Kilic Arslan I arrived & fought a battle in which he failed to relieve his city

Summary:

Anna Komnene speaks of an initial engagement in which Raymond of Saint-Gilles, with aid from the other crusader armies, defeated a detachment of Turkish scouts. Latin sources begin from the messenger of Kilic Arslan who was tortured into revealing his master's plans, allowing the crusaders to complete their circuit of the city in time, though Raymond and Adhemar arrived only just before the battle. The Turks attacked the latecomers, expecting the space allotted to them to be empty. The Provencal troops, exhausted and unprepared, resisted heroically, but began to tire and were threatened by reinforcements. But Bohemond, Godfrey and Robert of Flanders came to their aid, charging together, supported by Robert of Normandy [though he had probably not yet arrived], Baldwin of Boulogne and Baldwin Chauderon. Tancred too arrived, from his distant position. The Turks resisted for an hour but then were defeated with heavy losses, and Kilic Arslan was no longer able to influence the progress of the siege, giving the defenders the right to surrender. Particularly distinguished in the fighting were Tancred, Guy of Possesse, Guy of Garland and Roger of Barneville. After the victory, some captives and a thousand heads of dead Turks were sent to Alexios I. He gratefully sent cash and silk fabrics as rewards to the leaders, and made sure that plentiful supplies were available 
Dates:
1097 May 21 
Adhemar of le Puy (Adhemar 4001)
  • His forces had no time to prepare for assault by Kilic Arslan 51, who expected their sector at south gate of city to be unguarded; they defended heroically, beating off the first attackers, but were threatened by reinforcements: in association with Raymond 61 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).1-13
  • Had not reached Nicaea the day before Kilic Arslan 51 was expected to attack; warned by couriers, they marched very quickly, arriving at dawn just in time; had only time to put down their baggage before battle began: in association with Raymond 61 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 4(3).13-30
Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (Alexios 1)
  • After battle outside Nicaea was sent some captives and a thousand heads of dead Turks; replied with gratitude and sent cash and silk fabrics as rewards to the leaders, making sure that plentiful supplies of necessities were available (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).32-38
  • After the crusader victory outside Nicaea, they gathered 1,000 heads from slaughtered Turks, and shipped them to him via Kibotos; he was delighted and sent money and food; he was assured the crusaders would capture Nicaea and return it to him (:) Albert of Aachen II.28
Baldwin of Boulogne, Baldwin I, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 51)
  • In the battle outside Nicaea he (attacking from the front with Baldwin 4005) was the first to bring aid to Raymond 61, hard-pressed by the initial Turkish assault (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Baldwin Chauderon (Baldwin 4005)
  • In the battle outside Nicaea he (attacking from the front with Baldwin 51) was the first to bring aid to Raymond 62, hard-pressed by the initial Turkish assault (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Bohemond of Taranto (Bohemond 61)
  • In battle outside Nicaea, seeing men of Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001 near exhaustion, pressed by Kilic Arslan 51 and reinforcements, crusaders charged together; enemy resisted for an hour but were defeated with heavy losses: in association with Godfrey 51 and Robert 62 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).13-22
  • Sent aid to Isangeles (Raymond 61)'s contingent which had been attacked by Kilic Arslan 51 (:) Anna Komnene 323.37-40
  • In the battle outside Nicaea, he galloped around the field, slaughtering the enemy and encouraging the Christians (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Gilbert Payen of Garlande (Gilbert 101)
  • Distinguished himself in battle outside Nicaea (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).27-28
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • In battle outside Nicaea, seeing men of Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001 near exhaustion, pressed by Kilic Arslan 51 and reinforcements, crusaders charged together; enemy resisted for an hour but were defeated with heavy losses: in association with Bohemond 61 and Robert 62 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).13-22
  • In the battle outside Nicaea, he galloped around the field, slaughtering the enemy and encouraging the Christians (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Guy of Possesse (Guy 4001)
  • Distinguished himself in battle outside Nicaea (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).28-29
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Kilic Arslan I, Seljuk sultan (Kilic Arslan 51)
  • Was defeating exhausted men of Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001, but their plight moved Godfrey 51, Bohemond 61 and Robert 62 to charge together; his troops resisted for an hour but were defeated, doing nothing more to save Nicaea (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).11-26
  • At predicted time swept down from the mountains on the crusaders before Nicaea with a huge army, to reach and relieve the city; crusaders, forewarned, prepared disciplined resistance (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 4(3).21-30
  • Attacked towards south gate of Nicaea, sector of Adhemar 4001 and Raymond 61, which he expected to be unguarded, but was blocked by armies that had just come; his vanguard was nobly beaten back, but he brought up reinforcements (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).1-13
  • He attacked at the hour given by Anonymus 4014, towards the gate blockaded by Raymond 61, who had just arrived; many crusaders rallied round Raymond, and Kilic Arslan was slowly driven back to the mountains, unable to help in the siege (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
  • He sent part of his army to inspect the Frankish forces, and attack any they met; but they were seen and confronted by Raymond 61, and when the other counts heard, each sent 200 men, making a big army that routed the Turks (:) Anna Komnene 323.34-41
  • Undismayed by the defeat of his raiding party, he attacked at dawn; after fierce fighting all day, at dusk he was defeated, with heavy casualties on both sides, most troops being wounded; the crusaders paraded Turkish heads on spears (:) Anna Komnene 323.41-50
  • After experiencing the numbers and bravery of the crusaders, he gave the defenders of Nicaea the right to surrender, telling them to do what was best for them; he knew they would surrender to Alexios 1 rather than be captured by the crusaders (:) Anna Komnene 324.55-59
  • He approached Nicaea from the space which was recently empty, where the latecomer Raymond 61 had just arrived; Raymond was naturally the first to engage, followed by others; Tancred 61 was one of the furthest, but he galloped up at great speed and made a decisive contibution to the victory (:) Ralph of Caen 16
Raymond of Saint-Gilles, count of Toulouse (Raymond 61)
  • Had not reached Nicaea the day before Kilic Arslan 51 was expected to attack; warned by couriers, they marched very quickly, arriving at dawn just in time; had only time to put down their baggage before battle began: in association with Adhemar 4001 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 4(3).13-30
  • His forces had no time to prepare for assault by Kilic Arslan 51, who expected their sector at south gate of city to be unguarded; they defended heroically, beating off the first attackers, but were threatened by reinforcements: in association with Adhemar 4001 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).1-13
  • Kilic Arslan 51 sent part of his army to reconnoitre the Frankish forces, and attack any they met; but they were seen and confronted by Raymond, and the other counts also sent 200 men each, making a big army that routed the Turks (:) Anna Komnene 323.34-41
  • He had just arrived at the battlefield outside Nicaea when Kilic Arslan 51 attacked over ground he was occupying, expecting it to be vacant; he was naturally the first to engage the Turks, followed by others; but Tancred 61, who was camped far away, rushed up and made a decisive contibution to the victory (:) Ralph of Caen 16
Robert II, count of Flanders (Robert 62)
  • In battle outside Nicaea, seeing men of Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001 near exhaustion, pressed by Kilic Arslan 51 and reinforcements, crusaders charged together; enemy resisted for an hour but were defeated with heavy losses: in association with Godfrey 51 and Bohemond 61 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).13-22
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Robert [Curthose], count [duke] of Normandy (Robert 63)
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea [though Fulcher of Chartres states that he only arrived at Nicaea in early June] (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
  • As his men crossed from Constantinople to Nicaea to join those who had been besieging it for some time, they saw around Nikomedeia the melancholy corpses of the men of Petros 61; as the last arrivals, they learned of the unsuccessful attack of Kilic Arslan 51 in mid-May (first week in June: in hebdomada Iunii prima) Fulcher of Chartres 1.10.1-2
Roger of Barneville (Roger 4001)
  • Distinguished himself in battle outside Nicaea (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).29
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
Tancred of Hauteville, nephew of Bohemond of Taranto (Tancred 61)
  • Distinguished himself in battle outside Nicaea (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 5(4).26-27
  • Heeded the call of Adhemar 4001 and came to the aid of Raymond 61 in his struggle against the assasult of Kilic Arslan 51 at the battle outside Nicaea (:) Albert of Aachen II.27
  • Though camped a long way from the point outside Nicaea where Kilic Arslan 51 attacked, he came galloping up at great speed and was able to make a decisive contribution to the victory and the pursuit, though fear increased the speed of those who were fleeing (:) Ralph of Caen 16