city. The houses and bazaars of Antioch covered a plain nearly three
miles long and a mile deep between the Orontes and Mount Silpius; the villas and palaces of the wealthy dotted the hillside. The city was ruled by a man that went by the name Yağısıyan, and had a large garrison to protect his golden realm. The Crusaders also quickly found that the many Christians that had made Antioch their home had been expelled by Yağısıyan and that the Cathedral of St Peter was desecrated by being turned into a stable for horses and the Orthodox Patriarch, John the Oxite, was placed in prison.
Now the Crusaders approached the city coming from the mountains and had access to only one gate out of the six that the city held. The Crusaders quickly moved to secure what was known as the Bridge, gate which Raymound IV took procession of at first nd using many wagons built a wagon bridge over the Orontes and moved his army to secure positions before the St George's Gate along the road to St Symeon. So the Crusaders now began to invest the great city, as the armies deployed to bring it under siege. Raymound IV also sent a detachment of his army the twenty-seven kilometers too the port of St Symeon, meeting the fleet once more.
However not everything was secure. There were still many threats to the Crusaders. The bridge known as the "Iron Bridge" was still held by the Turks, which held the key to the road to Aleppo as well as the fortress at Harenc which made foraging difficult. The Crusaders also had to deal with the various cities along the old Military road which still held Turkish garrisons and could allow armies from the north to be supplied and assembled against the Crusaders. But for now the Crusaders had arrived, and they were ready to finally take a city worthy of God.
To the Count of Limburg and Arlon, the Count of Chiny, the Count of Namur, the Count of Holland, the Count of Luxembourg, and the Count of Louvain @Skrevski
I bid you all greetings. The great hosts of Christ, commanded by myself, finds itself outside the walls of Antioch, indeed at the very edge of the Holy Land. I understand that for a variety of reasons this noble collection of gentlemen, brothers in Christ and arms, thought it prudent to not take up the Cross when the Vicar of Christ first called. At this time I wish to reiterate his call, take up the Cross and join me in the fight against the Saracens. If necessary I will use what little money I have leftover from my wife's dowry to finance your travels. As the Gospel of John tells us, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Amen, and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Godfrey (V), Duke of Lower Lorraine & Lord of Bouillon
The siege of Antioch began on 10 September 1097, with the arrival of the Crusaders' vanguard, led by Godfrey of Bouillon. One of his followers noted that on the 'next day, Sunday 11 September, the main army reached Antioch around noon, and we established a strict blockade on three gates of the city, for we could not besiege it from the other side because a mountain, high and very steep, stood in our way'
Understanding from the start that they could not surround the entire city, the Crusaders concentrated their opening attempts on the city's south-western quarter. This decision was both convenient - this was the first portion of the settlement reached when arriving from Alexandretta - and strategically sound, since it allowed close contact between contingents.
As had happened before, the Crusaders detached into what could generally be described as 'national' groups. At the Pont (Bridge) Gate, having been the first secured, camped Hugh VI of Lusignan, brother-in-law of Raymond, and a portion of his army. The remaining southern French, commanded by Raymond of Toulouse, and accompanied by Adhémar of Le Puy, camped across the Orontes in front of St. George's Gate. While to the east, Godfrey, with the bulk of his troops, took up position in front of St. Paul's Gate, the remainder of his host, including his brothers, camped behind in support. To his west, in front of the Gate of the Dukes, camped the sprawling armies of the northern French, these included Robert of Normandy, Robert of Flanders, Hugh of Vermandois, and Stephen of Blois. The final gate to be invested would be the Chien (Dog) Gate, it would be blockaded by Bohemond and his southern Italian Normans. Some distance away from the walls, camped Prince Álmos and his Hungarians, undoubtedly to act as a reserve force.
It should not be thought that these early arrangements were made solely for strategic concerns. The Crusaders were used to operating under the principle of 'right by conquest', i.e. whoever took hold of property first had the legal right to its possession. Likely even before the start of the siege, the Latins were well aware that access to a major gate could allow rapid passage into the city, if and when it fell, and that this variable would decide the dispensation of loot and perhaps even title to Antioch itself.
The Crusaders arrived at the city's walls prepared for immediate battle, but surprisingly their arrival was met with little fanfare: "The hostile Turks within Antioch were so frightened that for almost fifteen days they did not harass any of our men. Soon we were ensconced in the neighbourhood, where we found vineyards everywhere, pits filled with grain, apple trees heavy with fruit for tasty eating, as well as many other healthy foods. Although they had wives in Antioch, the Armenians and Syrians would leave the city under pretence of flight and would come to our camp almost every day. They slyly investigated us, our resources, and our strength and then reported on all they had seen to the accursed Antiochians"
During these initial, hesitant two weeks, Yağısıyan was likely trying to judge the Crusaders goals - would they attempt a frontal assault, seek to blockade the city, or simply wish to negotiate safe passage south?
