After long delays about seven thousand of those who had started on
the Crusade reached Constantinople. They were still enthusiastic
and sounded their war-cry, "God wills it!" with as much fervor as
when they first joined Peter's standard.

Leaving Constantinople, they went eastward into the land of the
Turks. A powerful army led by the sultan met them. The Crusaders
fought heroically all day long but at length were badly beaten.
Only a few escaped and found their way back to Constantinople.

Peter the Hermit had left the Crusaders before the battle and returned
to Constantinople. He afterwards joined the army of Godfrey of
Bouillon.

Godfrey's army was composed of six divisions, each commanded by a
soldier of high rank and distinction. It was a well organized and
disciplined force and numbered about half a million men.

It started only a few weeks after the irregular multitude which
followed Peter the Hermit, and was really the first Crusading army,
for Peter's undisciplined throng could hardly be called an army.

After a long march Godfrey reached Antioch and laid siege to it.

It was believed that this Moslem stronghold could be taken in
a short time; but the city resisted the attacks of the Christians
for seven months. Then it surrendered.

And now something happened that none of the Crusaders had dreamed
of. An army of two hundred thousand Persians arrived to help the