Christian forces of the First Crusade


The following is an overview of the Christian forces of the First Crusade, including the armies of the European noblemen of the "Princes' Crusade", the Byzantine army, independent Crusaders, as well as the People's Crusade and the subsequent Crusade of 1101 and other European campaigns prior to the Second Crusade beginning in 1147. The total strength of the armies of the Princes' Crusade is estimated at 40,000, including 4,500 nobles. It has been estimated that no more than 20% were non-combatants and a cavalry-to-infantry ratio of about 1:7, for rough estimates of just below 5,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry at the beginning of the expedition.
Unless otherwise noted, references are to the on-line database of Riley-Smith, et al., and the hyperlinks therein provide details including original sources. The names below are also referenced in the Riley-Smith tome.

People's Crusade

The People's Crusade, also known as the Peasant's Crusade, preceded the First Crusade. and was led by Peter the Hermit as well as other colorful characters. The crusade accomplished little other than the slaughter of Jews and those in the army. The major players were Peter and his deputy Walter Sans-Avoir. Most of the army were peasants with their wives and children, accompanied by some minor knights, brigands, and criminals. It is said that he had as many as 20,000 followers, primarily from France and Germany, but also including some Flemish, Italians, and Italo-Norman followers. An army of Bohemians and Saxons did not go beyond Hungary before splitting.
Upon Peter's failure as a leader, his army was divided into two contingents:
  • The German and Italian contingent, under the command of Rainald of Broyes, an Italian lord, who took control after Peter's failure. After defeat during the Siege of Xerigordos, Rainald and others converted to Islam while those who did not were executed.
  • The French contingent, under the command of Geoffrey Burel. Geoffrey subsequently deserted his post.
Three other armies joined to essentially attack the Jews and were eventually slaughtered by the Hungarians:
The Tafurs were a possibly legendary sect of followers who travelled with Peter barefoot and wearing only sackcloth. They were led by a knight whose name remains unknown. They apparently supplemented their diet of roots and grass with the roasted corpses of dead Turks, fought with only sticks and shovels, and were either slaughtered or died of disease.
Following the Battle of Civetot, the People's Crusade were severely diminished and these survivors, who still followed Peter the Hermit, joined the forces of the Prince's Crusade into Palestine.

European armies

The major armies of the Princes' Crusade were the following:
The first to leave for Constantinople was Hugh, who took a sea route, followed by Godfrey who travelled through Hungary. Bohemond's army left shortly thereafter, and then Raymond of Saint-Gilles. The armies of Robert Curthose, Stephen of Blois, and Robert II of Flanders were the last group to leave, travelling together. Altogether, there were an estimated 40,000 crusaders of which 4,500 were nobles. Runciman estimates that no more than 20% were non-combatants, and a ratio of 1:7 of cavalry to infantry.

Command structure

The command structure of the armies, including the minor armies and contingents, was dependent on the battle. Details can be found in the articles on the siege of Nicaea, the battle of Dorylaeum, the siege of Antioch, the siege of Jerusalem, and the battle of Ascalon.

Other armies and contingents

Numerous other armies and contingents also participated in the First Crusade and the Crusade of 1101. These include:

Byzantine armies

The Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos had significant armies and navies in and about Constantinople who fought both the Turks and at times the Crusaders, especially the Normans. The major generals were Manuel Boutoumites, Tatikios Constantine Opos and Michael Aspietes. Admiral Manuel Butumites escorted the forces of Hugh the Great to Constantinople. Other admirals included John Dokas and Constantine Dalassenos. Some notable Europeans joined the emperor's armies including Welf of Burgundy, William of Grandmesnil, son of Hugh de Grandsmesnil and brother of Ivo, and Guy of Hauteville, half-brother of Bohemund. Manuel and Tatikios both participated in the siege of Nicaea. Tatikios also commanded forces in the siege of Antioch and during the Crusade of 1101.
The emperor also employed Pecheneg troops, semi-nomadic Turkics, as mercenaries. During the Crusades, the Pecheneg monitored the activities of the European Crusaders as well as participating in major battles such as the siege of Nicaea. According to Runciman, the Varangian Guard joined the fleet of Edgar Ætheling, ultimately acting under the orders of their Emperor.

Independents

Numerous nobles and knights participated in the First Crusades either as independent agents or whose affiliation remain unknown. In some cases it is unclear whether they were participating in the Crusade or merely on a pilgrimage. Among the nobles whose affiliations are not known are: Charles I, Count of Flanders, who is said to have travelled with an armada in 1107 ; Berengar Raymond II, Count of Barcelona, who took the cross as penance for the murder of his brother; Bernard II, Count of Besalú, took the cross for the First Crusade but remained in Spain at the counseling of the pope; Fernando Díaz, one of the few Spaniards to participate in the Crusades; and Erard I, Count of Brienne, who either went on the First Crusade or on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1097.
Some of the renowned knights who participated in the First Crusades whose affiliations are unknown include: Guy, Lord of Dampierre-en-Yvelines, who went to the Holy Land, but it is unclear whether he was a Crusader; Baldwin Chauderon, described as a rich man and a knight of great renown, and his compatriot Guy of Possesse ; and Gilduin of Le Puiset, relative of many Crusaders but whose role and affiliations in the campaigns are unclear.
Clerics who travelled to the Holy Land who were not known to be associated with any army include:

Contemporary accounts