Jack Ludlow - Soldier of Crusade

‘For when we have Jerusalem, I will send for it.’

There was no sign of Baldwin prior to passing through the Belen Pass, or indeed beyond at the port of Alexandretta to which the road led; if he was coming to Antioch then he had clearly chosen a different route, one that would, Tancred supposed, line his purse with plunder. If that laid to rest a concern, the news was better when it came to the Turks; local intelligence informed him the enemy, being small in number and afraid, had withdrawn to Antioch, and when he sighted the fortifications he could see why, for they were the most formidable he had ever laid eyes upon.

Unmolested, crossing busy roads full of traders, he rode round those parts of the perimeter easily accessible, marvelling at the ingenuity of what had been constructed on terrain which did not lend itself to straightforward building, battlements in one section that appeared to run up near sheer mountainside. He found, in a place called the Ruj Valley to the south of the city, a force of Provencal knights sent ahead by Raymond of Toulouse on the rumour that the Turks had abandoned Antioch, only to find it fully garrisoned and those inside prepared to come out and fight what was seen as a force posing some danger.

Driven off far enough to nullify any threat, even to communications, their commander Peter of Roaix had set up an outpost and intended to remain, if only as an irritant. Given there was nothing Tancred and his lances could do that would not amount to even a feeble spit on a stone wall, it was time to rejoin the main host and advise them of his progress.

The progress of the Christian army and their attendant pilgrims had been slow because of its size and the obstacles of terrain; crossing the anti-Taurus mountains over a single track in unseasonal mist and lashing rain had incurred heavy losses, especially of pack animals and their loads, which brought back hunger almost as acute as the Anatolian desert. Such a recurrence reduced some of the milities and even the odd knight to insist the Crusade was cursed and to offer to sell their weapons and shields to any local peasant for food, such misery only relieved when they got back down onto the plains and plenty at the Armenian city of Marash, albeit they were also once more at the mercy of the burning summer heat.

Expecting to have to fight they were relieved to find that the Turks, indeed the whole Muslim population, had decamped before they arrived. From high to low the Armenians of Marash were ecstatic, eager to provide them, albeit for payment, with all that they required to progress to their destination: food, horses, oxen and encouragement, their leaders also accepting the role of guarding the crusading flank from any incursions by their now joint enemy; if they could not stop the Turks from passing through — they lacked the military capacity to prevent them — they could ensure the Crusaders had ample warning of any looming threat.

From Marash onwards the Crusaders were able to form alliances with the numerous Armenian satraps; they ran large parts of Syria for Turkish overlords who would have been overstretched to do it for themselves. Such powerful local magnates had no love for the Seljuks and openly welcomed people they saw as their religious brothers, and many arrangements were made, not least for the transportation of supplies in the future.

Tancred met the forward elements of the Crusade on the road to Aleppo, able to assure Bishop Ademar, still acting as the titular leader and well ahead of the host, that the passes he had been sent to secure were open and the towns between Nicaea and Antioch garrisoned and safe should Alexius Comnenus wish to bring his forces that way; they had not joined at Caesarea as had been hoped. This also meant the Emperor would be supplied en route, which would speed his progress, while if he wished to send men by sea, Alexandretta was also in Christian hands.

‘Where is Baldwin?’

‘I have no idea, Your Grace,’ was the abrupt reply.

Such a response to a gently posed question was strange, not least in the manner in which it was delivered. That this was so showed on the cleric’s round face, and he was about to enquire further when the young Lord of Lecce added in an even less respectful tone that he was eager to meet up with his uncle. The last thing he wanted to do was explain Baldwin to anyone before he had spoken with Bohemund.

‘Not ahead at Antioch, then?’ Ademar pressed.

‘No.’

‘He will be happy to hear his brother is near full recovered.’

‘I’m sure he will, Your Grace,’ Tancred replied, with no conviction at all, before jerking his head in lieu of a bow and dragging his reins to take himself and his horse away, calling over his shoulder, ‘The road ahead is clear, you have nothing to fear.’

‘Do you think he contrived in the murder of our knights?’ Bohemund asked, the shock of their death and the manner of it still evident on his demeanour. ‘Of the Turks I can believe it, but for a Christian to slaughter his fellows …’

‘I do not know, but some of his own Lotharingian lances think he might have contrived in the massacre.’

‘They came to you and said so?’

‘We fought them outside Mamistra and some of my men were taken captive.’ Mistaking the reaction Tancred added, ‘We killed and captured a few ourselves.’

‘Fought!’ Bohemund barked. ‘You and Baldwin’s men fought?’

‘Perhaps it would be best if I told all.’

Which Tancred did, from the start to the very end and he left nothing out, even those parts that did not reflect well on himself, though he was keen to stress that if any bad blood had been created between Normans and Lotharingians, Baldwin and his naked greed lay at the root of it. He was sure that could not be gainsaid, given Duke Godfrey’s brother had taken careful steps to ensure he had the greater number of lances under his command. When he finished, it was to look into an older face showing much concern, which was a relief — he was expecting to be chastised.

‘These cannot be laid as accusations in council, Tancred.’

‘For the sake of amity with the Duke?’

‘Godfrey is not responsible for his brother, even although, in his soul, he will take upon himself that burden.’

‘They are certainly very different people, and I would point out that even if they are not raised in the council these are rumours and claims that cannot be sat on. I can command the men I led to silence but I have no assurance I will be obeyed. Word will reach elevated ears by another route than that which is direct, while I, were I a member of the council, would also be obliged to ask where the disloyal swine has gone.’

‘You got no indication?’

‘Not a whiff, Uncle, if he is on a route it is not any one that will take him south. My guess is that he has gone off to look for conquests of his own and I would remind you he still holds Tarsus as his fief.’

‘I will speak to Godfrey in private.’

‘And the others.’

‘If they hear by rumour of what you say happened at Tarsus, it is to be hoped they think as I do, that such matters are best not raised, lest we fall apart as a host before we even reach Antioch. I cannot bring back the men I have lost but there is too much at stake to make much of their fate, though I will have Mass said for their souls.’

‘Then I hope no one whispers such rumours in the ear of Vermandois.’ The grim response that got made words superfluous, so Tancred changed the subject. ‘Let me tell you about the fortifications we are about to face.’

‘You have no need for they are famous throughout the world. Every returning Jerusalem pilgrim speaks of them.’

‘That does not tell you the tenth of it and, according to Raymond’s man, Peter of Roaix, who has spoken to the ardent Christians the Governor of Antioch evicted, the city is strongly garrisoned to a number he thinks might go as high as five thousand fighting men.’