The Crusade of 1101 AD

**Lucius Malfoy** · November 19, 2015, 05:28 PM

The word of Paschal II rang loud across the European continent as a new expedition was drummed up to ensure reinforcements arrived to the Crusader States of the Levant. Tens of thousands, who oaths were fresh or unfulfilled, answered the call and marched in the name of God and with blessed banners hung over their contingents. Armies from France and the Holy Roman Empire especially answered the call and marched forth for Constantinople. Yet, unknown to the Crusaders, doom awaited them in Anatolia...

Kilij Arslan I, the Sultan of the Seljuk Turks of Rum, still licked his wounds from the recent First Crusade, but learned a valuable lesson from this encounter with the Latins. Drawing up alliances with the Danishmends and Ridwan of Aleppo, they drew up their forces at Mersivan and engaged with the Latin Crusaders. The fight was vicious to the point of biblical apocalypse. The Latins, who were confident as the First Crusade was, would taste the blood of their comrades and the screams of their fellow Christians as the Muslim Turks spearheaded their assault into their lines and cut them apart like wheat challenging a whirlwind. Though the fight would last two days, the Christian host was shattered and scattered to the winds. Lombards, French, Burgundians, and Germans littered the battlefield of Mersivan; their wives, children and priests either killed or enslaved. Those that fled ran as fast as they could for the Bosphorus and dispersed into nothing. News was sent to Jerusalem and the Crusader States of this disaster; it is said that Julien wept loudly at the news that his brother, the Count of Vermandois, Hugh Capet, was among the dead, having died of his wounds in Tarsus.

As the days passed since the battle of Mersivan, the cities of Edessa, Antioch, Tripoli and Jerusalem caught sight of tattered banners and wearied soldiers who had managed to escape the carnage to fulfill their oaths to God. They were welcomed with open arms and fed as well as treated for their wounds. Of the tens of thousands promised by the Pope, the Crusader of 1101 barely brought 15,000 fresh soldiers to the Crusader States. The King of Jerusalem still called it a success as those who survived bore the brunt of Hell and managed to make their way for the Holy Lands. The oaths to God keeping them alive and filling them with hope that they would make it.

The following states get these additional troops ...

Antioch: 4,500
900 Footmen
900 Spearmen
675 Bowmen
900 Men-at-Arms
1,125 Knights

Edessa: 4,300
860 Footmen
860 Spearmen
645 Bowmen
860 Men-at-Arms
1,075 Knights

Tripoli: 3,000
600 Footmen
600 Spearmen
450 Bowmen
600 Men-at-Arms
750 Knights

Jerusalem: 3,100
620 Footmen
620 Spearmen
465 Bowmen
620 Men-at-Arms
775 Knights

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I used the Lordly composition once again to do this. Here is my thanks to you, writers, for keeping this roleplay alive and going!

**Stildawn** · November 19, 2015, 06:26 PM

Can these come after our current time locked RP's? Which leads me to the question how do you guys handle time locks now a days?

**Lucius Malfoy** · November 19, 2015, 06:30 PM

Hmmm... how about this; if you are currently on a campaign, these cannot join said campaign. They will be available in your capital however as a defensive force or can be used to protect your new territories.

So since I am not on a campaign, I can use my new troops and the additional 12k I got with whatever role I choose. I believe both you and Eredin are on campaign, so they can't be used currently in battle, but can be used to defend your newly conquered territories or defend your capitals.

**Stildawn** · November 19, 2015, 06:48 PM

And Julia also.

Hmmm.... I like that more than just adding to our troops, but even defensive is a bit time warping lol.

**Xion** · November 19, 2015, 06:52 PM

...Would it be possible for my character's army to gain seven additional soldiers (perhaps 2 footmen, 2 spear, 2 archer, and 1 man at arms) to make it an even 2,500 instead of 2,493 men?

**Lucius Malfoy** · November 19, 2015, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by Xion

...Would it be possible for my character's army to gain seven additional soldiers (perhaps 2 footmen, 2 spear, 2 archer, and 1 man at arms) to make it an even 2,500 instead of 2,493 men?

...and done!