In early July, before they had completed the building of their siege engines, the Franks learnt that Al-Afdal had gathered an army and was marching on Jerusalem. That news intensified their desperation and fear. Once again, as they had time and again since they left their homes in Europe, the Franks sought out and prayed for some kind of spiritual miracle; one that would guarantee victory and save them from complete destruction. That spiritual miracle came through a man named Peter Desiderius.