Certainty: 3 Godfrey of Bouillon finally waited on Alexios I in his palace & took oaths of allegiance Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Crusader forces reached Nicaea: position of contingents in the siege Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Baldwin of Boulogne & Tancred in Cilicia: Tarsos Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Baldwin of Boulogne & Tancred in Cilicia: Mopsuestia Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Robert of Flanders sent off to liberate Artah Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Crusaders arrived at Antioch: positions of contingents in siege Certainty: 3
1098
Certainty: 3 Vain ambush by defenders of Antioch to seize building materials coming from St Symeon Certainty: 3
1099
Certainty: 3 Arrival of crusading army before Jerusalem: positions in the siege Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Final assault & capture of Jerusalem by the crusaders Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Crushing victory of the crusaders outside Askalon
The battlefield of Askalon was covered in domestic animals, designed to distract the crusaders into early looting. In fact, this was prohibited on pain of mutilation, and the animals swelled the apparent size of the Christian army. The battle began with an attack by the Egyptian infantry, which began well, but then wavered. The front line of the crusaders across the battlefield was made up of the forces of Robert of Flanders, Robert of Normandy, Gerard of Quierzy, Oliver of Jussey and Reinhard of Toul. There followed a decisive cavalry charge. Participants in this included Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Eustace, Raymond of Toulouse, Tancred, and Cono and Lambert of Montaigu. After the success of the cavalry, the crusader army started looting, and the Egyptians began a counter-attack. Duke Godfrey, who was covering the gates of Askalon to prevent attacks by the garrison, realised the danger and rallied enough of the army to renew the fighting and defeat the enemy a second time. Raymond of Toulouse fought on the right of the line, drowning many of the enemy in the sea. The Egyptians were pursued to the gates of Askalon, where there was such competition to enter that large numbers were crushed and slaughtered outside; the gates were shut, and the troops tried to hide, most of them without success [Anna Komnene seems to confuse this victory with the terrible defeat of the second battle or Ramla in 1102, which she dates to the following day]. The crusaders kept watch on the battlefield overnight, expecting an Egyptian rally, which did not occur; the next day was spent loading immense quantities of booty on their pack-animals, and burning what they could not carry
Certainty: 3 Mass departures of crusaders for home Certainty: 3