Re: The Third Crusade
Posted: 2009-01-30 11:02am
The riot you are probably thinking of happened during the first crusade, when a few crusaders got out of hand and started looting. They had the idiotic idea to do that in plain view of the escorting Pecheneg riders and the rest of the Imperial troops escorting the crusaders, who promptly proceeded to show the crusaders how that had not been a good idea at all. The crusaders were forced to give battle and promptly got their heads bashed in. The Imperial troops then took all their equipment and horses and forced them to march the rest of the way. The crusaders who were captured/killed were followers of Raimond of Tolouse, who at that time was actually preparing for his audience at the Imperial court. I would have liked to see his face when the news arrived.
The incident with the princes who tried to storm Constantinople was an even more momentous display of stupidity than your words make them out to be. What happened was that Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin (later Baldwin I., Count of Edessa), refused to swear fealty to Alexios. So when they arrived at Constantinople, he stopped sending them provisions. Godfrey and Baldwin then mustered their troops and attacked Constantinople. Since it was a religious holidy (the holy thursday), Alexios first ordered his troops to only fire warning shots. When that tactic failed, he sent the imperial field army out, including his Warangian Guard, which promptly routed the crusaders. Godfrey and Baldwin surrendered and swore fealty almost immediately.
The only crusaders who were little trouble were the followers of Bohemund (later Bohemund of Antioch), who prevented his soldiers from any marauding by threatening them with summary execution.
The incident with the princes who tried to storm Constantinople was an even more momentous display of stupidity than your words make them out to be. What happened was that Godfrey of Bouillon and Baldwin (later Baldwin I., Count of Edessa), refused to swear fealty to Alexios. So when they arrived at Constantinople, he stopped sending them provisions. Godfrey and Baldwin then mustered their troops and attacked Constantinople. Since it was a religious holidy (the holy thursday), Alexios first ordered his troops to only fire warning shots. When that tactic failed, he sent the imperial field army out, including his Warangian Guard, which promptly routed the crusaders. Godfrey and Baldwin surrendered and swore fealty almost immediately.
The only crusaders who were little trouble were the followers of Bohemund (later Bohemund of Antioch), who prevented his soldiers from any marauding by threatening them with summary execution.