Florine of Burgundy by Gustave Doré

Egypt it is the testimony puts out the Greeks. For nature of Philomelium Tymbrium, Leucolithium, Pelta and soft reed; this

Houses at Philomelium

The sultan collected his prisoners, gave them lands according to their social rank, provided them houses at Philomelium, near Iconium ; distributed seed-corn and provisions among them, promised that he would make their peace with the emperor, and that if the latter refused they should become his subjects, with the right of exemption from all taxes for five years, and of a light taxation afterwards. The treatment of these prisoners had the effect which the sultan desiredIt drew from the Asiatic provinces of the empire a considerable number of emigrants, and made further conquests easier.

In the words of Kicetas, the cities of Greece were depopulated to make colonies in the territory of the barbarians. The opposition which Alexis made was of a very feeble character, partly because the presence of other enemies required his return to the capital, and partly because he himself was suffering from gout.

Sons of Kilidji Arslan

As the century closed, the history of the Seljukian Turks entered upon a phase which at another time might, as we have seen, have enabled the empire to recover lost ground. The division of the Sultanate of Iconium was itself an advantage to the empire, but a further gain was shortly obtained by the jealousies of the sons of Kilidji Arslan. On the death of one of these, two out of the others who had divided their father’s empire among them contended for the succession of their dead brother. The victor then attacked Ivaikhosro, Sultan of Iconium, who was the son of a Christian mother, and was hated on that account.

Kaikhosro thereupon made a truce with the empire. He subsequently asked the aid of Leo, King of Armenia, but was nevertheless defeated and came to Constantinople, where he was allowed to live as a private citizen. The further quarrels among the sons of Kilidji-Arslan contributed to make the end of the century a favorable opportunity in the eyes of the pope, and of other Western statesmen, for striking an effective blow at Moslemism.

The troubles of the empire were now crowding upon it, and Alexis was not the man to meet them with tionofthe success, lie had begun his reign amid a considerable amount of popularity.

Houses at Philomelium

The sultan collected his prisoners, gave them lands according to their social rank, provided them houses at Philomelium, near Iconium ; distributed seed-corn and provisions among them, promised that he would make their peace with the emperor, and that if the latter refused they should become his subjects, with the right of exemption from all taxes for five years, and of a light taxation afterwards. The treatment of these prisoners had the effect which the sultan desiredIt drew from the Asiatic provinces of the empire a considerable number of emigrants, and made further conquests easier.

In the words of Kicetas, the cities of Greece were depopulated to make colonies in the territory of the barbarians. The opposition which Alexis made was of a very feeble character, partly because the presence of other enemies required his return to the capital, and partly because he himself was suffering from gout.

Sons of Kilidji Arslan

As the century closed, the history of the Seljukian Turks entered upon a phase which at another time might, as we have seen, have enabled the empire to recover lost ground. The division of the Sultanate of Iconium was itself an advantage to the empire, but a further gain was shortly obtained by the jealousies of the sons of Kilidji Arslan. On the death of one of these, two out of the others who had divided their father’s empire among them contended for the succession of their dead brother. The victor then attacked Ivaikhosro, Sultan of Iconium, who was the son of a Christian mother, and was hated on that account.

Kaikhosro thereupon made a truce with the empire. He subsequently asked the aid of Leo, King of Armenia, but was nevertheless defeated and came to Constantinople, where he was allowed to live as a private citizen. The further quarrels among the sons of Kilidji-Arslan contributed to make the end of the century a favorable opportunity in the eyes of the pope, and of other Western statesmen, for striking an effective blow at Moslemism.

The troubles of the empire were now crowding upon it, and Alexis was not the man to meet them with tionofthe success, lie had begun his reign amid a considerable amount of popularity.

Houses at Philomelium

The sultan collected his prisoners, gave them lands according to their social rank, provided them houses at Philomelium, near Iconium ; distributed seed-corn and provisions among them, promised that he would make their peace with the emperor, and that if the latter refused they should become his subjects, with the right of exemption from all taxes for five years, and of a light taxation afterwards. The treatment of these prisoners had the effect which the sultan desiredIt drew from the Asiatic provinces of the empire a considerable number of emigrants, and made further conquests easier.

In the words of Kicetas, the cities of Greece were depopulated to make colonies in the territory of the barbarians. The opposition which Alexis made was of a very feeble character, partly because the presence of other enemies required his return to the capital, and partly because he himself was suffering from gout.

Sons of Kilidji Arslan

As the century closed, the history of the Seljukian Turks entered upon a phase which at another time might, as we have seen, have enabled the empire to recover lost ground. The division of the Sultanate of Iconium was itself an advantage to the empire, but a further gain was shortly obtained by the jealousies of the sons of Kilidji Arslan. On the death of one of these, two out of the others who had divided their father’s empire among them contended for the succession of their dead brother. The victor then attacked Ivaikhosro, Sultan of Iconium, who was the son of a Christian mother, and was hated on that account.

Kaikhosro thereupon made a truce with the empire. He subsequently asked the aid of Leo, King of Armenia, but was nevertheless defeated and came to Constantinople, where he was allowed to live as a private citizen. The further quarrels among the sons of Kilidji-Arslan contributed to make the end of the century a favorable opportunity in the eyes of the pope, and of other Western statesmen, for striking an effective blow at Moslemism.

The troubles of the empire were now crowding upon it, and Alexis was not the man to meet them with tionofthe success, lie had begun his reign amid a considerable amount of popularity.

On June 10th 1190, Frederick I Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor drowned near Silifke Castle in the Saleph River. This was a year after the Third Crusade was launched. The aim of the third crusade was to retake Jerusalem after it had been taken by Saladin in 1187. This had prompted Pope Gregory VIII to proclaim a new papal encyclical –an Audita Tremendi- which proclaimed the crusade, calling all Christian Kings to defend and retake the Holy Land.

“Audita Tremendi referred to the ‘misfortunes … recently fallen upon Jerusalem and the Holy Land’, but perhaps because news of Saladin’s actual conquest of the Holy City had yet to reach the West, special emphasis was placed upon the physical loss at Hattin of the True Cross –the relic of Christ’s cross. From this point forward, the recovery of the revered totem of the faith became one of the crusade’s primary objectives. In common with earlier crusading encyclicals, the closing sections of the 1187 proclamation detailed the spiritual and temporal rewards on offer to participants. They were assured full remission of confessed sins, and those who died on campaign were promised ‘eternal life’. For the duration of the expedition, they would enjoy immunity from legal prosecution and interests on debts, and their goods and families would be under the protection of the Church … Audita Tremendi set the tone for much of the preaching of the Third Crusade. In fact, the whole process of disseminating the crusading message was increasingly subject to centralized ecclesiastical and secular control, and the methods used to encourage recruitment ever more refined and sophisticated. The pope appointed two papal legates … to orchestrate the call to the cross in France and Germany respectively. Large-scale recruitment rallies were also timed to coincide with major Christian festivals, with assemblies during Christmas 1187 at trasbourg and Easter 1188 at Mainz and Paris, when crowds were already gathered and primed for a devotional message. Preaching within the Angevin lands of England, Normandy, Anjou and Aquitaine was planned carefully at conferences at Le Mans in January 1188 and Geddington, in Northamptonshire, on 11 February … The Third Crusade was also publicized and popularized within secular society …” ~The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land by Thomas Asbridge

Frederick I embarked on the crusade a month after the “Audita Tremendi” was proclaimed by Pope Gregory. On the 23rd of November of that year he received letters from the rulers in the Crusader States asking for his help. In the spring of 1188 at the Diet of Mainz, archbishop of Cologne submitted to Frederick, while others still pressed him to take a more active role. Frederick I gave his full support to this holy enterprise but abstained from taking the cross, fearing the personal and financial cost to him and his subjects. Hearing the clergy and other members of his assembly’s arguments made him concede.

But since armies cost money, Frederick I levied a tax on the Jews of Germany to fund his crusade. This was a double edge sword. Although the tax targeted them, it also came with his written word that they’d be protected against anyone who preached against them. This last act enraged the population, namely those in Mainz. Frederick kept his word and sent the imperial marshal Henry of Kalden to disperse the angry mob, successfully preventing a repeat of the massacres that had accompanied the first and second crusades in his territories.

Before the crusade had been declared, Frederick I had signed a treaty of friendship with Sultan Saladin who now held the Holy Land. It only felt right that he gave him prior notice, before meeting him again –this time as an enemy- of the termination of their alliance.

The following spring, on the 15th of April 1189 in Haguenau, Frederick and his armies set out. While on his journey, when he reached Hungary, he asked the Hungarian Prince, Geza, brother of King Bela III of Hungary, to join the crusade. King Bela agreed to support the Holy Roman Emperor. His support came in the form of a Hungarian army of two-thousand men led by Prince Geza who also joined Frederick I.

Their trek was longer than they expected, but the victory at Anatolia in the battle of Philomelium in May 1190 and their victory over the Turks in the Battle of Iconium, nine days later, kept their spirits up and made Saladin rethink his strategy.

It was Saladin’s new strategy and his attempt to block his imperial troops which forced Frederick I to look for new routes, which prompted him to take a shortcut along the Saleph river where he met his untimely end on the 10th of June 1190.

Image: The Death of Frederick (I) Barbarosa from the Saxon World Chronicle, a universal work written in German prose some time between 1229-1277.

Leadership of Saison or Malek Shah

Two years later, in 1114, Alexis is again fighting the Turks in the neighborhood of Nicasa and Nicomedia, the modern Is- midt, under the leadership of Saison or Malek Shah, Sultan of Ieonium, the son of Kilidji Arslan. Following up the victories he obtained, the emperor pushed on to Ieonium, where he found what is again described as an innumerable horde of Turks ravaging the country, and captured the city of Philomelium, near Iconium. Saison, utterly defeated, had to sue for peace, and obtained it on condition that the Turks should remain content with the territory occupied by them before the defeat of Romanos Diogenes.

Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman

In 1126 another division of the Turks appeared in the north of Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman, an pious under Armenian renegade, who had with him, also, a con Tamsman severable band of Persians. The family of Tanisman contained the fiercest and most redoubtable enemies, says Nicetas, which the empire had seen in that age. Tanisman had captured Castamouni. The emperor, John Comnenos, allied himself with the Sultan of Iconium against him and his successor, Mahomet. Such alliances were, however, always risky, and Mahomet was able to induce the sultan to break faith. The emperor laid siege to the city of Gangra, south of Sinope, and took it.

But his triumph was of short duration. The Moslems returned, after the departure of John Comnenos, in great numbers and recaptured Gangra. Thenceforward, for the next ten years, the war was of a desultory character, the Turks being opposed by the Armenians and the Crusaders in the East, and by the troops of the emperor in the West. The nearest approach to a peace with the empire since the Turkish hordes had left Central Asia was during this period.

In 1139 the Turks gathered in force on the Sangarius, a river running northward into the Black Sea, and flowing in one part of its course about twenty miles to the east of Nicomedia tours bulgaria. The emperor attacked them, and continued the war until the enemy had again been driven back as far as Neo- Caesarea.

In 1144 the Turks were once more upon the shores of the Marmora in great numbers. They were chased back as far as Iconium. The country occupied by them around that capital was plundered, and a desultory war was carried on, in which the balance of advantage was always with the Greeks. Wherever the Turks could be fairly met, they were defeated by the superior discipline of their enemy; and the enemy, knowing this, employed liis strategy principally in endeavoring to avoid a pitched battle.

The emperor, John Comnenos, died in 1143, and was succeeded by Manuel, a prince of great ability. To add to the new emperor’s difficulties, the preparation for a second crusade, which was to pass through the whole extent of his dominions, divided his attention and required all his efforts lest the very deluge of men which was to pass through his territory should utterly overwhelm it.

King of France and 70,000 horsemen

In 1147 the German division, under King Conrad, was the second enter the empire- 900,000′ men are said to sade; attacks have crossed the Danube. Another division of Cru-saders, under Boger of Sicily, was pillaging Thebes and Corinth, in the south of the peninsula, while the King of France and 70,000 horsemen had entered and were devouring the produce of a wide track from the Danube towards Adrianople. While the attention of the emperor was directed towards the task of lessening the mischief done to his territory by the passage of Christian armies, the Turks were pouring into the fertile province of Lydia, occupying the country on both sides of the Meander, and making their way to the shores of the Egean, where the inhabitants then, as now, were al-most exclusively Greek in race. Before the year 1147 was over, Conrad had encountered and defeated them on the Meander.

The battle was a severe one. The Turks refused to allow the Germans to cross, and they were in sufficient force to justify them in making a stand; but they were unable to resist the attack of the Crusaders, and were utterly defeated. The battle-field was covered with the dead. Kicetas says that one might judge of the extent of the slaughter by the great hills of bones which were there, and which he himself had seen and marveled at.

Houses at Philomelium

The sultan collected his prisoners, gave them lands according to their social rank, provided them houses at Philomelium, near Iconium ; distributed seed-corn and provisions among them, promised that he would make their peace with the emperor, and that if the latter refused they should become his subjects, with the right of exemption from all taxes for five years, and of a light taxation afterwards. The treatment of these prisoners had the effect which the sultan desiredIt drew from the Asiatic provinces of the empire a considerable number of emigrants, and made further conquests easier.

In the words of Kicetas, the cities of Greece were depopulated to make colonies in the territory of the barbarians. The opposition which Alexis made was of a very feeble character, partly because the presence of other enemies required his return to the capital, and partly because he himself was suffering from gout.

Sons of Kilidji Arslan

As the century closed, the history of the Seljukian Turks entered upon a phase which at another time might, as we have seen, have enabled the empire to recover lost ground. The division of the Sultanate of Iconium was itself an advantage to the empire, but a further gain was shortly obtained by the jealousies of the sons of Kilidji Arslan. On the death of one of these, two out of the others who had divided their father’s empire among them contended for the succession of their dead brother. The victor then attacked Ivaikhosro, Sultan of Iconium, who was the son of a Christian mother, and was hated on that account.

Kaikhosro thereupon made a truce with the empire. He subsequently asked the aid of Leo, King of Armenia, but was nevertheless defeated and came to Constantinople, where he was allowed to live as a private citizen. The further quarrels among the sons of Kilidji-Arslan contributed to make the end of the century a favorable opportunity in the eyes of the pope, and of other Western statesmen, for striking an effective blow at Moslemism.

The troubles of the empire were now crowding upon it, and Alexis was not the man to meet them with tionofthe success, lie had begun his reign amid a considerable amount of popularity.

Leadership of Saison or Malek Shah

Two years later, in 1114, Alexis is again fighting the Turks in the neighborhood of Nicasa and Nicomedia, the modern Is- midt, under the leadership of Saison or Malek Shah, Sultan of Ieonium, the son of Kilidji Arslan. Following up the victories he obtained, the emperor pushed on to Ieonium, where he found what is again described as an innumerable horde of Turks ravaging the country, and captured the city of Philomelium, near Iconium. Saison, utterly defeated, had to sue for peace, and obtained it on condition that the Turks should remain content with the territory occupied by them before the defeat of Romanos Diogenes.

Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman

In 1126 another division of the Turks appeared in the north of Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman, an pious under Armenian renegade, who had with him, also, a con Tamsman severable band of Persians. The family of Tanisman contained the fiercest and most redoubtable enemies, says Nicetas, which the empire had seen in that age. Tanisman had captured Castamouni. The emperor, John Comnenos, allied himself with the Sultan of Iconium against him and his successor, Mahomet. Such alliances were, however, always risky, and Mahomet was able to induce the sultan to break faith. The emperor laid siege to the city of Gangra, south of Sinope, and took it.

But his triumph was of short duration. The Moslems returned, after the departure of John Comnenos, in great numbers and recaptured Gangra. Thenceforward, for the next ten years, the war was of a desultory character, the Turks being opposed by the Armenians and the Crusaders in the East, and by the troops of the emperor in the West. The nearest approach to a peace with the empire since the Turkish hordes had left Central Asia was during this period.

In 1139 the Turks gathered in force on the Sangarius, a river running northward into the Black Sea, and flowing in one part of its course about twenty miles to the east of Nicomedia tours bulgaria. The emperor attacked them, and continued the war until the enemy had again been driven back as far as Neo- Caesarea.

In 1144 the Turks were once more upon the shores of the Marmora in great numbers. They were chased back as far as Iconium. The country occupied by them around that capital was plundered, and a desultory war was carried on, in which the balance of advantage was always with the Greeks. Wherever the Turks could be fairly met, they were defeated by the superior discipline of their enemy; and the enemy, knowing this, employed liis strategy principally in endeavoring to avoid a pitched battle.

The emperor, John Comnenos, died in 1143, and was succeeded by Manuel, a prince of great ability. To add to the new emperor’s difficulties, the preparation for a second crusade, which was to pass through the whole extent of his dominions, divided his attention and required all his efforts lest the very deluge of men which was to pass through his territory should utterly overwhelm it.

King of France and 70,000 horsemen

In 1147 the German division, under King Conrad, was the second enter the empire- 900,000′ men are said to sade; attacks have crossed the Danube. Another division of Cru-saders, under Boger of Sicily, was pillaging Thebes and Corinth, in the south of the peninsula, while the King of France and 70,000 horsemen had entered and were devouring the produce of a wide track from the Danube towards Adrianople. While the attention of the emperor was directed towards the task of lessening the mischief done to his territory by the passage of Christian armies, the Turks were pouring into the fertile province of Lydia, occupying the country on both sides of the Meander, and making their way to the shores of the Egean, where the inhabitants then, as now, were al-most exclusively Greek in race. Before the year 1147 was over, Conrad had encountered and defeated them on the Meander.

The battle was a severe one. The Turks refused to allow the Germans to cross, and they were in sufficient force to justify them in making a stand; but they were unable to resist the attack of the Crusaders, and were utterly defeated. The battle-field was covered with the dead. Kicetas says that one might judge of the extent of the slaughter by the great hills of bones which were there, and which he himself had seen and marveled at.

Leadership of Saison or Malek Shah

Two years later, in 1114, Alexis is again fighting the Turks in the neighborhood of Nicasa and Nicomedia, the modern Is- midt, under the leadership of Saison or Malek Shah, Sultan of Ieonium, the son of Kilidji Arslan. Following up the victories he obtained, the emperor pushed on to Ieonium, where he found what is again described as an innumerable horde of Turks ravaging the country, and captured the city of Philomelium, near Iconium. Saison, utterly defeated, had to sue for peace, and obtained it on condition that the Turks should remain content with the territory occupied by them before the defeat of Romanos Diogenes.

Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman

In 1126 another division of the Turks appeared in the north of Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman, an pious under Armenian renegade, who had with him, also, a con Tamsman severable band of Persians. The family of Tanisman contained the fiercest and most redoubtable enemies, says Nicetas, which the empire had seen in that age. Tanisman had captured Castamouni. The emperor, John Comnenos, allied himself with the Sultan of Iconium against him and his successor, Mahomet. Such alliances were, however, always risky, and Mahomet was able to induce the sultan to break faith. The emperor laid siege to the city of Gangra, south of Sinope, and took it.

But his triumph was of short duration. The Moslems returned, after the departure of John Comnenos, in great numbers and recaptured Gangra. Thenceforward, for the next ten years, the war was of a desultory character, the Turks being opposed by the Armenians and the Crusaders in the East, and by the troops of the emperor in the West. The nearest approach to a peace with the empire since the Turkish hordes had left Central Asia was during this period.

In 1139 the Turks gathered in force on the Sangarius, a river running northward into the Black Sea, and flowing in one part of its course about twenty miles to the east of Nicomedia tours bulgaria. The emperor attacked them, and continued the war until the enemy had again been driven back as far as Neo- Caesarea.

In 1144 the Turks were once more upon the shores of the Marmora in great numbers. They were chased back as far as Iconium. The country occupied by them around that capital was plundered, and a desultory war was carried on, in which the balance of advantage was always with the Greeks. Wherever the Turks could be fairly met, they were defeated by the superior discipline of their enemy; and the enemy, knowing this, employed liis strategy principally in endeavoring to avoid a pitched battle.

The emperor, John Comnenos, died in 1143, and was succeeded by Manuel, a prince of great ability. To add to the new emperor’s difficulties, the preparation for a second crusade, which was to pass through the whole extent of his dominions, divided his attention and required all his efforts lest the very deluge of men which was to pass through his territory should utterly overwhelm it.

King of France and 70,000 horsemen

In 1147 the German division, under King Conrad, was the second enter the empire- 900,000′ men are said to sade; attacks have crossed the Danube. Another division of Cru-saders, under Boger of Sicily, was pillaging Thebes and Corinth, in the south of the peninsula, while the King of France and 70,000 horsemen had entered and were devouring the produce of a wide track from the Danube towards Adrianople. While the attention of the emperor was directed towards the task of lessening the mischief done to his territory by the passage of Christian armies, the Turks were pouring into the fertile province of Lydia, occupying the country on both sides of the Meander, and making their way to the shores of the Egean, where the inhabitants then, as now, were al-most exclusively Greek in race. Before the year 1147 was over, Conrad had encountered and defeated them on the Meander.

The battle was a severe one. The Turks refused to allow the Germans to cross, and they were in sufficient force to justify them in making a stand; but they were unable to resist the attack of the Crusaders, and were utterly defeated. The battle-field was covered with the dead. Kicetas says that one might judge of the extent of the slaughter by the great hills of bones which were there, and which he himself had seen and marveled at.

Leadership of Saison or Malek Shah

Two years later, in 1114, Alexis is again fighting the Turks in the neighborhood of Nicasa and Nicomedia, the modern Is- midt, under the leadership of Saison or Malek Shah, Sultan of Ieonium, the son of Kilidji Arslan. Following up the victories he obtained, the emperor pushed on to Ieonium, where he found what is again described as an innumerable horde of Turks ravaging the country, and captured the city of Philomelium, near Iconium. Saison, utterly defeated, had to sue for peace, and obtained it on condition that the Turks should remain content with the territory occupied by them before the defeat of Romanos Diogenes.

Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman

In 1126 another division of the Turks appeared in the north of Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman, an pious under Armenian renegade, who had with him, also, a con Tamsman severable band of Persians. The family of Tanisman contained the fiercest and most redoubtable enemies, says Nicetas, which the empire had seen in that age. Tanisman had captured Castamouni. The emperor, John Comnenos, allied himself with the Sultan of Iconium against him and his successor, Mahomet. Such alliances were, however, always risky, and Mahomet was able to induce the sultan to break faith. The emperor laid siege to the city of Gangra, south of Sinope, and took it.

But his triumph was of short duration. The Moslems returned, after the departure of John Comnenos, in great numbers and recaptured Gangra. Thenceforward, for the next ten years, the war was of a desultory character, the Turks being opposed by the Armenians and the Crusaders in the East, and by the troops of the emperor in the West. The nearest approach to a peace with the empire since the Turkish hordes had left Central Asia was during this period.

In 1139 the Turks gathered in force on the Sangarius, a river running northward into the Black Sea, and flowing in one part of its course about twenty miles to the east of Nicomedia tours bulgaria. The emperor attacked them, and continued the war until the enemy had again been driven back as far as Neo- Caesarea.

In 1144 the Turks were once more upon the shores of the Marmora in great numbers. They were chased back as far as Iconium. The country occupied by them around that capital was plundered, and a desultory war was carried on, in which the balance of advantage was always with the Greeks. Wherever the Turks could be fairly met, they were defeated by the superior discipline of their enemy; and the enemy, knowing this, employed liis strategy principally in endeavoring to avoid a pitched battle.

The emperor, John Comnenos, died in 1143, and was succeeded by Manuel, a prince of great ability. To add to the new emperor’s difficulties, the preparation for a second crusade, which was to pass through the whole extent of his dominions, divided his attention and required all his efforts lest the very deluge of men which was to pass through his territory should utterly overwhelm it.

King of France and 70,000 horsemen

In 1147 the German division, under King Conrad, was the second enter the empire- 900,000′ men are said to sade; attacks have crossed the Danube. Another division of Cru-saders, under Boger of Sicily, was pillaging Thebes and Corinth, in the south of the peninsula, while the King of France and 70,000 horsemen had entered and were devouring the produce of a wide track from the Danube towards Adrianople. While the attention of the emperor was directed towards the task of lessening the mischief done to his territory by the passage of Christian armies, the Turks were pouring into the fertile province of Lydia, occupying the country on both sides of the Meander, and making their way to the shores of the Egean, where the inhabitants then, as now, were al-most exclusively Greek in race. Before the year 1147 was over, Conrad had encountered and defeated them on the Meander.

The battle was a severe one. The Turks refused to allow the Germans to cross, and they were in sufficient force to justify them in making a stand; but they were unable to resist the attack of the Crusaders, and were utterly defeated. The battle-field was covered with the dead. Kicetas says that one might judge of the extent of the slaughter by the great hills of bones which were there, and which he himself had seen and marveled at.

Leadership of Saison or Malek Shah

Two years later, in 1114, Alexis is again fighting the Turks in the neighborhood of Nicasa and Nicomedia, the modern Is- midt, under the leadership of Saison or Malek Shah, Sultan of Ieonium, the son of Kilidji Arslan. Following up the victories he obtained, the emperor pushed on to Ieonium, where he found what is again described as an innumerable horde of Turks ravaging the country, and captured the city of Philomelium, near Iconium. Saison, utterly defeated, had to sue for peace, and obtained it on condition that the Turks should remain content with the territory occupied by them before the defeat of Romanos Diogenes.

Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman

In 1126 another division of the Turks appeared in the north of Asia Minor under the leadership of Tanisman, an pious under Armenian renegade, who had with him, also, a con Tamsman severable band of Persians. The family of Tanisman contained the fiercest and most redoubtable enemies, says Nicetas, which the empire had seen in that age. Tanisman had captured Castamouni. The emperor, John Comnenos, allied himself with the Sultan of Iconium against him and his successor, Mahomet. Such alliances were, however, always risky, and Mahomet was able to induce the sultan to break faith. The emperor laid siege to the city of Gangra, south of Sinope, and took it.

But his triumph was of short duration. The Moslems returned, after the departure of John Comnenos, in great numbers and recaptured Gangra. Thenceforward, for the next ten years, the war was of a desultory character, the Turks being opposed by the Armenians and the Crusaders in the East, and by the troops of the emperor in the West. The nearest approach to a peace with the empire since the Turkish hordes had left Central Asia was during this period.

In 1139 the Turks gathered in force on the Sangarius, a river running northward into the Black Sea, and flowing in one part of its course about twenty miles to the east of Nicomedia tours bulgaria. The emperor attacked them, and continued the war until the enemy had again been driven back as far as Neo- Caesarea.

In 1144 the Turks were once more upon the shores of the Marmora in great numbers. They were chased back as far as Iconium. The country occupied by them around that capital was plundered, and a desultory war was carried on, in which the balance of advantage was always with the Greeks. Wherever the Turks could be fairly met, they were defeated by the superior discipline of their enemy; and the enemy, knowing this, employed liis strategy principally in endeavoring to avoid a pitched battle.

The emperor, John Comnenos, died in 1143, and was succeeded by Manuel, a prince of great ability. To add to the new emperor’s difficulties, the preparation for a second crusade, which was to pass through the whole extent of his dominions, divided his attention and required all his efforts lest the very deluge of men which was to pass through his territory should utterly overwhelm it.

King of France and 70,000 horsemen

In 1147 the German division, under King Conrad, was the second enter the empire- 900,000′ men are said to sade; attacks have crossed the Danube. Another division of Cru-saders, under Boger of Sicily, was pillaging Thebes and Corinth, in the south of the peninsula, while the King of France and 70,000 horsemen had entered and were devouring the produce of a wide track from the Danube towards Adrianople. While the attention of the emperor was directed towards the task of lessening the mischief done to his territory by the passage of Christian armies, the Turks were pouring into the fertile province of Lydia, occupying the country on both sides of the Meander, and making their way to the shores of the Egean, where the inhabitants then, as now, were al-most exclusively Greek in race. Before the year 1147 was over, Conrad had encountered and defeated them on the Meander.

The battle was a severe one. The Turks refused to allow the Germans to cross, and they were in sufficient force to justify them in making a stand; but they were unable to resist the attack of the Crusaders, and were utterly defeated. The battle-field was covered with the dead. Kicetas says that one might judge of the extent of the slaughter by the great hills of bones which were there, and which he himself had seen and marveled at.

CLAUDIUS Philomelium in Phrygia Authentic Ancient OLD Roman Coin ZEUS i90837

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