The New Student's Reference Work/Tancred

Tancred (tăn′krĕd), an Italian prince, was born in 1078. He joined the crusaders under Bohemond, his cousin, the son of Robert Guiscard, the crusader. He fought bravely at the siege of Nicasa in 1097, and in the battle of Dorylæum saved the Christian army from being cut to pieces. In the massacre which followed the capture of Jerusalem, whose walls he was one of the first to mount, he alone had any mercy for the conquered, in whose behalf he risked his own life. Tancred defeated the advance guard of the sultan of Egypt, and had a great share in the capture of Ascalon. After taking Tiberias he was made prince of the city. He defended Antioch against great odds, whose governor (his cousin Bohemend) had left to raise recruits in the west. Tancred carried his arms as far as Tripoli, and succeeded in driving the Saracens out of Syria. He died at Antioch in 1112. He is one of the leading heroes of Tasso's famous poem of Jerusalem Delivered.