Outremer
First Battle of Ramleh
Baldwin moved his army to Ramleh and fortified it, rallying to himself all the troops he could muster. The two armies waited for the entire summer, neither willing to risk open battle. More Egyptians arrived early in September and the Muslims at last advanced on Ramleh. Baldwin did not wait to be attacked. Even though he commanded only 260 knights and 900 infantry, he led them in an attack at dawn the next morning. The Egyptian army numbered around ten thousand.
The first corps attacked and was wiped out. The second corps attacked and was likewise routed. The third corps attacked but was driven back with heavy losses. They were pursued by the left wing of the Egyptian army. At this point, Baldwin himself attacked. The Egyptians, believing the battle over, were taken completely by surprise. There was brief, fierce fighting, and the Egyptians panicked and fled. Baldwin forbade his men to stop to plunder the camp and chased the Egyptians all the way back to Ascalon. He then returned to Ramleh and looted what the Egyptians had abandoned. It was yet another extraordinary Christian victory against overwhelming odds.
It was in this context that the survivors of the Crusade of 1101 arrived at Jerusalem early in 1102. One can see how fragile was the young kingdom in that Baldwin had to send an escort to Jaffa to ensure their safe passage overland to Jerusalem. The Latin presence in Palestine still comprised little more than tiny islands in enemy territory, held only through incredible bravery on the battlefield. The newcomers—really the first Crusade to arrive after the original—toured the holy places and spent Easter week in Jerusalem, then started for home. William of Aquitaine sailed away. So did Stephen of Blois and Stephen of Burgundy and others, but the ship they were on was driven back by a storm. They were forced to wait for a new ship and in the meantime received word that a new Egyptian army was marching. Baldwin asked them to stay and they agreed.