Welcome to the Grand Finale of the First Crusade!

Hi there! You’ve made it to the final, most dramatic chapter of the First Crusade. In these notes, we are going to look at the "endgame": how the Crusaders finally reached Jerusalem, the brutal battle for the city, and what happened next. This part of your OCR History B course covers the years July 1098 to July 1100. It’s a story of arguments, incredible survival, and a victory that changed the world forever.

Don't worry if the names and dates seem a bit much at first. We’ll break it down into bite-sized pieces so you can master this topic!

1. Arguments and Delays: Why did it take so long?

After the Crusaders captured Antioch in June 1098, you might think they would rush straight to Jerusalem. But they didn't. They stayed put for six months. Why?

The Big Argument

The Crusade leaders were acting like siblings fighting over a toy. Bohemond of Taranto and Raymond of Toulouse both wanted to control Antioch.
Analogy: Imagine a group of friends trekking to a theme park, but they stop halfway because two of them are arguing over who owns the map. Meanwhile, the rest of the group is getting hungry and tired!

The "Power of the People"

The ordinary soldiers (the rank and file) were fed up. They didn't care about who owned Antioch; they wanted to fulfill their vow to reach Jerusalem. In January 1099, they basically forced Raymond to start marching south by threatening to burn down the fortifications!

Key Takeaway:

Disputes between leaders like Bohemond and Raymond caused a long delay, but the religious pressure from ordinary crusaders eventually forced the army to move.

2. The Journey to Jerusalem

The march south was actually easier than the journey across Asia Minor. Many local Muslim emirs (rulers) were so scared of the Crusaders that they gave them money and food just to keep them moving and away from their own cities.

Did you know? The Crusaders were offered a deal by the Fatimids (the Muslim rulers of Egypt who had recently taken Jerusalem). The Fatimids said, "You can visit Jerusalem as pilgrims, but only in small groups and without weapons." The Crusaders said, "No thanks," and kept marching for a full conquest.

3. The Siege of Jerusalem (June - July 1099)

The Crusaders arrived at the walls of Jerusalem on 7 June 1099. They faced three huge problems:

  1. No Water: The defenders had poisoned the wells outside the city. It was summer, and the Crusaders were dying of thirst.
  2. No Wood: You can't build siege towers without wood, and there weren't many trees near Jerusalem.
  3. The Walls: Jerusalem was a fortress with massive stone walls and a deep ditch.

The "Miracle" Supplies

Just when things looked hopeless, Genoese ships (from Italy) arrived at the coast. They brought tools and timber. The Crusaders also found a hidden supply of wood in a cave! This allowed them to build two massive siege towers.

The Final Assault (13-15 July 1099)

The Crusaders attacked from two sides: Raymond attacked from the south, and Godfrey of Bouillon attacked from the north.
Godfrey used a clever tactic: he moved his siege tower in the middle of the night to a weaker part of the wall. On 15 July 1099, his men fought their way onto the battlements. The city was taken.

Quick Review Box:
- Arrived: 7 June 1099
- Captured: 15 July 1099
- Key Leaders: Godfrey of Bouillon and Raymond of Toulouse.

4. The Sack of the City: A Dark Turning Point

Once the Crusaders broke into Jerusalem, what followed was the Sack of the City. This is one of the most controversial events in history.

The Crusaders went on a violent rampage. They killed thousands of Muslims and Jews living in the city. Contemporary accounts describe blood flowing "up to the knees" (though this was likely an exaggeration to show how "holy" they thought the victory was). They also looted the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume the Crusaders felt guilty at the time. To many of them, this violence was "cleansing" the city for Christianity. However, for the Muslim world, this event created a deep-seated resentment that lasted for centuries.

5. Establishing the Kingdom of Jerusalem

Now that they had the city, they had to rule it. Most Crusaders actually went home after they had prayed at the Holy Sepulchre (where they believed Jesus was buried), leaving only a few hundred knights behind.

Who would be King?

Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen to lead. However, he refused the title of "King." He said he would not wear a crown of gold where his Savior (Jesus) had worn a crown of thorns. Instead, he took the title Advocate of the Holy Sepulchre.
When Godfrey died in July 1100, his brother Baldwin was not so shy—he officially became the first King of Jerusalem.

The Muslim Response

The Muslims didn't just give up, but they were still disunited. The Fatimids of Egypt sent an army to take the city back, but the Crusaders defeated them at the Battle of Ascalon in August 1099. Because the various Muslim groups (Seljuks and Fatimids) hated each other more than they hated the Crusaders, they couldn't coordinate a proper counter-attack yet.

Summary: Memory Aid

To remember the final stages, think of the word STAY:

  • Siege Towers: Built using Genoese wood to scale the walls.
  • Thirst: The biggest challenge the Crusaders faced outside the walls.
  • Arguments: Between Bohemond and Raymond nearly ruined the Crusade.
  • Year 1099: The year the "Holy City" was finally captured.

Final Key Takeaway: The capture of Jerusalem was a military miracle but a human tragedy. It led to the creation of the Crusader States and set the stage for 200 years of religious warfare in the Middle East.