Certainty: 2 Peter the Hermit returned from Jerusalem inspired by the idea of crusade Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Pope Urban II preached the crusade at the Council of Clermont Certainty: 3
1096
Certainty: 2 Peter the Hermit crossed Hungary & captured Zemun (Malevilla) Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Serious trouble caused by Peter the Hermit's men at Nis Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Peter the Hermit went quickly from Nis to the capital Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Peter the Hermit met Alexios I & crossed with Walter Sansavoir to Asia Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Rivalry in raids on Nicaea led to massacre of People's crusaders outside Kibotos by Turks Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 A few of Peter's men returned alive, threatened by more ambushes but saved by Alexios' troops Certainty: 3
1097
Certainty: 3 Early arrivals among the crusaders moved on towards Nicaea Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Crusader forces reached Nicaea: position of contingents in the siege Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Surrender of Nicaea to Boutoumites & Alexios I Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Crusaders arrived at Antioch: positions of contingents in siege Certainty: 3
1098
Certainty: 3 Peter Bartholomew found the holy lance that pierced Christ's side Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Embassy of Peter the Hermit to Kerbogha ended in failure Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Victorious attack on the army of Kerbogha outside Antioch, which broke up in panic Certainty: 3
1099
Certainty: 3 Siege of Jerusalem Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Massacre by the crusaders of all non-Christian inhabitants of Jerusalem Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Arrival at Askalon of an Egyptian expedition to recapture Jerusalem
The caliph of Egypt was angry at the crusaders' success against a newly-won Egyptian province. He gathered forces from all the lands under his dominion, summoned al-Afdal, his commander-in-chief, and ordered him to wipe the crusaders from the map. Al-Afdal had himself captured Jerusalem from the Turks barely eleven months before, so he gladly accepted orders to recover it. His forces included Turks from Syria, since the Christian attack had created a Muslim coalition. Soon after becoming lord of Jerusalem Godfrey of Bouillon heard rumours of the Egyptian attack, so he left garrisons in Jerusalem and went with some of the major crusaders to investigate. Once the news was confirmed, they stayed to hold the road to Jerusalem, sending to the city for aid and calling all crusader forces together. There is no unanimity in the sources over where the major leaders were when they were summoned. Raymond of Toulouse, still smarting over the Tower of David, refused to be hurried. Peter the Hermit and Arnulf of Choques were asked to bring the true cross, to inspire the crusaders against the Egyptian forces. An Arab ex-governor of Ramla warned him to prohibit plundering, because there were many animals left on the battlefield to tempt the crusaders' greed. He was also impressed by the Chrstians' zeal for battle, which Godfrey explained as a desire for martyrdom, making the Arab think of converting