Godfreyagreedtomeethim，and，whethertoputanendtotheseuselessdissensions，orforsomeotherunexplainedreason，herenderedhomagetoAlexiusashisliegelord。Hewasthereuponloadedwithhonours，and，accordingtoasingularcustomofthatage，underwenttheceremonyofthe“adoptionofhonour，“assontotheEmperor。
　　Godfrey，andhisbrotherBaudouindeBouillon，conductedthemselveswithpropercourtesyonthisoccasion，butwerenotabletorestraintheinsolenceoftheirfollowers，whodidnotconceivethemselvesboundtokeepanytermswithamansoinsincereashehadshownhimself。Onebarbarouschieftain，CountRobertofParis，carriedhisinsolencesofarastoseathimselfuponthethrone，aninsultwhichAlexiusmerelyresentedwithasneer，butwhichdidnotinducehimtolookwithlessmistrustuponthehordesthatwerestilladvancing。
　　Itisimpossible，notwithstandinghistreachery，toavoidfeelingsomecompassionfortheEmperor，whoselifeatthistimewasrenderedonelongsceneofmiserybythepresumptionofthecrusaders，andhisnotaltogethergroundlessfearsoftheeviltheymightinflictuponhim，shouldanyuntowardcircumstanceforcethecurrentoftheirambitiontotheconquestofhisempire。Hisdaughter，AnnaComnena，feelinglydeploreshisstateoflifeatthistime，andalearnedGerman，[M。Wilken’sGeschichtederKreuzzuge。]inarecentwork，describesit，ontheauthorityofthePrincess，inthefollowingmanner:——
　　“ToavoidalloccasionofoffencetotheCrusaders，Alexiuscompliedwithalltheirwhims，andtheironmanyoccasions
　　unreasonabledemands，evenattheexpenseofgreatbodilyexertion，atatimewhenhewassufferingseverelyunderthegout，whicheventuallybroughthimtohisgrave。Nocrusaderwhodesiredaninterviewwithhimwasrefusedaccess:helistenedwiththeutmostpatiencetothelong-windedharangueswhichtheirloquacityorzealcontinuallyweariedhimwith:heendured，withoutexpressinganyimpatience，theunbecomingandhaughtylanguagewhichtheypermittedthemselvestoemploytowardshim，andseverelyreprimandedhisofficerswhentheyundertooktodefendthedignityoftheImperialstationfromtheserudeassaults；forhetrembledwithapprehensionattheslightestdisputes，lesttheymightbecometheoccasionofgreaterevil。ThoughtheCountsoftenappearedbeforehimwithtrainsaltogetherunsuitabletotheirdignityandtohis——sometimeswithanentiretroop，whichcompletelyfilledtheRoyalapartment——theEmperorheldhispeace。
　　Helistenedtothematallhours；heoftenseatedhimselfonhisthroneatday-breaktoattendtotheirwishesandrequests，andtheeveningtwilightsawhimstillinthesameplace。Veryfrequentlyhecouldnotsnatchtimetorefreshhimselfwithmeatanddrink。Duringmanynightshecouldnotobtainanyrepose，andwasobligedtoindulgeinanunrefreshingsleepuponhisthrone，withhisheadrestingonhishands。Eventhisslumberwascontinuallydisturbedbytheappearanceandharanguesofsomenewly-arrivedrudeknights。Whenallthecourtiers，weariedoutbytheeffortsofthedayandbynight-watching，couldnolongerkeepthemselvesontheirfeet，andsankdownexhausted——someuponbenchesandothersonthefloor——
　　AlexiusstillralliedhisstrengthtolistenwithseemingattentiontothewearisomechatteroftheLatins，thattheymighthavenooccasionorpretextfordiscontent。Insuchastateoffearandanxiety，howcouldAlexiuscomporthimselfwithdignityandlikeanEmperor？“
　　Alexius，however，hadhimselftoblame，inagreatmeasure，fortheindignitieshesuffered:owingtohisinsincerity，thecrusadersmistrustedhimsomuch，thatitbecameatlastacommonsaying，thattheTurksandSaracenswerenotsuchinveteratefoestotheWesternorLatinChristiansastheEmperorAlexiusandtheGreeks。[Wilken]Itwouldbeneedlessinthissketch，whichdoesnotprofesstobesomuchahistoryoftheCrusadesasofthemadnessofEurope，fromwhichtheysprang，todetailthevariousactsofbriberyandintimidation，cajoleryandhostility，bywhichAlexiuscontrivedtomakeeachoftheleadersinsuccession，astheyarrived，taketheoathofallegiancetohimastheirSuzerain。Onewayoranotherheexactedfromeachthebarrenhomageonwhichhehadsethisheart，andtheywerethenallowedtoproceedintoAsiaMinor。Oneonly，RaymonddeSt。Gilles，CountofToulouse，obstinatelyrefusedthehomage。
　　TheirresidenceinConstantinoplewasproductiveofnogoodtothearmiesoftheCross。Bickeringsandcontentionsontheonehand，andtheinfluenceofadepravedandluxuriouscourtontheother，destroyedtheelasticityoftheirspirits，andcooledthefirstardouroftheirenthusiasm。AtonetimethearmyoftheCountofToulousewasonthepointofdisbandingitself；and，hadnottheirleaderenergeticallyremovedthemacrosstheBosphorus，thiswouldhavebeentheresult。OnceinAsia，theirspiritsinsomedegreerevived，andthepresenceofdangeranddifficultynervedthemtotheworktheyhadundertaken。ThefirstoperationofthewarwasthesiegeofNice，togainpossessionofwhichalltheireffortsweredirected。
　　GodfreyofBouillonandtheCountofVermandoiswerejoinedunderitswallsbyeachhostinsuccession，asitleftConstantinople。Amongthecelebratedcrusaderswhofoughtatthissiege，wefind，besidestheleadersalreadymentioned，thebraveandgenerousTancred，whosenameandfamehavebeenimmortalizedintheGerusalemmeLiberata，thevalorousBishopofPuy，Baldwin，afterwardsKingofJerusalem，andPetertheHermit，nowanalmostsolitarysoldier，shornofallthepowerandinfluencehehadformerlypossessed。KilijAslaun，theSultanofRoum，andchiefoftheSeljukianTurks，whosedeeds，surroundedbythefalsehaloofromance，arefamiliartothereadersofTasso，underthenameofSoliman，marchedtodefendthiscity，butwasdefeatedafterseveralobstinateengagements，inwhichtheChristiansshowedadegreeofheroismthatquiteastonishedhim。TheTurkishchiefhadexpectedtofindawildundisciplinedmultitude，likethatunderPetertheHermit，withoutleaderscapableofenforcingobedience；insteadofwhichhefoundthemostexperiencedleadersoftheageattheheadofarmiesthathadjustfanaticismenoughtobeferocious，butnotenoughtorenderthemungovernable。Intheseengagements，manyhundredsfellonbothsides；andonbothsidesthemostrevoltingbarbaritywaspractised:thecrusaderscutofftheheadsofthefallenMussulmans，andsenttheminpanierstoConstantinople，astrophiesoftheirvictory。AfterthetemporarydefeatofKilijAslaun，thesiegeofNicewascarriedonwithredoubledvigour。TheTurksdefendedthemselveswiththegreatestobstinacy，anddischargedshowersofpoisonedarrowsuponthecrusaders。Whenanyunfortunatewretchwaskilledunderthewalls，theyletdownironhooksfromabove，anddrewthebodyup，which，afterstrippingandmutilating，theythrewbackagainatthebesiegers。Thelatterwerewellsuppliedwithprovisions，andforsix-and-thirtydaysthesiegecontinuedwithoutanyrelaxationoftheeffortsoneitherside。ManytalesaretoldofthealmostsuperhumanheroismoftheChristianleaders——howonemanputathousandtoflight；andhowthearrowsofthefaithfulnevermissedtheirmark。
　　OneanecdoteofGodfreyofBouillon，relatedbyAlbertofAix，isworthrecording，notonlyasshowingthehighopinionentertainedofhisvalour，butasshowingthecontagiouscredulityofthearmies——acredulitywhichasoftenledthemtotheveryvergeofdefeat，asitincitedthemtovictory。OneTurk，ofgiganticstature，tookhisstationdaybydayonthebattlementsofNice，and，bearinganenormousbow，committedgreathavocamongtheChristianhost。Notashafthesped，butboredeathuponitspoint；and，althoughtheCrusadersaimedrepeatedlyathisbreast，andhestoodinthemostexposedposition，theirarrowsfellharmlessathisfeet。Heseemedtobeinvulnerabletoattack；andareportwassoonspreadabroad，thathewasnootherthantheArchFiendhimself，andthatmortalhandcouldnotprevailagainsthim。GodfreyofBouillon，whohadnofaithinthesupernaturalcharacteroftheMussulman，determined，ifpossible，toputanendtothedismaywhichwasrapidlyparalyzingtheexertionsofhisbestsoldiers。Takingahugecross-bow，hestoodforwardinfrontofthearmy，totrythesteadinessofhishandagainstthemuch-dreadedarcher:theshaftwasaimeddirectlyathisheart，andtookfataleffect。TheMoslemfellamidthegroansofthebesieged，andtheshoutsofDeusadjuva！Deusadjuva！thewar-cryofthebesiegers。
　　Atlastthecrusadersimaginedthattheyhadovercomeallobstacles，andwerepreparingtotakepossessionofthecity，whentotheirgreatastonishmenttheysawtheflagoftheEmperorAlexiusflyingfromthebattlements。AnemissaryoftheEmperor，namedFaticiusorTatin，hadcontrivedtogainadmissionwithabodyofGreektroopsatapointwhichthecrusadershadleftunprotected，andhadpersuadedtheTurkstosurrendertohimratherthantothecrusadingforces。Thegreatestindignationprevailedinthearmywhenthisstratagemwasdiscovered，andthesoldierswere，withtheutmostdifficulty，preventedfromrenewingtheattackandbesiegingtheGreekemissary。
　　Thearmy，however，continueditsmarch，andbysomemeansorotherwasbrokenintotwodivisions；somehistorianssayaccidentally，[FulcherofChartres——GuibertdeNogent——Vital。]whileothersaffirmbymutualconsent，andfortheconvenienceofobtainingprovisionsontheway。[WilliamofTyre——Mills——Wilken，&c。]TheonedivisionwascomposedoftheforcesunderBohemund，Tancred，andtheDukeofNormandy；whiletheother，whichtookarouteatsomedistanceontheright，wascommandedbyGodfreyofBouillonandtheotherchiefs。TheSultanofRoum，who，afterhislossesatNice，hadbeensilentlymakinggreateffortstocrushthecrusadersatoneblow，collectedinaveryshorttimeallthemultitudinoustribesthatowedhimallegiance，andwithanarmywhich，accordingtoamoderatecalculation，amountedtotwohundredthousandmen，chieflycavalry，hefelluponthefirstdivisionoftheChristianhostinthevalleyofDorylaeum。Itwasearlyinthemorningofthe1stofJuly1097，whenthecrusaderssawthefirstcompaniesoftheTurkishhorsemenpouringdownuponthemfromthehills。Bohemundhadhardlytimetosethimselfinorder，andtransporthissickandhelplesstotherear，whentheoverwhelmingforceoftheOrientalswasuponhim。TheChristianarmy，composedprincipallyofmenonfoot，gavewayonallsides，andthehoofsoftheTurkishsteeds，andthepoisonedarrowsoftheirbowmen，mowedthemdownbyhundreds。Afterhavinglostthefloweroftheirchivalry，theChristiansretreatedupontheirbaggage，whenadreadfulslaughtertookplace。Neitherwomennorchildren，northesick，werespared。Justastheywerereducedtothelastextremity，GodfreyofBouillonandtheCountofToulousemadetheirappearanceonthefield，andturnedthetideofbattle。AfteranobstinateengagementtheTurksfled，andtheirrichcampfellintothebandsoftheenemy。Thelossofthecrusadersamountedtoaboutfourthousandmen，withseveralchiefsofrenown，amongwhomwereCountRobertofParisandWilliamthebrotherofTancred。ThelossoftheTurks，whichdidnotexceedthisnumber，taughtthemtopursueadifferentmodeofwarfare。TheSultanwasfarfrombeingdefeated。Withhisstillgiganticarmy，helaidwasteallthecountryoneithersideofthecrusaders。Thelatter，whowereunawareofthetacticsoftheenemy，foundplentyofprovisionsintheTurkishcamp；butsofarfromeconomizingtheseresources，theygavethemselvesupforseveraldaystothemostunboundedextravagance。Theysoonpaiddearlyfortheirheedlessness。
　　IntheravagedcountryofPhrygia，throughwhichtheyadvancedtowardsAntiochetta，theysuffereddreadfullyforwantoffoodforthemselvesandpasturefortheircattle。Abovethemwasascorchingsun，almostsufficientofitselftodryupthefreshnessoftheland，ataskwhichthefirebrandsoftheSultanhadbuttoosurelyeffected，andwaterwasnottobehadafterthefirstdayoftheirmarch。Thepilgrimsdiedattherateoffivehundreda-day。Thehorsesoftheknightsperishedontheroad，andthebaggagewhichtheyhadaidedtotransport，waseitherplacedupondogs，sheep，andswine，orabandonedaltogether。Insomeofthecalamitiesthatafterwardsbefellthem，theChristiansgavethemselvesuptothemostrecklessprofligacy；butuponthisoccasion，thedissensionswhichprosperityhadengendered，wereallforgotten。Religion，oftendisregarded，aroseinthesternpresenceofmisfortune，andcheeredthemastheydiedbythepromisesofeternalfelicity。
　　AtlengththeyreachedAntiochetta，wheretheyfoundwaterinabundance，andpasturesfortheirexpiringcattle。Plentyoncemoresurroundedthem，andheretheypitchedtheirtents。Untaughtbythebitterexperienceoffamine，theyagaingavethemselvesuptoluxuryandwaste。