Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
Bohemonds March to
Constantinople
September 1096 - April 1097
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 Regensburg
Primary Sources: Bohemond Takes the Cross 1096/08-10
Gesta 1/3-2/5
Ralph 2-7 Vienna
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Asbridge 105-106 Hungary
France 105-106

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Rubenstein 71-74

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Runciman 1:145-149

Si
Yewdale, R. (1917).

Dr

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Bohemond I, Prince of
Antioch. 34-41 Slavonia Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb
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Bosnia
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Patzinaks
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Belgrade b e
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Olt
1-Florence
{Sept 1096} Dan
u be
Dristra
[Gesta 1/4=7]

Mor
During the siege of Amalfi, Serbia

ava
Spaleto V
crusading army of Hugh of
Vermandois arrives; 2- {Sept-Oct 1096} r Varna
Nish Iska Preslav
Bohemond takes the cross Bohemond marches to Apulia
after discussing the crusades where he raises
Ragusa V troops and makes Sofia
with other crusaders. They preparation for the crusades;
shout the Deus vult war Tancred joins as second-in- Philippopolis
Rome command [Ralph 2b-3a]
cry [Gesta 1/4a=7] Scutari Ardas

Adrianople

Naples
1 2 Bari Durazzo
Constantinople

Norman
Bo
Salerno
Italy Rodosto
Amalfi

Taranto Avlona Nicaea

Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Bohemond sails to Avlona 1096/12
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4- {late Nov} [Gesta 1/4b=8]
Serbia

ava
Spaleto V Then Bohemond called a council to
encourage his men, and to warn them all to
3- {late Oct} Varna
be courteous
Nishand refrain from
Iska
r plundering
Preslav
[Gesta 1/4b=7-8] that land, which belonged to Christians,
Bohemonds Ragusa V
crusaders sail from and he said that no-one was to take more
Sofia
Bari to Avlona from several cities, than sufficed for his food.
Philippopolis
Rome being ferried by a small fleet in
several groups. Scutari 4- {Nov} Ardas

Byzantine Empire
[Gesta 1/4b=8] Adrianople
Bohemonds crusaders assemble Constantinople
Naples Bari Durazzo and camp near Avlona unopposed,
Norman
Salerno gathering abundant supplies.
Bo 3 Rodosto
Amalfi Italy Bo
Taranto Avlona 4 Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Bohemond at Palagonia 1097/01
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6- {Jan}

Mor
Serbia We went in to Palagonia,

ava
Spaleto V where there was a castle of
[Manichaean Bogomil] r Varna
Nish Iska
heretics. We attacked this Preslav

Ragusa V place from all sides and it

Sofia
soon fell into our hands, so we
5- {late Dec} set fire to it and burnt the Philippopolis
Rome [Gesta 1/4c=8] castle and its inhabitants Ardas
The people of Kastoria
Scutari
together. [Gesta 1/4c=8]
refuse to provide food, Byzantine Empire Adrianople
so the crusaders Constantinople
6
Naples
Norman
Bari plunderDurazzo
their lands.
Palagonia?
Salerno 5 Rodosto
Amalfi Italy Kastoria
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
Bo
 Regensburg
Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18
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Serbia

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Spaleto V
7b- Because of the plundering and Varna
Nish kar
devastationIscaused by the Preslav
crusaders, an army of Pechenegs
Ragusa V Sofia
and Turcopoles begins to shadow
7a- {18 Feb} Battle of the and harass the crusaders.
Philippopolis
Rome Vardar River
Ardas
Scutari
[Gesta 1/4d=8-9 + Ralph 4-7]
Byzantine Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Bari Durazzo 7
Naples
Norman
Salerno
Amalfi Italy Kastoria
Bo Serras Rodosto

Taranto Avlona Nicaea

Brindisi Thessalonica
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

1 1b- This satellite photo shows the

1a- The Vardar River is in flood,
Vardar River today. The exact
making the crossing difficult.
location of the Crusader fording
[Ralph 4a]
of the river is unknown.

Ta
2
Bo 3
2
3- Tancred and the
2- Byzantine Turcopole and cavalry vanguard cross
Pecheneg horse archers shadow the river. [Ralph 4a]
the front and rear of the crusader
army. [Ralph 4a]
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

4b- The Greeks therefore came out

from their hiding places and shot a
terrible flight of arrows. While the
arrows flew they had the appearance of
cloud, when the fell it seemed like hail,
and where they stood, they seemed like
a field of grain. [Ralph 4b]
4a- The Byzantine Turcopoles
and Pechenegs advance on
Tancreds vanguard, showering
them with arrows, but do not
attack. [Ralph 4b]

Ta

5
Bo

5a- Tancred advances slowly

and in close order; he does not
charge recklessly. [Ralph 4b]

5b- Tancred, who was familiar with

every manner of fighting, did not resist
them quickly, partly, or all at once, but
rather step by step. Tancred was
well versed in this type of battle from
many contests and therefore recognized
how to gain victory. So, he held back
the unbridled spirits of his men through
his prudence. [Ralph 4b]
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

6b- Comment:
a- The crusader knights retained their tight formation to avoid
being individually surrounded by the horse archers.
b- The crusaders shook their spears perhaps indicating they
were using overhand or underhand lance techniques, as can be
seen in the Bayeux Tapestry.
c- The horse archers flee as soon as the knights attack, which is
standard al-karr wa al-farr (return and escape/flight =
feigned retreat) horse archer technique.
d- Tancred drives off the Byzantines so the main army can cross.

Ta
6 7

Bo

6a- After [the crusaders] had borne the enemy attacks, [Tancreds]
men redeemed their patient delay. They loosened their reins, they 7- Tancred opened the path with his
used their spurs, they shook their spears. [The Byzantines] morale sword. He cut down anyone whom he
[was] undermined by this demonstration, the lightly armed Greeks intended to kill. Half-dead bodies
were not able to withstand the charge. For when it came to filled the banks on both the right and
fighting with swords, the archers lost their value. Lacking shields left. Covered with blood, his
and spears, the Greeks suffered wounds and did not inflict them in appearance denied that this was Tancred
return. These pitiable [Byzantines] were headed for immediate but his work spoke for him. [Ralph 4d]
flight or to their deaths. [Ralph 4c]
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

9- The Byzantine Turcopoles

and Pechenegs pursue and
attack the rearguard when most
of the crusaders have crossed
the river. [Ralph 5a]

Ta
9 Bo
8

8- [Bohemond and the rest of the crusaders crossed

the river] when they saw that the Greeks [on the
east bank] were retreating. Some swam across the
river and others, having been taught to row,
crossed boats. Still others, who were ignorant of
both these arts, used the tails of their horses in
place of oars. Thus, this who multitude crossed in
a short period of time with the exception of about
600 who waited to be carried across. This was
the lightly armed crowd. [Ralph 5a]
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

10- Byzantine Pechenegs and

Tucropoles attack the rear
guard. [Ralph 5b]

Ta
Bo
10
11

11- Tancred is summoned back

to the main force to assist the
rearguard. [Ralph 5b]
0 250m 500m 7 Battle of the Vardar (Axios) River 1097/02/18

13c- Comment:
The description of the equipment of the
Turcopole/Pechenegs horse archers includes:
bows (arcus), quivers (pharetras), shields
(peltas) and body armor (thoraces).
They may have been discarding their arms to
try to get the pursuers to stop to plunder them,
or perhaps to lighten their load to flee faster.
14- The rest of the crusader
crosses the river. [Ralph 6a]

13b- The Greeks found their greatest solace in 14

throwing aside their bows, casting off their
quivers, dropping their shields, and stripping off
their body armor [Ralph 6b] Bo
13

12
13a- The Byzantines flee from Tancreds attack,
(probably with standard dispersal tactics). The
fleeing Greeks abandon their arms and armor, which
are plundered by the crusaders. [Ralph 6a-b]
Ta
12a- Tancred swims his horse
across the river; his knights
follow in boats. [Ralph 6a]
12b When Tancred heard of this he went back and,
diving into the river, he swam across to the others,
with two thousand men following him. They found
Turcopuli and Patzinaks fighting with our men, so
they made a sudden and gallant attack and, since
they were men of experience, they defeated the
enemy and took many prisoners [Gesta 1/4d=9]
 Regensburg
Bohemonds March to Constantinople 1097/03
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Spaleto V

r Varna
Nish Iska Preslav

Ragusa V Sofia
8- {early Mar} [Gesta 2/5a=10]
Tancred and the army wants to sack a Philippopolis
Rome castle for plunder but Bohemond forbids Ardas
Scutari
it to keep faith with the emperor.
Byzantine Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Bari Durazzo 8
Naples
Salerno
Bo Serras Rodosto
Amalfi Kastoria
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Bohemonds March to Constantinople 1097/04
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Serbia

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Spaleto V
10- {early Apr}
Varna
Nish Iska
r
[Gesta 2/5c=11]
Preslav
9- {1 Apr} [Gesta 2/5c=11] Bohemond goes ahead to
Ragusa V Bohemonds army Sofia Constantinople to meet with
celebrates Easter at Serras; Alexios, arriving on 9 April.
Philippopolis
orders return of stolen cattle.
Rome Tancred remains with the army.
Ardas
Scutari
Byzantine
9 Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Naples Bari Durazzo 10
Norman Bo
Salerno
Italy Serras Rodosto
Amalfi Kastoria
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Tancred's March to Constantinople 1097/04
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Serbia

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Spaleto V

r Varna
Nish Iska Preslav
11- {early Apr} 12- {late Apr}
Ragusa V [Gesta 2/5c=11]
Sofia Tancred with Italo-Norman crusaders
Tancred plunders a proceeds to Constantinople {arrive 26
rich valley Philippopolis Apr} where they join Bohemond and
Rome
Scutari camp
Ardas outside the city.

Byzantine
11 Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Naples Bari Durazzo 12
Norman Ta Bo
Salerno
Italy Serras Rodosto
Amalfi Kastoria
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Crusading Warfare

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