History of the Crusades.

the Crusades. episodes.

Episode 11, the First Crusade Roman numeral 7.

Hello again.

Last week we followed the journey of Tancred and Baldwin across Solicia and beyond, seeing Tancred secure key towns in the name of Latin

Christendom, and Baldwin become Count Baldwin of Idessa. This week we begin our examination of the most epic

Battle of the First Crusades, the Siege of Antioch. It is so epic in fact that it will take more than one episode to do it

justice. So let us begin. Thomas Asbridge in his book The First Crusade, which by the way has a very comprehensive yet readable section on the siege which is well worth reading if you are interested

states that the Siege of Antioch was quote one of the most brutal

grueling and prolonged military engagements of the Middle Ages, end quote.

So strap yourselves in, listeners, you're in for a rough ride.

To fully understand the siege, it's necessary to examine the city itself,

as well as the political situation in northern Syria at the time.

Even in 1097 Antioch was an ancient city of central importance to the Christian Church.

Founded in 300 BC in the aftermath of the conquests of Alexander the Great

and named after one of his generals Antiochus,

its importance as a trading town saw it rise to prominence

under the Roman Empire.

At one stage its population swelled to over 300,000 people.

It was also important to the early Christian church.

St Peter preached there in a cave used as a chapel. St Luke wrote his acts of the

apostles there. It was conquered by the Arabs in the 600s, then in the 900s it was overtaken by the Byzantines.

...