Three
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Declaration for the Crusade - Continued
Two months after the Scottish Lords declared for the Crusade word spread of two Kings willing to go a Crusade to the Holy Land.
The Kings of France and England. King Philippe I of France called for a mobilization of whole France in July of 1070.
King William I the Bastard of England only 2 weeks later.
King Philippe I of France
Philippe was more enthusiastic about the Crusade of the two. In only three months time he already amassed the first party to travel to the Holy Land.
Not waiting for his vassals he left from Nice in December. Historians give two reasons for this rash behavior. Firstly and most importantly Philippe
wanted to be the first at the scene, he wanted French troops to arrive before Scottish or English troops. Secondly Philippe was inexperienced and rather
energetic about his adventures. But that would soon change.
King Philippe left with around 6,500 troops and 150 Knights under his personal disposal. With him traveled the Knight Raoul de Neauphle and
Bishop Raymond de Meulan (who was there to represent the Pope on the Crusade)
Bishop Raymond de Meulan, Representative of the Pope
The second and third French party left in the beginnings of 1071. The second party under Duke Guillaume d'Aquitaine was 6,000 men strong and had 200 Knights (one of those was Borel de Loubens, a low noble to became a bigger player later on), while the third was under the leadership of Duke Boudewijn van Vlaanderen and was the biggest of the three. 7,000 men and 600 Knights.
Meanwhile in England while King William did declare for the Crusade, his armies didn't really amass or gather.
Duke Guillaume d'Aquitaine
Situation in January of 1071
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It took me a while, I was ill alot last few weeks and new studies take their toll. but also laziness and ADD
In the next update the Crusaders arrive.....but where?
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