Foundation of the Principality of Antioch

The Foundation of the Principality of Antioch refers to the establishment of a crusader state in the early 12th century after the First Crusade captured Jerusalem. In 1098, Western Christian leaders created a feudal territory centered around Antioch, a key city in what is now Turkey, to secure the Holy Land and support ongoing crusading efforts. This principality was governed by a noble ruler, initially Bohemond I, and involved establishing local administrative structures, negotiating with surrounding Muslim and Byzantine powers, and attracting settlers and knights to bolster the Christian presence in the region.