Capture by crusaders of Albara & Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, with slaughter of whole population

Summary:
Raymond of Toulouse soon captured Albara and all its territory, slaughtering all the defenders. He appointed Peter of Narbonne as bishop, giving him half of Albara, as the first Latin bishop in east, having him consecrated in Antioch. As the crusaders were impatient to move on to Jerusalem, the leaders then had them besiege Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, to keep them occupied. The siege was begun by Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Eustace, Raymond of Toulouse, Robert of Flanders, Robert of Normandy and Tancred, and was soon joined with reinforcements by Bohemond. There was no food, and there are many reports of cannibalism, eating the corpses of enemies. Eventually the town fell. Gouffier de Lastours was the first to climb the siege ladder. The entire population was slaughtered. There was a dispute over its ownership between Raymond, who wanted to give it to Peter of Narbonne, and Bohemond, who wanted to use it in negotiations over Antioch. Peter took over, Bohemond went and captured the towers Raymond held in Antioch. Peter could not stop the impatient crusaders from demolishing the town walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man so as to avoid further delay. Engelrand of St Pol died there of disease 
Dates:
1098 October-November 
Baldwin of Boulogne, Baldwin I, king of Jerusalem (Baldwin 51)
  • He came south to the Euphrates for a conference with Godfrey 51, in which the brothers said their farewells (:) Albert of Aachen V.26-27
Bohemond of Taranto (Bohemond 61)
  • Refused to allow Raymond 61 to give Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to Petros 4005, demanding in return the towers in Antioch still held by Raymond; left in disgust, returned to Antioch and took the towers by force (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.1-11
  • Joined siege of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man two days after the other leaders, with large reinforcements, and eventually captured the city (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.22-59
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he as Lord of Antioch, with the other leaders, captured Albara, slaughtering all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, which was full of weapons and strength; he left the siege after 15 days (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
  • After four months of food and rest around Antioch, the crusaders were refreshed, and divided in their plans: Raymond and Raymond 61 pursued local issues, the rest waited near Antioch to proceed; Raymond and Bohemond attacked Albara and Ma'arrat al-Nu'man [other sources give Bohemond a lesser role in these attacks] (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.25.1-2
  • After soon capturing Albara and slaughtering the defenders, he went on to Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, which was besieged for 20 days, in conditions of extreme famine, which led to cannibalism; eventually, with the help of other crusader armies, the city was taken and the population wiped out [other sources state that Bohemond arrived at Ma'arrat al-Nu'man after other crusaders] (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.25.2-3
  • After the capture of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, he returned to Antioch and drove out the guards placed by Raymond 61 on his remaining possessions there; from now on Bohemond enjoyed complete possession of Antioch, having used so much of his cunning in its capture (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.25.4
  • He joined the siege of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man rather later than other leaders; the town was populous and rich, and had prepared by filling itself with provisions and ruining the surrounding countryside; the attackers at first prayed for rain then suffered a flood which destroyed their remaining food (:) Ralph of Caen 96
  • Starvation outside Ma'arrat al-Nu'man reached such a point that there are reliable reports of cannibalism of dead defenders; eventually the walls were undermined and broken down by artillery, and the town was taken, with the slaughter of the whole population; others concentrated more on collecting booty (:) Ralph of Caen 97, 104
Engelrand of St Pol (Engelrand 4001)
  • Died of disease at Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, after its capture William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.52-54
Eustace III, count of Boulogne (Eustace 4001)
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Raymond 61, Robert 62, Robert 63, Godfrey 51, Tancred 61 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • He with Raymond 61, Robert 63 and Tancred 61 broke down the walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, occupied its centre, defended themselves against the Turks and then slaughtered some and burned others in the citadel; they rested there for three weeks (:) Albert of Aachen V.30
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, full of weapons and strength; while some left the siege after 15 days, he persisted (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
Godfrey of Bouillon, duke of Lower Lorraine, first Latin ruler of Jerusalem (Godfrey 51)
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Raymond 61, Robert 62, Robert 63, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • After capture of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, stayed there fifteen days, then returned to Antioch; before going south, visited his brother Baldwin; while returning from there to Antioch survived ambush five or six miles from the city (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.61-10.19
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, which was full of weapons and strength; he left the siege after 15 days (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
  • After leaving Ma'arrat al-Nu'man he went north and had a conference with Baldwin 51 at the Euphrates, making his farewells; he returned via Turbessel and Ravendel, then defeated a Turkish ambush at the Episcopate, against heavy odds (:) Albert of Aachen V.26-27
Gouffier de Lastours (Gouffier 4001)
  • Was first to climb siege ladder in capture of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.39-41
Hugh, count of Saint-Pol (Hugh 4002)
  • Lost his son, Engelrand 4001, who died of disease at Ma'arrat al-Nu'man (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.52-54
Peter of Narbonne, bishop of Albara, archbishop of Apamea (Petros 4005)
  • Was given Ma'arrat al-Nu'man by Raymond 61, despite objections of Bohemond 61, and made plans to defend it; but when Raymond was away, he failed to prevent the crusaders destroying its walls, so as to remove reasons for delay (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.1-32
Raymond of Saint-Gilles, count of Toulouse (Raymond 61)
  • After capture of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, intended to give it to Petros 4005, bishop of Albara; Bohemond 61 contested this, demanding as recompense the towers in Antioch Raymond still held; Bohemond left in disgust and took the towers by force (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.1-11
  • When Bohemond 61 left, Raymond gave Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to Petros 4005, planning defence and infuriating crusaders, who wanted to go on; during conference of leaders at Chastel-Rouge, the crusaders destroyed walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, to stop more delay (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 11.11-32
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Robert 62, Robert 63, Godfrey 51, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, full of weapons and strength; while some left the siege after 15 days, he persisted (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
  • At Ma'arrat al-Nu'man his siege dragged on with famine, even cannibalism; small foraging parties were killed, especially by raids from Damascus, so he made major expeditions, bringing food and then wood for a siege-engine which soon took the city (:) Albert of Aachen V.29-30
  • He with Robert 63, Tancred 61 and Eustace 4001 broke down the walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, occupied its centre, defended themselves against the Turks and then slaughtered some and burned others in the citadel; they rested there for three weeks (:) Albert of Aachen V.30
  • After four months of food and rest around Antioch, the crusaders were refreshed, and divided in their plans: Raymond and Bohemond 61 pursued local issues, the rest waited near Antioch to proceed; Raymond and Bohemond attacked Albara and Ma'arrat al-Nu'man (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.15.1-2
  • After soon capturing Albara and slaughtering the defenders, he went on to Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, which was besieged for 20 days, in conditions of extreme famine, which led to cannibalism; eventually, with the help of other crusader armies, the city was taken and the population wiped out (:) Fulcher of Chartres 1.25.2-3
  • He attacked Ma'arrat al-Nu'man with Tancred 61 and Robert 63; the town was populous and rich, and had prepared by filling itself with provisions and ruining the surrounding countryside; the attackers at first prayed for rain then suffered a flood which destroyed their remaining food (:) Ralph of Caen 96
  • Starvation outside Ma'arrat al-Nu'man reached such a point that there are reliable reports of cannibalism of dead defenders; eventually the walls were undermined and broken down by artillery, and the town was taken, with the slaughter of the whole population; others concentrated more on collecting booty (:) Ralph of Caen 97, 104
Robert II, count of Flanders (Robert 62)
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Raymond 61, Robert 63, Godfrey 51, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • After capture of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, stayed there for fifteen days, then returned to Antioch (: ) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.61-63
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, which was full of weapons and strength; he left the siege after 15 days (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
Robert [Curthose], count [duke] of Normandy (Robert 63)
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Raymond 61, Robert 62, Godfrey 51, Eustace 4001, Tancred 61 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • He with Raymond 61, Tancred 61 and Eustace 4001 broke down the walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, occupied its centre, defended themselves against the Turks and then slaughtered some and burned others in the citadel; they rested there for three weeks (:) Albert of Aachen V.30
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, full of weapons and strength; while some left the siege after 15 days, he persisted (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
  • He attacked Ma'arrat al-Nu'man with Tancred 61 and Raymond 61; the town was populous and rich, and had prepared by filling itself with provisions and ruining the surrounding countryside; the attackers at first prayed for rain then suffered a flood which destroyed their remaining food (:) Ralph of Caen 96
  • Starvation outside Ma'arrat al-Nu'man reached such a point that there are reliable reports of cannibalism of dead defenders; eventually the walls were undermined and broken down by artillery, and the town was taken, with the slaughter of the whole population; others concentrated more on collecting booty (:) Ralph of Caen 97, 104
Tancred of Hauteville, nephew of Bohemond of Taranto (Tancred 61)
  • Attacked and eventually captured Ma'arrat al-Nu'man to keep crusaders busy, as they were impatient to leave for Jerusalem: in association with Raymond 61, Robert 62, Robert 63, Godfrey 51, Eustace 4001 (1 November:Kalendis Novembribus) William of Tyre bk. 7, 9.1-59
  • He with Raymond 61, Robert 63 and Eustace 4001 broke down the walls of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, occupied its centre, defended themselves against the Turks and then slaughtered some and burned others in the citadel; they rested there for three weeks (:) Albert of Aachen V.30
  • When the heat and plague had died down, he, with the other leaders, captured Albara with the slaughter of all Turks and Saracens, then besieged Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, full of weapons and strength; while some left the siege after 15 days, he persisted (in October:in mense Octobri) Albert of Aachen V.25-26
  • He attacked Ma'arrat al-Nu'man with Robert 63 and Raymond 61; the town was populous and rich, and had prepared by filling itself with provisions and ruining the surrounding countryside; the attackers at first prayed for rain then suffered a flood which destroyed their remaining food (:) Ralph of Caen 96
  • Starvation outside Ma'arrat al-Nu'man reached such a point that there are reliable reports of cannibalism of dead defenders; eventually the walls were undermined and broken down by artillery, and the town was taken, with the slaughter of the whole population; others concentrated more on collecting booty (:) Ralph of Caen 97, 104