Editing 1097 (section)

==== First Crusade ====
* Spring &ndash; The Crusaders under [[Godfrey of Bouillon]] attack the Byzantine imperial palace at [[Blachernae]]. Norman forces led by [[Bohemond I of Antioch|Bohemond I]] join the Crusaders – he is not welcome in [[Constantinople]] because his father, [[Robert Guiscard]], has invaded [[Illyria]] (territory belonging to the [[Byzantine Empire]]), and captured the cities of [[Durrës|Dyrrhachium]] and [[Corfu (city)|Corfu]] (see [[1084]]).
* [[May 14]] &ndash; [[Siege of Nicaea]]: The Crusaders begin their campaign with the siege of [[Nicaea]] (the capital of the [[Sultanate of Rum]]), assigning their forces to different sections of the walls, which are well-defended with 200 towers. Towards the end, an advance party of the [[Seljuk Empire|Seljuk Turks]] is defeated by troops of [[Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse]] ("Saint-Gilles") and [[Robert II, Count of Flanders|Robert II]].<ref name="norman adversaries">{{cite book|last=Abels|first=Richard Philip|title=The Normans and their adversaries at war|year=2001|publisher=Boydell & Brewer|location=Woodbridge|isbn=0-85115-847-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOic9EEo3PIC&q=The+occasion+of+the+coming+of+the+Normans+to+southern+Italy|author2=Bernard S. Bachrach|page=92}}</ref> 
* [[June 19]] &ndash; The Seljuk Turks surrender Nicaea to the Crusaders after a month siege. The Byzantines occupy the city; their commander [[Manuel Boutoumites]] is named by Emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]] as ''[[Dux|doux]]'' of Nicaea. In the consternation the Crusaders are not allowed to plunder the city and are forced (again) to pledge their allegiance to Alexios.
* [[July 1]] &ndash; [[Battle of Dorylaeum (1097)|Battle of Dorylaeum]]: The Crusaders defeat a Seljuk army led by [[Kilij Arslan I]], ruler of the Sultanate of Rum, who wants revenge for the capture of Nicaea. During the battle many Crusaders are killed but the Seljuk Turks are forced to flee and abandon their tents and treasure after being surprised by the arrival of a second Crusader army.
* [[October 21]] &ndash; [[Siege of Antioch]]: The Crusaders arrive outside the city and begin the siege. They can not impose a complete blockade on Antioch. The Seljuk garrison comes out of the city to harass Crusader siege-lines and intercept supply convoys (supported by a Genoese fleet of 12 galleys) from [[Port Saint Symeon|Saint Symeon]] and [[İskenderun|Alexandretta]] (modern [[Turkey]]).<ref name=antioch>{{cite web|last=Rickard|first=J.|title=Antioch, crusader siege of, 21 October 1097-3 June 1098|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_antioch_crusader.html|access-date=4 January 2012}}</ref>
* [[December 31]] &ndash; Battle of Harenc: The Crusaders under the command of Bohemond I and Robert II defeat Seljuk forces from [[Aleppo]], which try to relieve besieged Antioch.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rickard|first=J.|title=Battle of Harenc, 9 February 1098|url=http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_harenc1097.html|access-date=4 January 2012}}</ref>