First Crusade Expedition The first big result was Anatolia Nicaea is. Once Byzantine Empire Nicaea at the eastern end of the lake in one of the cities of Is a Seljuk dynasty Local Government Room =Seljuk Capital It was.
This capital, Nicaea Crusaders and Byzantine Empire Siege Battle Siege of Nicaea I call it. This time, I will focus on this siege of Nicaea and see what happened.
I want to read it together
The First Crusade Expedition
The trigger for the Crusade expedition is also described in "Impacts and Changes Due to the Crusade Expedition". I would like to focus on the crusade.
Regarding the siege of Nicaea and the siege of Antioch, the process leading up to the "deterioration of the relationship between the Byzantine Empire and the Crusades" in the "4th Crusade Expedition", which was one of the factors that hindered the "unification of the East-West Church" that continues today. Is clogged. So, in order to know the flow, I am writing a pinpoint article on the battle between the two.
Let's take a look at the situation in Western Europe at that time
Since it is written in the influence and change due to the Crusades expedition, I will just touch it. .. ..
At that time, Europe was on the rise as the population increased due to global warming and advances in agricultural technology, and it became difficult to feed people only in Western Europe.
In addition, Holy Roman Empire Domestic appointment and dismissal of priests (=investiture) Roman Church because he was held by the emperor for bribes, etc. Is a monastery Has begun to focus on the education of priests.
feudal society In the midst of this, if an educated priest enters the church, the influence on the general public without information means will be very large . It became a thing. Many enthusiastic believers were born.
I want to read it together
The establishment of a feudal society and the authority of the church in medieval Western Europe
Medieval Europe has a completely different view of the state from the modern view of the state. It cannot be said without the authority of the church and the system called the feudal system that created the view of the nation. …
Byzantine Empire in that situation Pope Urban II who received SOS from Crusaders Expedition Because of this request, not only the lords but also the general public were enthusiastic about the Crusades expedition.
When the Crusaders' expedition is actually decided, the ordinary people will gather and depart before the lords who are preparing gather. Since it included a large number of people who had never entered the battlefield, an army that could be called the Karasui people was completed. This army is People's Crusade I call it.
Naturally, it will be destroyed in a blink of an eye in the Seljuk dynasty.
Let's see the situation of the Seljuk dynasty at that time
Sultan that built the heyday of the Seljuk dynasty (Ruler) Malik-Shah However, he died while the internal affairs were distorted due to the missteps of religious policy. After he died, internal conflict due to his successor struggle And establishment of local government However, it was no longer the crusades one after another.
Originally, the rule of the Seljuk dynasty was to send princes and influential people of the clan to each region. Anatolia's Room =Seljuk Dynasty , Syria , Iraq , Kerman , Khorasan Sultan in Local governments opened by relatives of Japan will begin to have power in various places.
By the time the Crusaders are about to come on an expedition, they are guardians and regents Atabeg when the successors of the local government cannot do politics because they are young. Politics was carried out by (← name of position / position), but the administration created by Atabeg was also completed.
Atabeg ・ Danishmendids The local government opened by the Danishmendids at the eastern end of the Sultanate of Rum-Seljuk dynasty is.
This Seljuk local government ・ Room =Seljuk dynasty And Danishmendids The relationship was very bad.
Already People's Crusade To the fullest
"The Crusaders are no big deal"
Room =Seljuk dynasty Sultan Is Danishmendids I was devoted to the battle with. The internal enemies were much more important in reality than the weak foreign powers.
What was the strategy taken in the siege of Nicaea? ??
Room =Seljuk Morning The Crusaders entered the Seljuk dynasty while they were devoting themselves to the battle with Danishmendids. The very first Nicaea in the main corps Godfrey of Bouillon entered the castle Then, the lords will follow one after another.
Alexis I who created the crusade Is also participating, but we are devoting ourselves to logistical support. He was responsible for establishing a base on land and cutting off supply to Nicaea.
"Nicaea's Istanbul Gate" from the Siege of Nicaea (wikipedia)
As you can see from the photo of the gate, Nicaea With a solid wall and 200 towers, he decided to attack by blocking the water source and attacking the troops.
Crusaders The main corps was also short of food, but the main corps was only a group of organizers of a large group, so Byzantine Emperor in advance. Alexios I We are doing it without fail with the cooperation with. The reason why we were able to secure logistics is that we were not so far from the Byzantine Empire.
Bohemond I to deliver food by sea and land Arranged and started the siege battle. Room =Seljuk dynasty Was not an enemy with the absence unit alone. Nicaea Is fighting in the east Sultan , Kilij Arslan I request your support.
When I heard that the capital was surrounded by a large army of heavily armed forces, I suddenly pulled it up, but the Crusades were strong. Kilij Arslan Decided to return to the capital but retreat (at this point Kilij Arslan recommends Nicaea to surrender).
What is the rift between the Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire?
Kilij Arslan Around the time when the Crusaders were thinking about retreating, and "it's about time to capture". Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Is
I secretly contacted the leader of Nicaea to urge him to surrender.
Originally a resident of his own country, he may have thought that if the Byzantine Empire and the Crusaders were seen together, it could be a source of trouble if they were looted in the future.
Alexis I Nicaea was advised to surrender to his sultan in addition to his work. Surrender. It was Crusaders that the water was in my ears at this surrender. is.
Nicaea surrendered to the Byzantine Empire, not to the Crusaders who fought the main , because it decided to surrender due to contact with the Byzantine Empire. was.
Byzantine Empire Considering the relationship with the Crusaders, the side also sent out infantry so that the back work would not come out, and also did alibi work so that it would look like "I gave up in the battle". .. .. Obviously unnatural. So the Crusaders are angry with Alexios I It seems that it was done.
The Crusaders has expanded to be eaten by those who had been devoured by the beginning of the original expedition. Therefore, many people were thinking of actually going to an enemy country to occupy and plunder to obtain goods and food.
Alexios I gave the Crusaders funds and war horses as a reward, but some people thought that if they occupied and plundered, the results of the war would have improved. Seems to have become even worse.
* Tomorrow, we plan to update "Siege of Antioch" at 10 am. After that, we will return to the weekly update on Wednesday again. Please have a look if you like.