Baldwin of Boulogne & Tancred in Cilicia: Tarsos

Summary:
At this point a substantial army was seen approaching Tarsos. Tancred at once moved against it, but found it was that of Baldwin of Boulogne. Each army thought the other was Turkish. Baldwin, with Peter of Astenois, Reinhard of Toul, Baldwin of Rethel, and Gilbert of Montclair, as well as Norman troops under Cono of Montaigu, had also left the main army near Antioch in Pisidia and reached Cilicia by a longer route, having lost their way and run short of food. Tancred entertained them in a spirit of sharing, but Baldwin began to insist on a superior position, even claiming that Tancred's military success at Tarsus was due to his own threatening approach. The next day Baldwin became jealous of Tancred's standard over the city and they nearly came to blows. There was competition over the size of forces and the power of their respective sponsors, Bohemond and Godfrey. At first, Bohemond's reputation was the more formidable, but Baldwin's army was larger, so his standard replaced Tancred's and the latter felt quite baffled how to respond. He left for Adana. Baldwin was later let into two towers of Tarsos, which he garrisoned with the help of Guynemer of Boulogne and his pirate fleet, which appeared in the harbour. Baldwin excluded from Tarsos 300 of Bohemond's men, reinforcements for Tancred, who camped outside and as a result were massacred by the Turks of Tarsos who chose that night to escape; this made Baldwin unpopular, even with his own men 
Dates:
1097 late September 
interpreter used by Baldwin of Boulogne (Anonymus 26109)
  • He translated the words of Baldwin 51 to the people of Tarsos, apparently for the Turks as well as the Armenians (or were there two interpreters?) (:) Albert of Aachen III.9
Baldwin of Boulogne, Baldwin I, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 51)
  • From Antioch in Pisidia, left main army to scout out the way, exploit situations and report back, to help in journey of others; began on the royal road, via Philimelion, Ikonion and Herakleia, then turned right towards the sea: in association with Petros 4002, Reinhard 4001, Baldwin 52 and Gilbert 4001 (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 18(17).1-17
  • Prepared to attack army near Tarsos, but then discovered it was Tancred 61's; was welcomed and well entertained, but in the morning saw Tancred's standard over the city, grew jealous and adopted a hostile attitude (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 20(19).43-21(20).6
  • Saw a fleet approaching Tarsos, and discovered that they were Christian pirates led by Guynemer 4001, who knew him; Guynemer left the fleet with his large following and followed him; they garrisoned Tarsos together and marched on (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 24(23).27-48
  • After Tancred 61 left, he put more pressure on people of Tarsos to admit him, impatient of the agreed wait outside till main army came; the people made a virtue of necessity and did so; Turkish authorities looked for a chance to leave (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 23(22).1-19
  • Refused to accept inside Tarsos 300 men from Bohemond 61's army, because they were reinforcements for Tancred 61; they camped outside, fed by his army from inside; most of 300 were massacred by Turks of Tarsos as they left (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 23(22).19-45
  • Forgetting crusading vows, nearly fought with Tancred 61, claiming priority, as he had stronger forces; refused all explanations and compelled citizens to replace Tancred's standard with his, thus driving Tancred away (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 21(20).3-28
  • Was blamed for massacre by common soldiers and forced to take refuge in high towers; he (with other magnates) was nearly killed, but managed to calm his men by swearing he had promised to admit nobody till main army came (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 24(23).1-26
  • Reached summit above Cilicia by circuitous route after serious shortage of food; assumed the army he saw around Tarsos was hostile, but descended vigrously, giving Tancred 61 at Tarsos a similar impression of hostility (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 20(19).39-50
  • His exclusion from Tarsos of men destined for Tancred 61 was unpopular with his own men, and became much more so when the 300 were discovered next day massacred by the leaders of Tarsos' Turks, who had fled from the city (:) Albert of Aachen III.12-13
  • After the battle of Dorylaion and the great thirst, followed Tancred 61 in front of the main body, but was confused by mountain footpaths and suffered a serious shortage of food (:) Albert of Aachen III.3
  • His men in Tarsos rioted and began a counter-massacre of the remaining Turks, and even forced Baldwin himself to hide from them, as they held him responsible; he exonerated himself, then led the capture and killing of all surviving Turks (:) Albert of Aachen III.13
  • As he thought Tancred 61's army Turkish, so did Tancred think his Turkish; but initial hostility soon passed: the two armies fraternised and pooled rations; but awaking next morning they saw Tancred's standard over Tarsos, causing anger (:) Albert of Aachen III.7-8
  • With Petros 4002, Reinhard 4001 and Baldwin 52, a group of four friends, he had wandered for three days on complex roads, hungry and desperate; from on high they suddenly saw Tancred 61's army around Tarsos, thinking they were Turks (:) Albert of Aachen III.6
  • He saw a fleet and assumed it was hostile, but discovered it was the pirate fleet of Guynemer 4001; his army fraternised with the sailors, who vowed to go to Jerusalem, and a joint garrison was chosen to guard Tarsos (:) Albert of Aachen III.14
  • He and his supporters vilified Tancred 61 and Bohemond 61, nearly causing blows; they then asked the choice of the townsfolk to rule them, but they chose Tancred, not Baldwin, being more afraid of Bohemond than of Godfrey 51 (:) Albert of Aachen III.8
  • After Tancred 61 left, he worked on the Turks, till they let him occupy two of Tarsos' towers while they kept the rest, till Godfrey 51 should come; Baldwin refused entry to 300 exhausted men of Bohemond 61, reinforcements for Tancred (:) Albert of Aachen III.11
  • He addressed the people of Tarsos, both Armenian and Turkish, via Anonymus 26109, and made them fear Godfrey 51 and hope for more presents from him than from Bohemond 61; so they replaced the standard of Tancred 61 with Baldwin's own (:) Albert of Aachen III.9
  • He went to Tarsos and evicted the men of Tancred 61, who had been let into the city with the agreement of the Turks; he then garrisoned Tarsos and returned to the main crusader body (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.14.3
  • He had also left the main army with large forces, including Normans under Cono 4001; he thought Tancred 61's army at Tarsos was Turkish, but then recognised Tancred, was told his news,and the two forces fraternised; but he soon began to demand a superior position on the basis of his larger army (:) Ralph of Caen 37-38
  • The next day he started to elide Tancred 61 from the story, claiming unjustly that everything that Tancred had achieved was due to his own threatening approach; Tancred grew furious, but could not oppose Baldwin in any civilised way, and so left with his men for Adana (:) Ralph of Caen 38
Baldwin of Bourcq, Baldwin II, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 52)
Cono, count of Montaigu (Cono 4001)
  • He supported Baldwin 51 during his expedition into Cilicia with Norman troops from the army of Robert 63, coming from the lands in Normandy ruled by Cono (:) Ralph of Caen 37
Gilbert of Montclair or Clermont (Gilbert 4001)
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • His avenging power on the one hand and his generosity on the other were emphasised by Baldwin 51 at Tarsus, in order to compete with Tancred 61's references to Bohemond 61 (:) Albert of Aachen III.8-9
Guynemer of Boulogne, ex-pirate (Guynemer 4001)
  • Led group from Flanders, Holland and Frisia who repented of piracy, becoming pilgims; met Baldwin 51, whom he knew, at Tarsos, left the fleet with his large following and followed him; helped garrison Tarsos and marched on (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 24(23).26-48
  • His fleet appeared off Tarsos, first regarded as hostile by Baldwin 51, then welcomed; sailors and soldiers fraternised, Guynemer's men vowed to go to Jerusalem, and a joint garrison was chosen to guard Tarsos (:) Albert of Aachen III.14
Peter, count of Astenois (Petros 4002)
Rainald III, count of Toul (Reinhard 4001)
Tancred of Hauteville, nephew of Bohemond of Taranto (Tancred 61)
  • Prepared to fight army approaching Tarsos, but then discovered it was Baldwin 51's; welcomed and entertained him; but in the morning Baldwin grew jealous of his standard over the city and adopted a hostile attitude (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 20(19).48-21(20).6
  • Restraining his anger, he explained to Baldwin 51 that raising of his standard had been arranged long before Baldwin came and implied no insult; Baldwin, with a bigger force, forced citizens to fly his standard; Tancred left angrily (: ) William of Tyre bk. 3, 21(20).8-28
  • He and the people of Tarsos, negotiating in the plain, also thought Baldwin 51 and his party were Turks, and their rhetoric changed; he rushed to meet them, but soon realised who they were: the two armies fraternised and pooled rations (:) Albert of Aachen III.7
  • Despite attacks of Baldwin 51 and his men against Tancred and Bohemond 61, the people of Tarsos still chose Tancred as ruler, fearing Bohemond more than Godfrey 51; Baldwin made them fear Godfrey, so his own standard replaced Tancred's (:) Albert of Aachen III.8-9
  • He had introduced his own men into Tarsos with the consent of the Turks, but they were driven out by Baldwin 51, who took over control there (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.14.3
  • Watchmen announced the approach of an army: he drew up his men in battle array, then discovered it belonged to Baldwin 51; the two armies fraternised and shared food, and he told Baldwin about his success at Tarsos; Baldwin, however, soon started claiming higher status, based on his larger army (:) Ralph of Caen 37-38
  • All his success, even his military victory, was claimed by Baldwin 51 as due to his own threatening approach, not Tancred's arms; Tancred was furious that his friendly sharing was so poorly rewarded; but he could not attack brother Christians, so he left with his men for Adana, in spite of positive messages from Tarsos (:) Ralph of Caen 38-39