Home >> The Crusades >> The First Crusade >> Constantinople

The Crusaders went on to Nish, arriving there on July 3rd. The provincial governor had fortified the town and refused to spare an escort. The Crusaders were invited to move along. Peter decided it would be wiser to keep going, and to find help closer to Constantinople. They broke camp the next morning and started to move out in good order, but again a fight broke out in the rear.

The main army rode back to help, whereupon the Byzantine forces sallied out from the city. This time, though, the Crusaders were routed. After losing his treasury (which was in the rear van) and as many as a quarter of his men, Peter broke off the engagement and fled south. They managed to go the rest of the way without incident, and they arrived at Constantinople on August 1, 1096.

Word of the problems preceded the army. Alexius received Peter graciously enough, but he firmly kept the army outside the city walls. He did grant them a market, though the Franks complained bitterly over the prices, and were not at all above thievery to get what they wanted. Tensions were rising quickly and Alexius decided to get these troublesome Franks across the Bosporus as soon as he could.

Beginning on 6 August, the Crusaders began arriving in Asia Minor, marching to Civetot (Kibotos) which was to become the Crusader camp. Peter's idea was that they should wait for the main Crusading forces (which they knew had set out) to arrive before attempting to move into Turkish territory. He could not, however prevent raiding, and some of these raids penetrated well within lands held by the Turks.

The end of the People's Crusade -->