Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- 1 The roots of victory
- 2 War in the West
- 3 Campaigns, generals and leadership
- 4 Preparations and prelude
- 5 The size of the crusader army
- 6 The first enemy: the Turks of Asia Minor
- 7 The second enemy: the siege of Antioch
- 8 The siege of Antioch: crisis and delivery
- 9 The siege of Antioch: victory
- 10 Divisions
- 11 Jerusalem: triumphant ending
- 12 Perspectives
- Appendix: A note on the sources
- Select bibliography
- Index
5 - The size of the crusader army
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- Acknowledgements
- List of abbreviations
- 1 The roots of victory
- 2 War in the West
- 3 Campaigns, generals and leadership
- 4 Preparations and prelude
- 5 The size of the crusader army
- 6 The first enemy: the Turks of Asia Minor
- 7 The second enemy: the siege of Antioch
- 8 The siege of Antioch: crisis and delivery
- 9 The siege of Antioch: victory
- 10 Divisions
- 11 Jerusalem: triumphant ending
- 12 Perspectives
- Appendix: A note on the sources
- Select bibliography
- Index
Summary
After the conclusion of the agreements between Alexius and the leaders, the crusader forces gathered in Asia Minor. Godfrey's army had crossed in Lent of 1097 and doubtless they were joined by other contingents such as that of Robert of Flanders. Bohemond's force crossed under the command of Tancred in late April though he stayed with the emperor, while the army led by Godfrey, Robert of Flanders and Tancred, including the ‘feeble debris’ of the ‘People's Crusade’, marched along the Gulf of Nicomedia to that city via Runnel to begin their approach to Nicaea. The Anonymous says that they were too numerous to take the road used by the ‘People's Crusade’ and opened up their own route direct to Nicaea using 300 men to clear and mark the way. This probably means that the old Roman road from Nicomedia to Nicaea was badly overgrown and had to be cleared for the army. This road crosses the Naldökan Daglari, mountains which rise to over 1,400 metres, and the crusaders marked it with crosses for those who would follow them (see figs. 2 and 5). They arrived at Nicaea on 6 May 1097 and even at this early stage food was short and the army was relieved when Bohemond arrived with supplies.
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- Victory in the EastA Military History of the First Crusade, pp. 122 - 142Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994