This episode of the Kings Hall Podcast is brought to you by Joe Garrison with

backwards planning financial by our friends at Alpine Gold, by MaxD Trailers,

by Salt and Stringings Butchery, Private Family Banking,

Squirrelie Joe's Coffee, and finally by Premier Body Armour. As discussed in the last episode in November of 1095 with Constantinople on the verge of a Muslim assault,

Pope Erban II spoke from a platform outside the French city of Cremont and called Christian

men of the West to rally to the defense of its Eastern brothers.

Many took the cross and answered that call, including Boemond, Duke Godfrey, and

Count Raymond of Toulouse. They did so to shouts of Deus Volt. By 1097, the Crusaders prepared for the first major conflict of their long

march toward Jerusalem. It would take two more years for the Crusaders to reach their final destination in 1099.

The first major battle the Crusaders fought in was at Nicia.

This campaign consisted mostly of the Prince's crusade

in a small detachment of Byzantine engineers

to help with siege works.

Nysia was the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rome,

the Turkish word for Rome, and was ruled by Kileg Arslan.

After defeating the People's Crusade, Arslan was relatively unconcerned when words

spread that a Frankish army was approaching.

The siege of Nisea began on May 14, 1097.

Arslan gathered his army and prepared for an assault on Raymond of Toulouse and Robert of Flanders forces located just outside the city gates.

After a brutal day of fighting, Arslan was surprised by the skill of the Franks.

As one historian said, man for man, his Turks were no match for the well-armed Westerners

on open ground.

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