First Crusaders

Many believe the crusaders of the First Crusade set out to claim land, gold, or wealth, and for some this is true. However, for others this is not the case. Bohemond of Taranto set out on crusade for pious and not opportunistic reason. He led his men throughout the battles they encountered and they made him their leader for his leadership abilities; he actually led the whole crusading mission. He set the example by willingly devoting his allegiance to Alexius I Comenus, who he had a strained and shared history with. He bravely, and smartly, fought off a much larger force while under siege. Lastly, he used religious artifacts to urge his men on to battle when they experienced their lowest moments. Bohemond of Taranto led the Norman army …show more content…
The siege of Antioch was a difficult process for the Norman army. The raiders had very little food even before getting into the city, which forced them to expand their foraging efforts; each time they went away from the walls of Antioch and their main force, the Turks ambushed them. The army was starving and dying from disease when they had a bit of good fortune. The Turks were bringing a large army in support of Antioch and the crusaders saw it coming. Therefore, the crusaders went out, ambushed the relief army, routed it, and went back to Antioch in high spirits. Seeing their relief routed, one of the Emir’s senior commanders made a deal with Bohemond and allowed him to enter Antioch via the three towers under his command. Bohemond’s men easily entered the city, killed all of the Saracens or allowed them to convert to Christianity and claimed Antioch as theirs. While this happened, the much-feared Kerbogha of Mosul gathered a force to relieve the siege. When he arrived at Antioch, he found the crusaders inside the city and he laid siege to it. Alexius once again angered the crusaders by not fulfilling his responsibilities. Alexius sent an army to assist Bohemond, but when he found out Kerbogha was laying siege to Antioch he thought there was no way Bohemond would survive. “When he [Alexius] was persuaded that the crusaders were doomed at Antioch in June 1098, Alexius preserved his strategy by withdrawing his own army from danger” and this is the reason Bohemond claimed Antioch. With little hope, under siege and no food, the crusaders were sure they would not make it out of Antioch until a pilgrim named Peter Bartholomew told the Norman leaders they could find the Holy Lance in the church of St. Peter within the walls of Antioch. The leaders immediately went to the church and found the sacred relic under the floor of St.