ABSTRACT
Historians of Byzantium and the crusades much more concerned with the relations between Alexios I and the crusader chiefs as well as the emperor's conflict with the Normans of Antioch. They also concentrate on the hardships and peril the crusaders faced while crossing Anatolia and besieging Antioch. Their view, however, is biased by a very negative image of the crusaders, which depicts them as unruly and rapacious hosts, driven by religious fanaticism, unrestrained violence, and avarice. The relatively well-studied Frankish experience has to be supplemented by an adequate interpretation of Turkish reactions and strategies vis-a-vis the crusaders. The crusaders were no exception from the rule despite the strong religious sentiment that came to dominate their relations with the Muslims. The Muslim tradition stresses the Seljuk leader's qualities as an autonomous ruler, who distinguishes himself from the governors and iqta holders subject to Sultan Muhammad. The Seljuk leader suffered a heavy blow that undermined his prestige as ruler and military commander.
