Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
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 Siege of Nicaea 2:
Arrival and Blockade
6 May - 19 June 1097
 Pera
0 5 10 k Chrysopolis
The Blockade of Nicaea 1097/05-06
Constantinople
Chalcedon

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

Pelekanon Nicomedia
Sea of
Civitot
Marmara Helenopolis Sophon

Primary Sources
Albert 2.21-37
Anna 11.1-2
Fulcher 1.10
Gesta 2/8=14-17
Letters 1, 3
Matthew 2.112 riu
s
ga
Ralph 14-19 Sa
n

Raymond 5=25-27
William 2.21-3.12
Ascanian Nicaea

Studies Malagina

Asbridge 117-131 Leuce

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

Prusa
0 100 200 300 m
The Defenses of Nicaea 1097/

[Raymond 3=25]
Then after the passage of the sea we hastened
to Nicaea, where Godfrey, Bohemond, and
other leaders, who were in the vanguard,
besieged Nicaea, a city well protected by Marsh
natural terrain and clever defenses. Its
natural fortifications consisted of a great
lake lapping at its walls and a ditch, brimful
of runoff water from nearby streams,
blocking entrance on three sides. Skillful
men had enclosed Nicaea with such lofty
walls that the city feared neither the attack [Albert 2.21b]
of enemies nor the force of any machine. Nicaea, which seemed unassailable in its
ramparts, walls, and fortifications of
towers. In this ancient and strongly fortified
Note: The exact size of the coastal marsh town [left us] wondering at the towers
is uncertain. and very strong defenses, and at the double
walls.

Marsh
0 500 1000 1500 m
South Wall of Nicaea 1097/

[Letter 1 (Stephen)] [Raymond 3=25]

Nicaea is encircled by remarkable walls with
more than three hundred high towers. The
Turks inside we learned to be valiant fighters.
The ballistae of the nearby towers were so
alternately faced that no one could move
near them without peril, and if anyone
wished to move forward, he could do no
harm because he could easily be struck
down from the top of a tower.

Medieval walls would have been 50-100%

higher; many sections of the walls have
been collapsed or used as quarries. Much
of the medieval wall is now underneath
the current ground level.

Descendant of Qilich Arslan.

Small breed of horses.
Survival of equestrian traditions among
modern Turks.

These section of the walls have been

rebuilt in rough stone. The walls have
been restored and rebuilt several times
throughout history.

This road would have originally been a

deep water filled ditch
0 100 200 300 m
North Gate 1097/

Marsh

Marsh
0 10 20 30 m North Gate Today 1097/
0 10 20 30 m Outer Wall 1097/

[Albert 2.21b]
[The crusaders were] wondering at the
towers and very strong defenses, and at the
double walls.
0 10 20 30 m Towers in Outer Wall 1097/

Note that the towers in the outer wall are

located halfway between the towers in
the inner, larger wall.

[Albert 2.21b]
[The crusaders were] wondering at the
towers and very strong defences, and at the
double walls.
0 10 20 30 m Inner Wall 1097/

[Albert 2.21b]
[The crusaders were] wondering at the
towers and very strong defenses, and at the
double walls.
0 10 20 30 m Towers of the Inner Wall 1097/

[Letter 1 (Stephen)]
Nicaea is encircled by remarkable walls with
more than three hundred high towers. The
Turks inside we learned to be valiant fighters.
0 10 20 30 m Ballistas on Towers 1097/
[Raymond 3=25]
The ballistae of the nearby towers were so
alternately faced that no one could move
near them without peril, and if anyone
wished to move forward, he could do no
harm because he could easily be struck
down from the top of a tower.

0 10 20 30 m Distance between tower 1097/

Note: The distance from tower to tower

is almost always 40 meters. The distance
from the center of one tower to another is
about 50 meters. This probably
represents the standard range of accuracy
and the ability to penetrate mail armor.
m
40
30
20
10
0
m
40
30
20
10
0
m
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 m Water-filled Moat 1097/

[Raymond 3=25]
Its natural fortifications consisted of a
ditch, brimful of runoff water from nearby
streams, blocking entrance on three sides.
0 10 20 30 m North Gate 1097/
0 10 20 30 m Original Roman Gate 1097/

Roman Era Gate

Ground level of the Roman gate was

probably 10 feet or so lower at the time
of the crusades
0 10 20 30 m Byzantine (Justinian) Construction 1097/

Byzantine Construction
0 100 200 300 m
Turks Prepare for a Siege 1097/05/early

Marsh

{early May} [Albert 2.21b]

[Qilich Arslan], a very noble man but
also a heathen, was in charge of the
government. When he heard of the arrival
of the Christians' assault force he
fortified the city with all the armament
of brave men, bringing in plenty of
food, of course, gathered from wherever
it might be, and he barricaded the gates
on all sides with very strong bars.

Marsh
0 500 1000 1500 m
Turkish Supply Route 1097/05-06/

Having ruled Lake Ascania for over

sixteen years {since 1081}, the Turks
controlled all shipping on the lake.
The crusaders were therefore only
able to blockade Nicaea by land.
The Turks were thus able to
transport supplies, money,
reinforcements, and messages into
the city.
0 100 200 300 m
Crusader Army Approaches 1097/05/06

Marsh 1

Go

1- {6 May} [Albert 2.21b]

Duke [Godfrey], meanwhile, and those
Marsh who were with him, went down to the
town of Nicaea where the duke
[Godfrey] pitched camp and was the
first to decide that the blockade should
be in front of the main gate of the town.
0 100 200 300 m
Assault on the Walls 1097/05/07
2- {6 May} [Albert 2.21c]
[The crusaders] were inspired by every sort of
heroism and warlike feeling and they rushed
towards the city and attacked; others of the
princes, indeed, provoked the defenders of the city
Marsh to battle by an attack on foot and also with
bows and arrows, but many of them were
destroyed by the javelins of the counter-
attackers which inflicted very severe blows
from above: these who died were the ones who
had heedlessly dared to attempt battles next to
the walls with a blind rush and a sudden attack.

2 Go

Marsh 3- {6 May} [Albert 2.21c]

The leaders of the army saw the people
dying in this way to no purpose and in
useless warfare and quite unable to harm
those who were shut in the fortress, but
they could think of no better plan than to
apply force to the city and those
guarding the walls by blockading on
every side.
0 100 200 300 m
Crusader Reinforcements 1097/05/08-15
Ta
4
Ta 4- {6-10? May} During the next few
days after 6 May, a number of other
crusader regiments arrive at Nicaea,
Hu including Tancred with a large portion
Marsh
of the southern Italian Normans.

RF

Go

Marsh
0 100 200 300 m
Crusader Reinforcements 1097/05/16
Ta Bo

Ta

Hu
Marsh

RF

Go

5 5- {16 May} arrival of the

Provenal French under
Raymond of Toulouse.

Marsh

Ra
5- {16+? May} Battle of
Ad
Nicaea; (See Battle of
6 Qi Nicaea Video-Atlas)
0 100 200 300 m
Order of Battle of the Crusader Blockade 1097/05/17-30
Ta Bo

Ta

Hu
Marsh

RF

[Raymond 4a= 25] In short, as we have so

said, Bohemond besieged the town from
the north, the Duke and the Germans from
the east, the Count and the Bishop of Le
Puy from the south; and for the/ record the
Count of Normandy was absent [before 3 Go
June].

Note: The precise

location of some of the
crusader forces and
leaders is uncertain. Marsh

Ra
Ad
0 100 200 300 m
Order of Battle of the Crusader Blockade 1097/06/03
Ta Bo

Ta

Hu 7- {3 June} When they who were besieging

Marsh Nicaea heard, as has been said/ of the arrival
of our leaders, the Count of Normandy
and Stephen of Blois, they joyfully came out
RF to meet us and escorted us to a place south
of the city where we pitched our tents.
[Fulcher 1.10.1]

7
Go

Marsh

St

RN
Ra
Ad
0 100 200 300 m
Size of the Crusader Army at Nicaea 1097/06/03-19
Size of the Crusader Army at Nicaea Ta Bo
At that time a single army was formed from
the many that were there. Those skilled at Ta
reckoning estimated it to number 600,000
men accustomed to war. Of these, 100,000
were protected by coats of mail and Hu
helmets. [Fulcher 1.10.4] Marsh

The numbers given by Fulcher are at RF

least ten times too many, and possibly
twenty times. However, the proportion
of men with armor and helmets vs.
quilted and leather armor is probably
accuratethat is 16% armored. This is
perhaps the proportion of knights as well.

Go

Marsh

Attrition in the Crusader Army St

Some, unwilling to undergo the hardships,
had returned to their homes. In many
places thousands had been killed, and some
of the sick who went on with us finally died.
You could see many graves along the roads RN
Ra
and in the fields where our pilgrims had
been publicly buried. [Fulcher 1.10.5] Ad
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