1099 facts for kids

The year 1099 (written as MXCIX in Roman numerals) was a special year because it started on a Saturday. It was part of the Julian calendar, which was used a long time ago. This year was very important for the First Crusade, as Crusaders made their way to Jerusalem.

Important Events of 1099

The First Crusade: Journey to Jerusalem

The First Crusade was a big journey by Christian knights and soldiers from Europe to take back the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, from Muslim control. In 1099, they were very close to their goal.

Crusaders Leave Antioch

• January 16 – A group of Crusaders, led by Raymond IV, left the city of Antioch. They started moving south towards Jerusalem.
• Other important leaders like Tancred and Robert II of Normandy joined them.
• Raymond was given safe passage and supplies by the Emir of Shaizar (a leader in modern Syria). The Emir even provided guides to help the army of 6,000 men cross the Orontes River.

Reaching New Towns

• January 22 – Raymond IV's Crusaders arrived at Masyaf. They made a peace agreement and decided not to attack the town.
• The next day, they entered Rafaniyah, which was empty but had much-needed supplies.
• Raymond then moved into the Buqaia Valley and captured a strong fortress called Hosn al-Akrad. This fortress later became the famous Krak des Chevaliers castle.

Godfrey and Robert's Journey

• February – Another group of Crusaders, led by Godfrey of Bouillon, left Antioch for Latakia.
• Bohemond I and Robert II of Flanders joined them. Bohemond decided to go back to Antioch to strengthen his power there.
• Godfrey and Robert continued to attack the small port city of Jabala. After two weeks, the Emir of Jabala made a truce and agreed to be under Crusader rule.

Siege of Akkar and March South

• February 14 – Raymond IV's forces began to surround the town of Akkar. The soldiers inside Akkar were loyal to the Emir of Tripoli.
• After three months, on May 13, the siege of Akkar was stopped. Raymond ordered his camp to be packed up.
• The Crusader army, now joined by Godfrey of Bouillon and Robert II's forces, continued their march south towards Tripoli.

Capturing Tortosa Port

• February 17 – Raymond IV sent a small part of his army to attack the port of Tortosa on the Syrian coast.
• The Crusaders lit many fires to make their army look much bigger than it was. This tricked the governor and his soldiers, who fled by sea during the night.
• The Crusaders easily captured the port, which became very important for getting supplies.

Through Fatimid Territory

• May – The Crusaders marched past Tripoli with guides from the emir. They passed safely through Batroun and Byblos.
• On May 19, they crossed the Dog River north of Beirut and entered land controlled by the Fatimids.
• Local governors in Fatimid areas gave the Crusaders money and food. In return, the Crusaders did not damage their farms. The Fatimids did not have many soldiers in the north.

Moving Towards Jerusalem

• May 20 – The Fatimid governor of Sidon refused to help the Crusaders. His soldiers attacked the Crusaders while they were taking supplies from villages.
• The Fatimids were pushed back. Towns further south generally followed Beirut's example and cooperated.
• The Crusaders moved to Tyre. Raymond IV waited two days for Baldwin of Le Bourg and knights from Antioch to join them.
• May 26 – The Crusaders marched to Haifa and along the coast near Mount Carmel to Caesarea in modern Israel. They rested there for four days to celebrate Whitsun (a Christian holiday).
• June 2–6 – The Crusaders took control of Arsuf and then moved inland to Ramlah. There, they got ready for the final march to Jerusalem.
• A Crusader group led by Tancred freed the town of Bethlehem.

The Siege of Jerusalem

• June 7 – The Crusaders finally reached the edges of Jerusalem and began to surround the Holy City. The city's leader, Iftikhar al-Dawla, offered a peace deal, but the Crusaders refused.
• June 13 – Godfrey of Bouillon's Crusaders launched their first attack on Jerusalem. The Fatimid soldiers and Jewish fighters defended the northern wall near the Damascus Gate.
• June 17 – Six Genoese ships, led by Guglielmo Embriaco, arrived at the port of Jaffa with military supplies. Most of them were trapped by a larger Fatimid fleet.
• July 8 – The Crusaders tried to take Jerusalem by force but were pushed back. They then walked around the city walls in a religious parade, hoping the city would surrender.
• July 13 – The Crusader army, about 12,000 men, launched a final big attack on Jerusalem. Attacks on both the northern and southern walls were stopped.
• July 15 – The Crusaders finally broke through the walls of Jerusalem after attacking from two sides.
• Iftikhar al-Dawla surrendered Jerusalem to Raymond IV at the Tower of David. He gave Raymond a large amount of treasure in exchange for his life. He and his guards were allowed to leave the city.

After the Victory

• July 22 – The Kingdom of Jerusalem was created in the Middle East. Godfrey of Bouillon was chosen as its leader. He refused to be crowned king and instead took the title Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri (Protector of the Holy Sepulchre).
• August 10 – Godfrey of Bouillon's Crusaders, with about 1,200–1,300 knights, gathered at Yibna (Ibelin), which was near the coast and halfway between Jaffa and Ascalon.
• August 12 – Battle of Ascalon: The Crusader army, about 10,000 men, won a major victory against the Fatimid army sent to help Jerusalem. The Fatimid leader, Al-Afdal, had to retreat to Egypt.
• November – A Crusader army led by Bohemond I traveled south to visit Jerusalem. Baldwin of Boulogne, Godfrey's brother, went with them.
• December 21 – Bohemond I and Baldwin arrived in Jerusalem. Four days later, Daimbert, an archbishop from Pisa, became the new Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (the highest church leader in Jerusalem).

Other Important Events

Religion and Church

• The city of Modena in Emilia, Italy, started building its famous cathedral. It was dedicated to their patron saint, Geminianus.
• The Italian sculptor Wiligelmo created beautiful stone carvings for the cathedral, showing scenes from the Bible.
• July 29 – Pope Urban II, who had been pope for nine years, died in Rome. He was followed by Paschal II, who became the 160th pope of the Catholic Church.

People Born in 1099

• Olav Magnusson, who became king of Norway (died in 1115)
• Ranulf de Gernon, an important Norman nobleman (died in 1153)
• Raymond of Poitiers, a prince of Antioch (died in 1149)
• Thierry of Alsace, who became count of Flanders (died in 1168)
• William X (also known as the Saint), a French nobleman (died in 1137)
• Yuri Dolgorukiy, a Grand Prince of Kiev (died in 1157)

People Who Died in 1099

• April 14 – Conrad, a bishop from Utrecht
• April 20 – Peter Bartholomew, a French soldier and mystic
• July 8 – Lawrence, a Croatian monk and archbishop
• July 10 – Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (known as El Cid), a famous Spanish nobleman
• July 18 – Fujiwara no Moromichi, a Japanese nobleman (born in 1062)
• July 29 – Urban II, the pope of the Catholic Church (born in 1035)
• August 21 – Éverard III of Puiset, a French nobleman
• December 3 – Osmund, a bishop from Salisbury (born in 1065)
• Ermengarde de Carcassonne, a French noblewoman
• Donald III (known as the Fair), a king of Scotland (born in 1032)
• Qutb Shah, a Persian Sufi and religious leader
• Rhygyfarch, a Welsh bishop from St. David's (born in 1057)
• Walter of Pontoise, a French abbot (around this time)

See also

In Spanish: 1099 para niños