History of the Crusades.

the Crusades. episodes.

Episode 6, the First Crusade Roman numeral II.

Hello again, it's autumn 1096 and the moment has finally arrived.

It's time to set off on the first crusade.

As I mentioned last week, four main armies departed from different regions of Europe

with the aim of meeting up in Constantinople.

The first army to depart was that of Hugh, Count of Vermandoy. Hugh was the younger brother of King Philip I of France who had recently been excommunicated by Pope Urban II.

Surprisingly, for a leader with such close royal connections, Hugh's army was only small, comprising some of his brothers leading vassals, mainly

from Paris and the Il of France.

Hugh sent a message to the Emperor Alexius in Constantinople to let him know he was on his way,

then he led his small band of followers down through France and over the Alps to the port of Bari on the southern eastern coast of Italy.

On the way he was joined by some knights who had survived Count Emix disastrous anti-Semitic Crusade. In southern Italy they encountered Boemond of Taranto and

his southern Italian Normans who were busy preparing for their departure. Hugh had decided to cross the Adriatic using a fleet of boats.

He would then march overland across northern Greece to Constantinople.

He sailed from Barry in October, taking with him Boha Mon's nephew William

and a smattering of other Norman knights who were impatient to set out and did not want to wait for Boaemon's army.

The Adriatic Sea can be fickle at that time of year

and Hugh's small flotilla of ships was hit by a storm.

Some boat sank with all their passengers, and Hugh's boat founded on the Damasian coast.

He was rescued by the Greeks, and he and the remainder of his men were fed and reequipped,

but kept under close surveillance at Durazzo.

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