Events of the First Crusade Flashcards
where did the 3 first crusade armies gather November 1096-April 1097?
around Constantinople’s city walls
in what order did the first crusader leaders arrive at constantinople?
Godfrey and Baldwin arrived first, then Raymond, and Bohemond
why were there fewer violent incidents on the way to connstantinople during the first crusade, as opposed to the people’s crusade?
Alexius I was more prepared for their arrival
how did Alexius being more prepared for their arrival help the first crusade?
there were fewer violent incidents on the way to constantinople
how large were the first crusade’s armies by the time they arrived at constaintinople?
armies ~30-35,000 crusaders incl. 5000 cavalry; Raymond had largest contingent of ~8500 infantry and 1200 cavalry
which first crusader had the largest army?
Raymond had largest contingent of ~8500 infantry and 1200 cavalry
how large was raymond of toulouse’s contingent on the first crusade?
~8500 infantry and 1200 cavalry
what did the first crusaders expect from alexius i when they arrived at constaintinople?
provisions and help
how did alexius i react to the first crusaders’ arrival in constantinolpe?
- Alexius was suspicious after his experience with the People’s Crusade and because the knights included his enemy, Bohemond
- Alexius had no interest in becoming the crusaders’ leader and wanted to transport them into Asia Minor ASAP
why was alexius i suspiciious of the first crusade?
because of his experience with the People’s Crusade and because the knights included his enemy, Bohemond
why was alexius i suspicious of bohemond of taranto?
Bohemond had invaded Byzantine territory with his father, Robert Guiscard
what oath did alexius i require the first crusaders to swear to him?
Alexius requested the leaders swear fealty to him and promise to return any land recovered from the Turks, in return for food and supplies
which first crusader was the first to take the oath from alexius i?
godfrey of bouillon
what pushed the first crusaders to swear the oath to alexius i?
warfare had almost broken out in the city between citizens and crusaders who wanted to pillage supplies
which first crusader avoided swearing the oath to alexius?
Raymond avoided swearing the oath; pledged only that he would cause no harm to the Empire
what did raymond pledge to alexius i?
only that he would cause no harm to the Empire
where did the first crusaders go after constaintinople?
crossed into Anatolia
who were the first crusaders joined by after they crossed over into anatolia in the first half of 1097?
Peter the Hermit and the remainder of his army
who did alexius i send with the first crusaders into Anatolia?
Alexius sent 2 of his generals, Manuel Boutoumides and Taticius, to assist them
where did the first crusaders target first?
Nicaea
who controlled nicaea when the first crusaders attacked it?
capital of Seljuk Sultanate of Rum under Kilij Arslan I
why was it tactically sound to attack nicaea first during the first crusade?
Kilij Arslan was campaigning against Danishmends in central Anatolia and had left behind his family and treasury, underestimating the strength of the crusaders
what happened after the crusaders began besieging Nicaea?
Kilij Arslan rushed back and attacked crusader army; was driven back by crusaders with heavy losses on both sides
why, despite defeating Kilij Arslan after he returned to attack, did the crusaders still struggle to besiege Nicaea?
crusaders could not blockade the lake on which the city was situated and could be provisioned from
how did Alexius I help the siege of Nicaea?
Alexius sent Byzantine ships rolled over land on logs
how did the siege of Nicaea end?
Turkish garrison surrendered and city handed over to Byzantine troops
why could the siege of nicaea be a potential cause of conflict between byzantium and the first crusaders?
Byzantine standards flew from walls while crusaders forbidden from looting/entering city except in small escorted bands
why could the siege of nicaea not be a potential cause of conflict between byzantium and the first crusaders?
crusaders well paid for efforts
what did the crusaders do after their successful siege of nicaea?
crusaders resumed campaign to Jerusalem
how long did the first crusaders think their campaign from nicaea to jerusalem would take?
Stephen of Blois wrote in a letter to Adela that he believed it would take 5 weeks; it took 2 years
what did Taticius hope while Crusaders marched through Anatolia in June 1097?
Taticius hoped that Alexius would send a full Byzantine army after them
who were the crusaders accompanied by as they marched through Anatolia in June 1097?
some Byzantine troops under Taticius
what groups did they divide the first crusade into whilst they were in anatolia?
divided the army into 2 groups (more manageable)- one contingent led by Normans, one by French - and intended to meet at Dorylaeum
where did the 2 contingents of the first crusade, split in anatolia, intend to meet?
dorylaeum
who were the normans attacked by in july 1097?
Kilij Arslan
why were the normans attacked by kilij arslan in july 1097?
they had marched ahead
why was kilij arslan a threat to the normans at dorylaeum?
Arslan had gathered a much larger army than previously and surrounded crusaders with fast moving archers
how did the normans defend themselves against kilij arslan at dorylaeum?
Normans deployed in a tight-knit defensive formation to surround their equipment and non-combatants who had followed them
how did the crusaders win the battle of dorylaeum?
when the French arrived, Godfrey broke through Turkish lines and Adhemar outflanked Turks from rear
why did the turks flee the battle of dorylaeum?
Turks fled as they did not expect the quick arrival of the French
why was the first crusade’s march through anatolia difficult?
although the crusaders were unopposed, Arslan had burned and destroyed everything on his retreat
how did the crusaders gain supplies on their march through anatolia?
fellow Christians sometimes gave them food and money but they usually looted and pillaged when they could
how did the first crusade manage to maintain unity throughout the difficult march through anatolia?
individual leaders continued to dispute overall leadership but none were powerful enough to take command; Adhemar always recognised as spiritual leader
where did baldwin of boulogne go After passing through Cilician Gates?
set off alone to Armenian lands around the Euphrates
why, After passing through Cilician Gates, did Baldwin of Boulogne set off alone to Armenian lands around the Euphrates?
- he had no incentive to return to Europe as his wife, his only claim to European lands and wealth, had died
- resolved to seize a fiefdom in the Holy Land
where was Baldwin of Boulogne adopted as heir by King Thoros?
Edessa
who adopted Baldwin of Boulogne as heir?
King Thoros of Edessa
how was king thoros of edessa killed?
in an uprising maybe instigated by Baldwin
who became the ruler of edessa after king thoros?
baldwin of boulogne
how did baldwin of boulogne become ruler of edessa?
- After passing through Cilician Gates, Baldwin of Boulogne set off alone to Armenian lands around Euphrates
- 1098: in Edessa, Baldwin of Boulogne adopted as heir by King Thoros
- Thoros later killed in uprising maybe instigated by Baldwin
- March 1098: Baldwin became new ruler, creating County of Edessa, first crusader state
why was Taking Antioch by assault was a discouraging idea to the first crusader?
described by Stephen of Blois as ‘a city great beyond belief, very strong and unassailable’
what did the crusaders do instead of Taking Antioch by assault ?
BESIEGED IT
who led the 2 large relief armies, defeated by the crusaers, at the siege of antioch?
duqaq of damascus and ridwan of aleppo
why was antioch able to stay partially supplied whilst it was being besieged?
crusaders did not have enough troops to surround it
how long was the siege of antioch?
8 months
how many relief armies did the crusaders have to defeat during the siege of antioch?
2
which leader approached antioch to relieve the siege, but not before antioch fell?
kerbogha of mosul
why did antioch fall to the crusaders?
Bohemond bribed an Armenian guard (Firuz) to surrender his tower
what relic was discovered after the siege of antioch?
the holy lance
who discovered the holy lance in antioch?
peter bartholemew
why was the discovery of the holy lance after the siege of antioch significant?
some people some sceptical but generally seen as a sign of victory
what happened to the crusaders after antioch fell to them?
Muslims then laid seige to crusaders inside Antioch
who did the crusaders defeat in a pitched battle after the siege of antioch?
kerbogha of mosul
what allowed the crusaders to defeat kerbogha of mosul in a pitched battle after the siege of antioch?
Kerbogha’s was unable to organise different factions in his army; while crusaders marched towards them, rival emirs deserted as they feared kerbogha would become too powerful and the Fatimids continued to refuse cooperation with Turks
on what grounds did bohemond assert his claim to antioch?
Bohemond argued Alexius had deserted the crusade and invalidated all their oaths to him
which crusader leader asserted his claim to antioch after it fell to them?
bohemond
who opposed bohemond’s claim to antioch?
raymond of toulouse
why was the crusade delayed after the siege of antioch
bohemond had asserted a claim to it - this was oppoed by others so crusade delayed while nobles argued amongst themselves
what are some theoried as to why the nobles and crusaders argued so much after the siege of antioch?
- a common viewpoint by scholars is that the Franks of northern France, Provencals of Southern France, and Normans of Southern Italy, considered themselves separate ‘nations’ creating turmoil as each tried to increase its individual status
- others say personal ambition among leaders might just be as easily blamed
what happeend to the crusaders whilst they were delayed by arguments after the siege of antioch?
a plague broke out, killing many incl. Adhemar
who was killed by the plague after the soege of antioch?
adhemar
why did the crusaders struggle to find food and supplies after antioch fell to them?
whilst they were delayed by arguments, a plague broke out so they had even fewer horses and fewer Muslim peasants in the area refused to supply them food
where was the first occurence of cannibalism among crusaders?
after Arab town Ma’arrat al-Numan captured after a siege
which town did the crusaders besiege and capture after antioch?
Ma’arrat al-Numan
what pushed the crusader leaders to continue on after delaying at antioch?
- lack of supplies; cannibalsim at Ma’arrat
- minor knights and soldiers became increasingly restless and began threatening to continue to Jerusalem without leaders; tore down the walls of Ma’arrat
who remained as first Prince of Antioch whilsr the rest of the crusade continued to jeruslaem?
bohemond of taranto
why was the crusader army significantly reduced by the time it left antioch?
Army had been reduced by departure of Baldwin to Edessa and Bohemond & Normans to Antioch; still over 10,000
how large was the crusader army after it left antioch?
over 10,000
how did the settlements the crusaders passed through on the wway to Jerusalem generally respons to them?
Emirs along route generally yielded; agreed to pay some tribute money
give an example of an Emir along the route to jerusalem who yielded to the crusaders
emir of Tripoli sent gifts to crusaders and kept his city safe
which town on the way to jerusalem significantly refused to surrender to the crusaders?
Arqah
where is Arqah?
15 miles from Triploli
where did Godfrey and Robert join the crusade again?
siege of Arqah
for how long was Arqah besieged? (but did not fall)
- besieged 14th Feb-5th April
- 13 May: crusaders moved on
how did the crusaders pass safely through palestine, despite ti being under control of the fatimids?
they did not keep troops to guard the province
which group controlled palestine during the first crusade?
the fatimids
which major cities were left alone by the crusaers on their way to jerusalem?
Beirut, Tyre, and Acre did not resist and Crusaders did not try to attack
where did the crusaders turn inland on the first crusade?
at Jaffa
emissaries from whcih place asked the first crusaders to liberate them from the Turks?
emissaries from Bethlehem met the army and persuaded Tancred to liberate them from Turks
which crusader attempted to liberate Bethlehem from the Turks?
Tancred
who controlled jerusalem by the time the first crusade reached it?
the fatimids recaptured from Seljuks the year before
why did the seige of jerusalmen by the crusaders itnitally seem impossible?
- crusaders had no hope of relief from arid countryside
- did not have sufficient troops, supplies, or time to blockade the city - ~12,000 men incl. 1500 cavalry remained
how large was the crusade by the time it reached jerusalem?
~12,000 men incl. 1500 cavalry remained
what was the outcome of the cruade’s first assault on jerusalem 13 june 1099?
after scaling outer wall, repulsed from inner wall
who led the genoese mariners who supported the crusaders in their siege of jerusalem?
Guglielmo Embriaco
which groups supported the crusaders in their siege of jerusalem?
Genoese mariners under Guglielmo Embriaco
where did the Genoese mariners under Guglielmo Embriaco arrive to support the crusaders int their siege of jerusalem?
Jaffa
how did genoese mariners aid the siege of jerusalem?
provided crusaders with skilled engineers and timber supplies to build siege towers
who claimed to have had a divine vision at the siege of jerusalem?
Peter Desiderius, priest
what was Peter Desiderius’ divine vision during the siege of jerusalem?
instructing them to fast and marge barefoot around the city wall, following story of Joshua at siege of Jericho
what prompted the crusaders’ final assault on jerusalem 13 july 1099?
news arrived of Fatimid relief army setting off from Egypt
how did the final assault on jerusalem result in it’s fall?
- 13 July Raymond’s troops attacked the south gate and other contingents attacked north wall
- initially, provencals at south gate made little headway while contingents in north had slow but steady attrition of defence
- 15 July: final push made at both ends of Jerusalem; inner rampart of northen wall eventually captured
- defenders abandoned walls in panic
