The Crusades

11 Pages 2625 Words

The other was ambushed and slaughtered near Civetot in October. The remaining crusaders retreated to Constantinople and joined the second wave of the Crusade.
The crusaders were eager to start the journey to Jerusalem but they needed to capture the Anatolian Turkish capital of Nicaea first because it blocked the road that would be their main supply route. Seljuk Turks held it. In May 1097, the crusaders attacked Nicaea.
The Turks realized that they were defeated and agreed to give the city to the Byzantines in exchange for the lives of their men. The
Byzantines agreed to this and on June 18, Nicaea was under Byzantine control. The leaders of the crusade disagreed and wanted to slaughter the Turks because they were enemies of Christ. (2) On June 30, 1097, the crusaders were ambushed at the city of Dorylaeum by Seljuk Turks led by Kilij Arslam the Seljuk Sultan. The fight continued until July
1. The crusaders won a big victory and nearly wiped out the Turkish force. This victory opened up the way to Anatolia.
The crusaders attacked Anitoch in northern Syria on October 21, 1097. "This was the main obstacle on the road to Jerusalem."(3)
In a long and gruesome battle, the city finally fell on June 2, 1098.
A new Turkish army from Al quickly attacked the crusaders
Mawsil. They arrived too late to revive Anitoch's Turkish defenders and they were forced to retreat on June 28.
The starting date for the march to Jerusalem was set for
November 1, 1098 but was delayed by an epidemic as well as fighting to the south of Anitoch. On January 13, 1099 the commander-in-chief,
Count Raymond IV of Toulouse led the crusaders' march to Jerusalem.
They avoided attacks on cities to conserve forces. In May 1099 they reached the northern border of Palestine. On June 7 they camped on the summit of a hill where they could see Jerusalem. Many soldiers had tears of joy on that day. The hill was named Montjoie.
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