Jerusalem, siege of, 9 June-18 July 1099
The culmination of the First Crusade. Having fought their way through the Turks, the Crusaders found themselves faced at Jerusalem by the Fatamids of Egypt, a much less dangerous foe, whose armies were weaker man for man than either the Turks or the Crusaders. Even so, the Crusaders found themselves facing a stronger force, protected by the walls of Jerusalem. Moreover, the defenders had access to the only sources of water in the vicinity, and the Crusaders soon ran short of food. Worse, their numbers were no longer large enough to allow a proper blockade of the city, and their camp only faced the more accessible northern wall of Jerusalem. The Crusaders were thus forced to plan an assault, and perhaps because some of the more disruptive elements in the army had remained at Antioch, for once a proper plan was put into place. The Crusaders built siege towers, and after marching round the city behind their priests, launched their main attack, under Godfrey of Bouillon and his brother Baldwin, at St. Stephen's Gate in the north wall, and a second attack, under Count Raymond at the Jaffa Gate in the west wall. Both assaults were successful, and the city quickly fell. There then followed a massacre, of unusual ferocity even for the times, although some sources suggest that the city was almost empty at the time. However, most sources suggest that the Muslim, Jewish and even some Christian occupants of Jerusalem were killed in the first rush of blood lust. Like at Antioch, a Muslim relief force was on its way, but this time the Crusaders went on the attack, and after it's defeat at Ascalon (12 August), the success of the First Crusade was secure.
READING
JR, 2 April 2001
