Baldwin of Edessa, hearing that Kerbogha of Mosul had been sent by a Persian prince with a vast polyglot army to save Antioch and destroy the crusaders, prepared Edessa with food, weapons and men for a siege. Baldwin held out successfully for three weeks, when Kerbogha was persuaded to abandon the siege and go on to Antioch. By giving the crusaders time to capture Antioch Baldwin saved them, without going there in person