The First Crusade (1096–1099):
The Road to Jerusalem
Explore the Crusades, a turbulent era of faith, conquest and bloodshed that reshaped the medieval world. Beginning with the First Crusade, follow the armies that marched towards the Holy Land, uncover the infamous figures who led them, and discover the battles, sieges and sacrifices that changed history. This is only the beginning — more Crusades and stories will be added as Historic Notorious continues to grow.
The First Crusade Begins: Pope Urban II, the People’s Crusade and the Massacres of 1096
In 1095, Pope Urban II called for a military expedition to the Holy Land at the Council of Clermont. The Byzantine Empire, ruled by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, faced growing pressure from the Seljuk Turks, who had expanded across much of Anatolia. Urban urged Western Christians to take up arms in support of the eastern Christians and to reclaim Jerusalem, one of Christianity's holiest cities. His speech inspired thousands to embark on what became known as the First Crusade. One of the earliest movements was the People's Crusade, led by the charismatic preacher Peter the Hermit. Thousands of ordinary people joined the expedition, many poorly equipped and unprepared for the dangers ahead. Along the route through the Rhineland, some crusading groups, including those associated with Count Emicho, carried out brutal massacres of Jewish communities. These attacks were driven by religious hostility and greed, leaving Jewish communities devastated before the main crusading armies had even reached the Holy Land. The People's Crusade eventually reached Constantinople, where its undisciplined followers caused difficulties for Emperor Alexios. After crossing into Seljuk territory, they suffered repeated defeats. The expedition was ultimately crushed by Turkish forces in Anatolia, demonstrating the dangers facing the larger armies still travelling east.
Bohemond of Taranto and the Crusaders’ Victories at Nicaea and Dorylaeum (1097)
In 1096, a more organised expedition of nobles and professional warriors began setting out for Constantinople. Among its leading figures was Bohemond of Taranto, son of the Norman conqueror Robert Guiscard. Bohemond had fought the Byzantines in southern Italy and the Balkans, yet now joined the Crusade, driven by a mixture of religious ambition, military opportunity and personal ambition. The crusading leaders gathered in Constantinople and negotiated with Alexios I, who wanted to recover former Byzantine territories captured by the Turks. The emperor expected the crusaders to return lands that had belonged to his empire, while many Western nobles had their own ambitions. This uneasy alliance would shape the campaign that followed. The first major objective was Nicaea, a strategically important city held by the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm. Its ruler, Kilij Arslan I, underestimated the threat posed by the crusading armies. After the siege began, Byzantine forces played a crucial role in securing the city's surrender in June 1097. The crusaders then continued across Anatolia, where they faced a determined Turkish response. At the Battle of Dorylaeum in July 1097, Kilij Arslan's forces attacked the crusaders but were eventually driven back by the arrival of reinforcements. The defeat weakened the immediate Turkish resistance to the main expedition, although it did not end Seljuk opposition to the Crusade. The march east was exhausting. The crusaders endured intense heat, shortages of water and food, disease and constant danger. Stories of the expedition also became part of medieval legend, including tales surrounding Godfrey of Bouillon, one of its leading princes. Meanwhile, the campaign began to fracture as individual leaders pursued their own objectives.
Baldwin of Boulogne and the Founding of the County of Edessa (1098)
While the main crusading army continued towards Antioch, Baldwin of Boulogne, brother of Godfrey, separated from the main force and travelled into northern Mesopotamia. In 1098, he established himself as ruler of Edessa, forming the first major crusader state, the County of Edessa. Baldwin's success strengthened the crusader presence in the East, but it also revealed how the expedition was becoming more than a campaign to reach Jerusalem. Its leaders were establishing territories and pursuing political power, sometimes at the expense of their original promises to the Byzantine emperor.
The Siege of Antioch 1097–1098: From Starvation to Victory
The crusaders reached Antioch in October 1097. The city was heavily fortified and strategically important, controlling routes into northern Syria. Its governor, Yaghi-Siyan, commanded the city's defence, while the crusading princes prepared for what would become one of the most gruelling stages of the entire expedition. The siege dragged on for months. Harsh weather, hunger and disease weakened the crusaders, while supplies became increasingly scarce. Relations between the princes and Alexios I also deteriorated. When the Byzantine emperor turned back before reaching Antioch, some crusading leaders viewed his withdrawal as abandonment, further undermining his authority over the expedition. Eventually, Bohemond secured an agreement with a man inside Antioch who agreed to help the crusaders enter the city. In June 1098, they gained access and captured Antioch, although the victory was short-lived: a large Muslim relief army commanded by Kerbogha, ruler of Mosul, soon arrived and besieged the crusaders inside the city. Trapped within Antioch, the crusaders faced starvation and despair. After weeks of hardship, they emerged to confront Kerbogha's army. In the ensuing Battle of Antioch, the crusaders defeated the besieging force, securing one of the expedition's most remarkable victories.
Bohemond then claimed Antioch for himself, despite Byzantine expectations that the city would be restored to imperial control. His decision exposed the growing divide between the Crusaders' leaders and the empire that had helped them begin their campaign.
The Siege of Ma’arra and the Crusaders’ March Towards Jerusalem (1098–1099)
Rather than immediately continuing to Jerusalem, the crusaders spent further months dealing with disputes over Antioch and their next objectives. In late 1098, they besieged and captured Ma'arra. The capture was followed by a massacre of inhabitants and reports of cannibalism among starving crusaders. These horrifying accounts reveal the extreme conditions of the campaign and the brutality that could accompany its victories. The expedition's leaders eventually resumed their march south. Their destination was Jerusalem, then controlled by the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, rather than the Seljuk Turks. The Fatimids had captured the city from the Seljuks in 1098, shortly before the crusaders arrived in the region.
The Siege and Fall of Jerusalem: The Crusaders’ Victory and Massacre of 1099
In June 1099, the crusading army reached Jerusalem. After years of marching, fighting and hardship, the city was finally within their grasp. The Fatimid garrison prepared to defend its walls, while the crusaders struggled to obtain enough food, water and siege equipment to launch an effective assault. On 15 July 1099, the crusaders breached Jerusalem's defences and captured the city. What followed was a brutal massacre of Muslim and Jewish inhabitants. The conquest fulfilled one of Pope Urban II's central objectives, but the scale of the killing left a dark mark on the campaign's legacy. Urban II, however, never learned of the victory. He died in 1099 before news of Jerusalem's capture reached the West. His successor, Pope Paschal II, inherited the papacy after the First Crusade had achieved its principal objective.
Godfrey of Bouillon, the Battle of Ascalon and the Birth of the Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099–1100)
Following Jerusalem's capture, the crusading leaders had to decide how the city would be governed. Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen to lead the new Christian regime, adopting the title Advocate of the Holy Sepulchre rather than king. The title reflected his role as protector of the holy places associated with Christ's death and resurrection.
The new regime soon faced another threat. In August 1099, Godfrey led crusader forces against a Fatimid army near Ascalon. The crusaders won the Battle of Ascalon, helping secure their position in the region, although the Fatimids remained a significant power. Godfrey died in 1100. His brother Baldwin, formerly ruler of Edessa, travelled to Jerusalem and was crowned Baldwin I, King of Jerusalem. The new kingdom, alongside the County of Edessa and Bohemond's principality of Antioch, formed the beginnings of a lasting crusader presence in the eastern Mediterranean. Bohemond's own ambitions also continued beyond the First Crusade. While campaigning against Byzantine power, he was captured by the Danishmends in 1100 and held prisoner until 1103. His capture illustrates how the rivalries and conflicts unleashed during the Crusade continued long after Jerusalem had fallen.
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