Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, Episode 215, The Siege of

Nicia.

Last time we watched on as the major contingents of the first crusade arrived at Constantinople.

Alexias went to great lengths to court and control them and above all else to get their

armies away from the capital before they could do any damage.

Having successfully moved them from Europe to Asia, the emperor directed them towards

their first major target, the capital of the Sultanate of Rome, Nicia.

Nicia was important for several reasons.

It was the largest city in northwest Anatolia and essentially guarded the most direct route

onto the plateau.

The crusaders had to take it in order to guard their supply lines as they made their way

east.

For the Romans it was even more vital.

Its capture would signal to the local Turks that they could no longer safely squat on imperial

lands, opening up the possibility of retaking the wealthy west coast of Anatolia.

Ideologically the city had also come to be a thorn in the Byzantine side.

Nicia was a famous Christian city.

It was the home of two major ecumenical councils and for Muslims to hold it was a great shame.

Possession of the city also gave legitimacy to the fledgling Turkic state.

If Nicia could be retaken, perhaps the Turks would be driven away from statehood.

Maybe they would go back to just being tribal mercenaries who could one day be crushed

as the Petschen ex had been.

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