Crusaders Capture Jerusalem During First Crusade
By the late 11th century, Seljuk Turkish control over Jerusalem had intensified persecution of Christians, prompting Byzantine Emperor Alexius I to seek Western aid. Pope Urban II responded in 1095 with a call for crusade to recover the Holy Land. A force of roughly 4,000 knights and 25,000 infantry, led by figures including Godfrey of Bouillon and Bohemond of Taranto, advanced eastward, capturing Nicaea and Antioch after prolonged sieges. Reduced to about 1,200 cavalry and 12,000 infantry by mid-1099, the crusaders reached Jerusalem on June 7 and constructed massive siege towers. On July 15, Godfrey’s troops breached the walls at the Gate of Saint Stephen, allowing the full army to enter and seize the city after weeks of fighting.