This video chronicles the dramatic Siege of Nicaea in 1097, focusing on the efforts of Robert of Normandy and Tancred.

The narrative begins on the plains outside Nicaea, where Robert and Tancred survey the Great Tower flying the Gilded Cross Standard.

Inside the tower, Governor Koteas prepares the defenses while Admiral Konstantinos signals the Byzantine fleet at Lake Ascanius.

As the Crusader vanguard advances with massive siege towers, the tension mounts. Robert directs the assault, his gaze fixed on the standard.

The battle intensifies with Turkish archers and the arrival of the Seljuk relief force under Commander Malik.

Robert and Tancred lead the defense, forming shield walls and countering the flanking maneuvers of Commander Arslan.

Despite the fierce fighting, the city falls. Governor Koteas surrenders to Alexios I Komnenos, leading to political friction.

Robert is excluded from the victory ceremony, his Gilded Cross Breastplate a symbol of his contested honor.

The Byzantine fleet departs, and the Crusaders march east toward Dorylaeum, leaving the Gilded Cross Standard behind as a reminder of the complex alliance.