Here, too, Emperor Michael entranced by races at the hippodrome while a beacon winked ominous news from the Asian shore. When high office falls to decadent rulers who shall measure corruption? The city is called by some a mindless old hag eternally renewing herself, magically becoming a maiden lustrous with gems.

Why should not rude Franks be dazzled by Constantinople? Here lay the severed head of John the Baptist in a golden casket. Here was the rod of Moses. The crown of thorns. The cerement of our Lord. Five drops of His precious blood. These and other relics of high significance might be seen within the walls. Here were lamps of light for those who believe.

Toward the end of April in that year of providential grace 1097 orders were given to embark, to cross the Arm of Saint George. Taticius, whose clumsiness at polo caused the emperor’s gout, went with the Franks. He had lost his nose during some battle and thereafter, much ashamed, wore a golden nose. Or it may be as William of Tyre relates that his nostrils had been slit, sign of an evil nature, mangled in virtue, treacherous, chosen to serve as guide because he knew the land. The emperor would depend on his cunning. Taticius therefore accompanied the living host like a snake among eels, a goose among swans, reporting privately to Alexius.

In the legions altogether were six hundred thousand of both sexes afoot or mounted, one hundred thousand cuirassed knights.

They crossed the strait and proceeded to Nicomedia without opposition. From here they looked south to Nicaea, home of Kilij Arslan. By chance the Red Lion was two hundred leagues distant fighting insubordinate princes. When he learned of the Christian army he sent word to Nicaea, telling his people not to be afraid. These invaders have traveled so far, said he with contempt, that even their horses stumble.

Duke Godfrey put three thousand men to work with swords and hatchets because the road was narrow. These faithful servants of our Lord erected crosses of iron and wood to encourage those who would follow. Here and there on the plain, in the forest, they discovered little cemeteries where pilgrims of the hermit’s army lay buried, a fruitless end.

Duke Godfrey was first to view the walls of Nicaea. One by one here came the barons. Guy de Possessa. Bohemond. Tancred. Roger de Barneville. Robert the Fleming. Bishop Adhémar. They encamped, wondering how to attack Nicaea, which could not be surrounded because it stood at the edge of a lake. Nor could the inhabitants be stopped from going out to collect wood, fodder, grain, whatever they needed. But the city must be taken since it was situated between Constantinople and Jerusalem. Logs were hauled from the forest to make battering rams. Perriers, mangonels, ballistas, and similar engines were constructed.

When all seemed ready they undertook the siege. Stones flew at the wall and over the wall. Defenders answered with fire, stones, poisoned arrows. Men on both sides died groaning, pierced, crushed, bleeding, invoking their God. Count Raymond set a company of men to work burrowing at the foundation while archers defended them from Turks overhead. These miners pried out stones and dragged them away, replacing them with wood beams that were set afire. If Satan’s disciples managed to injure a pilgrim beside the wall they let down iron hooks to catch him and hoist him up where they would strip off his armor, mutilate him, and throw down pieces of his body at his friends.

Anon the wall crumbled but those inside hastily bolstered it. And here came enemies rushing from the gate with ropes to tie up captives. By the grace of God all were slain, their heads tossed back into the city. Now the wife of Kilij Arslan was at Nicaea and grew exceedingly terrified in the manner of women and thought to escape. Taking her children and her maids she embarked. However the Franks wisely had posted guards in little boats, so they caught her and brought her to the barons.

On the sixteenth of May during a sharp engagement many Turks were killed. Archbishop William of Tyre asserts that one thousand infidel heads were delivered to Emperor Alexius, a gift that heartily pleased him and moved him to reward the barons with silk garments and not a little money.

Day after day some Turk of gigantic stature stood insolently on the battlements. Using a bow of prodigious length he wrought havoc among the living host. Christian arrows launched toward him would drop at his feet, thus word spread that here was the Arch Fiend against whom no mortal could prevail. Duke Godfrey then took a crossbow and loosed a bolt at his heart. Without a cry the pagan fell dead. Anguished groans could be heard inside the walls. Shouts of vindication arose outside.

Deus adjuva! Deus adjuva!

Yet they were unable to subjugate Nicaea. They met in council, after which they sent to Emperor Alexius requesting ships. Presently here came a little fleet, which cast anchor at Civetot, two leagues distant. The Franks lashed wagons together according to the size of each vessel and with the help of ropes, using men and horses, drew them up on wagons and during the night hauled them to the lake. By this stratagem Nicaea was encircled and would have been forced to surrender. But just when the Franks prepared to attack they saw the blue and gold standard of Alexius floating above the city. Unknown to them, the emperor had made a pact with these Turks. Nicaea would submit to him if he spared the citizens. Alexius arranged this not for the inhabitants whose lives meant less to him than the lives of ten thousand cats, but to regain control of provinces along the coast. Further, when the wife of Kilij Arslan was delivered to him at Constantinople he released her. By doing so he ingratiated himself with the Red Lion. Which is to say, when the hour seemed ripe he might more easily call

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