First Crusade

Prolog~
			638: Jerusalem falls to the Muslims. The Holy Land is now under Islamic control, which sets the stage for later tensions. 1054: The final divisive conflict between the Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic) churches. This division will effect later events. 1071: The Battle Of Manzikert - Islamic forces crush the Byzantine army and imprison the emperor. 1095: Because of this defeat and the ones following it, the new emperor, Michael Comnenus, writes an appeal for help and sends it to the Pope. (Pope Urban II).

In Brief~

Nov, 1095: Pope Urban II speaks to the Council of Clermont and calls for a crusade to free the Holy Land.
Spring, 1096: People's Crusade sets out from Europe.
Aug, 1096: Emperor Alexius of Constantinople ships the People's Crusade over the Bosporus
Late Summer, 1096: First Crusade leaders were departing Europe
Oct 1096: People's Crusade annihilated in Anatolia by the Turks
Spring, 1097: First Crusade contingents assembling in Constantinople
End of Apr, 1097: First Crusade begins the march in Anatolia to Nicaea
Late May, 1097: Nicaea surrenders to Alexius
Late June, 1097: First Crusaders march overland from Nicaea toward Dorylaeum
Oct 21, 1097: Crusaders arrive at Antioch and fight a long, bitter siege.
Early Feb 1098: Emperor Alexius' General Tacitius left the siege of Antioch
Mar 10, 1098: Citizens of Edessa give Baldwin control of the city
Jun 1, 1098: Stephen of Blois and a large group of French leave the siege of Antioch
Jun 3, 1098: Firuz opens Antioch to Bohemond and the First Crusaders
Jun 5-9, 1098: Kerbogha arrives at Antioch and besieges the First Crusaders
Jun 14, 1098: Peter Bartholomew finds the Holy Lance
Jun 28, 1098: Crusaders beat back Kerbogha's counter-siege of Antioch
Nov 27-Dec 11, 1098: Crusaders capture M'arrat-an-Numan
Jan 13, 1099: Raymond of Toulouse leads the first contingent away from Antioch and toward Jerusalem
Feb 14, 1099: Raymond begins the siege of Arqah, near Tripoli
Late Mar, 1099: Godfrey and Robert of Flanders join the siege of Arqah
Mid-May, 1099: Raymond gives up on Arqah and marches to Jerusalem
Jun 6, 1099: Citizens of Bethlehem ask Tancred to protect them
Jun 7, 1099: Godfrey's army arrives at Jerusalem
Jun 13, 1099: Crusaders initially fail to take Jerusalem by storm
Jul 15, 1099: Godfrey breaches the walls of Jerusalem near Herod's Gate; The First Crusaders capture the Holy City of Jerusalem.


Introduction to the First Crusade

Prolog~

In Brief~