Crusading Warfare

Exploring the Military History of the Crusades

William James Hamblin
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Battle of Dorylaeum
7- Battle Tactics
1 July 1097
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1- Battle of Dorylaeum 1097/07/01
Constantinople

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Rodosto Primary Sources

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Al

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Western

Sa
Nicomedia Albert 2.38-43
Civetot William 3.16-18
Caffaro
Canso lys
Bu Ha

Nicaea Ekkehard 14
Cyzicus
s Fulcher 1.12.6-13
nicu
G ra Bartolf 9b
Prusa Sank
Abydos arya
Ankyra
Malmesbury 4.357b
Danishmendids

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acu
Elkhan William 3.16-18

nd
{07/01} Battle of Dorylaeum Gesta(Danishmend
2/9=18-21 Ghazi)

y
Rh
Bozuyuk
Baldric {1085?-1104}
2.4=34-35
Dorylaeum
Orderic 9.8h-i=65
Guibert 3.13a=69
Peter 4.1-4.2=37-38
Nacolia
Robert 3.18-19
Gilo 4.151-345
Pergamum
os Amorium Letters 2 (EH6), 3 (EH7)
Mytilene kira
y
Kaik
Rum Seljuqs Ralph 19-33 Caesarea
Ba Kizil
(Qilich Arslan) Raymond 5=27-29 irma
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William 3.16-18
Chaka II Ge
d iz
{1092-1107} Eastern Christian
Hermus
Anna 10.3b-c
Philomelium Mathew 2.113=166
Chios Smyrna Michael
Philadelphia Antioch Bar Hebraeus
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Ka
y s t
Syriac
s
e ndere Muslim

s
M

ru
k
K Apamea Iconium Ibn al-Athir (=AHC )

Sa
Studies Buyuk
Asbridge 133-137 Ephesus Ibn al-Qalanisi {a490} 134=L-635+
Meander
France 169-185 Laodicea Kamal al-Din Cilician Gates

Tangipernes Maqrizi {a490} 3:20 Armenian

han
Frankopan 147-149

Sey
Rubenstein 128-133 Sibt Principalities
Heraclea
Runciman 183-187
Smail 168-169
 2- Ralph, Gesta Tancredi (Deeds of Tancred)

Ralph of Caen
Written by the chaplain of Bohemond, after 1105
Not a participant of First Crusade, but migrated to Antioch in
1105
Based on eyewitness accounts Tancred, Bohemond, and other
Norman knights.
Many battle anecdotes, probably based on eyewitnesses;
Covers 1095-1105
Panegyric of Tancred and the Normans.

Crusader Texts in Translation

English translations of numerous crucial primary sources on all
phases of the crusades.
https://www.routledge.com/Crusade-Texts-in-Translation/book-
series/CRUSADETEXTS
[Ralph 27] 3- Ralph 27: Hugh Attacks the Turksfeigned retreat 1097/07/01
A
1- Hugh the Great, accompanied by almost 300 helms. He rushed
toward the center of the enemy, as one who follows those in retreat
A
after a battle is over.
2- he drives [the Turks] into flight,

[Robert 17b-c] [describing Qilich Arslans supposed reaction to the crusader

attacks]
Who could bear to look at the terrifying splendour of [the crusader] arms? Hu 1 2
Their lances glittered like shining stars; their helmets and breastplates
were like the brilliant light of growing dawn; the sound of their arms was
more terrible than the roar of thunder. When they get ready to attack they
come forward in disciplined ranks, lances erect towards the sky, silent
as if they were dumb. But when they reach their enemies, then they rush
forward to attack, slackening the reins, Then they shout [the crusader
war cry Deus Vult] and fill the air with their shouts, and, strangers to
all pity, take no prisoners but kill everyone. What more can I say of such a
cruel race? There is no people strong enough to resist them or to find
anywhere safe from them because they are assisted by either divine or
diabolical help. All other races are terrified by [Turkish] bows and fear
our weapons; but these [knights], once armoured, fear an arrow about as B
much as a straw; a missile frightens them as much as a wooden stick.

B
3- King [Qilich Arslan] sent an iron battle line against him [= armored
Askar]. [The Turks] took pleasure in landing heavy blows and 5 Hu 4 3
returning them. [= lance and sword melee]
4- Here stood [the Turkish] cohort with huge numbers of spears and
bows. The [Franks] charge into battle. The [Muslims] stand opposed
blocking the Gauls. Shields crash against shields and swords against swords.
5- Part of the [enemy force] forms a circle from the right and part
from the left. The [Turks] shoot rapidly from all sides. Bold Gaul is
surrounded on all sides by enemy forces. Unwittingly, the [Franks]
turn sometimes toward these enemies and sometimes toward others.
Thus, the great leader [Hugh] and the young men under his command were
eager and turned themselves about innumerable times.
[Ralph 28] 4- Ralph 28: Hugh is Surrounded 1097/07/01
A
1- When a new [enemy] battle line approached, the count [Hugh] A 1
was already covered in blood from the slaughter and he was worn
out from the fighting.
2- The [Turks] attacked from the front, the back, from the right
and from the left.

B
3- The count, saddened by the heavy losses to his small 2
command, signaled a retreat. His sword was at the backs of
those fleeing and was cutting them in two.
4- Now [Hugh], who had been killing the enemy, retreated.
the count attacked the frightened [enemy], and they withstood
his attack. [Hugh] retreated and attacked, being both a pursuer
and the pursued.

4
3
[Ralph 29a] 5- Ralph 29a: Robert of Flanders comes to Rescue 1097/07/01
A
1- Robert of Flanders, who was feared for his spear and his sword,
opposes them. He flies into battle in an unrestrained charge and thus
A
lessened the delays and losses. Since he had been the last of them to draw
breath, he burned to be the first to shed blood.
2- Blocking the path of flight, he became one of the pursuers. From
this vantage point he saw the dense lines [of the enemy] bristling with
bows. The threats were whizzing and bristling there. 1
3- The Turks charged the count, and the count eagerly charged them RF 3
in turn.

B 2
4- And the foot soldiers from Flanders, their numbers equaled by their
prowess, burned with an equal fire. They followed on foot toward the
slaughter and din.
5- The battle line of the [Turkish] archers was scattered and the bows
were cast to the ground. The quivers were smashed and the bowstrings
were trampled. Their small shields and the breastplates were as linen
threads to the swords [of the Flemings]. Thus, the powerful count
forced those [Turks] who had penetrated behind the Gauls [=northern
French of Hugh] to retreat again, B
6- and conversely forced the [northern French of Hugh] to turn
toward the enemy. He [Robert] led them [Hughs knights] back to cut
down and to kill the forces of the enemy.

RF

4
5 6
[Ralph 29b] 6- Ralph 29b: Melee with the Turks 1097/07/01
A
1- Since [the Turks] were ignorant of iron spurs, their hopes of
A 1
turning back all rested on the lash of the reins. But following the custom
of their fathers, their bows also caused wounds even in flight. They
acted, however, trembling with fear, so that the arrows caused no
damage.
2- What fear the flame of Flanders caused. When the indomitable count
[Robert] dominated the enemy, and dispersed their dense formations, he
cut apart the dispersed troops, overwhelmed the cut-off groups, and trod
these overwhelmed men under his feet. 3
3- He was joined by the great count Hugh.
4- Nor did the slaughter cease until friendly [Turkish] troops rescued
those [Turks] in flight, by enclosing their units, and keeping out the
pursuers. Again, there were new forces and fresh spirits.

B
5- Our people discovered all that had happened and, although already 4 2
burdened by so much death, [the Turks] willingly accepted the blows and
returned them with even more vigor..

6- [Hugh rallies his knights and reorganizes them.] B 6

Hu
3

5
[Ralph 31] 7- Ralph 31: Turks retreat to a Mountain 1097/07/01
A
1- It was to this place that [the Turks] the people who trusted more
3
in tricks than in their bows took flight.
A
2- The duke [Godfrey], ignorant of their fraud and foul trickery,
He turned the face of battle against them and with a quick assault
liberated the small hill that had previously held the enemy force. He
then pressed on against those forced to flee over the plain to the mountain
with great slaughter both among the enemy and among his own men.
1
Hu
3- Indeed, this people, armed with tricks, transfixed equally the
breastplates of the pursuers as well as those who were fleeing. And
2
unless a fast horseman pressed his assault with his spear, the more the
[Turks] fled, the more they inflicted horrible wounds [on the
crusaders].

B
But the result was that the flight of the Turks entailed victory for the
Franks.
4- Once the cohort [of the Turks], reached the mountain, those who
were not burdened with armor [=Turks] easily evaded the men who
rushed after them who were so burdened [= crusaders].
5- [The Turks] shot with their easily bent bows, contemptuous of the B 6
spears being brandished in the distance. Hu

Turkish Archery
[Gilo 4.279-283]
their bows made a loud sound as they were loosed, [280] being strung
with horse-gut, without which these men whose sole hope is in the speed 4
of their horses could strike only feeble blows [in melee]. The Turks 5
hurled weapons smeared with snake-venom
[Ralph 31] 8- Ralph 31: Robert Flees, and counterattacks 1097/07/01
A
1- The duke [Robert], who was anxious to achieve his goal, raged at the
foot of the mountain and then returned to the plain.
A
2- The enemy, taking pleasure in these events, descended, and
again caused damage. Hu

B
3- [The Turks] ran here and there always inflicting wounds [with
archery], aided by their fast horses and by the protection of the 1
nearby mountain.
4- The duke pursuing again and again drew out many from the heart 2
[of the Turkish force] and his sword repaid many while they were in
retreat.
5- However, the mountain always diminished these deserved
victories. It provided a place of safety for the defeated and blocked the
banners of the victorious. Thus, anger greatly disturbed the duke
while the Turks, who were driven from the plain had safe hiding
places within the mountain.

6- [Hugh marches to outflank the Turks]

B
7- [Albert 2.42c] Hu 6
Gerard of Quierzy, riding his excellent horse and protected by his shield,
saw during this same pursuit of the enemy a Turk behind him who as yet
stayed on the ridge of the mountain and who was very bold and strong, 3
so he attacked him bravely with his spear. An arrow shot by the Turk
glanced off his shield, then Gerard pierced him through liver and lung,
and, as the Turk slipped from it and died, Gerard made off with his
horse. 5
4 7
[Ralph 32] 9- Ralph 32: Raymond to the Rescue 1097/07/01
1- But when Hugh the Great approached the battle on a different
track, he easily climbed the mountain using a side path that was 1
devoid of enemies. Hu
2- Soon, neither the ridges nor the steep path could restrain those who
had been discovered. Rather, fast horses with loose reins bore the 2
retreating Turks through the plains and rough regions as well.
3- Count Raymond hurried first to the count (Hugh) and then to the
duke (Godfrey). His forces, the foot soldiers, horsemen and
household troops provided this war leader and deployer of legions with
such a large force, with such strength and with such a great number of
banners that no one could believe that anyone was absent.

RF

Ra
[Ralph 32] 10- Ralph 32: Turks Flee 1097/07/01
1- Therefore, fearing that he would not be worthy of being feared, he
sought out battle with disordered lines in order to combat this fear.
2- The crowds of the count [Raymonds] companions and their own
military followings were there. But soon, as Raymonds front ranks Hu
turned toward them, and came against them, and his sword drew close,
3- then the Arab no longer trusted in his javelin and the Turk no
longer trusted in his bow. All that was left [for the Turks was] to
flee in hope of safety. Countless others set off without order and 1
without delay, each one seeking refuge in hiding places known to them.

RF
3

1
2
Ra
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