The motley European bands, once in Asia Minor, begin to pillage nearby towns, spurring each other on until finally the French reach the edge of Nicaea, where they pillage the suburbs.

The Norman raiding party returns unhindered many times with their booty, at some point even defeating the garrison of Nicaea when it tries to stop them.

An argument breaks out between the Germans and Italians on one side and the French on the other.

The Germans and Italians split off and elect a new leader, an Italian named Rainald, while for the French, Geoffrey Burel takes command.

Peter has effectively lost control of the crusade.

Reinald leads a host of Germans (Lombards and Alemanni), including two hundred knights, on similar raids.

Unsatisfied with the pillaging results near Nicaea, Reinald goes farther to Xerigordon, a hilltop fortress a few miles to the east, to set up a pillaging base, easily defeating the Xerigordon garrison on September 18, 1096.

Kilij Arslan orders his general, Elchanes, to deal with the crusader's raiding parties.

Elchanes arrives three days later with mostly mounted archers and besieges the crusaders tightly.

The speed of the Turkish mounted troops surprises the Germans; they had not expected to be besieged and are unprepared and without adequate supplies.

Moreover, there is no water system inside the fortress.

The defenders are forced to drink the blood of donkeys and their own urine during the siege, as their water supply is cut.

Relief forces never come.

For eight days, the Crusaders resist thirst and a rain of arrows and smoke from the Turks.

After, the leader of the Germans offers to surrender and to fight for the Turks.

The fort surrenders on September 29, 1096.

Some of the Crusaders who convert to Islam are enslaved and sent to Khorasan, while others who refuse to abandon their faith are killed.

There are various accounts on Reinald's fate.

Some mention that he was killed at the beginning of the siege while trying to ambush the Turks' own water source in front of the fortress, others that he died during the siege, and one that claims he converted to Islam.

Some accounts mention that Turks sent two spies to the Crusaders' camp at Civetot to make them think that Xerigordon was still safe, and even that Nicaea had been conquered by Reinald.

Other accounts mention that Crusader leaders on the field were forced by their troops to advance, but could not make the decision until news of the Xerigordon surrender arrived on October.