One of the great historians of the twentieth century, Steven Runciman has captivated generations with his superb A History of the Crusades, first published by Penguin in 1965, transforming the common view of the Holy Wars through its impartial and penetrating approach. Here, he describes the decisive victory of the crusaders over Arab forces in Jerusalem, an episode that perhaps more than any other was responsible for generating a Christian-Moslem enmity still felt today.

The military commander at Belgrade was taken by surprise. He had received no instructions how to deal with such an invasion. He sent post-haste to Nish, where the governor of the Bulgarian province resided, to inform him of Walter's arrival. The governor, a conscientious but undistinguished official called Nicetas, was equally uninstructed. In his turn he dispatched a messenger to take the news as quickly as possible to Constantinople. Meanwhile Walter at Belgrade demanded food for his followers. The harvests were not yet gathered, and the garrison had none to spare; so Walter and his troops began to pillage the countryside. His temper was inflamed owing to an unfortunate occurrence at Semlin, where sixteen of his men, who had not crossed the river with their companions, tried to rob a bazaar. The Hungarians captured them and stripped them of their arms and their clothing, which were hung on the walls of Semlin as a warning, and sent them on naked across to Belgrade. When the pillaging round Belgrade began the commander resorted to arms. In the fighting several of Walter's men were killed and others were burnt alive in a church.

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