Siege of Antioch

Siege of Antioch
10/21/1097 AD seiged

On 20 October 1097 the crusaders reached a fortified crossing, known as Iron Bridge, on the Orontes River 12 miles (19 km) outside Antioch. Robert II, Count of Flanders and Adhemar of Le Puy, the Catholic Bishop of Puy-en-Velay, led the charge across the bridge, opening the way for the advancing army.

Lying on the slopes of the Orontes Valley, in 1097 Antioch covered more than 3.5 square miles (9 km2) and was encircled by walls studded by 400 towers. The river ran along the city's northern wall before entering Antioch from the northwest and exiting east through the northern half of the city. Mount Silpius, crested by a citadel, was Antioch's highest point and rose some 1,000 feet (300 m) above the valley floor. There were six gates through which the city could be entered: three along the northern wall, and one on each of the south, east, and west sides.

Bohemond of Taranto took a vanguard along the river's south bank and headed towards Antioch on 21 October and the crusaders established themselves outside the city's north wall.

The crusaders divided into several groups.

• Bohemond camped outside Saint Paul's Gate near the northernmost corner of the city walls and
• immediately to the west were Hugh I, Count of Vermandois; Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy; Robert II, Count of Flanders; and Stephen II, Count of Blois.
• Adhemar of Le Puy and Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, took up positions outside the Dog Gate either side of where the Orontes penetrated Antioch's defenses.
• Godfrey of Bouillon was stationed west of the Duke's Gate in the northwest of the city walls.
• The bridge across the Orontes outside Antioch's west walls remained under Yaghi-Siyan's control at this point.

The ensuing nine-month siege has been described as "one of the great sieges of the age".

Antioch

Lattitude: 36.2055° N
Longitude: 36.1718° E
Region: Middle East

Modern Day Turkey

Events in 1097 MORE