The disparity in military strength was immense. The armies of Eric, Belem, Stephen, and Lagman, along with the small contingent of Frankish and English Barons Belem had deceived on his return from Cyprus, plus Brinyos's insignificant Byzantine forces, meant the Crusaders in Hama could muster at most close to eight thousand men to face the enemy.
To face a large force of thirty or even forty thousand coming from Aleppo, victory seemed a remote possibility.
Of course, the Muslim citizens of Hama City could perhaps serve as defenders, but who could guarantee they wouldn't turn traitor? And that was to say nothing of Mahmud in the Mountain Castle, who could rush out and attack Hama City at any moment while the Crusaders were engaged with the army from Aleppo.
To boost morale, Eric agreed to Brother John's proposal to hold a Mass.
Before dawn, everyone climbed the mountainside in darkness, rising like Christ from the valley of death.
