A.D. 1096.] EXPEDITION TO THE HOLT LAND. Of Walter, who was the first to set out on the pilgrimage. A.D. 1096. In the month of March, and on the 8th day of that month, Walter, surnamed Sans-avoir,* a man of noble birth and active habits, with a great multitude of armed footmen, for he had few cavalry, was the first of all those who had taken the cross to set out on the expedition, and crossing the Teutonic and Hungarian kingdoms, arrived at the river Maroc. Crossing this he entered the province of Bulgaria, and came to a place called Belgrave, where some of his followers remaining at Mala-villa [Semlin], without his knowing it, to buy provisions, were seized by the Bulgarians, stripped naked and scourged, after which they were sent back to their companions. Walter, therefore, demanding permission of the duke of Bulgaria, to purchase necessaries, and not obtaining his request, pitched his camp before the city of Belgrave. Here he suffered severe losses because he could not restrain his army, who were greatly distressed for provisions. For, as they were not allowed to buy anything from that wicked race of men, they attacked the flocks and herds of the Bulgarians, and carried them off to their camp. The Bulgarians, hearing of this, seized their arms to rescue the spoil, and having defeated the plunderers, set fire to a chapel, to which a hundred and fifty of them had fled for protection, and burned them all ; the rest took to flight. Walter, with his army, next arrived at Stralice, the capital of inland Dacia, and lodged a complaint with the governor of the city, of the wrong which had been done to God's host by the Bulgarians. Having obtained full satisfaction for the injury, he thence proceeded to the royal city, and being introduced to the presence of the emperor Alexius, he requested of him that until the arrival of Peter the hermit, at whose command he had marched, he should be allowed to remain with Ids army near the city, with free permission to buy and sell. This privilege the emperor readily conceded to him. Of the pilgrimage of Peter the Hermit. Next to Walter in setting out on the pilgrimage was Peter the hermit, who traversed Lorraine, Franconia, Bavaria, and * Commonly called in English, Walter the penniless.