Byzantine resurgence

That's interesting. An invading force (The Turks) convert to the faith of the people they are invading (Orthodox) even though it would make them targets by their former bretheren.

Oh I have no problem with mentions of slavery in the Byz Empire. I wasn't denying that. But 150,000 women and children specified like that just seems like someone who wrote the information for this (I don't mean you) had some sort of scare tactic to rally some people up. Perhaps even a pretext of sorts.

Hello wolf

It just seems you have a typical view of history concerning the situation there that is more favorable and ideal to one or another rather then objective. And even that is just my opinion.

For example could you show me any sources that the Romans "pillaged and sacked" everything that you said they did selling 150,000 women and children into slavery?

And how did you establish this "peace loving conqeust" theme because I did not see it in your post?

Who exactly are you talking to?

They were not fully based on luck; however if those conditions were not present, during the siege of Antioch for example they would most likely have been defeated, when you read Fulcher for example you see that even though he usually exponentially exaggerates his estimates the death toll was rather high and they were defenseless if Kerbogah had not dispatched for Edessa. Furthermore, the taking of Edessa helped a lot. And that politic of alliances, neutrality, and denominational differences in rulers also fueled the Crusade's sucess. We are doing a seminar on the crusades and I am doing my disertation on the subject this semester. My professor who is a rather good medieval and Byzantine scholar tends to agree with that view, too. It was not all luck, however, some of the instances were luck, some were shrewd planning, etc... Nevertheless without those conditions the Crusade would not have lasted as long.

The Crusaders had luck, too. After the defeat of the Peopple's Crusade, which was annihalated, Nicea's garisson mostly left alongside Kilij Arslan to handle matters in the East. They did not take the next waves seriously due to this; what seemd decisive battle.

Also in Antioch; the Edessan governor decreed his help, a contigent of the Crusaders went there, and it became the first Crusader state upon the governors death. He in fact adopted Baldwin of Boulogna, and a few days after found dead... with Baldwin gainng the city through hereditary right... and Kerboghen leaving Antioch trying to lift the siege, giving the main force enough time to take the city through politics.

They marched from Antioch to Jersualem largerly unharassed, with many independent emirs and governors giving aid, or remaining neutral.

They fit into the general scheme of things. The local politics allowed for them, and Christians were abundant in the EAst, thus not a novelty to the Islamic aristoracies of various cities.

Furthermore, Fatimids took control of Jerusalem, which in turn meant for a Shi'a controled holy city, which helped, too. To a lot of the emirs a Christian or a Shi'a holding the city was more or less the same thing, either one wasn't the correct holder in their view.

Hello Regi

Hello Regi