Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
 Hugh of Vermandois
March to Constantinople
August-November 1096
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 Thames
Poland
The Princes Crusades 1096-1097
England RF
Dniep
er
Kiev

Rh
Ba

ine
Lotharingians Ga
RN Godfrey of Bouillon, Duke of Lotharingia (Loraine) lici a ns
Northern French (Franks)
Se
Eu Go
Baldwin of Boulogne
a
Dn
ies
Cu
m

Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy

in

e Al Eustace III, count of Boulogne Danu
t er
be
Stephen, Count of Blois Albert of Aachen (historian)
Fu Hu Holy Roman
Robert II, Count of Flanders St
Fulcher of Chartres (historian) Empire
France
Loire
(Germans) Hungary
+ Hugh of Vermandois

Clermont
Patzinaks
Venice

Rhone
Piacenza
Po
Danube
Ga Ad Croatia
Raronne
V

Genoa
Serbia
Ra
V
Na
Southern French
var (Provenals)
Leon & Raymond IV, Count of of Toulouse
Castile

Tib
Douro
Adhemar, bishop ofAragon
le Puy (legate) Po

e
pe

r
Eb
Raymond dAguilers ro (historian)
Barcelon
Byzantine
Rome Bari
Pisa Bo Empire
Seljuk
B
Ta
n

Tagus
le

Ge Empire
Va

Norman
Southern Italo-Normans
Sicily
Baleres
Bohemond of Taranto
lqivir
G u ad a
Tancred
Gesta Francorum (historian)

al-Murabitun
(Almoravids)
d s Zirids
d i
ma
m
Ha
Banu Hilal
Primary Sources: Thames
Hughs March to Italy 1096/08-09

Rhine
Albert 1.9
Anna 10.7 1- Hughs alleged Letter to Alexios
[Hugh] sent a ridiculous message to the Emperor, with a view to arranging 1- Note:
Gesta 1.3b
beforehand that he should have a magnificent Mreception.
e
Know, O It is unlikely that Anna records the exact words of
Guibert 2.19 England eus
Hughs letter. Indeed, it may be a complete
Fulcher 1.6.3 Emperor, he wrote, that I am the king of kings and the greatest of those
under heaven; and it behoves you to meet and treat me on arrival with all fabrication. Annas purpose is to show the
Robert 2.5-6
pomp and in a manner worthy of my nobility. [Anna 10.7a] arrogance of crusader kings and their claims to

le
el
os
universal domination (which, for Anna, rested

M
with her father Alexios). However, such a letter

kar
1- Hugh of Vermandois (called in French le

Nec
Se
ine Marne
may have reflected Hughs belief, or claim, or
Asbridge 63, 92 1 Maisn = the younger, garbled in Latin hope, that Dhe
anuwould
be become king of JerusalemDanube
magnus = the great), brother of Philip, king after its conquest.

e
Rubenstein 67-68

in
Paris Regensburg
Hu

Runciman 1:142-145
Bull, Marcus, The
Capetian Monarchy and
the Early Crusade
Movement: Hugh of
Vermandos and Louis
Rh
Seine
of France, takes the cross {11 Feb 1096};
there is a lunar eclipse which is seen as a
divine portent.
He sends a letter to Alexios announcing his
Loire crusade, and requesting a royal welcome in Holy Roman Empire
Constantinople, a letter the Byzantines find
pretentious. [Anna 10.7a] (Germany)
France

Loire
ao ne
VII, Nottingham S

Medieval Studies 40
Creuse 2
2- {late Aug} Hugh, with a
(1996), 25-46.
small force, marches to
Vienne Italy without incident.
[Fulcher 1.6.3a]
Clermont Ven
ic e

ne
o
Rh
Po
Piacenza

ne
Rho
G
ar

Genoa
on
ne

n
Tar

Pisa

Rome
 Thames
Hughs March to Rome 1096/08-09

Rhine
e
England Me
us

le
el
os
M

kar
Nec
Se
ine Marne
nu be
Da Danube

e
in
Paris Regensburg

Rh
Seine

3- {late Aug} Refugees from

Emichos crusade, including
Clarambald of Vendeuil and William
Loire Holy the
Roman Empire
Carpenter, flee into northern Italy.
(Germany)
[Albert 1.29d]
France

Loire
ao ne
S
Creuse
3

Vienne

Clermont Ven
ic e

ne
o
Rh
Hu Po
Piacenza

ne
4

Rho
G
ar

5- {mid Sept} Hughs

Genoa
on
ne

n army marches to Rome.

Tar
4- {early Sept} These refugees
from Emichos crusade Hughs
Pisa 5
crusade in norther Italy.

Rome
 Regensburg
Hughs March to Bari 1096/09-10
Vienna
Tulln
Dn Bug
ie
st
er
Danube
m a n s
Sopron Cu

er
iep
Budapest

Dn
Hungary

Pru
t
Si
Dr

re
a
ava

t
Tis
Slavonia Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb
Po
Sav
a
Bosnia
Zemun
Da
nu Kherson
Belgrade b e
Cro
atia

Olt
Florence u be
Dan Dristra

Mor
Serbia

ava
Spaleto V

7- {early Oct} Hugh meets with Nish r Varna

Iska Preslav
Bohemonds crusaders; some of
the southern Normans decide to
Ragusa V Sofia
Hu
join Hugh and cross to
Durazzo, hoping to beat the Philippopolis
Rome winter storms. Scutari Ardas

Byzantine Empire Adrianople

6 7 Note: Constantinople
Durazzo
John Comnenos, nephew of the
6- {late Sept} Naples Bari JC
Norman emperor, is Byzantine governor of
Hugh marches to Salerno Hu
Italy Durazzo/Dyrrachion. Rodosto
Bari, arriving in Amalfi Bo
early October. Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Hugh at Bari 1096/09-10
Vienna
Tulln
Dn Bug
ie
st
er
Danube
m a n s
Sopron Cu

er
iep
Budapest

Dn
Hungary

Pru
t
8- Note: Hugh either believed he was, or wanted

Si
Dr

re
others to accept him as, the Popes official

a
ava

t
Tis
Slavonia commander of the entire crusade. There are no
Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb other sources mentioning the Pope giving a
Sav special banner to Hugh, but the popes did on
Po
a
Bosnia
occasion give papal banners to armies to show
papal support of a military campaign, most
Zemun
notably the banner Belgrade Da
given to William
nu the Kherson
be
Cr oati Conqueror in 1096. (Bayeux Tapestry)
a

Olt
Florence u be
Dan Dristra

Mor
Serbia

ava
8- V
Spaleto {early Oct} Hugh 8- {early Oct} [Hughs ambassadors] spoke as
sends ambassadors to the follows to the [Byzantine] Duke [John Comnenos],
Varna
Byzantine governor of Be it knownNish
to thee, Duke, that
Iska our Lord [Hugh] is Preslav
r

Durazzo, John on the point of arriving, and is bringing with him

Ragusa V from Rome the golden Sofia
standard of Saint Peter.
Comnenos, asking John
to make preparations for Understand, too, that he is the leader of the whole
Philippopolis
Rome his arrival. [Anna 10.7.b] Frankish army. [Anna 10.7b].
Ardas
Scutari
8 Byzantine Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Bari Durazzo
Naples
Norman JC
Salerno Hu
Italy Rodosto
Amalfi Bo
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Hugh sails to Durazzo 1096/10
Vienna
Tulln
Dn Bug
ie
st
er
Danube
m a n s
Sopron Cu

er
iep
Budapest

Dn
Hungary

Pru
t
Si
Dr

re
a
ava

t
Tis
Slavonia Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb
Po
Sav
a
Bosnia
Zemun
Patzinaks
Da
nu Kherson
Belgrade b e
Cro 9- Note:
atia
Guibert [2.19a] contradicts

Olt
Florence u be
Dan Dristra
Anna, saying the voyage was

Mor
9- {mid Oct} Unwisely departing in late fortunate Serbiameaning the fleet

ava
Spaleto Vthe advice arrived safely.
autumn storm seasonagainst
of Bohemond, who winters in Apulia r Varna
Nish Iska Preslav
Hugh sails to Byzantine Durazzo. His
fleet suffers shipwreck in a storm. Ragusa
Many V Sofia
of his men and ships are lost in the storm.
The survivors, including Hugh, are Philippopolis
Rome rescued by the Byzantine governor John
Ardas
Scutari
Comnenos. [Anna 10.7c] Byzantine Empire Adrianople
Constantinople
Bari Durazzo
Naples
Norman Hu 9 JC
Salerno
Italy Rodosto
Amalfi Bo Wa
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Regensburg
Hugh at Durazzo 1096/10
Vienna
Tulln
Dn Bug
ie
st
er
Danube
m a n s
Sopron Cu

er
iep
Budapest

Dn
Hungary

Pru
t
Si
Dr

re
a
ava

t
Tis
Slavonia Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb
Po
Sav
a
Bosnia
Zemun
Patzinaks
Da
nu Kherson
Belgrade b e
Cro
atia

Olt
Florence u be
Dan Dristra

Mor
Serbia

ava
Spaleto V

10- {late Oct} Hugh remains in Nish r 11- {late Oct} Alexios sends
Varna
12- Note:
Iska Preslav
Durazzo for several weeks as the Manuel Butumites with a small Hugh missed joining Peter and
guest of Alexios. [Anna 10.7c].
Ragusa V Sofia force to escort Hugh to Walter of the Peoples Crusade
Many crusaders feel that Hugh has Constantinople. [Anna 10.7d] by about a month. If they had
been arrested by Alexios. [Gesta 1.3b; Philippopolis
waited longer they might have
Rome Robert 2.5-6] Scutari Ardas
been helped by Hughs army.
Byzantine Empire 11
10 Adrianople
Constantinople
Durazzo Hu
Naples
Norman
Bari 12- {21 Oct} The Peoples
12
Salerno crusade is destroyed by the
Amalfi Italy Bo
Rodosto
Wa Qi Turks of Qilich Arslan at
Taranto Avlona Nicaea the battle of Civitot.
Brindisi Thessalonica
[Albert 1.19-22]
 Regensburg
Hughs March to Constantinople 1096/11
Vienna
Tulln
Dn Bug
ie
st
er
Danube
m a n s
Sopron Cu

er
iep
Budapest

Dn
Hungary

Pru
t
Si
Dr

re
a
ava

t
Tis
Slavonia Olt
VeniceVenice Zagreb
Po
Sav
a
Bosnia
Zemun
Patzinaks
Da
nu Kherson
Belgrade b e
Cro
atia

Olt
Florence u be
Dan Dristra

Mor
13- {early Nov} Hugh and his surviving 14- {late Nov-Dec} Hugh is held in
Serbia

ava
Spaleto V crusaders are brought to Constantinople Constantinople under quasi-house arrest as the
under Byzantine military escort Varna guest of Alexios, perhaps as a informal
Nish r
commanded Iska
by Butumites [Anna 10.7e; Preslav hostage for the good behavior of the crusaders.
Guibert 2.19b] [Anna 10.7.7; Guibert 2.19c; Fulcher 1.6.3b;
Ragusa V Sofia
Albert 1.9b; Robert 2.5-6]
Philippopolis
Rome 13
Ardas
Scutari
Byzantine Empire 14
Adrianople
Constantinople
Naples Bari Durazzo Hu
Norman
Salerno
Italy Rodosto
Amalfi Bo
Taranto Avlona Nicaea
Brindisi Thessalonica
 Crusading Warfare

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