Foraging & ambushes during the siege of Antioch

Summary:
Turkish ambushes killed several prominent crusaders in the orchard outside the Gate of the Duke, especially Adelbero, son of the count of Luxembourg, and the noblewoman with whom he was playing dice, and Arnulf of Tirs. Godfrey was furious at these losses in the area he was supposed to be defending, and had the orchard cut down. Because of the increasing famine in the army outside Antioch, the council of the crusaders decided that Bohemond and Robert of Flanders should go foraging, while Raymond and Adhemar of le Puy stayed in the camp. Bohemond and Robert twice collected considerable plunder, but were unable to get enough food back to the camp to last long: Turkish troops were able to surround the raiding parties and remove their booty. Tancred caused problems for Turkish foraging: he encouraged the Antiochenes to come out and forage at night in large numbers, then struck, killing 700 of them; he sent Adhemar a tithe of 70 heads, for which he gained a cash reward, so he could pay his debts. He also fought three Turks in combat on his own, observed by his squire, and killed them all 
Dates:
1097 December 
Adalbero, son of Conrad, Count of Luxembourg (Adelbero 26101)
  • He was playing dice with Anonyma 26103 in a wood outside the gate of the Duke; they were ambushed by Turks from the city, who cut off his head and fired it from the city by mangonel; it was found and buried by Godfrey 51 with the rest of his body Albert of Aachen III.46
Adhemar of le Puy (Adhemar 4001)
  • Council of crusaders decided that Bohemond 61 and Robert 62 should go foraging, while he and Raymond 61 stayed in camp (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.1-13
  • When he was sent a tithe of 70 heads from the 700 Turkish foragers killed by Tancred 61, he rewarded Tancred with cash, enabling him to pay his debts, especially to his own men (:) Ralph of Caen 51
noblewoman who played dice (Anonyma 26103)
  • She was playing dice with Adelbero 26101 in a wood outside the gate of the Duke; they were ambushed by Turks, who beheaded him and took her to the city, where they raped her all night, then killed her and shot off both heads by mangonel Albert of Aachen III.46
young squire of Tancred, during the siege of Antioch (Anonymus 1021)
  • He went out with Tancred 61 to patrol the area between their camp and the city, carrying a spear and shield, as Tancred had only a sword; they met three Turks doing the same thing, neither side being aware of the other; he watched Tancred kill all three enemies at once, but then was sworn to secrecy (:) Ralph of Caen 52
pilgrim collecting brushwood, bait for an ambush (Anonymus 26112)
  • He was sent to collect bushwood by Hugh 4002 and Engelrand 4001, while they waited close by in ambush; he escaped to the mountain (:) Albert of Aachen III.48
Arnulf of Tirs (Arnulf 26101)
  • He was the only victim of a Turkish ambush in the orchard outside the gate of the Duke, since on hearing shouting he ran into the orchard without armour, to be killed by a stray shot; his death, with others, made Godfrey 51 cut down the orchard Albert of Aachen III.47
Bohemond of Taranto (Bohemond 61)
  • Council of crusaders decided that he and Robert 62 should go foraging, while Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001 stayed in camp; twice sent Robert 62 to defeat Turkish groups; brought a lot of plunder, but not enough to last long (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.1-19.32
  • After months of skirmishing at Antioch, food was desperately short; he, Robert 62 and (perhaps) Tancred 61 made a raid and siezed large quantities of supplies; but before they could get them back to Antioch they were surrounded by larger forces (:) Albert of Aachen III.50-51
Engelrand of St Pol (Engelrand 4001)
  • He hid with Hugh 4001 in an ambush, baited with Anonymus 26112; the Turks attacked and were ambushed, losing two dead and two prisoners; later he led several champions who responded to Turkish provocation, winning a great victory to please Hugh (:) Albert of Aachen III.48-49
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • Was still confined to bed at Antioch during period of famine, giving defenders chance for a sortie (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.14-23
  • He was brought the heads of Adelbero 26101 and Anonyma 26103, and recognised that of Adelbero, which he arranged to be buried with the rest of his body, since the parts of such a noble man should not be left unburied (:) Albert of Aachen III.46
  • He and his comrades were furious that the Turks succeeded in ambushing crusaders like Adelbero 26101, Anonyma 26103 and Arnulf 26101 outside the gate he was guarding; he ordered the crusaders to cut down the orchard to make the area safer (:) Albert of Aachen III.47
Henry of Esch (Henry 4001)
  • To avenge an Antiochene sally with a quick attack, he recklessly swam a river on horseback in full armour, and chased the Turks right to the city gate (:) Albert of Aachen III.44
Hugh, count of Saint-Pol (Hugh 4002)
  • Unhappy at losses near Antioch which kept Tancred 61 on the defensive, he and Engelrand 4001 set an ambush, baited with Anonymus 26112, killing two Turks and taking two prisoners; Engelrand and allies later delighted him by killing Turkish champions (:) Albert of Aachen III.48-49
Raymond of Saint-Gilles, count of Toulouse (Raymond 61)
  • Council of crusaders decided that Bohemond 61 and Robert 62 should go foraging, while he and Adhemar 4001 stayed in camp; defenders made a sortie, and, despite his strong defence, an unfortunate panic caused a few losses (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.1-42
Robert II, count of Flanders (Robert 62)
  • Council of crusaders decided that he and Bohemond 61 should go foraging, while Raymond 61 and Adhemar 4001 stayed in camp; was twice sent by Bohemond to defeat Turkish groups; brought a lot of plunder, but not enough to last long (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.1-19.32
  • After months of skirmishing at Antioch, food was desperately short; he, Bohemond 61 and (perhaps) Tancred 61 made a raid and siezed large quantities of supplies; but before they could get them back to Antioch they were surrounded by larger forces (:) Albert of Aachen III.51-52
Robert [Curthose], count [duke] of Normandy (Robert 63)
  • Was absent from Antioch during period of famine, giving defenders chance for a sortie (: ) William of Tyre bk. 4, 18.13-23
Tancred of Hauteville, nephew of Bohemond of Taranto (Tancred 61)
  • After months of skirmishing at Antioch, food was desperately short; he may have joined Bohemond 61 and Robert 62 in a raid which collected plenty of supplies, but was attacked, lost most of its infantry and nearly all the food (:) Albert of Aachen III.50-51
  • After many losses to Turkish sorties, Tancred was chosen to man a fort outside the [west] gate of Antioch, paid 40 silver marks a month; he kept it up and made assaults of his own from it, but not many, since he was kept busy in defence (:) Albert of Aachen III.45
  • By exercising patience he encouraged the people of Antioch to come out at night to forage in large numbers; when he finally struck, he killed some 700 of them, sending a tithe of 70 heads to Adhemar 4001; Adhemar rewarded Tancred with cash, so he could pay his debts to his men, but he was soon in debt again (:) Ralph of Caen 51
  • He went out with Anonymus 1021 to patrol the area between their camp and the city, carrying only a sword; they met three Turks doing the same thing, neither side being aware of the other; Tancred killed all three enemies at once, then swore his squire to secrecy (:) Ralph of Caen 52