Embassy of Peter the Hermit to Kerbogha ended in failure

Summary:
After 26 days of siege, following the discovery of the lance by Peter Bartolomew, it was decided to send ambassadors to Kerbogha. The only volunteer for the task was Peter the Hermit. Herluin and others acted as interpreters. Peter offered Kerbogha the chance to convert to Christianity and become lord of Antioch, with the crusaders as his servants. Kerbogha refused, telling Peter to become a Muslim. Peter also offered Kerbogha combat between twenty champions on each side, the losers to withdraw. Kerbogha ignored the suggestion and promised life to immature crusaders of both sexes, but for the rest his huge supply of chains, and death. Peter returned to the crusader camp to report that Kerbogha had chosen war, not peace. When he was giving a public account of the embassy, Godfrey stopped him from reporting all the Turk's haughty replies, for reasons of morale. After nearly a month of siege, battle was now the only recourse. Adhemar of Le Puy suggested giving as much grain as possible to their famished horses, and they did 
Dates:
1098 June 
Adhemar of le Puy (Adhemar 4001)
  • When Petros 61 announced the uncompromising reply of Kerbogha 4001, the crusaders realised that battle was the only solution, and began preparations: Adhemar told the knights to give as much of their grain as possible to their famished horses, and they did (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.21.4-1.22.2
interpreters between Peter the Hermit and Kerbogha (Anonymi 26102)
  • They interpreted the words of the Christian embassy of Petros 61 to Kerbogha 4001, and the latter's proud replies (:) Albert of Aachen IV.44-45
Arnulf of Choques, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem (Arnulf 4001)
  • He was somehow involved in the decision to fight a battle, after the failure of the mission of Petros 61, with an astrologer also implicated [but textual problems make the course of events hard to follow] (:) Ralph of Caen 83
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • He did not let Petros 61, after his embassy to Kerbogha 4001, report all the Turk's proud replies, for reasons of morale; after nearly a month of siege, battle was now the only recourse, and the next morning the army was drawn up in 12 divisions (:) Albert of Aachen IV.46
Herluin, interpreter of Arabic (?) (Herluin 4001)
  • With defiance which followed finding of lance by Petros 4004, was sent to Kerbogha 4001, offering choice of leaving Antioch or battle; combat could be single, with one chief, between groups of the same number, or general: in association with Petros 61 (after 26 days of siege:diebus viginti sex) William of Tyre bk. 6, 15.1-32
Kerbogha of Mosul (Kerbogha 4001)
  • He was also offered by Petros 61 combat between 20 champions on each side, the losers to withdraw, to avoid a attack by the crusaders; Kerbogha promised life to immature crusaders of both sexes, but for others his huge supply of chains, and death (:) Albert of Aachen IV.45
  • In the embassy of Petros 61 he was offered though interpreters the chance to convert to Christianity and become lord of Antioch, with the crusaders as his servants; Kerbogha refused, telling Petros to become a Muslim (:) Albert of Aachen IV.44
  • Received as envoys Petros 61 and Herluin 4001, bringing choice of departure or battle; told them they had no choice to offer; he would save young of both sexes as slaves and kill the rest; they would already be dead had he chosen to attack (: ) William of Tyre bk. 6, 15.32-73
  • He received Petros 61 on an embassy from the crusaders; Petros offered to save bloodshed by restricting the battle to chosen groups of knights on both sides, the losers to withdraw; but he threatened a general battle if Kerbogha did not go away; however the enemy trusted in their huge numbers (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.21.1-2
  • He and his men treated Petros 61 with derision, contrasting his ragged appearance with his fierce message; Kerbogha's reply was uncompromising, that he would capture Antioch and kill those who occupied it, making battle inevitable (:) Ralph of Caen 82
Peter the Hermit (Petros 61)
  • He was the only volunteer to go as envoy to Kerbogha 4001; he offered him though interpreters the chance to convert to Christianity and become lord of Antioch, with the crusaders as servants; Kerbogha refused, telling Petros to become a Muslim (:) Albert of Aachen IV.44
  • He also offered Kerbogha 4001 combat between 20 champions on each side, the losers to withdraw, to avoid attack by the crusaders; Kerbogha promised life to immature crusaders of both sexes, but for the rest his huge supply of chains, and death (:) Albert of Aachen IV.45
  • He returned to the crusader army to report the answers of Kerbogha 4001, that he chose war, not peace; Peter was told by Godfrey 51 not to report all of Kerbogha's haughty answers, for reasons of morale (:) Albert of Aachen IV.46
  • With defiance which followed finding of lance by Petros 4004, was sent to Kerbogha 4001, offering choice of leaving Antioch or battle; combat could be single, with one chief, between groups of the same number, or general: in association with Herluin 4001 (after 26 days of siege:diebus viginti sex) William of Tyre bk. 6, 15.1-32
  • Fearlessly offered Kerbogha 4001 the choice; received reply that crusaders were in no position to offer choices; Kerbogha would save young of both sexes as slaves and kill the rest; they would already be dead had he not decided to starve them (: ) William of Tyre bk. 6, 15.32-73
  • Returning to Antioch, where all were waiting for Kerbogha 4001's reply, he began to describe whole embassy; was stopped by Godfrey 51, who feared that some would be terrified by Kerbogha's threats, and so just reported choice of battle (: ) William of Tyre bk. 6, 16.1-17
  • He was sent by the crusaders on an embassy to Kerbogha 4001, offering to save bloodshed by restricting the battle to chosen groups of knights on both sides, the losers to withdraw; but he threatened a general battle if Kerbogha did not go away; however the enemy trusted in their huge numbers (:) Fulcher of Chartres 21.1-2
  • As soon as he announced the uncompromising reply of Kerbogha 4001, the crusaders realised that battle was the only solution, and began preparations: Adhemar 4001 told the knights to give as much of their grain as possible to their famished horses, and they did (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.21.4-1.22.2
  • The crusaders decided to send a peace mission to Kerbogha 4001, and Peter was one of the five men chosen; he offered Kerbogha combat between equal numbers of Christians and Muslims, the losers to withdraw from Antioch; otherwise the Christians would begin a general battle (:) Ralph of Caen 81