INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE CRUSADES xv BOOK I.—A.D. 300-1095. FIRST CRUSADE. Early pilgrimages to the Holy Land—Veneration for the Holy Sepulchre—Palestine visited by the early Christians —Jerusalem their peaceful asylum—Profaned by Fire Worshippers—Recaptured by Heraclius—Spread of the religion of Mahomet—Worship of the Magi annihilated by Mohammedanism—Empire of Persia torn by intestine wars —Anarchy of the East—Fanaticism and bravery of the Saracens—Their conquests—Paganism annihilated by Mohammedanism—Monarchy of the Goths overturned—Charles Martel—The caliph Omar captures Jerusalem—Christians persecuted by the Mussulmans—Pilgrimages of Peter the Hermit, &c.—Haroun-al-Raschid—Charlemagne—Siege of Constantinople—Bagdad—Conquest of the Arabians— St. Bernard—-Commerce of the East—Caliphs of Bagdad—The Fatimites—The Greeks—Antioch—Zimisces, emperor of the Greeks—Fatimite caliphs capture Jerusalem—Caliphs of Cairo—William of Tyre—Persecutions of the Jews—Pilgrims welcomed everywhere—King Robert—Memphis—Bethlehem— Monasteries for the pilgrims—Hospitals at Jerusalem— Mystery of the Redemption—Pilgrimages of distinguished persons the forerunner of the Crusades—The Turks—The Sultan Mamouh—Togrul-Beg—Victorious career of the Turks —Malek-Scha—Jerusalem captured—Nicea—The Greeks—The Seldjouc tribes—Eleven emperors of Constantinople put to death—Death of Zimisces—Military ardour of the Franks— Michael Ducas—Pope Gregory VII.—Power of the popes—Rome —Pope Hildebrand—Pope Victor III. incites the Christians to take arms against the infidels—Conquests of the Genoese and Pisans—Peter the Hermit—His interviews with the patriarch of Jerusalem and Pope Urban II.—The crusades instigated by Peter—First determined on at the council of Clermont, convoked by Urban II.—Enthusiasm in their favour pp. 1-60. BOOK II.—A.D. 1096-1097. Immense armies collected in various parts of Europe—Peter the Hermit chosen general of the crusade—Opposed by the Hungarians and Bulgarians—Semlin—Nissa—The Crusaders reach Constantinople—Alexius Comnenus—Rapacity and cruelties of the Crusaders—Their defeat and slaughter— Fresh armies sent from Europe—Their distinguished leaders —They wage war against the Greeks—Alliance of Godfrey de Bouillon with Alexius of Constantinople—Wretched situation of the remains of Peter’s army in Bithynia—The Turkish power—Kingdom of Ezeroum—Siege of Nice—Battle of Gorgoni—The Turks defeated by the Crusaders—Sultan of Nice desolates the country—Antiochetta—Iconium—Tarsus captured by Baldwin—His conflicts with Tancred—Capture of Alexandretta and Edessa by the Crusaders—They arrive in Mesopotamia pp. 61-125. BOOK III.—A.D. 1097-1099.