castinghimselfatthefeetoftheEmperorAlexius，heimploredhim，withtearsinhiseyes，tosendrelieftothefewsurvivorsatCivitot。TheEmperorconsented，andaforcewassent，whicharrivedjustintimetosavethemfromdestruction。TheTurkshadbeleagueredtheplace，andthecrusaderswerereducedtothelastextremity。
Negotiationswereenteredinto，andthelastthreethousandwereconductedinsafetytoConstantinople。Alexiushadsufferedtoomuchbytheirformerexcessestobeverydesirousofretainingtheminhiscapital:hethereforecausedthemalltobedisarmed，and，furnishingeachwithasumofmoney，hesentthembacktotheirowncountry。
Whiletheseeventsweretakingplace，freshhordeswereissuingfromthewoodsandwildsofGermany，allbentfortheHolyLand。Theywerecommandedbyafanaticalpriest，namedGottschalk，who，likeGautierandPetertheHermit，tookhiswaythroughHungary。Historyisextremelymeagreinherdetailsoftheconductandfateofthishost，whichamountedtoatleastonehundredthousandmen。Robberyandmurderseemtohavejourneyedwiththem，andthepoorHungarianswererenderedalmostdesperatebytheirnumbersandrapacity。Karloman，thekingofthecountry，madeaboldefforttogetridofthem；fortheresentmentofhispeoplehadarrivedatsuchaheight，thatnothingshortofthetotalexterminationofthecrusaderswouldsatisfythem。
Gottschalkhadtopaythepenalty，notonlyfortheravagesofhisownbands，butforthoseoftheswarmsthathadcomebeforehim。Heandhisarmywereinduced，bysomemeansorother，tolaydowntheirarms:
thesavageHungarians，seeingthemthusdefenceless，setuponthem，andslaughteredthemingreatnumbers。Howmanyescapedtheirarrows，wearenotinformed；butnotoneofthemreachedPalestine。
Otherswarms，undernamelessleaders，issuedfromGermanyandFrance，morebrutalandmorefranticthananythathadprecededthem。
TheirfanaticismsurpassedbyfarthewildestfreaksofthefollowersoftheHermit。Inbands，varyinginnumbersfromonetofivethousand，theytraversedthecountryinalldirections，bentuponplunderandmassacre。Theyworethesymbolofthecrusadeupontheirshoulders，butinveighedagainstthefollyofproceedingtotheHolyLandtodestroytheTurks，whiletheyleftbehindthemsomanyJews，thestillmoreinveterateenemiesofChrist。Theysworefiercevengeanceagainstthisunhappyrace，andmurderedalltheHebrewstheycouldlaytheirhandson，firstsubjectingthemtothemosthorriblemutilation。
AccordingtothetestimonyofAlbertAquensis，theylivedamongeachotherinthemostshamelessprofligacy，andtheirvicewasonlyexceededbytheirsuperstition。WhenevertheywereinsearchofJews，theywereprecededbyagooseandgoat，whichtheybelievedtobeholy，andanimatedwithdivinepowertodiscovertheretreatsoftheunbelievers。InGermanyalonetheyslaughteredmorethanathousandJews，notwithstandingalltheeffortsoftheclergytosavethem。Sodreadfulwasthecrueltyoftheirtormentors，thatgreatnumbersofJewscommittedself-destructiontoavoidfallingintotheirhands。
AgainitfelltothelotoftheHungarianstodeliverEuropefromthesepests。WhentherewerenomoreJewstomurder，thebandscollectedinonebody，andtooktheoldroutetotheHolyLand，aroutestainedwiththebloodofthreehundredthousandwhohadgonebefore，anddestinedalsotoreceivetheirs。Thenumberoftheseswarmshasneverbeenstated；butsomanyofthemperishedinHungary，thatcontemporarywriters，despairingofgivinganyadequateideaoftheirmultitudes，statethatthefieldswereactuallyheapedwiththeircorpses，andthatformilesinitscoursethewatersoftheDanubeweredyedwiththeirblood。ItwasatMersburg，ontheDanube，thatthegreatestslaughtertookplace，——aslaughtersogreatastoamountalmosttoextermination。TheHungariansforawhiledisputedthepassageoftheriver，butthecrusadersforcedtheirwayacross，andattackingthecitywiththeblindcourageofmadness，succeededinmakingabreachinthewalls。Atthismomentofvictoryanunaccountablefearcameoverthem。Throwingdowntheirarmstheyfledpanic-stricken，nooneknewwhy，andnooneknewwhither。TheHungariansfollowed，swordinhand，andcutthemdownwithoutremorse，andinsuchnumbers，thatthestreamoftheDanubeissaidtohavebeenchokedupbytheirunburiedbodies。
ThiswastheworstparoxysmofthemadnessofEurope；andthispassed，herchivalrysteppeduponthescene。Menofcoolheads，matureplans，andinvinciblecouragestoodforwardtoleadanddirectthegrandmovementofEuropeuponAsia。Itisuponthesementhatromancehaslavishedhermostadmiringepithets，leavingtothecondemnationofhistorythevilenessandbrutalityofthosewhowentbefore。OftheseleadersthemostdistinguishedwereGodfreyofBouillonDukeofLorraine，andRaymondCountofToulouse。FourotherchiefsoftheroyalbloodofEuropealsoassumedtheCross，andledeachhisarmytotheHolyLand:Hugh，CountofVermandois，brotheroftheKingofFrance；Robert，DukeofNormandy，theelderbrotherofWilliamRufus；
RobertCountofFlanders，andBoemundPrinceofTarentum，eldestsonofthecelebratedRobertGuiscard。Thesemenwerealltingedwiththefanaticismoftheage，butnoneofthemactedentirelyfromreligiousmotives。TheywereneitherutterlyrecklesslikeGautiersansAvoir，crazylikePetertheHermit，norbrutallikeGottschalktheMonk，butpossessedeachofthesequalitiesinamilderform；theirvalourbeingtemperedbycaution，theirreligiouszealbyworldlyviews，andtheirferocitybythespiritofchivalry。Theysawwhitherledthetorrentofthepublicwill；anditbeingneithertheirwishnortheirinteresttostemit，theyallowedthemselvestobecarriedwithit，inthehopethatitwouldleadthematlasttoahavenofaggrandizement。Aroundthemcongregatedmanyminorchiefs，theflowerofthenobilityofFranceandItaly，withsomefewfromGermany，England，andSpain。Itwaswiselyconjecturedthatarmiessonumerouswouldfindadifficultyinprocuringprovisionsiftheyalljourneyedbythesameroad。They，therefore，resolvedtoseparate，GodfreydeBouillonproceedingthroughHungaryandBulgaria，theCountofToulousethroughLombardyandDalmatia，andtheotherleadersthroughApuliatoConstantinople，wheretheseveraldivisionsweretoreunite。Theforcesundertheseleadershavebeenvariouslyestimated。ThePrincessAnnaComnenatalksofthemashavingbeenasnumerousasthesandsonthesea-shore，orthestarsinthefirmament。FulcherofChartresismoresatisfactory，andexaggerateslessmagnificently，whenhestates，thatallthedivisions，whentheyhadsatdownbeforeNiceinBithynia，amountedtoonehundredthousandhorsemen，andsixhundredthousandmenonfoot，exclusiveofthepriests，womenandchildren。Gibbonisofopinionthatthisamountisexaggerated；butthinkstheactualnumbersdidnotfallveryfarshortofthecalculation。ThePrincessAnnaafterwardsgivesthenumberofthoseunderGodfreyofBouillonaseightythousandfootandhorse；andsupposingthateachoftheotherchiefsledanarmyasnumerous，thetotalwouldbenearhalfamillion。Thismustbeoverratherthanunderthemark，asthearmyofGodfreyofBouillonwasconfessedlythelargestwhenitsetout，andsufferedlessbythewaythananyother。
TheCountofVermandoiswasthefirstwhosetfootontheGrecianterritory。OnhisarrivalatDurazzohewasreceivedwitheverymarkofrespectandcourtesybytheagentsoftheEmperor，andhisfollowerswereabundantlysuppliedwithprovisions。Suddenlyhowever，andwithoutcauseassigned，theCountwasarrestedbyorderoftheEmperorAlexius，andconveyedacloseprisonertoConstantinople。
VariousmotiveshavebeenassignedbydifferentauthorsashavinginducedtheEmperortothistreacherousandimprudentproceeding。Byeverywriterhehasbeencondemnedforsoflagrantabreachofhospitalityandjustice。ThemostprobablereasonforhisconductappearstobethatsuggestedbyGuibertofNogent，whostatesthatAlexius，fearfulofthedesignsofthecrusadersuponhisthrone，resortedtothisextremityinorderafterwardstoforcetheCounttotaketheoathofallegiancetohim，asthepriceofhisliberation。
TheexampleofaprincesoeminentasthebrotheroftheKingofFrance，would，hethought，bereadilyfollowedbytheotherchiefsoftheCrusade。Intheresulthewaswofullydisappointed，aseverymandeservestobewhocommitspositiveevilthatdoubtfulgoodmayensue。
ButthislineofpolicyaccordedwellenoughwiththenarrowmindednessoftheEmperor，who，intheenervatingatmosphereofhishighlycivilizedandluxuriouscourt，dreadedtheinfluxofthehardyandambitiouswarriorsoftheWest，andstrovetonibbleawaybyunworthymeans，thepowerwhichhehadnotenergyenoughtoconfront。Ifdangertohimselfhadexistedfromtheresidenceofthechiefsinhisdominions，hemighteasilyhaveavertedit，bythesimplemeansofplacinghimselfattheheadoftheEuropeanmovement，anddirectingitsenergiestotheiravowedobject，theconquestoftheHolyLand。
ButtheEmperor，insteadofbeing，ashemighthavebeen，thelordandleaderoftheCrusades，whichhehadhimselfaidedinnoinconsiderabledegreetosuscitatebyhisembassiestothePope，becametheslaveofmenwhohatedanddespisedhim。NodoubtthebarbarousexcessesofthefollowersofGautierandPetertheHermitmadehimlookuponthewholebodyofthemwithdisgust，butitwasthedisgustofalittlemind，whichisgladofanyexcusetopalliateorjustifyitsownirresolutionandloveofease。
GodfreyofBouillontraversedHungaryinthemostquietandorderlymanner。OnhisarrivalatMersburghefoundthecountrystrewedwiththemangledcorpsesoftheJew-killers，anddemandedoftheKingofHungaryforwhatreasonhispeoplehadsetuponthem。Thelatterdetailedtheatrocitiestheyhadcommitted，andmadeitsoevidenttoGodfreythattheHungarianshadonlyactedinself-defence，thatthehigh-mindedleaderdeclaredhimselfsatisfiedandpassedon，withoutgivingorreceivingmolestation。OnhisarrivalatPhilippopoli，hewasinformedforthefirsttimeoftheimprisonmentoftheCountofVermandois。HeimmediatelysentmessengerstotheEmperor，demandingtheCount’srelease，andthreatening，incaseofrefusal，tolaywastethecountrywithfireandsword。AfterwaitingadayatPhilippopolihemarchedontoAdrianople，wherehewasmetbyhismessengersreturningwiththeEmperor’srefusal。Godfrey，thebravestandmostdeterminedoftheleadersoftheCrusade，wasnotamantoswervefromhisword，andthecountrywasgivenuptopillage。
Alexiusherecommittedanotherblunder。Nosoonerdidhelearnfromdireexperiencethatthecrusaderwasnotanuttererofidlethreats，thanheconsentedtothereleaseoftheprisoner。Ashehadbeenunjustinthefirstinstance，hebecamecowardlyinthesecond，andtaughthisenemiesforsothecrusaderswereforcedtoconsiderthemselvesalessonwhichtheytookcaretoremembertohiscost，thattheycouldhopenothingfromhissenseofjustice，buteverythingfromhisfears。GodfreyremainedencampedforseveralweeksintheneighbourhoodofConstantinople，tothegreatannoyanceofAlexius，whosoughtbyeverymeanstoextortfromhimthehomagehehadextortedfromVermandois。Sometimesheactedasifatopenanddeclaredwarwiththecrusaders，andsenthistroopsagainstthem。
Sometimesherefusedtosupplythemwithfood，andorderedthemarketstobeshutagainstthem，whileatothertimeshewasallforpeaceandgoodwill，andsentcostlypresentstoGodfrey。Thehonest，straightforwardcrusaderwasatlastsoweariedbyhisfalsekindness，andsopesteredbyhisattacks，that，allowinghisindignationtogetthebetterofhisjudgment，hegaveupthecountryaroundConstantinopletobeplunderedbyhissoldiers。Forsixdaystheflamesofthefarm-housesaroundstruckterrorintotheheartofAlexius，butasGodfreyanticipatedtheyconvincedhimofhiserror。
FearingthatConstantinopleitselfwouldbethenextobjectofattack，hesentmessengerstodemandaninterviewwithGodfrey，offeringatthesametimetoleavehissonasahostageforhisgoodfaith。