Emicho's Rhineland Crusade

Timeline

1. 1096Speyer · RhinelandEmicho claimed to have received a divine revelation and would conquer the Holy Land as an apocalyptic emperor, gathering some ten thousand followers to march east along the Rhine valley. At Speyer the crusaders killed eleven Jews, while the rest took refuge in the castle under the protection of Bishop John, who also ordered the hands of several attackers cut off.
2. 1096Worms and Mainz · RhinelandEmicho's band massacred some 800 to 1000 Jews at Worms, then advanced on Mainz. Despite Bishop Ruthard's attempts at protection, sympathizers inside the city opened the gates to the crusaders, and at least 1100 Jews were killed. Many Jews chose martyrdom or killed their entire families, and Mainz became the city that suffered the worst massacre.
3. 1096Cologne · RhinelandWhen Emicho reached Cologne most Jews had already evacuated; the crusaders looted the Jewish quarter, hunted down those in hiding, and seized large sums of money. Other smaller crusader bands joined Emicho here, and together they turned southeast toward Hungary via the Danube.
4. c. 1096Moson (Wieselburg) · HungaryKing Coloman of Hungary refused Emicho passage, and Emicho besieged the fortress of Moson. When crusader morale collapsed, a Hungarian counterattack destroyed or drowned most of them in the Leitha River. Emicho and a few leaders fled to Italy or returned to the Rhineland; survivors such as William the Carpenter later joined the Princes' Crusade.