Discover the essential timeline of the Crusades, packed with key events and crucial details to help you excel in your final exam. This concise and clear overview makes it easy to remember important dates and gain a solid understanding of the period. Perfect for students who want a quick and effecti...
Date Event & Description/extra details
1071 Battle of Manzikert.
one of the consequences of Manzikert was a prolonged period of political upheaval in
Constantinople. Alexius had launched his own coup as part of this to come to power and it is
believed that his own political weaknesses prompted him to ask the West for help.
Seljuk WIN.
1081 Alexios Becomes Emperor.
1092 Malik Shah Died.
1095 Alexios call for help.
1095 Council of Claremont.
the timing of Urban’s speech at Clermont is instructive. He was in the middle of a preaching tour
which was designed to assert his growing power now that he had gained control in Rome against the
anti-Pope. He had also waited several months after receiving the Byzantine appeal for help which
suggests an internal motive.
Since 1074 the Papacy had been in conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor in the Investiture Contest.
Successfully launching the First Crusade would enhance Papal claims to superiority.
1095-1096 Peoples Crusade.
Seljuk WIN.
Oct 1096 Crusaders begin to arrive in Constantinople.
Alexios meets all of the princes individually and rewards them with gold and riches. He makes them,
the crusaders included, swear an oath of loyalty.
Spring 1097 Crusaders arrive at their camp in Kibotos.
The Muslim world wasn’t aware of the franks incoming, the Muslims were too disunified and there
was no single voice of unity.
May 1097 Siege of Nicaea.
King Arslan underestimated the crusader army after the people’s crusade. Arslan was out of town, so
the crusaders seized the town with no opposition. The Arslan Army was outnumbered, and the
crusaders catapulted heads towards army. Crusader WIN.
On the First Crusade there are examples of reward being very important (the anger at Alexius at
Nicaea as he prevented the Crusaders from plundering, the arguments between Bohemond and
Raymond over Antioch, Raymond’s behaviour in 1099).
July 1097 The Battle of Dorylaeum.
Arslan Army leader and Seljuk Warlord Arslan launched an attack against the crusaders. Many
crusaders stripped Arlsans camp of materials. Muslim soldiers eventually lost faith in Arslan and
surrendered cities of western Anatolia.
Oct 1097 Crusaders reach Antioch.
The Antiochene people were prepared behind their massive walls. The Crusaders held positions for
months and as a result starved. Alexios had sent very little resources so has to resort to eating dead
dogs, rats etc.
Jan 1098 Bishop Adhemar concluded that the stalemate was due to the crusader’s sinfulness. He ordered all
women to leave. The Crusades hopes were lifted when reinforcements came from England and
Denmark.
Feb 1098 Tatikos and his troops left the siege to try find Alexios and persuade him to send help. They never
returned. The remaining crusaders fought off the relief army. The skill and commitment of the
crusaders were increasing.
March 1098 Baldwin takes over as ruler of Edessa.
April 1098 A larger relief army was on its way, led by Kerbogha and strengthened with alliances of those who
wanted to displace local Seljuk leaders. Kerbogha wanted to expand power in Syria
May 1098 Many crusaders fled due to fears of getting slain by Kerboghas force. The crusaders had to try get
behind the walls of Antioch otherwise they would easily get beaten by the relief force.
June 1098 Siege of Antioch.
, Bohemond made contact with Firuz, an Armenian Muslim convert. He was angry with his position in
the local Seljuk Turk govt as he’d been fired. On June 3, he lowered a rope and helped Bohemond’s
men into the city who then opened the gates. Local Armenians helped massacre the Turks. Crusader
WIN.
Bohemond was an able general whose aggressive tactics and military skill created the victories over
Ridwan and Kerbogah, he led the crusading armies to victory at Dorylaeum and Antioch. Bohemond
made the crusaders use rearguards and instilled the discipline necessary to defeat Turkish cavalry at
Dorylaeum. Bohemond was appointed as sole commander in moments of crisis, such as June 1098 at
Antioch.
June 1098 By the Morning, the rest of Antioch was in crusader hands. By night, however, Kerboghas army was
coming and had arrived. This left only the walls dividing the two armies.
June 1098 Peter Bartholemew had a vision of the holy lance. After digging with fellow crusaders, they lost
hope. Peter prayed to god and the lance was found.
religious zeal was of some importance to the successes – the attraction of Jerusalem provided drive
which proved vital at Antioch. The 'Holy Lance' and the determination of ordinary crusaders to
complete their armed pilgrimage with or without their leaders, as demonstrated at Ma'arrat, are
good examples. This also encouraged settlement and pilgrimage to Outremer.
June 1098 The religious motivation the crusaders had helped them launch an organised attack against
Kerboghas Army. The front line of the Muslim army was crumbling, so many of his soldiers left. The
crusaders looted the camp and thanked god.
Mistakes were made by the Seljuk Turks during the First Crusade linked to their disunity. Kilij Arslan
underestimated the crusade and his pre-occupation of warring with his neighbours helped the
crusade early on. Divisions amongst Muslims included the fragmentation of the Seljuk Empire after
1092, the inability of Ridwan and Duqaq to work together and of Kerbogha to maintain the unity.
Aug 1098 The crusaders journey from Antioch to Jerusalem.
The feud between Bohemond and Raymond. Raymond captured Ma’arrat and made it his base.
Dec 1098-Jan 1099 Poorer franks began tearing the walls of Ma’Arrat down. Raymond took 7000 crusaders with him to
Jerusalem.
April 1099 Power shifted from Raymond to Godfroy of Boullion.
June 1099 14,000 crusaders arrived at the walls of the holy land. Godefroy and Raymonds army had split,
limiting communications. The Muslims increased defence at points they saw siege towers.
July 1099 Crusaders prayed and confessed their sins.
14 July 1099 Crusaders launch attack on Jerusalem.
Some reported the dead bishop Adhemar fighting. Others said they saw St George telling them
where to fight. Godefroy dismantled a siege tower and rebuilt it where defence was weak. He
climbed over the walls and opened a gate, allowing the crusaders to flood in. the massacre was so
horrific that ‘rivers of blood’ flowed down the streets. Jewish community that fought alongside the
Muslims fled to a synagogue preparing for their deaths. They were burnt alive.
15 July 1099 Jerusalem was under Christian hands for the first time since 638. Exactly two weeks after, Pope
Urban died. He didn’t know of the crusaders triumph.
22 July 1099 Raymond of Toulouse turned down the crown and Instead went to Godefroy of bullion who insisted
he wouldn’t be called a king, but assumed control quickly.
August 1099 Battle of Ascalon.
Godfreys army of 10,000 caught the Fatimid relief army unprepared near the coast of Ascalon. Due
to the rehearsed battle tactics and good leadership the crusaders bought a swift victory. The Muslims
fled, some hiding in trees only to be shot down. This Battle is a example of Muslim weakness and the
terrible readiness to defend their lands.
1100 Baldwin becomes king of Jerusalem after death of Godfrey.
1101 Baldwin captures Arsuf.
1101 Siege of Acre. Baldwin WIN.
1104 Battle of Harran – Muslims from Mardin and Mosul united to defeat the Franks at Harran in May,
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller kishanmistri. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.89. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
