Liberation of Nicaea May-June 1097
Part of The Medieval Crusades: Events, Life, Society, Warfare, Innovations. (see previous posts)
After the defeat of the People's Crusade at the hands of the Seljuk Turks a new batch of crusaders arrived in Constantinople. This was the 'official' response of the Pope to the Byzantine emperor's letter.
Also known as the Prince's Crusade. These crusaders were led by Frankish nobles, Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond I, Tancred, Raymond IV of Toulouse, Robert II of Flanders and among them, Peter the Hermit and his peasant army, who survived the massacre during the People's Crusade.
The Byzantine empire's fortunes were always ebbing and flowing - at times seeming as if they could turn back the tides of Bulgars and Turks. But after a massive defeat at the Battle of Manzikert, the eastern christian empire's future looked very bleak. So, even in spite of their suspicions of the west and the papacy, the emperor issued a plea for help. This action sparked two centuries of crusade in the east. Unfortunately for the Byzantine empire, these crusades would leave it fatally weakened - largely at the hands of the crusaders, more than the Saracens.
