Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
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Battle of Nicaea
16 May 1097
 Pera
0 5 10 k
Al
Chrysopolis
Strategic Situation 1097/05/15
Constantinople
Chalcedon

Byzantine Empire
Alexios Comnenos {1081-1118}
s
ariu
ang
S

Pelekanon Nicomedia
Sea of
Civitot
Marmara Helenopolis Sophon

Ra

Primary Sources
Albert 2.25-27
Anna 11.1-2
Fulcher 1.10
Gesta 2/8=14-15
Letters 1=4, 3=7
Matthew 2.112 riu
s
ga
Ralph 17 Bo Sa
n

Raymond 5=25-27
William 3.2-4 Go
Ascanian Nicaea

Studies Malagina

Asbridge 117-131 Leuce

France 159-169
Frankopan 138-144 Qi
Rogers 17-25
Rubenstein 101-115
Runciman 175-182

Prusa
0 500 1000 1500 m
1- [Gesta 2/8=14]
The Turks who were inside
[Nicaea] sent messengers to
the others who had come to
their help, telling them that
they might come and enter,
fearlessly and safely,
3- Qilich Arslan
arrives a few days
before 15 May.
Turkish Garrison of Nicaea Request Aid 1097/05/mid
Bo
RF
5- [Albert 2.25b] Turkish Scouting
[Qilich Arslan] altered his route and went through the
mountain regions towards the walls of Nicaea, to see if
Go perhaps from the vantage point of the rocky heights he
could detect with his own eyes whether as many
thousands as he had heard had gathered there, and from
which direction he could safely attack them
2
1
2- [Gesta 2/8=14]
by way of the south gate, for there was no-
one there to stand in their way or attack
them.
4b- Note: Problem with Medieval Numbers.
Albert gives two different numbers for the Turkish army. In one place
[Albert 2.25a] he says the Turks numbered 500,000. In another [Albert
2.27a] he says the Turks had 10,000 in their first line, meaning the
total army would be perhaps 20,000.
5
4a- Number of Turks
[Albert 2.25a +William 3.1d, 4a]
[Qilich Arslan] exerted himself for very many days until he had brought
together five hundred thousand fighting men and knights in armour
from the whole of Rum.
[Albert 2.27a]
3 4 About ten thousand [Turks], all archers, led the way in the first line
Qi
0 500 1000 1500 m
Capture of a Turkish Spy 1097/05/15

9- {15 May} [Albert 2.26 +William 3.3a]

One of the Turkish spies captured by the crusaders
Bo reveals Qilich Arslans plan under threat of torture;
RF the crusaders learn the Turks plan to attack at the third
hour (= 9 am) the next day {16 May}. The crusader
9
army remains under arms, ready for the Turkish attack.

Go

8 8- Skirmish with the Scouts [Anna 11.1c]

[Raymonds] soldiers saw them from a distance and
6- {15 May} [Albert 2.26 joined battle with them. Directly the other Counts and
+William 3.3a] Bohemund got ear of the barbarians' attack, they
6 selected two hundred soldiers from each Count's
Qilich Arslan sends two spies to
the crusader camp. army and thus dispatched an army of imposing size
to aid [Raymonds] men; they succeeded in routing
the Turks and pursued them till the evening.

7
7- {15 May} Turkish Scouts [Anna 11.1c]
Sultan detached and sent on a part of his
army to spy out [Raymonds] way of
approach and bade them not refuse battle,
if they met any Franks.

Qi
0 500 1000 1500 m
Bo
RF
11- Overconfidence of Qilich Arslan [William 3.2d]
Bear in mind also how easily we {Turks] triumphed over their
mighty host, and one day consigned to death more than fifty
thousand of their number [against Peter at Civitot]. Be
comforted, therefore, and have no fear, for tomorrow before
the seventh hour of the day you shall receive abundant aid
and be delivered from the enemy.
The Turkish Army 1097/05/16
10a- [Albert 2.27a +William 3.4a]
All of [the Turkish army were] very strong men and very
provident in war, heavily armed with hauberks and helmets
and golden shields, and bearing before them in their hands
very many standards of amazing beauty. About ten
thousand of them, all archers, carrying in their hands
bows of horn and bone fully drawn for shooting, and all of
them were mounted on horses which were very swift of
movement and very skilled in warfare.
Go
10b- Turkish Army [Albert 2.27a]
Albert gives a detailed description of the Turkish army of Qilich Arslan
[8a], which includes the following characteristics.
1- very strong
2- very provident [experienced, foresight] in war
3- heavily armed with [mail] hauberks and helmets
4- golden shields = probably bronze, or gold inlaid (see photo).
Probably small round shields strapped to the forearm; 12-18 inch diameter
5- very many standards of amazing beauty
6- 10,000 in number
7- all archers with recurved composite bows (bows of horn and bone)
8- all mounted on horses
9- the horses very swift of movement and very skilled in warfare
10c- Note:
This description is probably of Qilich Arslans askarelite household
troops and mamluks/ghilmnrather than the normal tribal mounted
archer. Contrary to popular myth, Muslim soldiers were often about
as heavily armored as crusader knights. Crusader and Saracen
armor was often similar, if for no other reason that they plundered each
10 others arms and armor from the dead and prisoners after battle. The
11 mention of very many standards probably refers to the Turks fighting
in smaller, more numbers and more flexible units than the crusaders.
Qi
0 500 1000 1500 m
14- Note:
Turkish assaults out of the north gate
was designed to pin down Bohemonds
crusaders; the attack out of the east
gate was to attack Godfreys men in
the rear as Qilich Arslans men attack
from the east and south
Qilich Arslans Plan 1097/05/15
13b- Note:
Qilich Arslans plan was based on the
assumption that there was no crusader
Bo force blockading the southern gate.
RF Standard Turkish tactics of concentration of
force against only part of an enemy army.

14 Go 13a- [Fulcher 1.10.2]

Once before the Turks had gathered in force hoping to drive
the besiegers away from the city if possible or else to
defend it with their own soldiers more effectively.

?
13

?- Note:
It is not clear if any Turks attacked in the
valley between the two ridges.

{15 May} [Albert 2.25d]

12- [Qilich Arslan] had formed his divisions
and would attack the pilgrims in a short while,
and that the entire force of Turks should
burst out of the city gates, and in this way,
with their resolution added to [Qilich Arslans],
they would wipe out the people of God. 12
Qi
 Pera
0 5 10 k
Al
Chrysopolis
Raymonds Reinforcements Forced March 1097/05/15
Constantinople
Chalcedon

Byzantine Empire
Alexios Comnenos {1081-1118}
s
ariu
ang
S

Pelekanon Nicomedia
Sea of
Civitot
15- [Albert 2.26d +William 3.3b]
Marmara Helenopolis
Duke Godfrey, Bohemond, Robert of Sophon
Flanders, and all who were there sent a
legation to travel all through that night to
Count Raymond, saying that he should
hasten his journey more than usual if he
wanted to wage war on the Turks and come
Ra
to the assistance of his allies.

15
16- [Albert 2.26d] 16 ga
riu
s
n
[Raymond] learned that [Qilich Arslans] Bo Sa

attack was so close, delayed no longer, but

hastened his journey through all the hours Ascanian Go
Nicaea
of that night, and at the first hour of day,
when the sun was already shining fully on Malagina
the earth, he arrived with the bishop of Le Leuce
Puy, in full force with a company of
cavalry and infantry bearing standards of
different colours and designs, armed with Qi
hauberks and helmets.

Prusa
0 500 1000 1500 m
Ra Arrival of Raymonds Crusaders 1097/05/16

17- [Gesta 2/8=14-15]

18a- [Albert 2.27a +William 3.4a]
The count's tents were only just
being pitched when, at about the
third hour {9 am}
Bo 17 This [southern] gate, however, was blocked on
that very day {16 May} by [Raymond] the
RF count of St Gilles and [Adhemar] the bishop of
Le Puy. The count, who came from the other
side of the city with a very strong army,
trusting in God's protection and glorious in
his earthly weapons, found the Turks coming
Go
towards the gate against our men.
18 Ra

18b- [William 3.4a]

Qilich Arslan, ignorant of
Raymond's arrival, had expected
to find it unprotected as it had
been for the past two days. His
hope was vain, however, for he
found almost more troops
stationed there than at any other
point.
19- [Albert 2.27a +William 3.4a]
19 [Qilich Arslan and the Turks] came down from the
19 heights of the mountains and all his company.

19

Qi
0 500 1000 1500 m
Qilich Arslans Attack 1097/05/16

21- [Raymond 5b= 25]

Bo
RF
20b- [Albert 2.27a +William 3.4a]
Thus [Qilich Arslan] and his men descended, striving to burst
in with a charge through the gate of the town, which was
guarded by Count Raymond blockading it.
Ra
[Raymond 5c= 25-6]
The other group of Turks would enter Nicaea through the
south gate and go out another [east] gate and thereby easily
rout our unsuspecting forces [of Godfrey].
While the Count of Toulouse wished to encamp there [by
the south gate], the Turks marched down from the
mountains in two bodies and fell upon our army.
Doubtless they had made their plans with the hope that while
one contingent fought Godfrey and the Germans
encamped to the east, the other group of Turks would enter
Go Nicaea through the south gate and go out another [east]
gate and thereby easily rout our unsuspecting forces.
21
20

20

Qi

20a- [Albert 2.27a +William 3.4a]

[Qilich Arslan] came down from the heights of
the mountains and all his company, who had
formed battle lines, poured down along the
different footpaths like the sand of the seashore,
0 500 1000 1500 m
First Crusader Charge 1097/05/16

Bo 24a- [Letter 1=4 (Stephen)]

Our men pursued them with alacrity,
RF
killing many of them. The pursuit was
continued over a wide area, with many
24 Turks killed or wounded,

Go [Albert 2.27b, +Gesta 2/8=14-15]

24b- Duke Godfrey and Bohemond did not curb their horses but
let them have their heads and flew through the midst of the
Ra enemy, piercing some with lances, unsaddling others, and all the
24 while urging on their allies, encouraging them with manly
exhortations to slaughter the enemy. There was no small clash of
23 spears there, no small ringing of swords and helmets heard in this
conflict of war, no small destruction of Turks was wrought by
these outstanding young knights and their allies.
22
23a- [Raymond 5c= 25-6 +Gesta 2/8=15]
The Count [Raymond], who at the
moment was about to make camp with
his men, to attack that body of Turks Qi
which at the very same time was on the
point of entering Nicaea. 22a- [Letter 1=4 (Stephen)]
our soldiers were ready in very quick time
to repel the Turkish attack with ferocity
and spirit. The Turks turned round en bloc
23c- [Letters 3 =7 (Anselm)] and fled immediately.
The Turks with the cunning they had often shown, duped us yet
again. On a day they had promised to surrender, [Qilich Arslan]
and all the Turks from neighboring and distant regions joined 22b- [William 3.4a]
forces, intending to launch a surprise attack on our camp. They [The Crusaders] bore the charge splendidly,
met us face to face. [Raymond] the count of St Gilles attacked broke the attack, and completely scattered
them with some Franks, killing huge numbers and putting the the enemys first line.
rest to an uncontrolled flight.
0 500 1000 1500 m
The Second Crusader Charge 1097/05/16

27- [Albert 2.27d +William 3.4d]

Some of [the crusaders] had been
left in the tents around the city to
stop those shut up inside from
getting out.

27

Bo

25a- [Gesta 2/8=15 ] RF

The survivors [of the Turks] rallied with the
Go
help of other Turks and came in high spirits,
Ra
exulting in their certainty of victory,
25b- [William 3.4a]
The latter had already turned to flee when the
appearance of Qilich Arslan with strong
reinforcements revived the courage of the
disordered troops and forced them to return
to the fray.
26
25
25
26- [Albert 2.27b, +Gesta 2/8=14-15]
Qi But they were and overcome by this same count and by the duke
[Godfreys] brother [Baldwin], who attacked from the front
[Other crusaders] came to the assistance of their brothers in Christ
without delay, galloping swiftly to and fro through the midst of
the battle lines and inflicting deadly wounds.
0 500 1000 1500 m
Flight of the Turks 1097/05/16

Bo

RF

Go [Raymond 5c= 25-6]

Ra 28- Raymond routed and killed
many of the Turks and then chased
28 the remaining ones to a nearby
mountain,

Qi

28- [Letter 1=4 (Stephen)]

The Turks would have suffered a huge
irremediable disaster that day if our men had
not been held back by the difficult and
unknown terrain of the mountains. That
day not a single soldier of ours was lost.
0 500 1000 1500 m
Turkish Casualties 1097/05/16

Note:
Turkish battle casualties are generally vague in medieval
sources. Here they range from:
a- 4000
b- over 1000
c- 200
d- huge numbers
e- many

a- [William 3.4b]
after an hour resistance during which about four
thousand were killed and some captured, they turned
and fled.
Bo b- [Albert 2.28a]
Then a thousand Turks' heads were gathered in carts and
RF sacks and loaded on wagons, and were sent by ship to
the emperor of Constantinople.
Go
Ra
c- [Fulcher 1.10.2; +Ralph 16b]
But [the Turks] were fiercely thrown back by our men,
nearly two hundred of them being killed.

d- [Letter 3 =7 (Anselm)]
[Raymond] the count of St Gilles attacked them with
Qi some Franks, killing huge numbers and putting the rest
to an uncontrolled flight.

e- [Letter 1 =4 (Stephen)]
The pursuit was continued over a wide area, with many
Turks killed or wounded,
0 500 1000 1500 m
31
31- [Albert 2.28a]
Then a thousand Turks' heads were gathered
in carts and sacks and loaded on wagons, and
they took them down to the port which is called
Civitot, and thus they were sent by ship to the
emperor of Constantinople.
30- [Gesta 2/8=15]
As many [Turks] as came down had their
heads cut off by our men, who threw the
heads of the slain into the city by means of
a sling, in order to cause more terror among
the Turkish garrison.
30- [Albert 2.28a]
When the storm of this first battle had settled
around Nicaea, they used to throw the cut-
off heads of the Turks inside the city walls
to frighten the chiefs of the fortress and the
guards of the walls.
Beheading and Terrorizing the Turks 1097/05/16
29- Carry heads on spears or 29- [Letters 3 =7 (Anselm)]
tied to saddles in triumphal Our men returned victorious,
procession through camp. carrying many heads impaled on
30- Catapult heads into the city their pikes and spears, and on the
to terrorize Turks in Nicaea. seventeenth day before the kalends of
31- Send 1000 heads to June {16 May} they offered a joyous
Constantinople spectacle to the people of God.
30 29- [Anna 11.1d]
After gaining this brilliant victory the
Franks fixed many of the Turks'
heads on their spears and marched
back carrying these like standards, in
order that the barbarians should see
from a distance what had happened,
and lose heart through being
29 Bo defeated at the start, and therefore
refrain from a strenuous battle.
RF
Go 29- [Albert 2.27d +William 3.4d]
The Christians cut off the heads of
Ra
the dead and wounded, and as a
sign of victory they brought them
back to their tents with them, tied on
the girths of their saddles, and they
returned with joy to their fellows,
Qi
0 500 1000 1500 m
Qilich Arslans Withdrawal 1097/05/17

Bo
RF
32- [Anna 11.1e]
But the Sultan, after seeing their countless
multitude and having gained experience of their
invincible boldness from the battle itself, sent a
message to the Turks inside Nicaea, saying Act 32 Go
for the future in whatever way you think best.
For he had known for some time that they would
prefer to surrender the city to the Emperor
Ra
than be captured by the Franks.

34- [Fulcher 1.10.2]

Moreover when they saw that the
Franks were so inspired and so
strong in military valor they
retreated in haste into the interior
of Romania [Anatolia/Turkey] until
such time as they should feel the
33- [Albert 2.27d +William 3.4b] occasion opportune for attacking
victory rested with the Christian army, again [= Dorylaeum].
[Qilich Arslan] and his men fled back to
the mountains, no longer daring to join
battle with God's people in this siege. 34
33
Qi
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