Emperor Alexios had chosen not to accompany…

Emperor Alexios had chosen not to accompany the crusaders, but had marched out behind them and made his camp at nearby Pelecanum.

From there, he sends boats, rolled over the land, to help the crusaders blockade Lake Ascanius, which has up to this point been used by the Turks to supply Nicaea with food.

The boats arrive on June 17, under the command of Manuel Boutoumites.

The general Tatikios is also sent, with two thousand foot soldiers.

Alexios has instructed Boutoumites to secretly negotiate the surrender of the city without the crusaders' knowledge.

Tatikios has been instructed to join with the crusaders and make a direct assault on the walls, while Boutoumites will pretend to do the same to make it look as if the imperial forces had captured the city in battle.

This is done, and on June 19 the Turks surrender to Boutoumites.

The city is handed over to the imperial troops, which has often been depicted as a source of conflict between the Empire and the crusaders; imperial standards fly from the walls while Boutoumites is named dux of Nicaea and forbids the crusaders from entering in groups larger than ten men at a time.

Boutoumites also expels the Turkish generals, whom he considers just as untrustworthy (and indeed, these men try to take their Greek guides hostage on their way to meet with the emperor).

Kilij Arslan's family goes to Constantinople and will eventually be released without ransom.

Alexios gives the crusaders money, horses, and other gifts, but the crusaders are not pleased with this, believing they could have had even more if they had captured Nicaea themselves.

Boutoumites will not permit them to leave until they have all sworn an oath of vassalage to Alexios, if they had not yet done so in Constantinople.

As he had in Constantinople, Tancred at first refuses, but he eventually gives in.

The crusaders leave Nicaea on June 26, in two contingents, in order to simplify the problem of supplies.

Bohemond, Tancred, Robert of Flanders, and Tatikios are in the vanguard, and Godfrey, Baldwin of Boulogne, Stephen, and Hugh of Vermandois in the rear.

Tatikios has been instructed to ensure the return of captured cities to the empire.

Their spirits are high: Stephen, in a letter to his wife Adela of Blois, writes that he believes the journey will take five weeks; in reality, it will take two years.