Battle of Xerigordon

The unusual army of the People's Crusade was ferried by the Byzantines across the Bosporus in August 1096 and camped at Helenopolis (Civetot) to the west of Nicaea. The young Sultan Kilij Arslan I was absent, campaigning in the east against the Danishmends. 
While waiting for the main crusader army, the disorganized People’s Crusade army soon mounted assaults to villages surrounding Nicaea. Norman's raiding party returned unhindered many times with their booty, at some point even defeating the garrison of Nicaea when it tried to stop them. Reinald led 6,000 Germans (Lombards, Longobards and Alemanni), including 200 knights, on similar raids. 
Reinald was unsatisfied with the pillaging results near Nicaea and went farther to Xerigordon, a fortress four days march to the east, to set up a pillaging base. On September 18, 1096, Reinald easily defeated the Xerigordon garrison and took the castle. 
After this, Sultan Kilij Arslan I ordered his general, Elchanes, go back and deal with the situation, with an army 15,000 troops, mostly mounted archers. 
Elchanes arrived three days after Reinald occupied Xerigordon, on September 21 and besieged the crusaders tightly. The speed of the Turkish mounted troops surprised the Germans; they had not expected to be besieged and were unprepared and without adequate supplies. Moreover, there was no water system inside the fortress. For 8 days, the Crusaders resisted thirst and a rain of arrows and smoke from the Turks. On 29 September 1096 the fort surrendered. Some of the Crusaders who converted to Islam became slaves, while others who refused to abandon their faith were killed.

Crusaders	Seljuk Turks
Commander	Commander
Reinald	Elchanes
Forces	Forces
6,000	15,000
Casualties	Casualties
All lost (killed or enslaved)	Low

The Battles of History