1095.Pope Urban II receives an ambassador from Alexios I Komnenos, ruler of the Roman Empire, that informs him about the recent muslim conquests and asks for help against the Islam.
1095. Urban II commands the people gathered at the Council of Clermont to go and save the byzantines from the Scourge of the East. Numerous noblemen and peasants begin to prepare themselves. Among them, there is a very young Englishman named Adelard of Bath. Born in 1078, he came to France in order to study at a monastical school in Tours, but Urban's passionate sermon convinces him to join the Crusaders (Ist POD).
1096. People's Crusade begins as Peter the Hermit rallies the poor peasants from the West and leds them towards Anatolia. The end is gruesome, as most of them are cut down by the turks. Adelard is one of the survivors and manages to remain at Constantinople for five years. Here, he will meet John Italus, a disciple of the famous Michael Psellus and the man that will introduce him to the byzantine knowledge.
1096-1099. The Princes' Crusade is a resounding success. Following their victory at Niceea against the Seljukids, the Barons manage to conquer Edessa (Baldwin of Boulogne became Count of Edessa), Antioch (Bohemond of Taranto became Prince of Antioch) and Jerusalem, where Raymond of Toulouse becomes the first king. One important change: the dwellers within Jerusalem are not butchered, only forced to give up most of their belongings (IInd POD).
1099. The Battle of Ramla. The Crusaders manage to defeat al-Afdal, the Fatimid Vezir, and conquer Ascalon. Unfortunately, Godfrey of Bouillon, one of the leaders of the expedition, dies during the siege.
1100-1101. A new crusade arrives in the East. While its military results in Anatolia are dissapointing, to say the least, a great number of soldiers enter the service of the King of Jerusalem. Along with them comes Adelard of Bath, who intends to find out more about the islamic sciences he had heard so much in Constantinople.
1100. Bohemond, Prince of Antioch, is captured by the Danishmends. In his absence, Tancred, his nephew, will rule the Principality.
1101. Raymond I enters an agreement with Alexios Komnenos, in which the Byzantine Emperor is recognized as sovereign of Antioch. In exchange for this, Alexios will pledge money and ships for the conquest of the remaining fortresses in the Holy Land, especially the town of Tripoli.
1102. The War against Antioch. Jerusalem and the Byzantines declare war against the Principality of Antioch. The County of Edessa enters the conflict on the side of Tancred. The conflict is increased by Venice and Genoa, two naval powers that find themselves on different sides: while Venice sided with Raymond and Alexios, receiving privileges in Jaffa and Haifa, Genoa protects Antioch. The War ends indecisively but the crusader unity is forever shattered. While Antioch and Edessa become increasingly fanatical, Jerusalem tries to find a middle-point between the different subjects of the Kingdom.
1103. Adelard of Bath becomes the secretary of King Raymond I. Bohemond of Tarent is liberated from captivity but chooses to return to Europe, leaving Tancred as full-Prince. Bohemond of Boulogne becomes vassal of Antioch and is instructed to expand the borders of the new realm.
1104. With the help of Venice and the Byzantines, Jerusalem manages to consolidate its holdings by conquering the towns of Acre and Tripoli. Only three fortresses remain in Fatimid hands: Beirut, Sidon and Tyre.
1105. Adelard of Bath is sent to the court of Seljukid ruler Mehmed I in order to gain his help against Toghtekin, the new atabeg of Damascus. The embassy is not successful, the death of Raymond I preventing any negotiations from taking place.
1105. William-Jordan, cousin of Raymond I, is proclaimed king by a few nobles while the bastard son of the late ruler, Bertrand, is still in Provence, managing the duchy. The new regime has also a victim, namely Adelard of Bath, who despises the new king and is forced to remain in Baghdad.