Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
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Battle of Dorylaeum
4- Turkish Attacks
1 July 1097
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1- Strategic Situation 1097/06/25-30
Note on the Sources Primary Sources
We have more eyewitness sources on the Albert 2.38-43
battle of Dorylaeum than for most Anna 10.3b-c
Nicaea
medieval battles. However there are still Fulcher 1.11-12
a number of difficulties in interpreting Gesta 2/9=18-21
the sources. 1- ambiguous; 2- anecdotal; Gilo 4.151-345
3- vague timeline; 4- synchronism Ibn al-Qalanisi {a490} 134 =L-635+
Bridge at
Leucae/Leukas between sources; 5- possible Letters 2 (EH6), 3 (EH7)
contradictions between sources 6- lack Ralph 19-33
of Turkish sources. Raymond 5=27-29
Robert 7-15
William 3.13-15

Studies
Asbridge 133-137

Sa
ng
France 169-185

ar
io
s
Frankopan 147-149
Rubenstein 128-133
Runciman 183-187
arya
Sank Smail 168-169

(Bozuyuk)
Bathys R Bohemonds Camp
Go ive r

Godfreys Camp
Bo
Qilich Arslans camp.
Sarisu
ayi
Battle of Dorylaeum Sari
Qi
su
ayi
Dorylaeum
0 1000 m 2000 m
2- Geographical and Tactical Situation 1097/07/01
4
4- Mountains surrounding the
2 4 plains of Dorylaeum
2- The wadis (dry creeks)
flowing into the Bathys River

2
(Poyra)

6
6
6- The plains of Dorylaeum
inside the yellow dotted line =
the flat plains of the river
valley of the Bathys River
5 5- Crusader Camp
1- Bathys River (= modern
Sarisu ayi River)
u ayi Bathys R
Saris ive r
1 Bathys R
ive r
(ukurhisar)

3 1
(Inonu) (Oklubali)
Sa
ris
6 3- Marsh near crusader camp u a
yi

6- Turkish Camp

6 6
2
4
4
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3- Order of Battle 1097/07/01
1c- Crusader Inexperience 1a Crusader Order of Battle
The crusader army had faced the Turks once before [Gesta 3/9e=20 +Raymond 5a=27]
in open battle, at the Battle of Nicaea. However, Our line of battle formed up at once [when the Turks
that battle was fought by Godfreys and Raymonds advanced]. On the left wing were the valiant Bohemond [Bo], 4a- Turkish Numbers (estimate):
armies. It seems that neither Bohemond nor Robert Robert the Norman [RN}, the gallant Tancred [Ta], [Stephen 15-20,000 combatants
had fought Turkish armies before, and hence did not of Blois?] [SB], Robert of Anse and Richard of the Principality. Askar (heavy cavalry) = 3000 (20%); rectangles
understand Turkish battle tactics. Turkmen (nomad mounted archers) = 12,000 (80%);
circles
Roughly 1000-1200 men per Turkish regiment shown here.
(Poyra)
(See earlier Opposing Armies video.)
1b- Crusader Number (estimate):
15,000 combatants 4b- Turkish Order of Battle (speculative):
knights = 3000 (20%) Left = 5000 Turkmen under Kara Dogan [Ka]
infantry = 9,000 (60%) Center = 3000 Turkmen and 3000 Askar under
archers/crossbowmen 3000 (20%) Qilich Arslan [Qi]
This is roughly 4000 infantry per regiment Right = 5000 Turkmen under Atsiz [At]
shown here. Each crusader cavalry regiment (See earlier Opposing Armies video.)
represents 750-1000 men. Bo
(See earlier Opposing Armies video.)
1 RN

u ayi Ta Bathys R
Saris ive r (ukurhisar)
Bathys R
ive r
SB
2
(Inonu) (Oklubali) At
Sa
ris
u
2- Crusader Camp a
yi
Roughly 5000 non-combatants, with a few 3- Turkish
hundred guards. 4
camp.
4c- Note: Turkmen nomadic
troops fought in looser order Qi 3
than the crusaders; The Askar
fought in close order, but still
probably looser than the knights. Ka
0 1000 m 2000 m
2b- Crusaders marshal for battle
[Albert 2.39c]
Bohemond, hastened to put on
hauberks and weapons and
massed together, and, having to
defend themselves most
unexpectedly, they joined battle
with the enemy for a long time.
(Poyra)
3a- Camp is Set again
[Fulcher 1.11.3]
Then at the second hour of the day [7-8 AM] [the
Turkish] scouts approached our sentries! When
we heard this we pitched our tents near a marsh
and took off our pack saddles [off the horses] in
order that we would be better able to fight.
3b- Crusader Camp Defenseless isu ayi
Sar
[William 3.13e] Bathys River
4- Crusaders Marshal their Army
2a- Crusaders marshal for battle
[Fulcher 1.11.2 +William 3.13d +Ralph 21a; Gesta
3/9e=20 +Raymond 5a=27]
Early in the morning, which was on the Kalends of
July [1 July], we took up our arms and at the sound
of the trumpet divided into battle wings with the
tribunes and centurions skillfully leading the
cohorts and centuries. With banners flying we
began to advance in good order.
Bo
2
RN
3
Ta Bathys R
ive
1097/07/01
1a- Turks Advance
[Anna 11.3d]
As [Bohemond] proceeded fairly quickly
[towards the Turks] the Turks in the plains
of Dorylaeum thought, when they saw him,
that the whole army of the Franks had
come and despising its size at once
commenced a battle with him.
1b- Note: If Anna is correct here, it implies a
failure of intelligence of the Turks; they were
unaware of the existence of Godfreys
division. This failure of intelligence is the
crucial factor in the defeat of the Turks.
r
(ukurhisar)

That the troops might advance to battle without SB 1 At

encumbrance, all the infirm and the aged men
and women, a helpless(Inonu)throng, were placed with (Oklubali)
Sa
the baggage in a neighboring thicket of reeds. ris
u a
yi

3b- Note: The camp had been set on the evening of

June 30. I take this to mean that the crusaders had
begun to break camp on the morning of 1 July for
Qi
that days march, but reset camp when they realized 1
there would be a major battle.

Ka
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5- Turks Advance 1097/07/01
1a- Turks Advance 1b- Turks Advance
[Gesta 3/9b=18 +Robert 8] [William 3.14b]
On the third day [1 July] the Turks made a As the Turkish lines hurled themselves upon our forces, they let fly a shower of arrows which filled the air like hail. Scarcely a
fierce and sudden attack upon Bohemond man in the Christian ranks escaped without a wound. The first shower had barely ceased when another [flight of arrows]
and his comrades. These Turks began, all at no less dense followed. From this no one who had haply escaped from the former attack emerged unscathed. This method of
once, to howl and gabble and shout, saying fighting was strange to our men, and because they were unaccustomed to it, it seemed harder to endure. They saw their
with loud voices in their own language some horses falling, yet were powerless to help, for they themselves were perishing as the result of blows coming from an
devilish word which I do not understand. unexpected and inescapable source.
[Fulcher 1.11.6]
1b- Note: The devilish word is probably Nor (Poyra)
is this remarkable because to all of us such warfare was unknown.
Allahu Akbar ( ) known as the takbr
() . It is not a modern terrorist war cry, 1c- Crusader Inexperience
though terrorists use it. It is a fundamental The crusader army had faced the
part of Muslim daily prayer, hence its use as a
2 Turks in open battle once before at
war cry is an act of prayer before battle. All the Battle of Nicaea. However,
Muslim soldiers shouted this war cry in the that battle was fought by
era of the crusades. In terms of war cries, it At Godfreys and Raymonds
is the equivalent of the crusader Deus divisions. It seems that neither
vult (God wills [it]), or Deus lo vult (God Bo Bohemond nor Robert had
wills it) in Latin. fought Turkish armies before, and
hence did not understand Turkish
RN battle tactics.
u ayi Bathys R
Saris Ta ive r (ukurhisar)
Bathys R
ive r

SB
(Inonu) (Oklubali)
1
Sa
ris
u a
yi

Qi

2- As we shall soon see, some Turkmen warriors 2

were moving through the hills around the flanks of Ka
the crusader army.
0 1000 m 2000 m
6- Crusader Charge 1097/07/01
3a- Crusader Charge 3b- Crusader Charge 3c- Crusader Charge
[Ralph 21a] [Fulcher 1.11.10] [Robert 9]
At this point, the sharp cry of behold the Our leaders, Count Robert of Normandy Turks rode up to our men on swifter horses, and
enemy, behold the enemy was raised repeatedly and Stephen, Count of Blois, and Robert, bending their bows shot poisoned arrows towards
[among the Christians] and they charged. The Count of Flanders, and Bohemond also them. Our men spurred forward, met them and
force of [Muslim] archers was engaged, now resisted the Turks as far as they were able attacked and killed them all. That was because the
pierced by spears, now killed by swords and often tried to attack them. They were Turkish tactic is to turn and flee after shooting
also strongly assailed by the Turks. their arrows and whilst fleeing to inflict serious
wounds on those following them. But this time there
(Poyra) was no room to flee because the mass of the enemy
was so great that even the summits of the mountains
were covered with them. So our men slaughtered
them to left and right, the lie of the land meaning their
bows and arrows were of no use to them. After a while
At the Franks, having broken their lances against the
bodies of the infidels, started in with their swords.
How many bodies fell with their heads cut off and
how many could be seen there with some of their
limbs slashed, because the rear columns of the
Bo [Turkish] army were pushing the front columns onto
the swords of their killers!
RN
yi
Sarisu a Bathys R
ive r
Bathys R (ukurhisar)
ive r
Ta
3
(Inonu) (Oklubali) SB
Qi Sa
ris
u a
yi

Ka
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7- Turkish Feigned Retreat 1097/07/01
4a- Turkish feigned retreat
4b- Turkish Feigned Retreat 4c- Turkish Parthian Shot
[William 3.14c]
[Ralph 21a] [Gilo 4.180-4, 187-9]
Nevertheless, [the crusaders] continued to charge the
[Retreating from the crusader charge] the lead group [of The Turks hemmed in our men,
foe with sword and lance and tried to drive them back.
Turks] was carried to the middle [line of Turks] and the and then rode off swiftly, now
But the Turks, when unable to withstand the force of the
group in the middle was forced to seek its own safety attacking the Christians, now
onset, purposely opened their ranks [in feigned
[by further retreat]. When the Normans came on driving fleeing from them, and while the
retreat] to avoid the clash, and the Christians, finding
the enemy in flight before them Turks ran away they let fly with
no one to oppose them, had to fall back deceived. Then
their curved bows (for they fight
as soon as our people returned to their own ranks [of
more with the bow, and to great
infantry] unsuccessful, the Turks again closed their (Poyra)
effect). in their flight they both
lines and again sent forth showers of arrows like rain.
ran away and inflicted wounds for
Scarcely a Christian escaped without receiving At those who are now called Turks are
serious wounds. Protected by their breastplates,
the Parthians of old, and trusting in
helmets, and shields, our men resisted as well as they
their arrows while fleeing away is
could, but the horses and those who had no arms were
their custom
felled to the ground without distinction.

Bo
4
RN
yi
Sarisu a Bathys R
ive r
Bathys R (ukurhisar)
ive r
Ta

(Inonu) (Oklubali) SB
Sa
ris
u a
Qi yi

4
Ka
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8- Turkish Countercharge 1097/07/01

5a- Turkish Charge 5b- Turkish Countercharge

[Fulcher 1.11.6] [Ralph 21a]
Meanwhile the Turks were howling like wolves and the Muslims took renewed strength from
furiously shooting a cloud of arrows. We were stunned their own dense ranks [of the Turks] so that
by this. Since we faced death and since many of us were those [crusaders] who recently had been the
wounded we soon took to flight. Nor is this remarkable pursuers were now forced to take flight
because to all of us such warfare was unknown. [from the Turks].
(Poyra)
5c- Turkish dense ranks
The mention of dense ranks of the Turks
implies that the Turkmen fled in feigned
6- The Turks encircle the Crusaders retreat, and then the Askar heavy cavalry
At attacked the crusaders after the crusader
[Ralph 24]
the enemy army, which had spread around, charge had been spent and disrupted. The
from encircling ours as if in some kind of crusader infantry dont seem to be engaged
circus spectacle, and thus, having enclosed at this point.
our force, threaten death on all sides.
Bo
6
ay i RN
Bathys R
Sarisu ive r
Bathys R (ukurhisar)
ive r
Ta

(Inonu) (Oklubali) SB 5 Qi Sa
ris
u a
yi

Ka
0 1000 m 2000 m
7a- Melee
[William 3.14f]
The ranks of the infidels kept growing stronger, and
those of the Christians began to weaken. The Turks
now attacked with swords at close quarters. the
bow, hanging from the shoulder,
7b- Melee
[Ralph 25a] (Poyra)
After shooting their bows, the [Muslims] charged so
that they could ravage the [Christians] more boldly
with drawn swords.
[Ralph 25b]
The battle commenced. The Christians shook their
spears while the others, as was noted, unsheathed
their swords. The former had coats of mail to protect
their chests and added strength to their armor with
shields. The latter had smaller crescent-shaped
shields.
[Ralph 25c]
Thus, a spear cast at an advancing Turk meets him
a spears cast away either pierces him
ayi or throws
him down. Saris
u iver
Bathys R
iver
7c- Crusader Melee
(Inonu)
Note that the couched lance technique, which is famous
among western knights, was no universally used by
crusader knights at this period. Here Ralph describes
a [crusader] spear cast at an advancing Turk either
pierces [the Turk] or throws him down [of his horse].
Hence some crusaders threw lances/spears from
horseback during the melee.
9- Cavalry Melee 1097/07/01
7d- Melee 7e- Melee with Turkish heavy cavalry = Askar
[Albert 2.39c] [Raymond 5b=28]
Robert of Paris, wishing to come to the aid of the wretched thrusts of Turkish lances [lanceis]
victims, was shot by a flying arrow and killed. [Ralph 22a]
William, a very daring youth and a very handsome young knight, The [fleeing crusaders] also were struck by spears
Tancred's brother, was struck by an arrow and collapsed [lanceis] and skewered just as if on a spit over a fire.
[+Ralph 26b] [William 3.14f]
Bohemond himself while he was fighting back fiercely and often The Turks now attacked with swords at close quarters.
piercing Turks with his spear. the bow, hanging from the shoulder
Tancred, defending manfully with his sword, only just escaped
with his life, but he left the ornamental banner which he 7f- Turkish Melee
displayed on his spear in that place with his brother. [Ralph 25d]
After the Turkish attack was broken on
the bold battle lines, the Turks realized that
audacity offered no safety and decided that
At
they would no longer send strength against
strength. Instead, they relied on their bows
that they had set aside.
[Ralph 26a]
Bo But when [the Turks] took up their bows
again, the great flight of arrows did not
spare those whom the swords had spared.
RN Bathys R
(ukurhisar)
What before had been such a heavy burden,
armor, shields and helmets, now formed a
Ta most appreciated barrier which
determined the boundaries of life and death.
(Oklubali)
SB 7 Sa It is often the case that those who take off
ris
u the burden of armor suffer as a result.
ay
i
The drawn bowstrings of the Turks
Qi
Ka inflicted wounds and hailed arrows.
7g- Turkish Melee
Here Turks are described as
breaking off the melee,
withdrawing, then returning to the
use of the bow from a distance.
0 1000 m 2000 m
10- Crusader Retreat towards the Camp 1097/07/01
8b- Crusaders Retreat to Camp 8a- Crusaders Retreat to Camp
[Robert 10; +Anna 11.3d; Gilo 4.212-220] [Ralph 22a; +Letter 3e (Anselm)
The effort and the heat, thirst, a terrible (HE7); +William 3.14f]
enemy and arms bore down on our men, [1-] The impetus of the flight of the
and as a result they started to turn tail. heavily armed mounted [crusader]
our men had become so exhausted by troops
thirst, exertion and the summer heat [2-] trod underfoot the slower moving
[crusader] foot soldiers, and
[3-] the exceptionally dense forest of
(Poyra)
spears held by the foot soldiers first
blocked and then ended the flight of
the others [= knights].
[4-] There was a terrible slaughter at
the hands of the enemy since they shot
arrows at the backs of the Christians.
At
The [crusaders] also were struck by
spears and skewered just as if on a spit
over a fire.
[5-] Neither side now took any care,
those who were driving the enemy with
Bo
their bows and those who were being
driven on by their spurs.
u ayi RN Bathys R [6-] The [crusaders] sought refuge in
Saris iver
(ukurhisar)
Bathys R
ive r 8 their camp which was not of much
Ta solace, but the only one available.
(Inonu) (Oklubali)
SB Qi Sa
ris
u a
yi

Ka
0 500 1000 m
11- Turks Attack the Camp 1097/07/01
9a- Turks Attack the Camp
[Robert 9d] 9d- Turks Attack the Camp
Whilst the [crussader] fight takes its [Fulcher 1.11.8]
course and the [crusader] vanguard What shall I say next? We were all indeed
is killed. Another part of the Turkish huddled together like sheep m a fold, trembling
army which had crossed the river and frightened, surrounded on all sides by
immediately attacked the tents of enemies so that we could not turn in any
the Christians. They turned them direction. A great clamor rose to the sky, not
upside down, slaughtered mothers only from our men and our women and children
with their children and all they but also from the pagans rushing upon us. By
At now we had no hope of surviving.
found unprepared to fight and
without arms.
9e- Massacre in the Camp
9b- Turks Attack the Camp [Albert 2.39d + Gilo 4.196-204; +Ralph 23a]
[Robert 10] The Turks, with their prince [Qilich Arslan], were
The Turks were attacking with growing stronger and stronger, they burst into
Bo
such ferocity, one pushing another the camp in strength, striking with arrows
on, that there was no safe place from their horn bows, killing pilgrim foot
9 RN
anywhere to afford iver soldiers, girls, women, infants, and old people,
Bath a breathing
y s R

space. They surrounded our men sparing no one on grounds of age. Stunned and
Sarisu ayi

so effectively that they could find Ta terrified by the cruelty of this most hideous
no empty space except around the Qi killing, girls who were delicate and very nobly
tents. Many of ours died at that SB born were hastening to get themselves dressed
point, shot down by Turkish Ka up, they were offering themselves to the Turks so
arrows. that at least, roused and appeased by love of their
beautiful appearance, the Turks might learn to
pity their prisoners.
9c- Turks Attack the Camp
[Albert 2.39b]
There was no pause, no respite from slaughtering and
subduing the army, and as they ran through the camp
some were pierced by arrows, others beheaded by the
sword, several taken prisoner by the excessively cruel
enemy. At these things a great shouting and shaking arose
among the people, women both married and unmarried
were beheaded, along with men and little children.
0 500 1000 m
12- Some Crusaders flee; stragglers killed 1097/07/01

10a- Many crusaders flee to the mountains

[Gilo 4.243-252]
But [the Turks] leader [Qilich Arslan], a man of
foresight, advised a thousand Turks to make for the
mountains our men had crossed over. [245] The
armed horsemen wasted no time in executing these
10 commands, but scoured the mountains, and cruelly
slew with their swords a good thousand men,
women, and unarmed, common folk, [250] driven out
of their wits and horror-struck, much slowed down
At
under their heavy burdens; they tried to hide in caves,
but could not hide from the enemy scouts, and died a
shameful death.

10b- Stragglers
Bo [Raymond 5a=27]
While [Boehmond] formed his battle ranks [at the
River RN camp] according to circumstance and made ready for
y s
Bath the fight, he lost many stragglers;
Sa
risu ayi
Ta
Qi
SB
Ka
0 500 1000 m
At
12
12- Bohemond Requests Reinforcements
i ve r
[Gesta 3/9c=19] Bathys R
The valiant Bohemond made haste to send
a message to the others (the count of St
Gilles and Duke Godfrey, Hugh the Great
and the bishop of Le Puy, with all the rest of
Ka
the Christian knights) telling them to hurry
and come to the battlefield with all speed,
and saying, 'If any of you wants to fight
today, let him come and play the man.'
[Anna 11.3d]
As Bohemund saw that the Turks were
fighting very bravely, he sent to fetch the
Frankish troops [of Godfreys division].
[+Robert 8b; + William 3.13e; +Gilo 4.194;
+Ralph 23a]
13- Bohemond Rescues the Camp 1097/07/01
11a- Bohemond Rescues the Camp
[Robert 9d]
The noise of the dying [non-combatants in the camp] reached
Bohemond's ears, and he realized immediately what was
happening. He entrusted the battle to the Count of Normandy; and
ran to the tents with a few companions. He returned swiftly to
the battle, but left soldiers in the tents to protect and guard them.
11b- Bohemond Rescues the Camp
[Gilo 4.205-206]
[205] When Bohemond learned of [the attack on the camp] he made
for the camp, leaving the battle as a lost cause under the Duke of
Normandy, and made ready to help those [in the camp] whom the
evil race [of Turks] had almost killed off. Straight away he chose a
few men, and with these few he subdued this foul race [of Turks],
recaptured his tents and the plunder, [210] and placed armed men
Bo round the tents, fortifying the camp with fierce soldiers for a
rampart.
11
RN
Sarisu ayi
11c- Turks withdraw
Ta
The arrival of Bohemond with the crusaders reinforcements from the
Qi
SB main battle line probably causes the Turkmen to withdraw from their
camp with whatever plunder and captives they have taken.
0 500 1000 m
14- Robert of Normandy Rallies the Crusaders 1097/07/01

13a- Robert of Normandy Rallies the Crusaders

[Robert 10; +Gilo 4.216-220]
Count of Normandy had not swung his horse round,
brandishing his golden standard in his right hand,
and bellowed the warcry God wills it! God wills
it! This day would have been a disastrous one for
our soldiers.

13b- Robert of Normandy Rallies the Crusaders

[Ralph 22b]
At [Robert, Duke of Normandy] uncovered his head
and shouted Normandy and then caught the
attention of his colleague Bohemond who had
followed him in flight with the following words:
13 Bo Ho Bohemond, why are we fleeing? Therefore,
go forward my young men, let us die and charge
RN them under arms.
s River
y
Bath
Ta Sarisu ayi
13c- Crusaders Rally at the Camp
Qi The crusader infantry seems to have for the most
SB part retreated in relatively good order towards the
Ka camp, the Turks driving them with archery, but not
breaking their formations. At the camp, Robert
rallies the crusaders, and, with Bohemond,
organizes a defensive formation around the camp.
0 500 1000 m
15- Knights dismount 1097/07/01

14a- Knights dismount

[Gesta 3/9b=18]
The valiant Bohemond saw that there were innumerable
Turks some distance off, howling and shouting like
demons, so he ordered all the knights to dismount at
once and to pitch camp quickly. Before the camp was
pitched he said to all the knights, Gentlemen, most
valiant soldiers of Christ, you can see that we are
encircled and that the battle will be hard, so let the
knights go out to fight bravely, while the foot-soldiers
are careful and quick in pitching the camp.
At

14b- Knights Dismount

[Robert 8]
Bo At that point Bohemond, perceptive as ever, and the
Count of Normandy, ever the brave soldier, realising
14 that some of their men were wavering, ordered all the
iver
Bat h y s R mounted soldiers to descend and pitch camp
RN Sarisu ayi

Qi 14- Knights Dismount

The knights dismounted for a number of reasons. First,
Ka their horses were probably tired and wounded. Second,
The elite knights would be able to strengthen the
defensive infantry lines. Third, dismounting was a sign
to the infantry that the knights were not going to abandon
the infantry and the camp to save themselves.
0 500 1000 m
15a- Camp Defense: soldiers
[Gilo 4.208-211]
Straight away [Duke of Normandy]
recaptured his tents and the
plunder, and placed armed men
round the tents, fortifying the camp
with fierce soldiers for a rampart.
15b- Camp Defense: formations
[Gilo 4.221-224]
[The crusaders] drew themselves up
in a defensive squares [castellum]
and renewed the fighting again.
16- Crusaders Fortify the Camp 1097/07/01
15c- Camp Defense: wagon laager 15d- Camp Defense: stakes
[William 3.13e] [Ralph 23a]
[The camp] was further protected by the chariots The latter, who had planted stakes
and other vehicles and seemed to afford a safe behind the screen of the heavily
refuge. armed mounted troops, thought
[William 3.14f] that their walls would protect them
There in the dense thickets of reeds [of the marsh] from danger.
they huddled together around the chariots and
wagons, in the hope of finding some protection.

15e- Crusader Formations

At At another part of the battle, Ralph [22a] described the exceptionally
dense forest of spears held by the foot soldiers. Presumably this
same type of shield wall was formed around the crusader camp,
intermixed with the elite knights fighting on foot. Rather than
Bo attacking this shield wall, the Turks pelted it with arrows from a
15 distance trying to break up the infantry formations.
Gilo calls the crusader formation a castellum, literally small
y s River 15 fort, which the translators Grocock and Sieberry call a defensive
Bath
RN square. Thats probably too
Sarisu Napoleonic. I take it rather to mean they
ayi
fortified the camp with wagons, tents, stakes, and dense infantry
Qi formations as described in the other sources.
Ka
0 500 1000 m
Military Assessment of the Battle so Far
At this point in the battle, the Turks have
won a decisive victory. The crusaders are
surrounded, and could be showered with
arrows at Turkish leisure. An attempt at a
breakout would mean leaving many of the
infantry, non-combatants, and equipment
and supplies behind.
Of the five open battles fought between the
crusaders and Turks of Anatolia, four were
disastrous crusader defeats where their
armies were largely destroyed (Civitot
{1096}, Mersivan {1101}, First Heraclaea
{1101}, Second Heraclaea {1101}).
Crusader defeat by the Anatolian Turks was
the norm, not the exception.
Thus, it was Godfreys rescue of the
beleaguered crusader camp granted victory
to the crusaders.
Qilich ArslansBdisastrous
ath y s River intelligence
failureapparently not knowing the
existence of Godfreys divisionwas the
key to crusader victory.
The second key factor was that with
Godfreys division, the army of the First
Crusade outnumbered Qilich Arslan two or
three to one (40-50,000 crusaders to
15-20,000 Turks). If the odds were even
against only Bohemonds and Roberts
division, without Godfreys helpQilich
Arslan would have won a decisive victory,
just as he did against the three crusader
armies of 1101.
17- Non-combatants; crusader sorties 1097/07/01
16- Non-Combatants participation
[Gilo 4.225-238; +Robert 10; Fulcher 1.11.9. 1.12.1]
[225] While the Turks pressed on the attack very
hard, and our men repulsed them, the children
collected missiles, the clergy sang in proper order, the
brave men fought, and the women wept as one carried
her prostrate son into the camp, and another proffered
cups of water from the flowing streams. As a wolf,
circling round farms, seeks out the Iambs, [235] traps
those that it sees are not shut up in the pen, casts the
wretched creatures to the ground, and swallows them in
At
its jaws, I so the Turks hemmed in our terrified men
and killed him they saw outside the camp.
Bo
16
RN Sarisu ayi
17 Qi
Ka
17- Crusader Sorties
Ralph [24-26] describes in some detail sorties made by
Tancred and his brother William against the Turks.
These sorties were against the orders of Bohemond, who
wanted all the knights to dismount fight in the shield wall
with the infantry. William was killed by an arrow during
the fighting; Tancred was almost killed, and lost his
banner. [Albert 2.39c]
It is generally not clear exactly when various combat
anecdotes in the sources occurred.
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