France: Siege of Nicaea. Crusaders throwing the heads of Muslims over Nicaea city ramparts, Historia Rerum in Partibus Transmarinis Gestarum ('History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea'), Guillaume de Tyr (1130-1186), c. 1184

First Crusade (1096-1099): The crusader armies crossed over into Asia Minor during the first half of 1097. The first objective of their campaign was Nicaea, previously a city under Byzantine rule, but which had become the capital of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rüm under Kilij Arslan I. On the Crusaders' arrival, the city was subjected to a lengthy siege, and when Arslan had word of it he rushed back to Nicaea and attacked the crusader army on 16 May.

He was driven back by the unexpectedly large crusader force, with heavy losses being suffered on both sides in the ensuing battle. The siege continued, but the crusaders had little success as they found they could not blockade the lake upon which the city was situated, and from which it could be provisioned. In order to break the city, Alexios sent the Crusaders ships rolled over land on logs, and at the sight of them the Turkish garrison finally surrendered on 18 June.

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