As Western knights and nobles ride toward Jerusalem, there are many other cities they must take along the way.  Their first battlefield encounter with the Turks leaves a lasting impression on both sides, but they are soon occupied with besieging fortified cities.  Heads are brandished on spears and bodies hang on display from the ramparts. The siege of Antioch comes close to ending the entire crusade on more that one occasion, with starvation, desertion, and enemy armies of much larger size.  Heroic feats, cannibalism, and nearly miraculous escapes are all part of this gripping story.