Fulcher of Chartres travelled through Asia Minor to Marash, shortly before the army's arrival at Antioch in 1097, where he was appointed chaplain to Baldwin of Boulogne. He followed his new lord after Baldwin split off from the main army, to Edessa, where Baldwin founded the county of Edessa. After the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 Fulcher and Baldwin travelled to the city to complete their vow of pilgrimage. When Baldwin became king of Jerusalem in 1100, Fulcher came with him to Jerusalem and continued to act as his chaplain until Baldwin died in 1118. At that time, Fulcher may have been serving
Baldwin I of Jerusalem from his subjects. He appointed his relative, Baldwin of Le Bourcq, his successor in the county and Le Bourcq swore fealty to him. About 200 knights and 300–700 foot-soldiers accompanied Baldwin when he left Edessa on 2October 1100. He spent four days in Antioch, but did not accept the local inhabitants' offer to administer the principality during Bohemond's captivity. Duqaq of Damascus wanted to ambush him on the narrow road near the mouth of the Nahr al-Kaib River. Fakhr al-Mulk, the qadi of Tripoli, secretly warned Baldwin, enabling him to make arrangements to defeat the attack and he routed the