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| Norwegian Crusade | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theCrusades (aftermath ofFirst Crusade) and theReconquista | ||||||||||
 Sigurd enteringConstantinople | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||||
Supported by:  Byzantine Empire | Fatimid Caliphate Almoravid Empire Taifa of Badajoz Taifa of Majorca |  Kingdom of Galicia (Raid on Santiago de Compostela) | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||||
| Governor of Sidon[a] | Unknown | |||||||||
| Strength | ||||||||||
Franks
Venetians
| Fatimids
Saracens
| Unknown | ||||||||
TheNorwegian Crusade, led byNorwegian KingSigurd I,[2] was acrusade or apilgrimage (sources differ)[3] that lasted from 1107 to 1111, in the aftermath of theFirst Crusade. The Norwegian Crusade marks the first time a European king personally went to theHoly Land.[4]
Sigurd and his men sailed fromNorway in the autumn of 1107 with sixty ships and perhaps around 5,000 men.[5] In the autumn he arrived inEngland, whereHenry I was king. Sigurd and his men stayed there the entire winter, until the spring of 1108, when they set sail southwards.
After several months they came to the town ofSantiago de Compostela (Jakobsland)[3] in theKingdom of Galicia (Galizuland) where they were allowed by a local lord to stay for the winter. However, when the winter came there was a shortage of food, which caused the lord to refuse to sell food and goods to the Norwegians. Sigurd gathered his army, attacked the lord's castle andlooted what they could there. The identity of the local lord or count is uncertain.[6]
In the spring they continued along the coast of Portugal, capturing eight Saracen galleys on their way, and conquered a castle atSintra (probably referring toColares, which is closer to the sea), after which they continued toLisbon, a "half Christian and half heathen" city, said to be on the dividing line between Christian andMuslim Iberia, where they won another battle. On their continued journey they sacked the town ofAlkasse (probablyAlcácer do Sal), and on their way into the Mediterranean, near theStrait of Gibraltar (Norfasund), met and defeated a Muslim squadron.[3]
TheSiege of Lisbon in 1109 marked a significant chapter in their expedition. Positioned as a pivotal point between Christian and Muslim territories, the raiders confronted the diverse cultural and religious landscape of the Iberian Peninsula. Their triumph inLisbon was one of many on their way to the holy land.[7]
After entering theMediterranean (Griklands haf) they sailed along the coast of the land of theSaracens (Serkland) to theBalearic Islands. The Balearics were at the time perceived by Christians to be nothing more than a pirate haven and slaving centre. The Norwegian raids are also the first recorded Christian attacks on theIslamic Balearic Islands (though smaller attacks certainly had occurred).[3]
The first place they arrived at wasFormentera, where they encountered a great number ofblámenn (blue men) andSerkir (Saracens)[3] who had taken up their dwelling in a cave. The course of the fight is the most detailed of the entire crusade through written sources.[3] After this battle, the Norwegians supposedly acquired the greatest treasures they had ever acquired. They then went on to successfully attackIbiza andMenorca. The Norwegians seem to have avoided attacking the largest of the Balearic Islands,Majorca, most likely because it was at the time the most prosperous and well-fortified centre of an independenttaifa kingdom.[3] Tales of their success may have inspired theCatalan–Pisan conquest of the Balearics in 1113–1115.[3]
In the Spring of 1109, they arrived atSicily (Sikiley), where they were welcomed by the rulingCount Roger II, who was 12–13 years old at the time.
In the summer of 1110, they arrived at the port ofAcre (Akrsborg)[3] (or perhaps inJaffa),[5] and went toJerusalem (Jórsalir), where they met the rulingcrusader kingBaldwin I. They were warmly welcomed, and Baldwin rode together with Sigurd to the riverJordan, and back again to Jerusalem.
The Norwegians were given many treasures andrelics, including a splinter off theTrue Cross thatJesus had allegedly been crucified on. This was given on the condition that they would continue to promoteChristianity and bring the relic to the burial site ofSt Olaf.
Later, Sigurd returned to his ships atAcre, and when Baldwin was going to the Muslim town ofSidon (Sætt) inSyria (Sýrland), Sigurd and his men accompanied him in thesiege. The siege resulted in Sidon being taken and the subsequent creation of theLordship of Sidon.
After this, Sigurd and his men sailed toConstantinople (Old Norse:Miklagarðr), where Sigurd and his army ended up celebrating together with the Byzantine emperorAlexios I Komnenos. The Byzantines usually had a negative viewpoint of Crusaders, due to different events. Sigurd was provided both economic and diplomatic support for his crusade and after the celebrations, Sigurd left all of his ships and valuable figureheads as well as many of his men, before making his way back to Norway by land, arriving there in 1111.[3][8]
