Chronicles of the First Crusade by Christopher Tyerman

Author:Christopher Tyerman [Tyerman, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141970875
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2011-11-06T16:00:00+00:00

(which means ‘We have few Franks’). ‘Where is the hero Bohemund? Where is that unconquered soldier?’ Meanwhile a certain soldier from southern Italy went back down the ladder and ran as fast as he could to Bohemund, crying out, ‘Why are you standing here, sir, if you have any sense? What did you come to get? Look! We have taken three towers already!’* Bohemund and the others bestirred themselves, and they all came rejoicing to the ladder. When those who were in the towers saw them, they began to call out cheerfully, ‘God’s will!’ and we called back the same words. Now an amazing number of men began to climb; they went up and ran quickly to the other towers. Whomsoever they found there they put to death at once, killing the brother of Firuz among them. Meanwhile the ladder, up which our men had climbed, happened to break, so that we were plunged in great despair and grief. However, although the ladder was broken, there was a gate not far from us to the left, but it was shut and some of us did not know where it was, for it was still dark. Yet by fumbling with our hands and poking about we found it, and all made a rush at it, so that we broke it down and entered.†

At this moment the shrieks of countless people arose, making an amazing noise throughout the city. Bohemund did not waste time on this account, but ordered his glorious banner to be carried up to a hill opposite the citadel. All the people in the city were screaming at once. At dawn,‡ our men who were outside in the tents heard an overpowering din break out in the city, so they hurried out and saw Bohemund’s banner aloft on the hill. They all came running as fast as they could and entered the city gates, killing all the Turks and Saracens whom they found there except for those who fled up to the citadel. Some other Turks got out through the gates and saved their lives by flight. Yaghi Sayan,§ their leader, who was much afraid of the Franks, took to flight headlong with many companions, and as they fled they came into Tancred’s land not far from the city. Their horses were tired out, so they entered one of the villages and hid in a house. When the people who lived on that mountain (they were Syrians and Armenians) knew who the fugitive was, they captured him at once and cut off his head, which they took to my lord Bohemund as the price of their freedom. His belt and scabbard were worth 60 bezants.

All this happened on 3 June, which was a Thursday. All the streets of the city on every side were full of corpses, so that no one could endure to be there because of the stench, nor could anyone walk along the narrow paths of the city except over the corpses of the dead.

Ibn al-Qalanisi recorded the fate of the city and its governor.

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