This podcast series tells the story of the Crusades from the Byzantine angle. It is based on the book "The Byzantine World War" by Nick Holmes. In this episode, we follow the desperate attempts by the remarkable Byzantine Emperor, Alexios Komnenos, to save Byzantium from the host of enemies surrounding it, from Normans to Pechenegs and Turks. This would eventually lead to a plea for help to the West. This plea was the basis for one of the most extraordinary events in history: the First Crusade.