On October 21, 1097, the Crusader army began the siege of Antioch – the key city on the road to Jerusalem. The campaign was led by Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond of Tarentum and Raymond IV of Toulouse. Historiography also mentions the date October 20 – the day the Crusaders reached the Iron Bridge over the Orontes River and began to take up positions around the city.
Antioch is located in present-day Southern Turkey, near the modern city of Antakya. At the end of the 11th century, it was one of the most important cities in the region – located on the road through Syria to Palestine and protected by a fortress system that made its capture a huge military challenge.
The city that stops the march
Antioch was surrounded by long walls, a citadel and more than 400 towers. Its governor, Yaghi-Siyan, had a garrison large enough to organize frequent sorties against the besiegers. The Crusaders did not have enough forces to completely close the ring, and this allowed the city to receive supplies from the surrounding areas.
The size of the fortress impressed even the participants in the march. In a letter to his wife, Count Stephen of Blois described Antioch as “a very large city, fortified with incredible strength and almost impregnable“. Behind these words lies not only the military power of the city, but also the concern that the siege could divert the army from its main goal - Jerusalem.
Famine, attacks and the collapse of alliances
During the winter, the crusaders began to suffer from food shortages, cold and disease. The prolonged blockade exhausted both sides, while local rulers prepared troops to help Antioch. Disputes deepened between the leaders of the campaign about the future of the city and whether the conquered territories should be handed over to the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus.
The seven-month siege ended on June 3, 1098. Bohemond negotiated cooperation with Firuz - a man from the garrison who controlled a section of the walls. At night, the Crusaders climbed the towers, penetrated the city, and opened a passage for the remaining army. Antioch fell, but the victory was only the beginning of a new ordeal.
The Crusaders found themselves besieged
Only days after the capture of the city, a large army from Mosul, led by Kerboga, arrived at the walls. Thus, the Crusaders, exhausted by the long blockade, found themselves trapped in Antioch and had to fight for their survival. They managed to defeat the enemy and save the city.
Antioch was not just a stop on the way to Jerusalem. After its capture, Bohemond refused to hand it over to Byzantium and created the Principality of Antioch – one of the Crusader states that remained in the Eastern Mediterranean for nearly two centuries.
Sources: history.com, worldhistory.org, historyextra.com