Timber and Fire - How Jerusalem was captured by Crusaders

Ercole de Roberti Destruction of Jerusalem
Source: wikimedia commons

Mid-June 1099 - Genoese fleet anchored at Jaffa, at this time just small natural harbour, closest to Jerusalem. They had come primary to explore new avenues for commerce. For Baldwin, crusaders leader in this time, they provide needed naval power. He offered them generous term - they can create independent trading enclave in any settlement or city taken by Crusaders with sailors help. In addition experienced and  skilled Genoese craftsman strengthen engineering skills of Crusaders which combined with local Christian knowledge about timber sources allow Crusaders to start building siege machinery. Muslim used normal tactic to fight this timber siege towers - fire but sometimes with unexpected role change:

Antioch 1098 AD - Bohemond and Firuz

Antioch fortifications
Source: wikimedia commons

Early autumn 1097 - Crusaders army enter northern Syria and arriving at one of the great cities of the Orient, the fortified metropolis of Antioch. Yaghi-Siyan, Seljuk governor of Antioch well informed by his spies try to protect his city be expelling Christians from city:

"Yagi-Siyan, a man famous for his big hairy ears and thick, grey beard did his outmost to keep the enemy out [of Antioch]. But he knew any of the local Christians may be persuaded to let the Franks [Crusaders] in. When he heard about approach of the Franks he was not sure how the Christian people of the city would react. So he send all the Muslim outside the city walls to dig trenches, and the next day, he send the Christian by themselves to do the same task. When they are ready to return home at the end of the day, he refused to let them in" Source: THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS, History Channel

Holy Lance

Bishop Ademar of Le Puy holding Holy Lance
in St. Peter Church, Antioch
Source: wikimedia commons

June 15th,1098 - Peter Bartholomew, French peasant crusader discover Holy Lance in besieged by Muslim city of Antioch, in Church of St. Peter. At least he claimed it but for sure gave faith to Crusaders Knights that they can go outside city walls and defeat Muslim army.

Holy Lance was acclaimed as spear that pierced Jesus side on the cross. It was believed that lance were kept in Jerusalem, however after Romans destroyed city was lost.

The spiritual leader of crusaders bishop Le Puy was skeptical (as one Holy Lance was already kept in Hagia Sophia) but as army morale was raised he hide his hesitation. When he died couple days later he was buried in the very the same place where Holy Lance  had been found.

West come to East

Western dukes of First Crusade,
 from left Godfrey de Bouillon,
Bohemond I of Tarent, 
Raymond IV de Toulouse,
Tancred of Hauteville
Source: wikimedia commons

1097 AD - 2 years after the famous sermon was given by Pope Urban II in Council of Clermont call for Crusades - western knights arrive at Constantinople gates. Between them there four noble dukes: 

• Godfrey de Bouillon - second son of the count of Boulogne, with blood lineage back to Charlemagne. Born around 1060 AD in Boulogne-sur-Mer . Describe by medieval chronicler William of Tyre as taller than 'the average man ... strong beyond compare, with solidly built limbs and stalwart chest, [with] pleasing features  [and] beard and hair of medium blond'.
• Bohemond of Tarent, son of famous Robert Guiscard (the Astute), Duke of Apulia and Calabria
• Raymond IV of Toulouse - count of Toulouse, duke of Narbonne and margrave of Narbonne.
• Tancred of Hauteville, grandson of Robert Guiscard so also the nephew of Bohemond.