People's Crusade

The People's Crusade was the first, largest, and most well-documented of the popular
crusades. It lasted roughly six months from April to October 1096, and is categorized either
as a prelude to the First Crusade, or, as a distinct part of the First Crusade to be distinguished
from the "Princes' Crusade" which was much more well-organized, well-armed, and well-
funded. It is also known as the Peasants' Crusade, Paupers' Crusade or the Popular Crusade as
it was not part of the official Catholic Church-organised expeditions that came later. Led
primarily by Peter the Hermit with forces of Walter Sans Avoir, the untrained peasant army
was destroyed by the forces of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum under Kilij Arslan at the Battle of
Civetot in northwestern Anatolia.

This crusade comes in response to the call of Pope Urban II, the crusade that ends with a
great massacre and which has extinguished the enthusiasm of the population to participate in
the wars of liberation of the holy places. This crusade is followed by the crusade of the
princes, the crusade that lays the foundations of the kingdom of Jerusalem, a kingdom that
will survive for several decades and will be recaptured by Muslims because of disputes
between Christians.