Certainty: 2 The Parthenon inscriptions record the death on February 19 of Nikephoros, metropolitan of Athens. Nikephoros, metropolitan of Athens, is reported in the Parthenon inscriptions as having died on February 19
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II's choice of administrators for the empire. A few days after his father's death, Ioannes II could allow anyone in and out of the palace, feeling secure. He divided offices fairly among his relatives: his brother Isaakios, already sebastokrator, was allowed to share power almost equally. Ioannes Komnenos became parakoimomenos and Gregorios Taronites protovestiarios: Ioannes behaved overbearingly and was replaced, Gregorios governed well and remained longer. He was joined by a namesake, Gregorios Kamateros, able though not of good family. He became rich by assessing taxes, married an imperial relative and was promoted logothetes of the sekreta. But the most influential administrator was Ioannes Axouch, a Turkish prisoner from Nicaea brought up with Ioannes II. He was made Megas Domestikos, and was both respected and popular
Certainty: 3 Dispute over paroikoi between Lavra & 3 stratiotai to whom it had granted in pronoia a property at Archontochorion. Three stratiotai had held in pronoia a property of Lavra at Archontochorion, near Thessalonike, on condition that their paroikoi would only cultivate the land and not dwell on it. They were Leon Loukites, Romanos Andreas Rentenos and Theotimos Loukites. They had been in dispute with Lavra, but the problem was settled by Konstantinos Doukas, the doux and praktor of Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonike, at the orders of the emperor (probably Ioannes II). Through the logariastes Xiphilinos, Doukas granted the stratiotai land from the fisc for their paroikoi to live on while they exercised the right of cultivation given by Lavra
Certainty: 1 Foundation of the knights Templar by Hugh of Payns & Geoffrey of St Omer.
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II made an immediate attack in Asia, capturing Laodikeia. Ioannes II saw that the Turks in Anatolia had no regard for the treaties they had made with Alexios I, and were overwhelming cities there. So in spring he made an attack in the area of Phrygia and the Maiander valley. He captured and fortified Laodikeia, forcing its ruler Alp-quara into exile. Having done what else was necessary, he returned to the capital
Certainty: 3 Calixtus II became pope, in succession to Gelasius II. Calixtus II, who had been the archbishop of Vienne, was elected pope, to succeed the deceased Gelasius II. The old pontiff was exiled to France, where he died at Cluny. This put an end to a long schism in the papacy
Certainty: 3 Easter raid on Bedouin in Damascene territory led to death of Godfrey of Bures. Joscelin of Courtenay heard of vast Bedouin herds grazing on Damascene territory. This was done, at a price, with the support of Tughtakin, under the escort of troops from Egypt, Arabia and the Bedouin themselves. Joscelin persuaded Godfrey and William of Bures to join him in a raid on this tempting target. They gathered a small but fierce force and penetrated the area. In the struggle which developed Joscelin took station on the right and William on the left, while Godfrey of Bures charged the herdsmen and their guards in the middle. However, Godfrey became isolated and he and all his men were killed or captured before help could arrive. Many of the enemy who were responsible were killed later. Baldwin II mourned greatly for the deaths of Godfrey and his friends, and ordered mobilisation at Bethan for revenge. But as Baldwin was uncertain of the reliability of his men, while the Bedouin doubted their Turkish defenders, the issue was solved by a money payment from the Arabs. The battle took place in Holy Week and it is likely that the defeat of the Christians was due to their showing extreme greed at such a holy time
Certainty: 3 Successful raid from Tyre & Askalon on Easter ceremonies at the Jordan. At the Easter when Godfrey of Bures was killed, Baldwin II and the patriarch Gormond were enraged when pilgrims taking part in the ceremony at the Jordan were killed or captured by raiders from Tyre and Askalon. The attackers escaped to their home cities
Certainty: 2 Plot against Ioannes II of Anna Komnene, Bryennios & other Komnenoi, & its results. Before his reign had lasted a year, Ioannes II faced a plot by Anna Komnene (with her philosophical interests) and other family members, with Nikephoros Bryennios as a rather unwilling figurehead, because of his education and imperial bearing. The conspirators were to kill Ioannes at the Philopation, having bribed its gatekeeper. But Bryennios' lack of action frustrated the plot. Anna was furious, and punished him with a painful contraction of her vagina during intercourse. The conspirators suffered no physical punishment, just confiscation of their goods: soon after, most of them were returned. But Ioannes II resolved to punish the chief instigator, Anna, by giving her property to Ioannes Axouchos, complaining that his sister had become an enemy. Axouchos agreed, but politely declined the gift, saying that she remained a family member, and could be shamed by clemency into repentance. Ioannes II restored the property, and they were reconciled. Eirene Doukaina was not implicated in the plot: she said it was one thing to seek to fill a vacant throne, and another to unseat a reigning emperor
Certainty: 2 Ilghazi attacked the principality of Antioch. Najm al-Din Ilghazi, the Urtuqid, together with Tughtakin of Damascus and the Bedouin chief Dubais, made the attack on Antioch which would lead to the massacre of the Field of Blood. Roger of Salerno, the Prince of Antioch, had been proud of victory by his own strength in 1115: now for his sins, especially adultery, he was cast down into inexpressible pain and misery, leading to death in battle or by torture for him and most of his men. This contrast and sign of God's power forced Walter the Chancellor to make Roger the centre of his narrative. When he heard of the Muslim attack, he sent for help to Joscelin of Edessa, Pons of Tripoli and Baldwin II, but moved out alone against the enemy
Certainty: 3 Roger of Antioch chose the site for the Field of Blood. Roger of Antioch was impatient to begin operations against Ilghazi and his allies, who were ravaging the Antiochene borders. Roger probably listened too much to the border barons, whose lands were raided yearly, and were being devastated while the army remained at Artah. He had asked the patriarch, Bernard of Valence, to come with him to Artah and deliver a sermon. Bernard saw that at Artah they were in a well-supplied situation likely to be easily defended, and preached that they preserve these advantages and repent of their sins, so as to fight a just war. Roger was determined to move forward, and did not listen. When Bernard realised that Roger would disregard his views, he restated them carefully, but in vain. He then took Roger's confession, saw him make his will, blessed him as he set out, repeated his exhortation to virtue and returned sobbing to Antioch. If Roger had reamined at Artah, he would soon have had the wise advice of Baldwin II. Walter the Chancellor, who was present, narrates the advance to the Field of Blood in the first person plural, making it plain that he disapproved
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II was near Damascus when he received the Antiochene plea for help. When he received the plea for help from Roger of Antioch, Baldwin was fighting near Damascus with Gormond the patriarch and the True Cross. He rushed to drive the enemy from Christian lands, then moved quickly northwards with Gormond, the Cross, Pons of Tripoli, Evremar of Caesarea and 250 knights
Certainty: 3 Preliminary skirmishing & reconnaissance before the battle of the Field of Blood. Roger led his army to a site where food and water were scarce, requiring constant foraging: they camped at the Field of Blood with 700 knights and 3,000 infantry. His movements were observed by Ilghazi's spies selling birds. Roger sent men from the army to help the garrison of al-Atharib, which was under attack (a feint?). In a preliminary skirmish Alan of al-Atharib fought well, while Robert of Vieux-Pont and his knights defended with great determination and stamina, Arrangements were made for Peter of Narbonne, archbishop of Apamea, to have the whole army (and Roger) confess at dawn. A lunatic prophetess predicted disaster for the Antiochenes, and her skill was confirmed. He told Mauger of Hauteville to send forty men on reconnaissance and ten to a nearby hilltop. He met with his household, had a private discussion with Walter the Chancellor and arranged for valuables to be sent to the bishop of Artah. On the morning of the battle, his hunting was interrupted by a messnger who told him of many hostile columns approaching by unknown and inaccessible paths, one following the other. This made Roger concentrate on defence. After the planned confession to Peter of Narbonne, a second messenger reported the enemy closer, making the enormity of the danger clear. A priest was told to keep the True Cross contantly in Roger's view. News arrived of Mauger's forty scouts: Alberic his deputy steward reported the deaths by decapitation of of Jordan Jordan and Eudes Forestmoutiers, then Mauger himself and a companion arrived, badly wounded on dying horses, bearing even closer testimony to the danger. Roger's last act before being engulfed in the battle was to sent Reynald Mazoir with strong forces on a spectacular diversionary attack
Certainty: 2 Battle of the Field of Blood (general factoids). Najm al-Din Ilghazi, the Urtuqid, defeated and killed Roger, prince of Antioch at Balat. The battle became known for the completeness of the defeat, the enormous disparity in casualty numbers, and as a divine judgement against Roger of Antioch, who is accused of committing adultery with many other women while living with his wife, Cecilia
Certainty: 3 Roger of Antioch & most of his forces killed at the Field of Blood. Roger of Antioch organised the battle formations as he had often done before, but this time in a better way, because fighting now for God and the True Cross. He made five divisions. The first act was a successful attack by the battle-line of St Peter, which scattered one of the enemy formations. This charge was emulated by the division of Geoffrey the Monk, which attacked a huge enemy group; his men fought very well, but could not quite complete the defeat of those opposing them. A third, similar attack was made by Guy of Fremelle, who almost broke the formation he attacked, but not quite. But the fourth division was less successful: some of Robert of St Lo's men, especially the Tourcopoles, broke and fled, and could not be rallied; what is more, they took with them part of the formation of Roger himself, which was thrown into serious confusion, preparing the way for the massacre of the whole army and its prince. The priest carrying the (Antiochene) True Cross was killed just after Roger, and the reliquary of the Cross was immediately plundered for its gold and jewels. Many of the survivors of the massacre took refuge on a small hill, where they were under a hail of arrows and other missiles. Many of them became prisoners, up to 500. Those who were badly wounded were killed immediately, many others after torture in a local vineyard. Reynauld Mazoir commanded a group of fugitives who escaped to a tower at Sarmada, but it was weak and had no food. However when Ilghazi approached Reynauld was able to surrender on terms, with Ilghazi's own ring as a pledge
Certainty: 3 Developments before the arrival of Baldwin II. After his victory, Ilghazi checked al-Atharib, then went to Artah, where, under truce, he let the bishop and all his men (lay and clerical) go to Antioch in return for surrendering his tower. He kept his word, save that his escorts robbed the men of all valuables - though priestly robes were later returned. Ilghazi next demanded that Joseph, castellan of Artah, surrender the town to him. Joseph shrewdly proposed instead that Sahenas be sent as Ilghazi's representative in Artah, because Joseph feared for the life of his son (who was at Antioch) if he received Ilghazi himself into Artah; the latter agreed. Ilghazi's drunkenness now made him forget strategic issues and concentrate on sending raiding parties in all directions, collecting quantities of booty. The patriarch Bernard took control in an Antioch now deprived of nearly all Frankish soldiers, using priests and monks for defence, preventing suspect local Christians from bearing arms and submitting them to curfew. He pitched his own tents at the city's weakest point. His energy in reviewing defences and motivating defenders kept up morale till the arrival of Baldwin II. A raiding party from Ilghazi plundered St Symeon and rode to Antioch, killing some Frankish scouts and routing unarmed citizens who opposed them. But the rump of Antiochene troops, despite losing 37 dead, stood firm at the bridge outside the city. When Ilghazi heard of the approach of Baldwin II and Pons, he detached large forces to destroy them with ambushes in the areas of Laodikeia, Mt Parlerius and St Simeon. He was trying to complete the extermination of local Christianity
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II confirmed privileges & granted exemptions & annual donation to Theologos of Patmos. Following a request from the monks of Patmos, Ioannes II confirmed the chrysobulls of his father (Alexios I), granting the monastery exemption from certain taxes for a ship and an annual donation by the doux of Crete of 300 modioi of wheat and 24 nomismata. Another chrysobull granted them monks an additional annual donation of 100 modioi of wheat to be given by the doux of Crete from the revenues of the kastron of Chandax, and exempted their ship from the antinaulon tax. Gegorios Kamateros, Ioannes' logothetes, had the first chrysobull registered in his sekreton, and it was signed by an official named Ioannes
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II & Pons of Tripoli arrived in Antioch to stabilise the situation after death of Roger. As Baldwin II and Pons of Tripoli approached Antioch, they met and defeated some of Ilghazi's men at Mt Hingro. After camping at Laitor, Baldwin advanced in front with Pons behind, Baldwin asking to be summoned if the enemy appeared. However it was only in camp at Casabella that he learned that Pons had been worsted in a skirmish. After lamenting that he could not pursue those reaponsible, he decided, as senior Christian ruler, to comfort the people of Antioch and take counsel there. The Turks who had raided Antioch were too far away for pursuit. He realised how much the people had suffered both physically and psychologically, so he entered the city amidst universal joy, prayed in Hagios Petros, made a speech and listened to the advice of Bernard the patriarch. He was made ruler of the city, promising at a formal council to transfer Antioch to Bohemond (II) when he arrived there, together with the hand of his daughter Alice; otherwise property ownership should not change. This was confirmed by a royal charter. He quickly assembled troops from far and wide, arming them well; they included Alan and his troops from al-Atharib, other Antiochene survivors, and men from Edessa. Ilghazi, hearing that Alan was at Antioch, ignored Artah and 'Imm, but attacked al-Atharib. He assaulted the town in all possible ways, till the small garrison surrendered and were sent shamefacedly to Antioch, telling Baldwin where his enemy was. Just before the battle, Ilghazi attacked Zerdana, at first without success. But as the defenders weakened they were lured with false promises till they gave in. Despite the promises, they were all killed. As Baldwin left Antioch, Bernard celebrated Mass in Hagios Petros, blessed him and the army, signed them with the True Cross and followed them for a time before turning back
Certainty: 2 Usama fought in his first real battle near Apamea. While Usama's uncle 'Izz al-Din Abu l-'Asakir Sultan was away with Ilghazi on the Field of Blood campaign, Usama went to Apamea with bedouins and a few knights to pillage the crops, his first expedition. They were attacked by the Franks at the Valley of Bohemond, where he killed several men and thought he had killed a knight called Philippos. Later his uncle returned to Shayzar bringing Philippos to meet Usama
Certainty: 3 Second battle of Danith: no victory to either side. Ilghazi, Tughtakin, Bochard and Dubais were the core of the Muslim army, with Turcoman raiders who could not be trusted to stay present once they had booty. They met near Tall-Danith and prepared all night for the battle, trying for an early-morning surprise, as at the Field of Blood, making a noisy attack wiith many missiles. The Christians were awake and ready, having Pons on the right, the Antiochenes on the left and Baldwin in the centre, with infantry to the rear. Evremar carried the Cross, unarmed yet unwounded. They withstood the first Muslim attack, but then suffered losses, especially among the infantry, and were thrown into confusion in hand-to-hand fighting. Pons' troops were mixed with those of Baldwin, despite heroic fighting from the two leaders. But the Muslims too had heavy losses, and eventually abandoned the battlefield, disbanded their forces and did not return. Baldwin held the field [evidence for Fulcher of Chartres of a Christian victory], but not securely, having lost a royal standard, and being forced to go to Hab for provisions overnight before returning to the battlefield in the morning. After gathering the dead and and tending the wounded, he found that he had lost 500-700 infantry and 100 knights, while 2,000-3,000 Turks died. Neither side could really speak of victory. He sent his well-known ring to Antioch to confirm to the patriarch and the princess (Baldwin's sister) that the Christian side claimed victory. Baldwin sent Evremar of Caesarea with the True Cross back to Jerusalem [though one version sends it to Antioch first], but remained himself to organise Antiochene affairs. Before returning to Jerusalem he made a triumphant entry into Antioch, arranged the succession of the fallen, ensured their widows married suitable husbands and garrisoned fortresses
Certainty: 2 The fate of Christian prisoners in Aleppo. Some prisoners from the Field of Blood were still held at Aleppo at the time of the second battle of Danith, and new prisoners were added. The first news reaching Sulayman ibn Ilghazi, castellan of Aleppo, was that Ilghazi and Tughtakin had been defeated and killed. This caused rejoicing among an opposition group in Aleppo - thus puzzling the Frankish prisoners. Later, Christian heads were thrown into their cell to confirm a Muslim victory, but the truth became known secretly. Then Ilghazi and Tughtakin themselves arrived, exhausted and without weapons, and began to drink, while spreading news that there had been a great victory and seeking to terrify the prisoners. Robert fitzFulk was passed between the two, each asking the other to kill him. Finally Tughtakin beheaded him and had a cup made from his skull. [Usama claims that Ilghazi asked Tughtakin to scare Robert into raising his ransom price, and Tughtakin replied that beheading was a good way to scare him.] Tughtakin wanted to slaughter all the prisoners in a kind of purification ritual, but Ilghazi reminedd him that they still needed money and ways to put pressure on the Franks. But death by mutilation continued. As the two got more intoxicated martyrdoms became more bizarre, in front of most of the people of Aleppo. A man they thought was a priest was killed at once. 37 were killed at the same time. Sanson of Bruera saw a vision of 24 comrades, and all these were killed. The killing was interrupted by the arrival of a horse, a gift to Ilghazi. One corpse moved itself from one place to another, astounding everybody. Much of the narrative is written as an eyewitness report by Walter the Chancellor
Certainty: 3 Triumphant return of True Cross to Jerusalem ofter the second battle of Danith. Evremar of Caesarea took the True Cross back from the second battle of Danith to Jerusalem, with an adequate escort provided by Baldwin II. In Jerusalem it was welcomed with joy and some relief
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II crowned king, with Morphia, who had arrived in Jerusalem, as queen. When Baldwin II was consecrated king of Jerusalem, he sent for his wife Morphia and three daughters from Edessa. A fourth daughter was born in Jerusalem. On Christmas day, Baldwin and Morphia were crowned (for the first time) king and queen in Bethlehem
Certainty: 3 Rights of Lavra at Chostiane set out in document of Nikephoros Komnenos. Nikephoros Komnenos, the brother of Alexios I, issued a document concerning the rights of the Lavra monastery at Chostiane in the theme of Moglena
Certainty: 2 Council of Nablus established first written laws for Kingdom of Jerusalem. Baldwin II and the patriarch Gormond of Piquigny felt that Jerusalem was suffering from God's wrath, shown in earthquakes, military defeats and plagues of locusts and mice. They therefore jointly held a council at Nablus of the prelates and nobles of Jerusalem to raise moral standards. The result was the first written laws for the kingdom, in 25 articles which are preserved in many church archives
Certainty: 2 Taxes abolished on import of certain foodstuffs into Jerusalem, increasing the population. Baldwin II abolished all taxes in Jerusalem for anybody of any race importing grain, barley or legumes; even taxes on measures were removed. This lowered prices and contributed to a rise in population
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II captured Sozopolis & forts near Attaleia, returning to Constantinople. Not long after returning to the capital from Laodikeia, he set out again on campaign, to protect Roman territory and harden his army - important motivations. He attacked Sozopolis in Pamphylia, which was an extremely inaccessible fortress and well defended. Using (Ioannes) Paktiares and Dekanos, his cavalry commanders, he habituated the Turkish horsemen of Sozopolis to chasing off Byzantine assaults. One day the pursuit was greatly extended, ambushes were set, Sozopolis was captured and the Turkish cavalry left isolated. From Sozopolis he went on to take Hierakoryphetis and many other places near Attaleia which had before belonged to the Byzantines, but had submitted to the Turks
Certainty: 2 Neophytos, hegoumenos of Docheiariou, wrote advising his successor how to lead his community. Neophytos, hegoumenos of Docheiariou and protos of Athos, wrote his testament. Its main content was advice to his successor on how to lead his community
Certainty: 3 Controversy over request to endanger the True Cross on expedition to Antioch. When news came from Antioch of a great Turkish attack, Baldwin II resolved to go northwards to help in the defence. He also humbly asked to take the True Cross with him, as victory was impossible without it. Others felt the campaign was too dangerous for the Cross. Finally permission was given, and it was sent off in a barefoot procession involving the king and Gormond the patriarch
Certainty: 2 Fulk of Anjou maintained 100 knights for a year on pilgrimage in Jerusalem. Fulk of Anjou, after the death of his wife, went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He stayed there for around a year, maintaining 100 knights, and gained the friendship and respect of the barons. He then returned to France and put his affairs in order
Certainty: 2 Campaign from Antioch ended in inconclusive confrontation near Aleppo. Baldwin II went with the True Cross to Antioch, which was almost under siege before he came. On his arrival the Turks withdrew towards Aleppo and were joined by forces from Damascus. He approached the Turkish army and skirmished for three days with casualties, but there was no battle. Most of the Turks withdrew towards the east. Baldwin withdrew from Aleppo to Antioch, but had to stay nearby to protect the principality. However he sent the True Cross back to Jerusalem
Certainty: 3 Triumphant return of True Cross to Jerusalem. Fulcher of Chrtres and others in Jerusalem welcomed the glorious return of the True Cross, sent back by Baldwin II after the skirmishing at Aleppo
Certainty: 1 Joscelin of Tell Bashir carried off booty, then returned it because he owed a favour to his victim. Joscelin of Courtenay raided al-Raqqa and Qal'at al-Ja'bar, took considerable booty and camped across the Euphrates from there. However, Najm al-Dawla Malik, master of al-Qal'a, whom Joscelin knew and towards whom he had an obligation, crossed the river to meet him. Thereupon Joscelin honoured him and gave back all the booty
Certainty: 1 Death of Georgios Botaneiates. He died, to be mourned by his wife, Zoe Komnene, and their child Anna Botaneiataina Doukaina Komnene. The text works out detailed relationships of the family to three imperial houses
Certainty: 0 Ra'ul, a Christian convert to Islam, was given a Muslim wife by Usama's father Murshid. Usama's father Murshid captured a Christian family. The son of the family, Ra'ul, converted to Islam and became to all appearances a pious Muslim. He was trained in Murshid's household to be a stonemason. Murshid arranged for him to marry a wife from a good Muslim family, and they had two sons. However a few years later Ra'ul was to take his whole family and their possessions to Apamea, and reconverted to Christianity
Certainty: 0 Usama & his uncle on the road from Shayzar to Kafartab. Usama and his uncle Sultan were travelling from Shayzar to Kafartab, when they were caught between the Franks of Kafartab and those of Apamea. Sultan divided his forces: he dealt with the threat from Apamea, while Usama, with a handful of men, convinced the Franks of Kafartab that he had many more, keeping them inactive. Sultan praised him for this trick, which was a vital part of their victory
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II entered Macedonia, wintering at Beroe, seeking to divide Pecheneg invaders. Ioannes II, after a short stay in Constantinople, moved into Macedonia to counter a Pecheneg invasion across the Danube. He wintered at Beroe, trying to divide the invaders
Certainty: 2 Head of Kyrillos Phileotes translated from his tomb to church at his monastery.
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II tirelessly fought Tughtakin of Damascus around Gerasa & Tiberias. Tughtakin of Damascus understood that Baldwin II was under pressure on several fronts in the early years of his reign, and tried to exploit the fact by building a fort at Gerasa (1120) and ravaging the area of Tiberias. Baldwin defended tirelessly against Tughtakin's attacks, raising troops from the north of the kingdom and attacking across the Jordan, forcing Tughtakin to retreat towards Damascus and capturing Gerasa. Since it was too far from his base to defend easily, he destroyed the fort, but sent home its garrison of forty Turks
Certainty: 3 Defeat by David IV of Georgia of a massive Muslim invasion led by Ilghazi. A sultan of Khorasan made Ilghazi his commander in a massive invasion of Georgia. Georgia was defended by its king, David IV the Builder. His defensive position was heavily wooded, between two hills, he summoned divine aid and had 200 Franks in the van. He at once scattered the invaders at and won a great victory with heavy casualties. Ilghazi barely escaped the battle, and reached home with a few men, escorted by the Arab Dubais, exhausted, unarmed and hungry
Certainty: 0 Marriage of Theodora, daughter of Alexios I to Konstantinos Angelos. Alexios I married Theodora, the youngest of his daughters (in her second marriage) to Konstantinos Angelos, who was extremely handsome but not of the highest nobility
Certainty: 1 The bandit al-Zamarrakal harried the Antiochene army as it camped near Shayzar. Usama went with his cousin Layth al-Dawla Yahya to recover the harvest from a field near where the Franks were camped. On the way back, he encountered al-Zamarrakal, an unlikely bandit, who was intent on stealing horses from the Franks
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II destroyed the Pechenegs. He first responded to the Pecheneg invasion deviously, by sending Pecheneg-speaking envoys to talk and divide them with bribes, since they were fragmented into tribes and military units. Those chiefs he won over were treated very generously. He attacked the rest immediately near Beroe, while they were uncertain whether to accept his bribes. The battle was terrible, as the Romans could not withdraw without disaster, while the Pechenegs fought bravely, with cavalry charges and arrows, forming their wagons into a defensible circle like a city wall, leaving lines for counter-attack. Ioannes II himself, relying on the icon of the Theotokos and accompanied by his axe-wielding guards, broke the circle of wagons, and then won a hand-to-hand battle, with terrible casualties, especially among the Pechenegs, many of whom were also taken prisoner. Ioannes was wounded in the foot. His brother, the sebastokrator Andronikos, played a crucial role in the victory. These captives were settled along the borders (in settlements still known to Kinnamos and Choniates) or taken into the army. Ioannes won a great triumph (still celebrated later as the festival of the Pechenegs)
Certainty: 2 Appointment of Odo as first Latin archbishop of Tyre. Odo was made the first archbishop of Tyre of the Latin race. He was appointed in Jerusalem, while Tyre was still in the hands of the Muslims
Certainty: 2 Joscelin went to protect Antioch from Ilghazi; but the latter died before any battle. Zerdana, which had been slighted by Ilghazi in the campaign of the second battle of Danith, was rebuilt by Baldwin II, as regent of Antioch. Ilghazi, after disaster in Armenia, gathered another army and returned to reconquer Zerdana, which was defended by Joscelin of Edessa, who, on the advice of the patriarch Bernard of Valence led the armies of Antioch and Edessa to Sarmada. Baldwin was also summoned north to assist. But before fighting could begin, Ilghazi had an attack of apoplexy or some similar debilitating condition, and had to break off the siege of Zerdana. Despite attempts to conceal the malady, he died on his litter
Certainty: 2 Double wedding of two sons of Anna Komnene & Nikephoros Bryennios. Alexios and Ioannes, the two sons of Anna Komnene and Nikephoros Bryennios were married at the same time in a double wedding. This was one of the first tasks Anna had to undertake after losing and mourning her father. Theodora, the bride of Ioannes, was transplanted to Constantinople from her homeland, where she was of royal blood, by Eirene Doukaina, Anna and Nikephoros
Certainty: 2 Dispute between Pons of Tripoli & Baldwin II. Pons, count of Tripoli refused homage and the service due to Baldwin II. Baldwin immediately marched on Tripoli with the True Cross, but a setlement was reached before they came to blows. It was probably Pons who gave way. Baldwin went on to defend Zerdana, which, after the death of Ilghazi, was under attack from Balak of Khanzit
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II appointed his son Alexios co-emperor, & his other three sons sebastokrators. Ioannes II was the proud father of four sons. The first, Alexios, he made co-emperor in a brilliant ceremony where a poem of Theodoros Prodromos was performed, allowing him to wear imperial insignia and be joined with him in the acclamations. However a dream foretold that he would die before assuming full power. The other three (Andronikos, Isaakios and Manuel) he honoured with the title of sebastokrator
Certainty: 2 Wedding of Alexios, son of Nikephoros Euphorbenos. The wedding was celebrated of Alexios, son of Maria, daughter of Alexios I and Nikephoros (Eu)Phorbenos, a handsome man of the highest descent and military background. He married a beautiful (non-Byzantine) girl of royal descent, and Theodoros Prodromos wrote five short poems for the occasion
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II refused to renew the privileges of the Venetians, who had become rich & arrogant. Ioannes II refused to renew the privileges of the Venerians, effectively expelling them from the empire. They had profited immoderately from the concessions given by Alexios I and had become arrogant, scorning all Byzantines, even members of the imperial family
Certainty: 2 Death of Nikephoros Katakalon Euphhorbenos, husband of Maria, daughter of Alexios I. Nikephoros Katakalon Euphhorbenos was the husband of Maria, daughter of Alexios I. He died, making Maria a widow, one of a series of blows suffered by Eirene Doukaina after the death of her husband, Alexios I
Certainty: 3 Balak of Khanzit was beaten off from Zerdana, but captured Joscelin & Waleran of Birejik. Balak of Khanzit made an attack on Zerdana, but withdrew when Baldwin II arrived in the area, warned by an archbishop. However when Baldwin returned to Antioch, Balak resumed his attack on Zerdana. Baldwin then reduced his forces to an elite group and went again to protect Zerdana. Balak's reaction was the same, to move away while Baldwin was near, then to attack afresh when he left the area. Baldwin started off back to Jerusalem. But he had only reached Tripoli when he was stopped by bad news: Balak in a sudden raid had captured Joscelin of Edessa and Waleran of Birejik and held them imprisoned. Baldwin had to turn back yet again to protect Edessa, but sent the True Cross on to Jerusalem, where it arrived on September 20
Certainty: 1 Empress Eirene & Ioannes II began foundation of the Pantokrator Monastery. Eirene-Piroska, the wife of Ioannes II, probably took the initiative in collaborating with her husband in building a new church dedicated to the almighty wisdom of the Pantokrator. Icons depicitng the undepictable Godhead were to be placed in and around the sanctuary [This was to become the main Komnenian dynastic church, though Eirene was to die long before Ioannes brought it to completion.]
Certainty: 1 Jum'a al-Numairi rescued his son from the Franks. 'Izz al-Din Abu l-'Asakir Sultan, uncle of Usama and amir of Shayzar, was able to see through an ambush laid by the army of Antioch near Shayzar, and send horsemen to bring the enemy out. In the ensuing struggle a group of Muslims including Usama, Jum'a al-Numairi the Shayzar champion and his son Mahmud were able to kill sixteen Frankish knights. Mahmud was caught up among the enemy fighters, but finally his companions were able to save him
Certainty: 0 'Ali 'Abd Ibn Abi l-Rida', an Arab renegade, murdered by his wife for damaging the Muslims. 'Ali 'Abd Ibn Abi l-Rida', after the death of his master, Sayf al-Dawla Khalaf b. Mula'ib, Lord of Apamea, went to serve the Frank Theophilos, ruler of Kafartab. He used his really extraordinary sight to win battles and do great damage to the Muslims. This angered his wife. When she failed to stop him, she killed him in Kafartab, and then escaped to Shayzar, where she was treated with great respect
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II lost Rason to the Serbs, punished its commander, but won a great victory. Ioannes II achieved one of his greatest victories in Serbia. The Serbians had broken many treaties, and captured the fortress of Rason. The Byzantine commander of Rason, Kritop(ou)los, was punished for failure to stop the capture of the city by being paraded on a donkey in women's dress. Ioannes completely defeated the Serbs (whose military reputation was not high). He settled many prisoners in the area of Nikomedeia, adding to the army and to tax-registers
Certainty: 2 A revenge attack by a Venetian fleet on Kerkyra, on its way to Palestine. Ioannes II Komnenos, in revenge for his expulsion of the Venetians, had to endure raids from the large Venetian fleet of Doge Domenico Michiel. This had set out the previous year: it attacked Kerkyra and wintered there, without apparently capturing the town. [Kinnamos suggests that there were other raids en route to Palestine: other sources make it plain that most damage was done on the reurn journey]. The fleet was carrying pilgrims, 300 horses and timbers for siege machines, making constant stops to water the horses. The Venetians would successfully besiege Tyre. Venetians were also involved in general piracy
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II, trying to protect Edessa from Balak, was himself also captured. After the imprisonment of Joscelin of Edessa and Waleran of Birejik, Baldwin went on to Edessa, and carefully inspected the defences of its fortresses, guarding against further attacks. But as he toured the area, he too was unexpectedly captured by Balak's forces and taken to the prison of Kharpurt, where Joscelin and Waleran were also held
Certainty: 3 Eustace Garnier the constable was chosen at Acre as regent for Baldwin II. The capture of Baldwin II near Edessa obviously demanded the appointment of a regent. A council was held at Acre, in which the patriarch Gormond played a significant role. The choice fell on Eustace Garnier, lord of Caesarea and Sidon
Certainty: 2 Attempt by Baldwin II & Joscelin to escape from Kharpurt. Baldwin II and Joscelin of Edessa (and friends) in their prison at Kharpurt made plans to escape: their first step was to establish good relations with the local Armenians, so that any help they got from outside would be maximised in its effect. Then a group of fifty Armenians from Edessa entered the fortress of Kharpurt in disguise. Different sources claim that they were dressed as monks or as poor traders. One of them assassinated the commander of the guard as he was playing chess, causing a fracas in which all hundred Turkish troops in Kharpurt were killed. They then freed Baldwin II and a nephew of his, as well as Joscelin and other prisoners. Balak saw a dream of Joscelin blinding him - a sign of the danger he posed. He therefore surrounded the castle with troops, but Joscelin was to get away. Balak's wife and other family members were caught inside. The escapees chose different roles: Baldwin was to organise the defence of Kharpurt against Balak, while Joscelin and three companions escaped to get help
Certainty: 2 Joscelin of Edessa escaped from Kharpurt to Tell Bashir & finally Jerusalem. Joscelin escaped from the immediate area of the fortress, and sent one of his companions back with a ring to confirm the fact to Balswin II, as they had planned. He then had to conquer hunger, thirst and exhaustion on his unfamiliar journey on foot to the Euphrates. With the help of the other two, who were strong swimmers, Joscelin, who was not, crossed the river on inflated wineskins. He then slept a little, and met an Armenian family who gave him some figs and grapes. The husband recognised him, had been kindly treated by him in the past and wanted to help, but had to be warned not to act in a way which would draw people's attention. Joscelin travelled for a distance on their donkey, with their daughter sitting in front of him crying loudly, and he could not pacify her. He eventually reached Tell Bashir, where he was welcomed by his wife and the whole castle, and rewarded the Armenian. From there he was escorted to Antioch and Jerusalem, trying everywhere to organise forces for the rescue of Baldwin. He dedicated at Mt Calvary the two fetters he still carried, one of iron, the other of silver
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II tried, but failed, to defend Kharpurt against Balak. Balak was warned of the crisis by his dream of Joscelin, and immediately surrounded the castle. Baldwin II tried to fortifiy Kharpurt, rejecting a polite offer of a safe-conduct for himself and his companions to Edessa or Antioch. Balak quickly lost patience with the negotiations, threatened vengeance, and undermined the fortress, brought down a tower, and eventually forced Baldwin to surrender unconditionally. The fifty Armenians were brutally butchered. The remaining prisoners, including Baldwin, his nephew and Waleran, were recaptured and taken for safer imprisonment to Harran
Certainty: 2 Defeat by Eustace Garnier of a sea & land invasion from Egypt, to exploit absence of Baldwin II. The Egyptians used the opportunity presented by the captivity of Baldwin II to launch an attack on the kingdom of Jerusalem by land and sea. It was met by the regent Eustace Garnier. The Egyptian fleet nearly took Jaffa with a spectacular bombardment which was to be combined with undermining of the walls. Eustace drove the fleet away from Jaffa, then gathered the full military strength of the kingdom for a battle at Ibelin. The Egyptian cavalry was driven off almost immediately while the infantry was left to be massacred. The Franks won a splendid victory, winning rich booty
Certainty: 2 Venetian fleet punished retreating Egyptians, capturing their ships at Askalon. Domenico Michiel, doge of Venice, reached Cyprus with a large fleet which had attacked Kerkyra. It arrived in Palestinian waters just after an Egyptian naval attack on Jaffa. He followed the retreating Egyptians to Askalon, baited his trap with a few ships looking like a pilgrim fleet, and captured or sunk most of the Egyptian fleet nearby. The Venetians then took ten richly-laden Egyptian merchant ships from beyond Askalon, and brought back many of their prizes to Acre, to a warm welcome
Certainty: 3 Death of Eustace Garnier, who was replaced as regent by William of Bures. Eustace Garnier died as regent of Jerusalem for the imprisoned Baldwin II. He was replaced as regent by William of Bures, lord of Tiberias
Certainty: 2 Joscelin took armies of Jerusalem & Antioch to rescue Baldwin II; but Kharpurt had fallen. After three days in Jerusalem, Joscelin of Edessa took the army of Jerusalem northwards with the True Cross, which had already been sent on to Tripoli. He combined the armies of Jerusalem and of Antioch, in the hope of reaching Kharpurt in time to save Baldwin II from returning to captivity. But at Tell Bashir they learned that they were too late: Kharpurt had fallen, and so their quest was fruitless. Joscelin used the two armies to make a sharp raid on Aleppo for four days, destroying everything outside the walls, but then had to withdraw for lack of food. Joscelin then sent the troops from Jerusalem back southwards, where they made a raid across the Jordan and gained extensive booty before reaching home, and putting the True Cross back in its place
Certainty: 2 Reconciliation between emperor Henry V & pope Calixtus II (concordat of Worms). There was a joyful reconciliation between the western emperor Henry V and pope Calixtus II (at the concordat of Worms). This marked the reunification of western Christendom
Certainty: 3 Venetians spent Christmas at Holy Places, negotiating an agreement to attack Tyre. The doge Domenico Michiel was welcomed to Acre by William of Bures, the new regent. The patriarch Gormond of Picquigny and the royal chancellor Pagan were also on hand to welcome the Venetians. The latter toured the Holy Places and spent a joyful Christmas there. They then negotiated an arrangement to use the fleet in the support of the Latin kingdom. Lots were drawn to decide which Muslim seaport to attack, and Tyre was chosen rather than Askalon. Money had to be found for Jerusalem (which then had none) to pay the troops, by pledging church ornaments. A complex treaty was drawn up to reward Venice with trade privileges for its share in the enterprise [William of Tyre quotes it at length]. It was put into practice after Tyre was captured
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II made a sudden winter attack in Asia, converting & settling many prisoners. Before the end of winter Ioannes II unexpectedly renewed his attacks on the Asian side, winning many prisoners, converting many to Christianity and increasing the Byzantine army
Certainty: 3 Beginning of attack on Tyre with aid of the Venetians. In the face of the Frankish assault, the caliph of Egypt gave one-third of the overlordship of Tyre to Tughtakin of Damascus, who was much closer at hand for the defence. He also encouraged several diversionary raids from Askalon on Jerusalem, but Tyrian appeals for a major naval relief force never bore fruit. Tughtakin sent 700 knights from Damascus who formed the backbone of the resistance: the Tyrians were unwarlike. Gormond the patriarch, with the barons governing Jerusalem in the captivity of Baldwin II, joined the Venetians in surrounding Tyre on February 16. Siege towers and artillery were constructed, considerably improved by the hard work of Havedic, an artillery expert from Antioch, who was paid out of the public treasury. The arrival of Pons of Tripoli to join the siege was a bad blow for the defenders
Certainty: 3 Joscelin drove off Balak from Manbij & killed him. Balak had treacherously killed [in fact arrested] the ruler of Manbij (Hierapolis) and was besieging the town, when Joscelin of Edessa was summoned with an army from Antioch and Edessa to raise the siege. In a battle Balak was defeated by Joscelin and killed by him in person, fulfilling the dream Balak had seen before attacking Kharpurt. Joscelin at first was uncertain whether Balak was dead, so he offered a prize for whoever brought him Balak's head. As soon as the identification was sure, he sent his squire as a messenger to take the joyous news (and Balak's head in a bag) to those who were besieging Tyre. The young man was knighted on the spot by Pons of Tripoli amidst general rejoicing
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II as a captive was treated kindly at Shayzar during negotiations over his release. Baldwin II and his colleagues were being held at Harran by Balak of Khanzit. On the latter's death, he was (as it were) inherited by Timurtash, lord of Mardin, who was anxious to ransom him. He was taken to Shayzar while mediation took place and the ransom price was established, and was treated well there by the ruler, 'Izz al-Din Abu l-'Asakir Sultan, Usama'a uncle, and Usama's father Majd al-Din Abu Salama Murshid. He would always acknowledge an obligation to the ruling family of Shayzar, and treated them well in return
Certainty: 3 Tughtakin's intervention failed to prevent the surrender of Tyre. After many small episodes, the increasingly desperate defenders of Tyre called on Tughtakin for help. After a second urgent plea he came to Tyre with a large army, but was opposed by Pons of Tripoli and William of Bures with the army of Jerusalem. Tughtakin's presence did not stop the siege, and he withdrew without fighting. Rumours of an Egyptian fleet proved false, when the Venetians could not find it. Tughtakin finally realised that the people of Tyre and his garrison there could not save the city, and preferred to save lives with some humiliation rather than mourn deaths. Thus he began negotiations to get the people out and turn over an empty city to the Franks. Hostages were given on both sides, and all the Christian leaders took part in the surrender negotiations, including the patriarch Gormond. Tyre was handed over to the Latins on fair terms. Fulcher, in Jerusalem, rejoiced at the news
Certainty: 3 Near-total eclipse of the sun. No persons involved
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II released. Baldwin II was finally released, ransomed for a huge sum from Timurtash. However he was not yet completely free, as he had given hostages whose future was in doubt. The financial obligations had not been completed before he was freed: Usama's father and uncle kept some Frankish and Armenian knights as a guarantee for the remainder of the money. When it was paid, the Frankish and Armenian hostages were also released, but had to be protected by Usama from Khirkhan, ruler of Hims, who sent horsemen in an unsuccessful attempt to ambush them
Certainty: 3 Unsuccessful siege of Aleppo by Baldwin II. Baldwin as he was released went to Antioch and made an attempt on Aleppo, which he knew to be short of defenders and food. He hoped, directly or indirectly, to use the siege to free the hostages he had given. However, the siege was ultimately unsuccessful
Certainty: 3 Honorius II was twice elected to replace Calixtus II as pope, the first time uncanonically. After the death of Calixtus II, on December 20, Honorius II was elected to replace him, but the election was disputed and judged to have been uncanonical. The election process was repeated, and Honorius was selected a second time
Certainty: 3 Ravaging of Byzantine islands in the Aegean by the Venetians on their way home. The Venetian fleet which had taken Tyre on its way home from Palestine made violent attacks on Rhodes, Samos, Chios and Methone, destroying walls, enslaving the young and taking wealth of all kinds, in revenge for its exclusion from Byzantine markets by Ioannes II. Fulcher of Chartres disapproved, particularly for its negative impact on future pilgrimage
Certainty: 1 Jum'a & Usama had mixed fortunes at Apamea. Usama's uncle Sultan took him on an incursion against Apamea, during which about twenty Franks belonging to a caravan were killed. Afterwards Usama, together with Jum'a al-Numayri, who was disregarding an unpleasant wound, routed eight Frankish knights in skirmishes near the citadel of Apamea. But their success was brought to an end by one small, accurate Frankish archer in an impregnable position, who was able to put both of them to flight
Certainty: 1 Mahmud ibn Qaraja died of a trivial wound in an attack on Apamea. Usama with Shihab al-Din Mahmud b. Qaraja and both their armies fought the Franks outside Apamea. Mahmud received a slight wound from which he eventually died - an example for Usama of how trivial wounds can sometimes have fatal consequences
Certainty: 1 Death of Dobrodej Mstislavna, wife of co-emperor Alexios.
Certainty: 3 Siege of Aleppo ended by Turkish attack on Baldwin II. His camp outside Aleppo was attacked during the night by substantial Muslim forces, which threw his troops into confusion; the attackers were aware that Aleppo had been besieged for a long time, and could soon fall; Baldwin could not defeat them, so he had no alternative but to raise the siege and withdraw to al-Atharib
Certainty: 2 Return of Baldwin II, after a long absence; he immediately left to save Antioch. Baldwin II returned to Jerusalem after more than a year of captivity (and a much longer absence), to be welcomed by all in a sollemn procession. But he soon had to leave again, called back to Antioch (whose regent he still was), to deal with attacks of Aksungur al-Bursuki
Certainty: 2 Aksungur al-Bursuki & Tughtakin attacked several Antiochene fortresses. Aksungur al-Bursuki from Mosul made a massive attack on Antiochene territory. He captured Kafartab, when the garrison surrendered, having no hope of rescue by the ovestretched Baldwin II or Pons of Tripoli. The Muslims then failed to capture Zerdana and moved on to make a strong assault on 'Azaz, where Tughtakin and his army from Damascus joined them. But they were already nervous because of news of the approach of Baldwin II with the combined crusader army, which met them near 'Azaz
Certainty: 3 Defeat of Aksungur al-Bursuki by combined crusader armies at 'Azaz. Baldwin II and his allies fought in the battle of 'Azaz against the Muslim invader Aksungur al-Bursuki. He placed the Antiochenes on the right, Pons of Tripoli and Joscelin of Edessa on the left, and himself in the centre. They routed Aksungur and captured rich spoils, with which (and the help of friends) he paid off his own ransom and recovered a five-year-old hostage, his daughter Iveta
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II built Mons Glavianus, a castle in the hills behind Beirut. The Muslim peasants in the fertile mountains behind Beirut were not paying their taxes. Baldwin built the castle of Mons Glavianus there, and forced them to make the payments
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II made fruitful raids on Damascus & Askalon. After 'Azaz, once the truce had been broken, Baldwin made a successful raid on Damascus. He thoroughly ruined three of the richest villages there, and returned with as much booty as he could carry; this he distributed according to the established rules. As he reached home, he heard that a new Egyptian army had arrived at Askalon, by their garrision rotation system. He provoked the inexperienced soldiers to come out and attack, then drove them back from ambush with great ferocity, nearly penetrating inside Askalon. An important victory was won, but no booty, as people had concealed their animals
Certainty: 3 Baldwin II made a general invasion of Damascus, winning the hard-fought battle of Marj as-Suffar. Baldwin II proclaimed a general mobilisation of his army to invade Damascus. They gathered in two groups, which met at Tiberias on the way to invade Damascus. As they advanced, they destroyed a tower, passed the Christian village of Salome, and reached Marj as-Suffar, where a battle was fought. Tughtakin's son, Buri, had just gathered large forces. The struggle was long, confused [made more so by confusion in the sources] and of unprecedented ferocity. The outcome was in doubt till the end, and Baldwin II played a glorious part. Tughtakin was defeated, despite valiant attempts to motivate his troops, and he and Buri fled. Baldwin during his journey home captured two towers, storming one and killing the defenders, and taking the other on terms
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II was forced to renew the privileges of the Venetians. The attempts by the Venetians to take revenge for their expulsion were so fierce that Ioannes II was ultimately compelled to readmit them on the same terms as before. This caused even greater displays of Venetian bravado, even against imperial relatives
Certainty: 3 Pons of Tripoli, with Baldwin II, captured Rafaniyya after 18-day siege. Pons attacked the city of Rafaniyya, summoning the assistance of Baldwin II with repeated messengers. The place was poorly fortified, and surrendered after a bombardment of 18 days, on March 31, the inhabitants leaving unharmed. Baldwin went back to Jerusalem, and Rafaniyya became one of Pons' possessions
Certainty: 3 Death of western emperor Henry V; Lothair elevated in his place. Henry V, the western emperor died. Because his German subjects wished to punish him for his lawlessness, they did not elevate one of his children to replace him, but Lothair the duke of Saxony
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos wrote to Gregorios Kamateros the logothetes. He wrote a learned letter, affecting to be nervous how it would be received by the very learned Gregorios. He ended by asking for imperial favour
Certainty: 2 Roger II returned to Italy, seizing Apulia. Roger II of Sicily had been driven out of Italy by the western empire. He now returned, defeated the imperial duke and seized the Duchy of Apulia. He would later become King of Apulia and Sicily
Certainty: 3 Appearance of comet between east & north. No persons mentioned
Certainty: 2 Capture of pseudo-castle (?) & relief of al-Atharib. The Turks in northern Syria had already captured a pseudo-castle (?), and now Aksungur al-Bursuki besieged al-Atharib, bringing Baldwin II northwards in defence. In the face of Baldwin's march, Aksungur withdrew to safer defences, leaving Baldwin to return to Antioch
Certainty: 3 Bohemond II arrived from Italy to take over Antioch from Baldwin II. In Italy, Bohemond Guiscard, son of the crusader Bohemond, made an agreement with William, duke of Apulia, that whichever of them should die first should be succeeded by the other. Bohemond then sailed with a substantial fleet to Antioch. Despite suggestions that he was dressed as a beggar, he was welcomed by Baldwin II and the local aristocrats, and scrupulously received the whole of his inheritance. His marriage was soon celebrated to the princess Alice. Baldwin returned to Jerusalem with some relief, free of the burden of Antioch
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos wrote to Ioannes II, agreeing to go as an envoy to Rome. Ioannes II had asked Michael Italikos to go on an embassy to Rome. Michael replied with an encomium of Ioannes, who faced all Byzantium's problems. He agreed to go to Rome, or the ends of the earth if necessary, to play his patriotic part
Certainty: 1 A single Frankish knight routed four Muslim horsemen. Badrhawa (Pedrovant?), a valiant Fankish knight from Apamea, had always wanted to fight against Jum'a. He rode out of the camp to ask for him but could not find him; instead, he singlehandedly put to flight four knights, one unknown and three from Shayzar: Yahya b. Safi al-A'sar, Sahl b. Abi Ghanim al-Kurdi, and Haritha al-Numayri. Jum'a, who had also always wanted to fight against Badrhawa, heard of this defeat and censured the four Christian knights for allowing themselves to be defeated by one. Badrhawa later left Apamea for Antioch on business and died on the way at al-Ruj, eaten by a lion
Certainty: 0 A skirmish with the men of Kafartab. A force from Shayzar was led into a trap by a few men from Kafartab, and were forced to fight their way out. Jum'a, the Shayzar champion, received a serious wound, but it brought a good result, because it cured him of a long-standing eye infection. Usama's cousin, Dhakhira al-Dawla Khitam, had a poor mount, and envied Usama the two spare horses he had on hand. Usama gave him a chestnut, and he charged the enemy, who surrounded him. His companions were finally able to save Khitam, but the horse perished
Certainty: 2 Bohemond II captured Kafartab, but quarelled with Joscelin: Baldwin had to separate them. The spring after his arrival, Bohemond II gave early proof of his prowess by capturing Kafartab, which had been in enemy hands for a time. He showed his mettle by sparing none of the defenders, though they tried to buy their safety. However he quarelled with Joscelin of Edessa, who used Turkish foces to devastate the lands of Antioch, a terrible precedent deserving divine censure. Harmony was restored by Bernard, the Latin patriarch of Antioch, and by Baldwin II, who was forced to rush to Antioch. He was a close relative of both, and anxious that their quarrel should not weaken the Christian position. Joscelin fell seriously ill. He vowed, if he survived, to make restitution, and swore fealty to Bohemond
Certainty: 2 Attack of Istvan II to stop Byzantine support of Almos, a Hungarian pretender. Long before, at the death of Laszlo I of Hungary and the succession of Istvan II, the latter's bother Almos had taken refuge in Byzantium, had been welcomed by Ioannes II and become a pretender to the Hungarian throne. Istvan now sent envoys to Ioannes to complain of bad treatment of Hungarian traders, but also (his more serious grievance) to demand that Almos should no longer be supported. When the embassy was unsuccessful, he crossed the Danube in the summer, captured Branicevo (or Belegrada), destroyed its walls and transferred the stones to build Zeugminon. He also ravaged Sardica
Certainty: 2 Plague of rats contaminated (with corpses) the area behind Tyre. No persons mentioned
Certainty: 2 Roger II attacked Africa, but was defeated & pursued right back to Syracuse. Roger II of Sicily made an attack on the coast of Africa, but his ships were beaten off and pursued back to Sicily. The Africans even reached Syracuse, which was captured and many of its citizens massacred [seriously distorted]
Certainty: 0 Usama's undated tales of death & mutilation. A group of Franks, after performing the pilgrimage and returning to Rafaniyya, set off for Apamea but became lost; they ended up in Shayzar, where the men were killed and the women and children taken as booty. Nadra, a woman of Shayzar, took part in the massacre, locking three Franks in her house and having them killed by neighbours. A Frankish knight killed Sabah b. Qunayb, one of Usama's knights, with a spectacular thrust of his lance: it cut through three of his ribs on each side and still had enough force to slice his elbow in two. Mayyah, a Kurdish soldier of Usama's, had just been married and was wearing a red surcoat over his armour, drawing the attention of a Frank, who killed him. While a group of Shayzar men were on their way to al-Ruj, they came across some Franks hiding in a cavern and Numayr al-'Allaruzi went in to fight them. He killed one of the Franks, but received from another a slash across the face which rmoved his left eye. Usama himself, during a Frankish attack near Shayzar, thought he had killed a knight from Antioch, who fell sideways, dropped all his weapons and lost his helmet; but the man was wearing mail under his tunic, so he returned to the saddle unharmed. Nadi al-Sulayhi, an Egyptian, had two disfiguring scars, which he suffered on a raid into Palestine from Askalon. One he received from a Frankish pilgrim whom he killed, the other from the man's wife, who smashed into his face a pot she was carrying
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II marched to the Danube, crossed, pursued the Hungarians & defeated them. Ioannes happened to be at Philippopolis when he heard of the Hungarian invasion, and decided to drive them out. He marched to the Danube the next year with Italian and Turkish troops, and crossed it on ships sent via the Black Sea, confusing the defenders by dividing his forces. With his cavalry he scattered the assembled Hungarians, many of whom were killed when a bridge collapsed. He also took many prisoners, including Akus and Keledi
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II made a punitive raid into Hungary, then returned to Constantinople. He then invaded to punish the Hungarians, capturing the rich area of Frangochorion between the Sava and Danube, and taking Zeugminon and Chramon, with much booty. A garrison was left at Brantitzova. After defeating the Hungarians in other skirmishes he established peace and returned to the capital
Certainty: 2 Re-establishment of archbishopric of Tyre. William was consecrated as the first Latin archbishop of Tyre, nearly four years after its capture, when the church had already suffered loss. He was consecrated by the patriarch Gormond. He then decided to go to Rome for the pallium, very much against the wishes of the patriarch; he returned with letters of confirmation from Honorius II for himself, for Gormond and for Bernard of Antioch
Certainty: 2 Death of Eudokia, daughter of Alexios I & Eirene Doukaina. At the death of her daughter Eudokia Eirene Doukaina suffered another in the long line of family tragedies which had begun with the loss of her husband, Alexios I
Certainty: 2 Death of Gormond, patriarch of Jerusalem; election of Stephen of La Ferte in his place. Stephen of La Ferte had come as a pilgrim to pray in Jerusalem, and was waiting for a ship home when the patriarch Gormond died. Stephen was unanimously elected patriarch in his place. He would disagree with Baldwin II, claiming Jaffa for the church, and Jerusalem too once Askalon was captured
Certainty: 3 The Hungarians captured Branicevo: Ioannes II returned, recaptured it & punished its commander. Ioannes II had left Kourtikios as commander of his garrison in Branicevo. However the Hungarians returned and captured the town. Manuel came back in his turn and recaptured Branicevo, condemning Kourtikios for treachery and having him flogged, despite the fact that the man is said to have left the walls only when many Hungarians were inside and burning buildings
Certainty: 1 Usama's cousin Yahya attacked the forces of Bohemond II. Layth al-Dawla Yahya, the cousin of Usama b. Munqidh, crossed the Orontes near Shayzar to attack the army of Bohemond II, which was camped on the other side. He attacked bravely and was wounded. Bohemond was inexperienced and nervous, so he did not win the battle. He would have won it if he had given his officers the chance to lead
Certainty: 1 Hasan al-Akhnish was appointed by Zanki as governor of al-Bab. 'Imad al-Din Zanki, when he took Aleppo and its region from the Mirdasids, also captured al-Bab and appointed Hasan al-Akhnish as its governor
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos improvised an encomium of Eirene Doukaina before her theatron. Michael Italikos, on the instructions of Eirene Doukaina, improvised a traditional encomium of her before her theatron. He was inspired by the learned audience, especially Eirene herself, a great enthusiast for literature. It also contained Nikephoros Bryennios, his wife Anna Komnene and probably her sisters Maria and Theodora
Certainty: 3 Istvan II attacked the Byzantines, but Ioannes II, forewarned, escaped with few losses. Istvan II crossed the Danube and made a surprise attack on Ioannes II at Branicevo, at a difficult moment: the Byzantine forces were suffering from famine and disease. However Ioannes was informed of the attack by a Latin woman who lived in Hungary and was sent to warn him. Even so the attack was quite successful, and he only escaped with the loss of parts of the imperial tent
Certainty: 2 Barons of Jerusalem were sent to invite Fulk of Anjou to marry Baldwin II's heir Melisende. As soon as Baldwin II returned from captivity he had begun to consult widely for a suitable husband for his daughter Melisende. The most recommended candidate was Fulk V, count of Anjou. Thus he sent William of Bure, lord of Tiberias and Guy Brisebarre, lord of Beirut to go and invite Fulk to Jerusalem, swearing that Baldwin would give him Melisende in marriage within 50 days of his arrival, with prospect of succession. He sailed to Acre with a kingly retinue
Certainty: 3 Melisende married to Fulk of Anjou, immediately on the latter's arrival. As soon as Fulk of Anjou arrived in Jerusalem, his marriage to Melisende was celebrated. The couple were given Tyre and Acre by Baldwin, to be held till his own death. Fulk was to behave towards Baldwin with energy, discretion and deference
Certainty: 2 Before turning east, Ioannes II settled affairs with western neighbours, including Italy. After his Hungarian campaigns, as he was planning to campaign in Anatolia, Ioannes II did what he could to win over the western neighbours of the empire, those who trade and make petitions in Constantinople; he was specially concerned with the Italian maritime cities
Certainty: 2 All crusading forces gathered for an attack on Damascus, including Templars from the west. Baldwin II and his other barons tried to collect as many men as they could for a major attack on Damascus. To this end they sent Hugh of Payns, the first Master of the Temple, with several companions to gather powerful knights from Western princes. They returned with a considerable number
Certainty: 3 Failure of Baldwin II's "crusade" against Damascus, at second battle of Marj as-Suffar. Baldwin joined the new knights brought from the west by Hugh of Payns to all the existing contingents from the crusading states âÃÂàhis own, and those of Bohemond of Antioch, Fulk of Anjou, Joscelin of Edessa and Pons of Tripoli. Together they invaded the territory of Damascus. However at Marj as-Suffar a group of foragers behaving in an undisciplined way were put in the charge of William of Bures, whose troops also behaved recklessly. Tughtakin, atabeg of Damascus, noticed this indiscipline and was able to surprise and massacre both the foragers and their protectors. [This cannot have been Tughtakin, who had died before 1129.] Attempts to remedy the situation by avenging the defeat were stopped by a violent rainstorm with accompanying fog, which made the roads impassable and gave warning of divine displeasure. This happened near the site of a previous Latin victory, but this time they were forced to retreat to save their lives. [The date given by William of Tyre is December 1130, but it is usually assumed to have occurred a year earlier.]
Certainty: 2 Events at Kafartab during Frankish attack on Damascus.
Certainty: 1 Jum'a reprimanded for showing prudence. A villager from Bandarqanin (near Shayzar) was captured with his cow by two Frankish knights from Antioch, who were camped outside Shayzar. Jum'a, the Shayzar champion, pursued them and freed the villager, but on the way he was nervous of ambushes and hesitated briefly. Both sides in this conflict were reproved by their superiors: the knights were reproached by Bohemond II for being defeated by one man, while Jum'a was criticised by Usama's uncle Sultan for the hesitation
Certainty: 2 Death of Honorius II; succession of Innocent II after a fiercely-contested election. After the death of Honorius II, the election was severely contested, leading to a schism in which many were killed; Innocent II eventually prevailed after many struggles
Certainty: 2 Bohemond II of Antioch killed by Gumushtegin Ibn al-Danishmand at 'Ayn Zarba. Bohemond II, continuing his rule as prince of Antioch, set off north into the mountain gorges of Cilicia. There he and many of his army were defeated and killed by Gumushtegin Ghazi, second ruler of the Danishmend dynasty
Certainty: 2 After Bohemond's death, his wife Alice sent a white horse with a message to 'Imad al-Din Zanki. After the death of her husband Bohemond II, she decided to disinherit her daughter Constance, defy her father Baldwin II and to continue to rule, alone or with a new husband; to this end she sent a secret message and a snow-white horse to 'Imad al-Din Zanki, the atabeg of Mosul. But the message and the horse were intercepted and the news given to Baldwin II, as he hastened north in response to an appeal made by the Antiochenes at Bohemond's death. When he reached Antioch, Alice refused him admission
Certainty: 2 Isaakios Komnenos rebelled against his brother Ioannes II, leaving for the Muslim east. He disagreed with Ioannes II over an issue they would later describe as trivial, taking his son, Ioannes, with him. He visited the empire's neighbours, including enemies like Mas'ud of Ikonion, and plotted against his brother. But he had no money, and as Ioannes prospered, Isaakios found it increasingly difficult to get aid against him. His mother, Eirene Doukaina, thought of him as suffering a living death
Certainty: 2 Death of Stephen of La Ferte, patriarch of Jerusalem; election of William of Messines. Stephen of La Ferte, the patriarch of Jerusalem died within two years of his appointment, allegedly of poison (though there is no firm evidence), ending his disputes with Baldwin II; he was succeeded by William of Messines
Certainty: 2 Baldwin thwarted his daughter Alice's rebellion, forcing his way into Antioch. Alice's crazy rebellion against her father Baldwin II by shutting the gates of Antioch in his face infuriated two Antiochenes, Petrus Latinator and William of Aversa, who arranged to have them opened again. By arrangement with Baldwin II, Fulk of Anjou was waiting outside the Gate of the Duke and Joscelin of Courtenay outside the Gate of St Paul, and they opened the city to Baldwin. Alice withdrew to the citadel. It is said that her associates were punished unmercifully
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II pardoned Alice, who withdrew to the cities of her dowry. When he had forced his way into Antioch, Alice, from the citadel, was induced to throw herself on his mercy. His anger was mollified by the pleas of others and his paternal feelings, and he pardoned her. She was sent to Laodikeia and Jabala, the dowry she had received from Bohemond II. He took back control of Antioch, and had all the Antiochene leaders swear to support the rights of Constance, Bohemond and Alice's daughter, who was still a minor
Certainty: 1 Deaths in the family of Eirene Doukaina, especially that of her son Andronikos. Andronikos died, as one of a terrible series of blows to the widowed empress Eirene Doukaina, and was mourned in a poem of Theodoros Prodromos and a monody of Michael Italikos: his wife Eirene and a child had recently predeceased him. His greatest military feats had been against Kilij Arslan I in 1116 and the Pechenegs in 1122. His body was brought across from Asia by boat in an ominous storm, and mourned by Nikephoros Bryennios the kaisar and his two sons Alexios and Ioannes, and especially by his brother Ioannes II, for whom he was an important counsellor
Certainty: 1 Manuel (I) saw a vision of the Theotokos offering him purple buskins, & other omens. At the age of twelve, Munuel (I) was reported to have seen the Theotokos offering him the imperial purple buskins, which he accepted eagerly. He was soon disappointed when he realised that she was a vision: but he saw other heavenly portents as well, including a shooting star
Certainty: 2 Baldwin II, as regent of Antioch, showed gratitude to the rulers of Shayzar. Baldwin II had an old obligation towards the rulers of Shayzar, 'Izz al-Din Abu l-'Asakir Sultan and Majd al-Din Abu Salama Murshid. This dated from the time when he was brought to Shayzar during the negotiations over his ransom. When Baldwin became the regent of Antioch, he remembered this obligation, and exempted Shayzar from the payment of indemnity
Certainty: 1 A serious misunderstanding in Antioch solved by an experienced Frankish knight. Usama sent a man on business to Antioch, where he was in contact with Usama's friend Theodoros Sophianos (?). Theodoros took the man to have a meal at the house of an old Frankish knight, who had come with the early expeditions of the Franks, but had now been stricken off the register and was retired. Despite the good-looking food, Usama's man ate very little until the Frank reassured him that he employed only Egyptian cooks and that no pork entered his house. Some time later, the man was walking in a market when he was attacked by a Frankish woman who caused a scene by accusing him of killing her brother Hurso, who had in fact died at the hand of a man from the army of Hama. He could not understand the accusation, and a hostile crowd gathered. He was saved by the Frankish knight, who appeared and explained that he had never been a soldier
Certainty: 0 Ioannes II issued decree for Theotokos Eleousa. Ioannes II is reported to have issued a decree in favour of the monastery of the Theotokos Eleousa
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos welcomed to his lessons a young relative of the ephoros Theophanes. Michael Italikos listed the delicious dishes of learning on offer in his school, and welcomed to the feast a young relative of the ephoros Theophanes, inviting him to the banquet. He accepted Theophanes' request that the young man should join the school, but the ephoros should first complete some arrangement with Eirene Doukaina
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos praised his own qualifications in writing to Eirene Doukaina. Michael Italikos wrote to Eirene Doukaina, reacting against something she had said implying that philosphy was useless. He mounted an enthusiastic defence, saying that she should have known better. On a personal level, he was prevented from doing many jobs because of his clerical status; but what about posts to do with the charitable foundations and the hosptials, as he had done with the brothers and Kosmidion (?) His knowledge was encyclopaedic. She had proposed the title of didaskalos of medicine: but he was already recognised as the best teacher of medicine in the capital, so she would be giving him status that he already possessed. He did not blame her for his lack of success so far with Ioannes II
Certainty: 0 Death of Leon Tzikandeles. Leon was a military man, fighting like a lion for the empire, but had now died. He left a wife, Anna, a Komnene on her mothers side, and three children
Certainty: 1 Anna Komnene organised the study of philosophy, commissioning commentaries on Aristotle. Anna Komnene promoted the study of philosophy, commissioning commentaries on Aristotle, guided by scholars like Niketas, metropolitan of Nikomedeia and Michael of Ephesos. Michael claimed that his loss of sight was due to working all night on his commentaries on Aristotle. Anna, engrossed in her philosophical studies, found extra strength in Christian belief to bear many losses, especially that of her mother Anna Doukaina
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos when appointed as didaskalos of the doctors wrote to Michael Pantechnes. Michael Italikos announced to the aktouarios (probably Michael Pantechnes) that he had become his subordinate as didaskalos of the doctors. He sent Pantechnes a coin of Constantine the Great, which once was mounted with pearls and could be mounted so again (?)
Certainty: 1 Adrianos Komnenos, son of Isaakios the sebastokrator, became doux of Chaldia. When Adrianos reached an age to make a career, he was sent as governor of Chaldia. His freedom from avarice was such that, though the post offered opportunities for enrichment, he accepted none of them
Certainty: 0 Nikephoros Bryennios wrote his "Materials for History", at the request of Eirene Doukaina. At some time after the death of Alexios I and before her own death (between 1118-1132), Eirene Doukaina asked Nikephoros Bryennios to write the history of Alexios I. This resulted in Nikephoros' "Materials for History", covering the period before Alexios came to the throne (and the rebellion of Nikephoros' own grandfather). It is uncertain whether this book was completed and "published" before Nikephoros' death. During the 1130s before his death, he was writing a history of Alexios' reign, which was left unfinished and would later be converted by Anna into her Alexiad
Certainty: 2 Army of Hama fought army of Homs.
Certainty: 2 Joscelin I won a battle against Mas'ud of Ikonion by his presence, on his deathbed. Joscelin I of Courtenay had been undermining a tower, but it collapsed on top of him, and he was very badly injured. As he lay dying, he heard that Mas'ud of Ikonion was attacking Kaisun, and told his son Joscelin II to go and drive him off. His son refused, on the grounds that his army was too small. Thereupon the father summoned a litter, got on it, and was carried for a time half-dead towards Kaisun. He was met by Geoffrey the Monk who said that at the news of his approach alone Mas'ud had withdrawn. Thus Joscelin died happy, apart from fears over his son
Certainty: 2 Dying Baldwin II bequeathed his kingdom to Fulk, Melisende & the baby Baldwin III. As Baldwin II was dying, he bequeathed his blessing and the kingdom of Jerusalem to his daughter Melisende, her husband Fulk of Anjou, and their two-year-old child, who would be Baldwin III
Certainty: 3 Death of Baldwin II.
Certainty: 2 Another attempt by Alice to take over Antioch, aided by Pons & Joscelin II. When her father Baldwin II died, she thought that this was a good opportunity to renew her designs on Antioch. With generous gifts and promises she won over William of Sahyun (and, after his death, his brother and successor Garenton of Sahyun), Pons, count of Tripoli and Joscelin II, count of Edessa
Certainty: 3 Coronation of Fulk & Melisende in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Fulk V of Anjou was crowned and consecrated king of Jerusalem, with his queen Melisende, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, by William of Messines, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem
Certainty: 1 Death of Michael Pantechnes: a monody written by Michael Italikos. Michael Pantechnes died, and was mourned at a meeting of the medical establishment. The monody was written (and spoken?) by Michael Italikos, who stressed that Pantechnes had enjoyed a wide education and attained a comprehensive range of learning before specialising in medicine. He had gained the confidence of Alexios I, who trusted nobody else, as he was superior even to the ancients as a doctor
Certainty: 2 Fulk was invited to Antioch, which was rulerless & threatened by Alice. The Antiochenes were worried by the lack of a prince and the destabilising influence of Alice, so they summoned Fulk from Jerusalem to take over the role vacated by Baldwin II; he faced the hostility of Pons of Tripoli
Certainty: 2 Fulk went by sea to Antioch & was made its regent. Pons refused to allow Fulk through Tripoli on land, so he went by sea from Beirut to St Symeon, and was then given charge of Antioch as regent. Though Pons' wife was Fulk's half-sister, he used her dowry against him
Certainty: 2 Fulk attacked Pons, at request of Antiochenes; Fulk & Pons reconciled. The people of Antioch asked him to attack Pons of Tripoli, who had prevented him from passing Tripoli on land, and was using against him Chastel-Rouge and Arzghan, the dower lands of Cecilia, his half-sister and Pons' wife; Fulk made the attack, and won a battle at Chastel-Rouge, leaving Reynald Mazoir in charge there; Pons and Fulk were finally reconciled
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II besieged & captured Kastamon & other nearby towns. With the west at peace, Iohannes II decided to attack the Danishmendids who held Kastamon. He marched there through Bithynia and Paphlagonia, besieged the city with scaling ladders and siege-engines and captured it, with little bloodshed. Its ruler (Gumushtegin Ghazi), in despair, was forced into exile. Ioannes captured other places, and crossed the Halys. All these feats were achieved while he was ill
Certainty: 2 When Fulk returned to Jerusalem, Hugh, count of Jaffa, was accused of an affair with Melisende. When Fulk returned to Jerusalem, a fierce quarrel broke out between him and Hugh, count of Jaffa. Alternative reasons are give: either Hugh was seen as being too close to his near relative, queen Melisande, or he was extremely arrogant and refused to follow Fulk's instructions. One day when the king's court was thronged, Walter Garnier, lord of Caesarea, accused Hugh of treason, of conspiring with accomplices against the king. It was said that Fulk, who was present, put him up to it. Hugh denied the charges and submitted to the judgement of the court. There seemed to be some evidence against Melisande
Certainty: 2 Trial by battle arranged for Hugh of Jaffa & his accuser Walter Garnier; Hugh did not appear. According to French custom, a date was fixed for trial by single combat between Walter Garnier, the accuser, and Hugh of Jaffa, the defendant. Hugh returned to Jaffa, but did not come on the appointed day (out of guilt or mistrust of the court), so suspicions increased and he was found guilty in absentia
Certainty: 2 Hugh condemned in absentia only to three years' exile, at intervention of the patriarch. When the penalties to be undegone by Hugh were being discussed, William of Messines the patriarch played the role of peacemaker, so that, beside financial penalties, Hugh was exiled only for three years, at the end of which he might return without a stain on his character
Certainty: 2 Hugh of Jaffa sailed to Askalon, helping the Muslims to attack Arsuf; Fulk besieged him in Jaffa. However, Hugh, after the sentence, sailed to Askalon and made a pact with the enemy which encouraged them to raid Arsuf. Fulk attacked Hugh in Jaffa, and received allegiance of many of his followers who abandoned their fiefs
Certainty: 2 Wife of Rainier, lord of Banyas, captured by the Damascenes; he later divorced her for unchastity. While Rainier of Brus, lord of Banyas, was attacking Jaffa with king Fulk, the people of Damascus in their turn attacked and captured his fortress of Banyas, together with many prisoners, including his wife. After two years there would be a truce with Damascus which involved the recovery of his wife, whom he reinstated in his house. But he would later discover that she had been unfaithful during her captivity, and put her away. She became a nun. After her death Rainier married Agnes, niece of William of Tiberias
Certainty: 2 Battle of Tikrit between 'Imad al-Din Zanki & Qaraja.
Certainty: 3 Battle near Baghdad between the caliph al-Mustarshid & 'Imad al-Din Zanki.
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos wrote speeches & letters to Nikephoros Bryennios, who replied splendidly. Michael Italikos wrote a conventional encomium of Nikephoros Bryennios the kaisar (who was away, probably in central Anatolia), stressing his learning as well as his warlike skills. Michael also praised the [lost] letters sent by Nikephoros in reply, including one which he himself read to a theatron, to an enthusiastic reception
Certainty: 1 Metropolitan of Adrianople punished Tzourichos, a heretic from that city. The heretical actions of Tzourichos in Adrianople caused the metropolitan of Adrianople (predecessor of Myron) to defrock him, condemn him to 40 strokes of the cane and exile him from the city. Because of him, Chalamaina, hegoumene of the Koimeterion, was beaten and dismissed from office by Ioannes IX Agapetos, patriarch of Constantinople
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos wrote to an unidentified rhetor, involving the rhetor's father. Michael Italikos wrote to an unidentified rhetor, praising his rhetorical skills in terms directly taken from Hermogenes. He was to pass on some message via his rhetoric to his father, who was referred to as Michael's superior
Certainty: 3 Death of empress Eirene Doukaina. The date is certain, the year is calculated on the assumption that a copyist has made a mistake in the indiction date. Other evidence suggests that she must have survived beyond 1130, but she was certainly dead by 1136. This was one of the many blows which struck the Komnenian house during the period. Her daughter Anna, engrossed in her philosophical studies, found extra strength in Christian belief to bear this loss
Certainty: 2 En route to Antioch, Fulk was diverted by Cecilia to rescue Pons. Fulk spent some time governing Jeusalem, but then was again summoned to Antioch to deal with a major Turkish invasion. However he was intercepted en route at Sidon by his half-sister Cecilia, who told him that 'Imad al-Din Zanki was besieging her husband Pons in the castle of Montferrand [it has been regarded as very unlikely that this was Zanki]. She demanded his intervention in a typically feminine way. He moved towards Montferrand to raise the siege, and the attackers withdrew
Certainty: 2 After making Zanki (?) withdraw, Fulk won a great victory over other invaders near Qinnasrin. Having relieved Montferrand, Fulk of Anjou paused at Harenc near the Turkish camp at Qinnasrin and then surprised and defeated the Turkish troops with rich booty
Certainty: 2 Fulk's successes against the Turks marginalised (& embittered) Alice at Antioch. Alice was embitterd by Fulk's repeated successes against Turkish invaders capped off by the victory at Qinnasrin. This led to her loss of all the advantages she had gained by her gifts and promises. She loathed Fulk and resented his presence at Antioch
Certainty: 2 Chastel Ernaut built by William the patriarch to protect pilgrims coming up from Jaffa. While king Fulk was engaged around Antioch, William the patriarch with the people of Jerusalem built Chastel Ernaut, on the road down to Lydda and the sea. Thus the journey up and down from Jaffa was made safer for pilgrims
Certainty: 2 In the triumph for Kastamon, only an icon of the Theotokos rode in the chariot. Ioannes II returned to the capital in triumph with many prisoners, and Theodoros Prodromos wrote a hexameter poem summing up all his successes against the Turks. Ioannes ordered the building of a silver-plated chariot with semi-precious stones, drawn by four white horses: it is carefully described. The people attended with great enthusiasm and in large numbers. There were purple cloths and fabric icons in the streets, with wooden platforms for spectators along the route. There were many encomia spoken in prose and verse, by Theodoros Prodromos among others. Ioannes walked in front with a cross to Hagia Sophia, his ministers holding the reins and his sons and close relations behind tending the chariot, in which there rode the icon of the Theotokos, to whom (and God) he ascribed his victories and gave thanks, before entering the palace
Certainty: 2 Lists of Ioannes II's victories in triumph ceremonies for capture of Kastamon. Laodikeia (1119), Sozopolis (1120), Pechenegs (1122), Serbian (1123), Hungarian (1127), Amorion (?), Lemnos (?), and now Kastamon (1132)
Certainty: 2 Melisende's fury over trial of Hugh terrorised Hugh's opponents; Fulk was reconciled to her. The scandal involving Hugh of Jaffa made queen Melisende angry with those who informed on him, and with Fulk himself. She resented the harm done to Hugh and the slur on her own character. Her enemies were afraid and kept out of sight for a time, and Fulk himself became devoted to pleasing her
Certainty: 2 Attempted assassination of Hugh of Jaffa in Jerusalem; Fulk denied complicity. While Hugh of Jaffa was awaiting a boat to go into exile in Italy, he was badly wounded in an assasination attack in a Jerusalem street. The attempted assassin, a Breton knight, claimed to have acted on his own initiative, to gain Fulk's favour, but all assumed that Fulk was more directly involved, and public opinion turned against him. However he arranged the Breton's execution by mutilation, which was completed without the man implicating him
Certainty: 2 Hugh of Jaffa was welcomed to exile in Apulia by Roger II, where he died soon after. Hugh, count of Jaffa, after surviving the attempt on his life in Jerusalem, went into exile in Apulia, where he was welcomed by Roger II. He was given the town of Gargano. But he died there shortly after without returning to the kingdom
Certainty: 2 The Danishmendid emir recaptured Kastamon while Ioannes II was ill in Constantinople. The defeated Danishmendid ruler of Kastamon besieged the city he had once ruled and captured it, slaughtering the Byzantine defenders. This demanded the reaction of Ioannes II, who was probably ill at the key moment
Certainty: 1 Death of Konstantinos Hagiotheodorites. Konstantinos Hagiotheodorites had died. This caused such great distress to Michael Italikos that even a letter of consolation from his brother gave only temporary relief, as he admitted in his reply
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos wrote to the doctor & grammarian Leipsiotes, with an encomium. Michael Italikos wrote to the doctor & grammarian Leipsiotes, providing and encomium of both of his skills. It is unclear what Michael asks for at the end of the letter
Certainty: 0 Adrianos Komnenos separated from his wife & children, & became a monk. Adrianos Komnenos, son of Alexios I's brother Isaakios and a future archbishop, disposed of his wealth, took off the mask he shared with other members of the ruling group, separated from his wife, cut his ties with his children and became a monk
Certainty: 2 The Danishmend amir died, succeeded by his son Muhammad. After recapturing his city of Kastamon, Gumushtegin Ghazi died. He was succeded by his son Muhammad (or by a female defender). Muhammad had serious differences with Mas'ud, the sultan of Ikonion
Certainty: 2 Diplomacy at the time of the battle of Qinnasrin. When 'Imad al-Din Zanki, atabeg of Mosul was at Qinnasrin, the caliph al-Rashid sent his envoy Ibn Bishr to him, to summon his to his court. Ibn Bashir fought against the Franks at Qinnasrin conspicuous in golden armour, and so was killed by the Frankish knight Ibn al-Daqiq (Benedictus?)
Certainty: 3 The Empress Eirene-Piroska died. Eirene followed her husband as he set out the second time for Kastamon, but fell ill and died in Bithynia, leaving the Pantokrator complex unfinished. Theodoros Prodromos wrote an epitaph, in which she speaks of her descent from Western emperors, her marriage to Ioannes II and his achievements, their eight children, and her becoming a nun before her death. Ioannes and her family took her back to Constantinople, buried and mourned her appropriately, then returned to the army
Certainty: 2 Fulk recommended Raymond of Poitiers as a husband for Constance of Antioch. Before Fulk left Antioch, he was consulted about a suitable husband for its heiress, Constance. He suggested Raymond of Poitiers, the son of William of Aquitaine. It was decided to go ahead with this match, and summon Raymond secretly from England
Certainty: 2 The Hospitaller Gerard Jebarre was sent to bring Raymond, deceiving Alice & Roger II of Sicily. Raymond of Poitiers happened to be in England when the barons of Antioch, advised by Fulk of Jerusalem, decided to summon him as a wife for the heiress of Antioch, Constance. This secret duty was entrusted to the Hospitaller Gerard Jebarre, who was given letters from the patriarch Bernard and prominent nobles. There were two persons who had to be deceived by the element of secrecy: Alice, Constance's mother, who still hoped to convey the princely title by her own hand in marriage, and Roger II of Sicily, a blood relative of Bohemond's
Certainty: 2 Battle near Amid, 'Imad al-Din Zanki against the Artuqids & the lord of Amid.
Certainty: 2 William the patriarch consecrated Fulcher archbishop of Tyre, then had to let him go to Rome. The pattriarch William of Messines consecrated Fulcher of Angouleme as archbishop of Tyre, and he held the see energetically and well for twelve years. Immediately after consecration he decided to go to Rome for the pallium, and eventually succeeded, despite plots and violence from William and his accomplices
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II attacked Muhammad ibn Danishmend with the aid of Mas'ud of Ikonion. When Ioannes II arrived back near Kastamon, he found Muhammad ibn Danishmend in charge of the defence (or a female defender). Muhammad was on very bad terms with the sultan Mas'ud of Ikonion, so that an opportunity existed for Ioannes. He sent an embassy and succeeded in persuading Mas'ud into an alliance against Muhammad. Mas'ud sent a nobleman with an army, and he and Ioannes attacked Kastamon together. This put Muhammad in an impossible position. He therefore wrote to Mas'ud, successfully pleading the need for Muslim solidarity. Mas'ud withdrew his allied troops during the night, and the course of the campaign changed against the Byzantines
Certainty: 3 Beaten off in his first attack on Gangra, Ioannes II wintered on the Ryndakos. Having lost his allies from Ikonion, Ioannes failed in his first attack on Gangra (or in an attempt to persuade the female defender of the city to surrender). A second attack, at the urging of a group of monks, also failed. He withdrew, despondent at Turkish reachery, deciding to winter at the fortress he had built by the Ryndakos (Lopadion), and to attack more fiercely the next year
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos wished his ex-student Michael Kamateros well for a campaign in Galatia. Michael Italikos wrote to Michael Kamateros, who had studied philosophy with him. He wished him well in the very different life he would now lead, in the harsh reality of a military campaign in Galatia
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos gave learned information to three unidentified persons who requested it. One correspondent, interested in Chaldaean theology, received from Michael Italikos a long and undatable statement of Chaldaean beliefs, described as monstrous. A schoolmaster, requesting verses of Empedocles, received lines on various subjects in a letter, and was told to have his pupils declaim them in a tragic way. A third correspondent asked for information on astrology, particularly with regard to marriage. Michael stressed that he had no faith in astrology, but provided much of the requested detail in any case. He promised more
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II captured Kastamon & Gangra. Ioannes II continued the war with renewed vigour the next year. He first attacked Kastamon (at the suggestion of the Theotokos), which surrendered on terms. The governor surrendered and was pardoned. Then he moved on to begin the siege of the splendid city of Gangra. He began by pounding the walls with siege-engines, but had little success because of their strength. So he showered the city with smaller stones, making life intolerable for the population. He prayed to the Theotokos at a moment of crisis, and she directed a stone, which Ioannes had loaded himself, to destroy a house and bury the occupants. When the amir of Gangra met a natural death (or after the failure of a plan by the female defender to assassinate Ioannes by sending one of her men to attack him with a hidded sword), the citizens decided to surrender the city to Ioannes, on condition that they be spared. He entered the city, and restored its archbishop to his throne. After songs of celebration, he removed most of the Turkish population, left a Roman garrison of two thousand and returned to the capital
Certainty: 2 Antioch was offered by principal Antiochenes to Manuel (I), but then withdrawn. An offer was reported by Antiochene nobles to Ioannes II, that his son Manuel (I) should marry Constance of Antioch, thus recovering the city for the empire. This is given as one motive for Ioannes' expedition to Syria in 1137, though it is clear that any offer had been withdrawn before he reached Cilicia
Certainty: 2 Raymond of Poitiers travelled to Antioch incognito, to escape Roger II. Raymond of Poitiers received in England the invitation to marry Constance of Antioch and accepted it, making preparations to set out incognito. Roger II of Sicily heard of his journey, and set traps to catch him in all the maritime cities of Apulia, hoping to win Antioch by possession of Raymond and his own large financial resources. However Raymond's disguises were effective: he travelled on foot or on a beast of burden, often acting as a servant and dividing his retinue
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II was praised in Christmas hymns for recovering Kastamon & Gangra. Three Christmas hymns for the demes, probably datable to 1135, play with connections between Christ and the emperor, and with the Persians (=Turks) as rivals and enemies, using every possible comparison. They stress Ioannes' wide conquests, especially Kastamon and Gangra, and all end with wishes for the long life of Ioannes, Alexios the co-emperor and the three sebastokrators (the wonderful trinity)
Certainty: 1 Death in infancy of Alexios & Ioannes, sons of Ioannes' son Isaakios. Both sons of Isaakios, son of Ioannes II, died as babies. Ioannes wished they had never been born, and wanted to forget them, because their memory was too painful
Certainty: 1 Anna Komnene the kaisarissa made her will. Anna Komnene the kaisarissa had Michael Italikos write a prologue to her will. The will itself has been lost. In the prologue she stresses her love and obedience towards her parents, both apparently deceased, her husband, still alive, and her children, some of whom had died, apparently in infancy
Certainty: 0 "Bagoas" brought to Constantinople for education. The father of the man who came to be known as "Bagoas" was a fisherman in the Black Sea area, at one time hoping to settle at Sinope. But he was forced to fish in the far north, where he fathered "Bagoas" on a Scythian woman. He was unable to care for his son, so he brought him to Constantinople and left him with the boy's mother's brother, abandoning his paternal rights. "Bagoas" stayed with his uncle in the capital and despite the latter's poverty was sent to school. There he fell under the influence of an older pupil who was attracted to him. They developed a close homosexual relationship which became notorious. The elder boy helped "Bagoas" in many of his school subjects, because he was an excellent student
Certainty: 1 Tzetzes wrote eight letters before his brother's death in 1138. In (1) he asked Ioannes Koukoumas, however busy he claimed to be, to return a book he had borrowed. In (2) he wrote to Michael Bourtzes, nephew of the protovestiarites, who had accused him of responsibility for their lack of contact: but Michael had stopped near Ioannes' house and was invited in, but refused, so Ioannes denied the charge. Ioannes wanted to give him a belt, by messenger or face-to face. In (3) the retainers of Michael Taronites, protonobellisimos, congratulated Tzetzes for living near a man who was wealthy as Croesus. In fact, he got nothing from this neighbour but a sense of exclusion, despite his own healthy lifestyle and respectable background. In (4) he thanked Polyeuktos the logariastes for a mule, which, however, Ioannes had been unable to ride; he blamed fate, which jinxed him even in such details, though he was respectable both in descent and in character. In (5) he told Isaakios Komnenos to sack his secretary Lepreos, whom he damned by many negative adjectives, confirmed by many famous secretaries called up from the underworld. Nobody will blame Isaakios or Tzetzes for this essential act, even if Lepreos was a friend. In (6) he wrote for a deacon, seeking a bishopric from a senior bishop who had promised him one. In (7) he wrote to his student Andronikos Kalorabdas, who had not written to him, probably under the influence of some Homeric drug. Andronikos was advised to reprove his employer gently for any broken promises, and as well as his duties to do various exercises from his book on rhetoric. In (8) he wrote to the hegoumenos of the Pantepoptes monastery on behalf of a man earlier saved by shelter given in the monastery. But when he left, he suffered many problems, including imperial displeasure, lost all his money, and now petitioned the hegoumenos to return.
Certainty: 1 Ioannes of Poutza persuaded John II to transfer special navy taxes to general revenue . Ioannes II was persuaded by Ioannes of Poutza to transfer taxes for the navy and islands into general revenue, since ships were not not always needed, and could be financed as the need arose. This false economy made his minister's reputation
Certainty: 1 Mythical pilgrimage of Raymond of Poitou to Jerusalem, then Antioch. [This version of the arrival of Raymond in the east has not been accepted.] Raymond of Poitiers, after the death of his father, came to Jerusalem dressed as a mendicant pilgrim. The neokoros of the church of Jerusalem got into conversation with this fine-looking mendicant, and persuaded him, after initial reluctance, to admit who he was. The neokoros reported the news to king Fulk, who sent for Raymond. Fulk realised that this was a good match for Constance of Antioch, despite her young age, and persuaded Raymond to set out for Antioch. Despite being nearly knocked off his horse by Byzantine guards, he finally reached Antioch and the marriage took place
Certainty: 3 Epiphany hymns (probably of this year) with polychronia for Ioannes II & his sons. Three traditional Epiphany hymns written for the demes by Theodoros Prodromos should probably be dated to 1136. Their polychronia celebrate Ioannes II, his co-emperor Alexios and the holy trinity of sebastokrators
Certainty: 2 Uncanonical election of Radulf of Domfort as patriarch of Antioch rejected by other bishops. Radulf of Domfront was chosen as Patriarch of Antioch only by the people, without his fellow bishops. They refused him obedience, but were afraid of the mob and dispersed, so that he could take over church, palace and even the pallium (without reference to Rome)
Certainty: 2 Radulf of Domfort treated his clerical opponents with great violence. Some of the bishops returned to communion, and it was said that if he had behaved well, the church would have been at peace. However he acted more like a secular than an ecclesiastical ruler, using his wealth against his opponents and treating the clergy mercilessly. Some of the elders of the church were violently driven out. Some, like Arnulf of Calabria, the bishop of Cosenza, and Lambert, the archdeacon of Antioch, found themselves treated like common murderers, imprisoned in a dungeon full of lime and tortured for many days on a charge of conspiring against Radulf. His behaviour was so crazy that he became widely hated, and began to fear for his safety
Certainty: 2 Alice gained (via Melisende) Fulk's consent to her taking over Antioch. Before the arrival of Raymond of Poitiers, Alice returned to Antioch from her estates, and with the support of a party of nobles, began to act as sovreign. She had persuaded her sister Melisende to gain Fulk's agreement not to intervene if she took over Antioch. She was tricked by Radulf of Domfront into thinking that Raymond was coming to marry her
Certainty: 2 Radulf deceived both Alice & Raymond: Alice returned to her estates. When Raymond of Poitiers reached Antioch, he immediately saw that the key person was Radulf of Domfront, and decided to do whatever Radulf asked. Alice still believed till the last moment that she would be Raymond's bride. Radulf, as well as deceiving her, used his strong position to extort an oath of fealty from Raymond, in return for allowing him to marry Constance. Raymond was even offered Radulf's help, if his brother Henry came to Antioch, to marry him to Alice, with her dowry of two towns. Raymond swore fealty and the marriage went ahead: Alice realised she had been duped, and returned to her estates
Certainty: 2 Marrriage of under-age Constance of Antioch to Raymond of Poitiers. After Raymond of Poitiers swore fealty to Radulf of Domfront, Radulf married him to Constance in the church of Hagios Petros. All those present agreed to ignore the fact that she was far too young for marriage
Certainty: 2 Raymond disregarded the enforced oath of fealty, & joined Radulf's enemies. Radulf thought that the oath he had extorted from Raymond of Poitiers put him on a firm foundation in dealing with him. However Raymond, as soon as he had gained the desired marriage, disregarded the oath as shameful and wrongly extorted, joining Radulf's enemies
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II completed & signed the typikon of the Pantokrator. Ioannes II completed the typikon of the Pantokrator complex, and signed it, probably just in time before leaving on his Cilician expedition. The Typikon was for the Pantokrator monastery, the church of the Eleousa, and a Heroon or funerary chapel between them. There were also elaborate arrangements for a hospital. He made detailed provisions for the staff of each area, precedence, the honouring of the tombs and the giving of food and alms at the gates. He provided for the diet of the monks, mealtime behaviour, care of sick monks, monks devoted to menial tasks and more honourable offices. He explained how the monastery was to be separate from the world, how it should be governed and how a new hegoumenos should be appointed and forced to follow the typikon. He regulated the relations of the Pantokrator with its dependent monasteries elsewhere. For the church of the Eleousa, he stipulated the numbers and remuneration of its clergy and other staff, and expenses under other headings like lighting. Specially detailed prescriptions were made for the commemorations of Komnenian family members in the Heroon dedicated to the Archangel Michael, and the operation of the hospital. [These are given in separate units below.]
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II listed relations & adherents to be commemorated in the Pantokrator. Ioannes II arranged for daily commemorations in the Pantokrator monastery for the deceased Alexios I, Anna Dalassene, Eirene Doukaina and Eirene-Piroshka. There were to be weekly commemorations on Saturdays for Ioannes, father of Alexios I; Maria of Bulgaria and her husband Andronikos Doukas; Isaakios Komnenos, brother of Alexios I; Eudokia-Dobrodeja, first wife of the emperor Alexios, first son of Ioannes II; Andronikos and Eudokia, children of Alexios I; Nikephoros Bryennios; Nikephoros Katakalon Euphorbenos; Adrianos Komnenos, brother of Alexios I; Zoe Doukaina, daughter of Konstantinos X; Manuel Komnenos, eldest brother of Alexios I; the kaisar Nikephoros Melissenos and his wife Eudokia Komnene; Maria and Theodora, sisters of Alexios I; Michael Doukas, brother of Eirene Doukaina; Georgios Palaiologos; Theodora and Anna, sisters of Eirene Doukaina. There would be special commemorations for Alexios, son of Ioannes II's son Isaakios and Ioannes Arbantenos, a nephew who had made large donations to the Pantokrator. Minor commemoration was to be made for several adherents of the family: two mystikoi, Ioannes the eunuch and Tzykanisteriotes; Konstantinos Rogerios; Eustathios Kamytzes; Michaelitzes Stypeiotes; the doctor Niketas the protos; Georgios Dekanos; and Georgios Beroites, the imperial vestiarites
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II arranged for the organisation of an elaborate hospital at the Pantokrator.
Certainty: 2 A huge Byzantine invasion of Cilicia, provoked by local attacks but maybe with wider purposes. Lewon I of Armenia had been capturing forts subject to the Byzantines, and in particular was trying to get control of Seleukeia. At the moment of the Byzantine attack Lewon had been captured by the Antiochenes, but they now set their prisoner free, realising they needed all the allies they could find against superior Byzantine force. Ioannes II announced that he would attack Lewon, but took with him equipment for a long expedition. This led to rumours that he was trying to reactivate a proposal made by some Antiochene aristocrats to have Manuel (I) marry the Antiochene heiress Constance, now cancelled by her marriage to Raymond of Poitiers. It was even suggested that he was reviving Byzantine claims to all the lands promised by the First Crusaders to Alexios I (a promise voided for the Westerners by Alexios' own conduct)
Certainty: 1 Franks besieging Kafartab lost a horse to 'Ali ibn al-Dudawayhi. 'Ali b. al-Dudawayh, in the sevice of Usama b. Munqidh, stole a horse from the Franks while they were besieging Kafartab
Certainty: 1 Pilgrimage of Isaakios Porphyrogennetos to Jerusalem. Isaakios the porphyrogennetos, brother of Ioannes II, had visited Palestine as a pilgrim, visiting all the holy sites. In particular, he had invested a good deal of his own money in bringing water in channels to the Monastery of St Ioannes Prodromos on the Jordan, to alleviate pilgrims' thirst
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos promoted from teaching the Psalter to the Pauline Epistles. Michael Italikos was promoted from Didaskalos of the Psalter to Didaskalos of the Epistles, a post he was to occupy till 1142 - too long, as he felt
Certainty: 0 Death of Alexios, son of Alexios. After a flourishing life, he died, mourned by his wife. Theodoros Prodromos wrote an epitaph
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos wrote to Lizix, recalling discussions of him with Theodoros Prodromos. Michael Italikos wrote to Lizix, saying that he could picture him well, especially during happy chats with Theodoros Prodromos, though he no longer met him. But he would be surprised if the ambitious Lizix had the same memories of them
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II reached Cilicia, capturing most of the coastal towns. He attacked Cilicia via Pamphylia, penetrated the Tauros in an attempt to sieze the Armenian prince Levon, then moved down the coast from Korykos to the rivers Kydnos and Saros, taking Lamos, Askora, Tarsos, Adana and Mopsuestia; Alexios, his co-emperor, had a comparatively independent mission, capturing Ankyra (in Cilicia?), then Gastounai later as they approached Antioch
Certainty: 2 Ioannes, son of Nikephoros Bryennios, was on campaign when his wife fell ill. Ioannes was away with his uncle the emperor when Theodora fell ill, with eight months of alternate fever and cold. His absence was her greatest regret as she grew weaker. But he was fortunately able to return before she died
Certainty: 2 Defeat & capture of Lewon the Armenian ruler. Stories of his capture vary: Italikos has him unsuccessfully attacked early in the campaign, with Ioannes II undertaking engineering work in the Taurus but only catching Lewon's family. One of his sons was to escape from Constantinople and become the successful Armenian leader Toros II
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II moved inland into the Armenian area: Anazarbos fell after a fierce siege. The capture of Anazarbos was very exhausting. Ioannes began by testing the mettle of the Armenian defenders, using his Turkish troops. The Armenians at first made a successful counter-attack, but then were driven back into the city. The Byzantine siege-engines damaged the city's walls, but were burned by hot iron shot from the city and by the sallies of the defenders. The Byzantines rebuilt their engines using bricks instead of wood as foundation and protection, and the hot iron was no longer effective. They were able to breach the wall, destroy the defenders' morale and capture the city
Certainty: 2 Fulk built the castle of Beth Gibelin, to reduce attacks from Askalon. The Egyptians still maintained Askalon as an active base with a strong garrison. To reduce the numbers of raids from there, Fulk, with the aid of the patriarch William of Messines, built the fortress of Beth Gibelin twelve miles away, and handed it over to the Hospitallers. It was successful, and the raids were reduced
Certainty: 2 Invasion of S. Italy by Lothar II thwarted: Roger II named king of Sicily. Lothar II, the king of Germany and western emperor, to help pope Innocent II, captured much of Longibardia (Apulia) with a huge army. But his attempt was thwarted when Roger of Sicily bribed one of Lothar's relatives to have the little tune which in Germany means the end of the war sounded in Lothar's camp. His troops melted away, though he engaged in mass impalings to stop them, and he despaired and died
Certainty: 2 Further captures by Byzantines en route to Antioch. The Byzantine armies moved on towards Antioch. Ioannes II captured Alexandretta, while Alexios the co-emperor took Gastounai
Certainty: 2 Bazawash of Damascus exploited the Montferrand crisis to invade Tripoli, killing Pons. Bazawash of Damascus invaded Tripoli and in a battle near Mt Pilgrim, defeated Pons of Tripoli, captured him with the help of local Syrian Christians, and killed him. Bishop Gerard of Tripoli was also captured, but was not recognised and exchanged as a common soldier. Bazawash continued to exploit he lack of defenders resulting from the Montferrand crisis, and attacked the undefended city of Nablus, burned it, and returned with great booty
Certainty: 2 Attack by 'Imad al-Din Zanki on Montferrand; Fulk of Anjou defeated & besieged there. After the death of Pons of Tripoli, 'Imad al-Din Zanki exploited the situation by besieging the castle of Montferrand. This brought Fulk from Jerusalem to Tripoli, where he received another summons to defend Antioch against Ioannes II. Fulk decided to resupply Montferrand, then go on to Antioch to give aid against the Byzantine attack. He joined with Raymond II of Tripoli to take food to the besieged, but they were badly guided on narrow paths. Zanki moved to meet them, seeing a chance to attack on favourable terms. He routed the front ranks of Fulk's army, making resistance hard for the rest. Fulk retreated to Montferrand, losing all his animals and supplies. Some of his knights followed, most were captured (like Raymond II of Tripoli) or killed (like Geoffrey Chatpalu)
Certainty: 2 Desperate defence of Montferrand against 'Imad al-Din Zanki. The besieged held a crisis meeting in Montferrand: they included William of Bures, Rainier of Brus, Guy Brisebarre, Baldwin of Ramla and Humphrey of Toron. They decided to hold out as best they could, though they had eaten their horses and the castle was half-ruined. Messengers were sent in desperation to Antioch, Edessa and Jerusalem. The plea for help from Tripoli found Raymond of Antioch awaiting the arrival of Ioannes II, who was besieging Anazarbos. Despite the danger, Raymond and Baldwin of Mar'ash set off south to rescue Fulk and the rest. The defenders suffered exhaustion, starvation and sickness under constant attack by Zanki, with no news of relief, and became desperate
Certainty: 2 Surrender on terms of Fulk at Montferrand. When Zanki offered to free all his prisoners (including Raymond of Tripoli) and allow the defenders to go free, Fulk accepted. After Montferrand was surrendered, Zanki treated his captives well and set them free. Fulk found that relief armies under Raymond of Antioch, Joscelin II of Edessa and the patriarch of Jerusalem William of Messines were close by, and had probably helped to inspire Zanki's generosity. Fulk thanked them, and all went home
Certainty: 2 Raymond II of Tripoli took revenge on local Christians for betrayal of Pons. Left as heir of Tripoli by death of Pons, his father, he gathered the remaining troops and rounded up the Syrian Christians who had called in the Turks and betrayed Pons. He tortured them to death, thus giving a splendid first proof of his courage
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II at Antioch in 1137: siege, meeting at his camp, visit to the city?. It seems generally agreed that Ioannes II approached Antioch in a fairly aggressive way, that there were skirmishes and considerable fighting in the framework of a siege, particularly around the Gate of the Bridge. This stage may have begun before many of the defenders had left in a vain attempt to defend Montferrand, but it is more likely that Ioannes had not reached the immediate neighbourhood before they went. However the fighting between Christians was stopped before it went too far and an agreement reached. The most fundamental difference in the sources is between Niketas Choniates, who has Ioannes making a visit of several days to the city, and other sources (best exemplified by William of Tyre), who show Raymond of Poitiers only visiting Ioannes' camp outside the city, perhaps as part of the agreement made. Kinnamos stresses that Raymond had begged Ioannes to become Antioch's overlord, provided he recognised Raymond's own status as current ruler. Ioannes refused
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II at Antioch in 1137: issues of status & details of the agreement. [The information provided by Italikos is generally regarded as a symbolic representation of a Byzantine view of what occurred. It is most unlikely, for example, that Fulk was anywhere near Antioch at the time, so his removal of his crown in favour of Ioannes did not occur outside a possible symbolic dimension. However other details of the agreement as preserved - that Raymond of Antioch, Joscelin of Edessa and perhaps the newly-promoted Raymond of Tripoli were to fight with Ioannes to gain a new principality for Raymond, so that he could hand Antioch to the Byzantines, seem to accord with the campaign that followed. The new fief should include Aleppo, Shayzar, Hama and Homs. There are other points, like that of demonstrating vassal status by entertaining a hypothetical lord, which do not claim any reality beyond the sphere of competing status. There was probably a clause guaranteeing Ioannes access to Antioch in some way, to justify Ioannes' apparent demand in 1138 to control the citadel]
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos wrote three times to Stephanos Meles, asking for promotion. Michael Italikos wrote three letters to Stephanos Meles, the logothetes of the dromos, at least two of them sent to the army at Attaleia or in Cilicia. One thanks him for a gift of exotic fish, all ask him for promotion. One complains in a jealous way of a favour received by Nikephoros Basilakios
Certainty: 2 Usama made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos wrote aggressively to Bapheopoulos over late payment of his salary. Payment for the didaskaloi, including Michael Italikos, was late. Michael wrote to Bapheopoulos, the official responsible, claiming on spurious grounds that he was a student of his, then using this false relationship to tell him bluntly to pay up. If not, he would use his ex-student and Bapheopoulos' superior the epi ton gonaton to put pressure on him. In the last resort, he would write to the megas oikonomos, who (according to Tziknoglos) ruled the whole world, even areas outside the empire
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos asked Ioannes Axouch to stop his enemies blocking his career. In the age of gold presided over by Ioannes Axouch and Ioannes II, all was movement and victory and the empire had returned to its greatness. Cilicia and Syria were witnessing a new chapter in the story. Michael Italikos was the encomiast of this successful period, yet Michael's own career in the church had been blocked by calumny he could not control. He asked Axouch to make sure that Ioannes II realised what was happening, by passing on a letter
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos inquired about the treatment by magic of a friend's sister. The sister of Tziknoglos had been given treatment by a healer who used magic spells. Michael Italikos asked her brother how the treatment was progressing. He himself, despite wide reading and a huge collection of spells, did not believe in them and never used them. He had only agreed to the present experiment as a way to quieten the women
Certainty: 2 Reconciliation of Ioannes II with his brother Isaakios. Ioannes II made peace with his brother Isaakios and the latter's son Ioannes. The meeting and reconciliation took place outside Byzantine-controlled territory, perhaps on the route back from Shayzar to Antioch.
Certainty: 2 Death of kaisar Nikephoros Bryennios: grief of his wife Anna Komnene. Nikephoros Bryennios, the kaisar and husband of Anna Komnene, went on Ioannes II's expedition to Syria. In every moment of spare time, he worked on his book, the Historical Material. He contracted a mortal illness there and was carried back across Asia Minor to the capital, with his intestines swollen by the disease. Anna would not let him tell her what had happened, even if he had been fit enough to do so. He died soon after returning to Constantinople, a heartrending loss to Anna, which she could never recall without weeping. Her life had began in the porphyra and had gradually gone downhill, but nothing prepared her for the pain of losing Nikephoros. Engrossed as she was in pagan philosophy, she needed the strength of Christian belief to cope with her suffering
Certainty: 2 Innocent II wrote to support archbishopric of Tyre against patriarchs of Antioch & Jerusalem. Fulcher of Angouleme, the newly-elected archbishop of Tyre, succeeded in going to Rome to obtain the pallium from pope Innocent II. He also asked for personal help with regard to establishing himself as an archbishop, and establishing the archbishopric of Tyre, since some of its former sees were under the control of Jerusalem and others of Antioch. Innocent told Fulcher to obey William, the patriarch of Jerusalem, till further notice. He also wrote a number of letters in this regard, all recommending Fulcher himself. He wrote to William of Jerusalem and Radulf, patriarch of Antioch, asking them to support the re-creation of the Tyrian archbishopric. He wrote to all the bishops once subordinate to Tyre, in both political jurisdictions, asking them to return allegiance to the new foundation, and again to Radulf, asking him to make this possible for the bishoprics now under Antiochene political control
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos wrote again to Stephanos Meles, enclosing a letter for Ioannes II. Michael Italikos wrote to Stephanos Meles, explaining how the great feats of Ioannes II were publicised. Reports were written in Ioannes' name by Stephanos, the logothetes of the dromos, then spread further by Michael as a didaskalos. To keep this system working, would Stephanos please see that Ioannes read the enclosed letter?
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos wrote to thank Ioannes Axouch for his help. Ioannes Axouch had helped Michael Italikos (perhaps over promotion?) by rebutting criticism against him. Michael sent him thanks, to a far theatre of operations. The letter ends with the wish that Axouch and the emperor should soon return in triumph
Certainty: 2 A highly-placed eunuch tried to protect his niece's property in Thrakesion. A eunuch baioulos "porphyrogennetos" (?) wrote (by Tzetzes' pen) to Galenos, doux of Thrakesion, about an estate in Thrakesion belonging to the baioulos' orphan niece, which needed protection from tax-gatherers. If no help was forthcoming, he threatened to petition the emperor
Certainty: 2 Having wintered in Cilicia, Ioannes II led his crusader allies eastwards from Antioch. Ioannes II went back to Cilicia for the winter. In the spring he mustered his army in Cilicia, and summoned Raymond of Poitiers and Joscelin of Edessa to join him, on an expedition which was to lead to Shayzar
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II with crusader allies captured Buza'a, with much booty & many prisoners. Ioannes II with his crusader allies approached the Euphrates and attacked Buza'a; its people won the first skirmish, but were then driven back and besieged in the city under a hail of stones, till they preserved their lives by handing over their wealth. Buza'a was handed over to the count of Edessa
Certainty: 2 Booty from Buza'a was lost by Thomas on his way back to Antioch. Ioannes II's captives and vast booty from Buza'a was handed over to Thomas, the imperial secretary, for transport back to Antioch. However Thomas, on the way, was attacked, lost both prisoners and booty and barely escaped with his life
Certainty: 2 Buza'a was again taken, by capitulation: Christians broke agreements by forcing conversions. The first capture of Buza'a had been by force, but the Byzantines were driven away. After a time, they captured the town again by capitualtion, promising safety to the inhabitants, then breaking their promise by imposing forced conversion on the Muslim population, in exchange for life or freedom. As a result, ore than 500 people became Christians, among them the judge and the notaries; the road to the city was cut off, so that one had to enter via Balis
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II captured al-Bab. On Easter day, Ioannes II besieged and captured al-Bab, taking its occupants prisoner, then left the town to a subordinate with troops to defend it while he made for Shayzar
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II's campaign between Buza'a & Shayzar. He sent a detachment of his army across the Euphrates, which gathered a lot of booty from cities and castles there. He decided not to go to Hierapolis, lying in an open plain and not defensible, and marched towards Pherep and Aleppo, advised by Raymond of Antioch, who was with him; Aleppo was aggressively defended, and he let it be, as he was short of provisions. He captured Pherep and gave it to a count from Antioch, then went on to Kafartab, centre of a large area and surrounded by walled castles; he stormed Kafartab, and Nistrion too (on the way to Shayzar), captured and plundered by Pecheneg troops
Certainty: 2 The Christians captured a suburb of Shayzar, slaughtering its people; but not the citadel. As he approached Shayzar, the local people formed themselves into a unified force for defence; they put up resistance in the marshes, but were defeated and driven back to the city, leaving the Byzantines to plunder everything in the countryside and small towns. The house of a friend of Usama, Yusuf b. Abi l-Gharib, was destroyed by a stone from a Byzantine siege-engine. Ioannes' men, organised by ethnic group, made steady progress into Shayzar despite resistance; he would have captured the city and its wealth, but for bad news of grave danger at Edessa; so he accepted gifts, including a table and cross, some of the spoils of Mantzikert, and withdrew back towards Antioch. As he left, he was attacked by the troops of 'Imad al-Din Zanki, haughtily riding their swift horses; but they paid for this pride with defeat and losses, especially the capture of two relatives of prominent men
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II, increasingly contemptuous of his crusader allies, was bought off. Ioannes II during the siege of Shayzar moved around all day fully armed, with a golden helmet, encouraging the army by word and example and arranging all military details. Young Raymond of Poitiers and Joscelin of Edessa, however, preferred dice to war, and influenced others. Ioannes tried secretly to improve their conduct, without success, and became angry at the slow progress of the siege. Murshid (Machedolus), who was in charge of the defence, was alarmed when all the citizens of a captured suburb were slaughtered, and offered a good deal of money and treasure to stop the siege. Ioannes, increasingly disillusioned with the lazy and faithless Raymond and Joscelin, for whom he was fighting, decided to accept Murshid's offer and leave Shayzar; Raymond and Joscelin now tried to dissuade him, but in vain. The ransom included some of the Byzantine treasures taken at Mantzikert
Certainty: 2 Zanki saved the people of Buza'a, who had been forced to convert. 'Imad al-Din Zanki rescued the Muslim population of Buza'a from the Byzantines (who had forced them to convert). In fact, he soon recovered from the Byzantines both al-Bab and Buza'a: both towns remained in the hands of his descendants until the power was transferred to Salah al-Din
Certainty: 2 Raymond of Antioch allowed Ioannes II a triumphal entry & a few days' stay in Antioch. After the ravaging of enemy territory ended, he made a splendid ceremonial entry into Antioch. He entered the city with his four sons, his court and a large body of soldiers, then processed to Hagios Petros, then to the palace, with Raymond of Poitiers and Joscelin of Edessa walking as grooms by his horse, accompanied by all the city's clergy, amidst music and popular applause in the beautifully decorated streets. He thus won a great and bloodless triumph. After enjoying amenities of the palace for some days and distributing generous largesse, he summoned Raymond, Joscelin and their nobles, and asked Raymond for the citadel of Antioch as a secure base for further operations
Certainty: 2 After some days in Antioch, Ioannes II left when Joscelin II manufactured a riot. Ioannes II's claim to hold the citadel of Antioch was valid, in terms of the agreement made when Ioannes had last camped near the city, and his bodyguard was large. Raymond and Joscelin were in a difficult position. It was Joscelin who found the solution. He asked Ioannes for time to consult, which was granted, and he went back to his lodgings. He returned panting, as if he had been pursued by a mob. He had caused the disturbance himself, spreading rumours that Antioch was being betrayed, and there were stories of attacks on Byzantines. Ioannes did not press his claims on the citadel, and agreed to leave the next day. Amid praise for the emperor's wisdom and eloquence, he, his sons, kinsmen and bodyguard returned to his camp outide the city. Raymond and Joscelin had little problem in calming the riot
Certainty: 2 Ioannes stayed briefly near Antioch, & was reconciled to Raymond & Joscelin. Ioannes II returned to his camp near Antioch, concealing considerable anger. Envoys came from the city to calm him: they talked of dangers of mob rule and of punishing the guilty, but defended Raymond and Joscelin as innocent. He was persuaded, sent for them to come to his camp and spoke to them in a kind way. He ended by saying he had urgent reasons to depart for home. He took his leave, promising to come back with a powerful army to carry out their agreements. He returned to Cilicia
Certainty: 2 On leaving Antioch, Ioannes II captured Vahka after a ferocious fight. [This episode is chronologically detached from the rest of the campaign. It would be just as logical to date it during the winter of 1137-1138 as here.] Ioannes II left Antioch and began the siege of Vahka, which had a very strong natural position and was well defended. He expressed determination to take it and warned of the horrors of a sack, but resistance continued. One of the defenders, a noble Armenian named Konstantinos, not only raised the morale of the populace but stood on the summit of the rock, abusing Ioannes, his wife and children with Greek obscenities, issuing challenges to single combat. Ioannes, eager for revenge, asked his officers for a champion. They chose Eustratios, a soldier from Macedonia, giving him fine weapons. Eustratios stood forward and provoked Konstantinos, but then defended passively against his furious assault. Finally with one blow he destroyed Konstantinos' shield, driving him from the field, and stopping his provocative behaviour. Eustratios later explained that he was looking for the chance to sever the man as well as the shield, but the opportunity never arose, so he had to be content with the shield. He was richly rewarded. Vahka was stormed a few days later, Konstantinos was captured and sent to the capital by boat, but escaped, killed many guards and had to be captured again. Ioannes also captured the citadel of Kapniskerti
Certainty: 2 Death of Theodora, wife of Ioannes, son of Nikephoros Bryennios. Theodora, daughter-in-law of Nikephoros Bryennios, suffered a mortal sickness of eight months, awaiting her husband Ioannes' return home from campaign. Her earnest anticipation was satified when he came. She was tonsured as a nun, renamed Aikaterine, and soon died
Certainty: 2 The patriarch Radulf was arrested by Raymond & sent to Rome with his accusers. Raymond of Poitiers decided to bring the case of Radulf of Domfront to a head. He sent Radulf to Rome for a verdict with his two main accusers, Arnulf of Calabria and Lambert the archdeacon, whose protests had been very strong. Arnulf went first, and persuaded Roger II of Sicily, whom he knew personally, to arrest Radulf on arrival, to mark his claim on Antioch
Certainty: 2 Radulf convinced Roger II of his innocence; the pope sent the case back for trial in Antioch. Arnulf of Calabria, archbishop of Cosenza, conducted the arrested Radulf of Domfront, stripped of his retinue, from Brindisi to Roger II in Sicily, accusing him, at last on equal terms, of the wicked persecution he had suffered at his hands. Roger was concerned to mark his claim on Antioch. But once in Sicily, in conversations with Roger, his wisdom, great eloquence and honourable appearance prevailed. He was given back all that had been removed from him, and was sent on to Rome, promising to visit Roger again on the way back. In Rome he was at first not seen by the Pope, having once claimed that Antioch was the equal of Rome. Later he was admitted, received a new pallium, but was fiercely accused by Lambert and Arnulf; Innocent II decided that the trial should be heard by a legate at Antioch itself
Certainty: 2 Burning of tent-church at Paneas. William of Messines, patriarch of Jerusalem, was accompanying Frankish troops camping at Banyas. He pitched a large tent to serve as a church. One of his deacons was attempting to rid the tent of fleas when he set fire to it
Certainty: 2 Ascetic captured in siege of Shayzar ransomed in Constantinople. During the siege of Shayzar by Ioannes II, Ibn Kardus the ascetic was taken prisoner, and was carried off to Constantinople. After a while, he was asked by an unknown man whether he was Ibn Kardus, and when he answered in the affirmative, he was asked to point out his master. His unknown benefactor then haggled with his master till they agreed a price and his master agreed to sell him. He was then set free, with the gift of expenses to reach home
Certainty: 2 Death of Isaakios, brother of Ioannes Tzetzes, on Rhodes. Isaakios Tzetzes went on Ioannes II's Syrian expedition to Aleppo, but died on Rhodes on the way back. Ioannes Tzetzes wrote a lament for his brother in iambics, but from excessive emotion it was full of metrical solecisms connected with dichronic vowels, so he cancelled and suppressed it
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes told a grammatikos to stop attacking him. Ioannes Tzetzes told a grammatikos to stop attacking him. He had thought to ignore the attacks, but now he warned the man he might have to repent of what he wrote, as making fun of Tzetzes could be dangerous
Certainty: 2 Pilgrimage of Adrianos - Ioannes Komnenos to Jerusalem & the holy places of Palestine. Adrianos - Ioannes Komnenos, having served as a priest on Ioannes II's Syrian expedition, went from the Antioch area to Jerusalem, where he saw the holy places inside the city. He also visited the other important sites around Palestine, following devoutly in Christ's footsteps and supporting Greeks against Latins
Certainty: 1 The Turks regathered strength & retook Gangra. Gangra was not fated to remain long in Byzantine hands. While Ioannes II was busy with even more important affairs, the local Turks gathered their forces and starved the city into submission
Certainty: 0 Death of solitary monk Athanasios. Athanasios the solitary monk died and was buried with an epitaph by Theodoros Prodromos. This asked for quiet in death for one who had been quiet in life, and warned tomb-robbers of the relevant sanctions of the Council of Nicaea
Certainty: 0 Accusation by Barys that Theodoros Prodromos was a heretic. Barys was apparently offended by Theodoros Prodromos' obvious expertise in ancient literature and philosophy, and so accused him of heretical devotion to them. Theodoros felt that he must respond to this, unlike other accusations which other men might find more important. He listed major church fathers likely to fall under similar accusations. He spoke of his Christian writings, which should be a guarantee of his orthodoxy, and gave a 24-line acrostic confession of faith. He spoke of his devout family, including a metropolitan in the last generation, and his orthodox upbringing. Classical learning was, in fact, a considerable aid to faith
Certainty: 0 Dedication by Konstantinos Alopos of an icon of the Trinity. Konstantinos Alopos had Theodoros Prodromos write a dedication poem for his icon of the Trinity. It portrayed the hospitality of Abraham: Konstantinos wanted access to eternal life, not a child, like Abraham and Sarah
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos sent Theodoros Prodromos a list of eastern geographical & ethnic names. Michael Italikos sent Theodoros Prodromos a list of eastern geographical and ethnic names [which would be useful in reporting the two late eastern campaigns of Ioannes II]
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos sent his brother news of his problems via a letter-carrier. Michael Italikos sent an old friend with a letter to his brother, introduced by the letter as one who could provide information on the problems Michael faced
Certainty: 2 Returning from Cilicia, Ioannes II sent a detachment to punish the people of Ikonion. Ioannes II, after a three-year expedition, returned via Cilicia to Constantinople. As he went, he sent a detachment to punish the people of Ikonion, who had taken advantage of his absence by attacking Byzantine possessions. This raid was successful
Certainty: 2 Return to Constantinople of Ioannes II's brother Isaakios & Isaakios' son Ioannes. The sebastokrator Isaakios and his eldest son Ioannes (a fine warrior) had left Byzantium over a small quarrel and travelled round neighbouring courts, many (like that of Mas'ud of Ikonion) hostile to the empire. He plotted continually against his imperial brother. But Isaakios was impoverished and felt marginalised by the glory won by the campaigns of Ioannes II, which meant that foreigners now refused to support his plans for rebellion. So he and his son returned to Constantinople as part of Ioannes II's triumph, and were warmly received by him. Poems were written by Theodoros Prodromos to celebrate Isaakios' pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and commissioning of a picture of Ioannes for himself
Certainty: 2 Celebrations after the return of Ioannes II from Syria & Cilicia. Ioannes held hippodrome races to celebrate his return from the long expedition, again stressing that he had reached Mesopotamia rather than mentioning Antioch. He also held two (probably more) marriages for unidentifiable members of the imperial family: both brides were imperial granddaughters, one the daughter of a daughter, the other was marrying a Doukas. He probably also on this occasion dedicated a holy grave in a church with its own golden candlesticks
Certainty: 2 Literary work celebrating Isaakios Porphyrogennetos after his return. Three poems were written by Theodoros Prodromos in connection with Isaakios, the brother of Ioannes II. One, in Isaakios' own persona, was specially proud of his pilgrimage to Jerusalem and his investment in bringing water to the monastery of Hagios Ioannes Prodromos at the Jordan. A second, from its title, was written to accompany the gift of a picture to Ioannes II, a portrait of Ioannes himself painted by Isaakios (though the poem itself throws doubt on this scenario). It speaks of their closeness of upbringing and the trivial quarrel which had divided them. A third, a hexameter encomium, stressed his double imperial descent, his excellent education and his warlike skills; though it has no dating criteria, it may well have been written, like the other two, to celebrate Isaakios' return to Byzantium
Certainty: 2 Nikephoros Basilakes wrote a speech to welcome Ioannes II on his return from Syria. Nikephoros Basilakios promised Ioannes II a welcome unparallelled in human history in richness and enthusiasm, as he returned to his capital after achieving victories which were equally unique. The speech mentions in an imprecise way many of the events occurring in Cilicia and Syria, culminating in a plea to the church and people of Constantinople to celebrate a better triumph than that already seen in Antioch
Certainty: 2 Radulf was sent home honourably, excluded from Antioch but soon reinstated. The patriarch of Antioch, Radulf of Domfront, after staying in Rome to finish his business, visited Sicily on the way back to Antioch, as had been arranged on the outward journey. He was well received by Roger II, and given an honourable escort of several ships to St Simeon. He went up to Antioch and asked for a solemn entrance, but his clergy, supported (or inspired) by Raymond of Poitiers, refused to admit him. He decided to wait in a monastery in the Black Mountains for the mood to change, amid accusations from Arnulf of Calabria that he was conspiring with Roger II against Antioch
Certainty: 2 Death of Peter of Lyons left Radulf's enemies in despair; Alberic of Beauvais replaced him as legate. Innocent II in Rome had sent Peter, the archbishop of Lyons, as a papal legate to resolve the case of Radulf of Domfront. Peter arrived at Acre, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was urged by Radulf's enemies, Arnulf and Lambert, to hurry to Antioch and finish his business. But he had only reached Acre from Jerusalem when he fell sick and died (some say of poison). Lambert, the archdeacon of Antioch, was disappointed by this turn of events, made his submission to Radulf and was confirmed in his post. Arnulf too was disappointed by the death of a legate who had seemed anxious to finish things. He was put under merciless pressure from Radulf. But he returned to Rome and succeeded in having Alberic of Beauvais chosen by Innocent II to replace Peter
Certainty: 2 Radulf was invited to Edessa by Joscelin II, then allowed by Raymond into Antioch. Radulf of Domfront, patriarch of Antioch, was invited to Edessa by Joscelin of Edessa, as the bishops of the county of Edessa (the archbishops of Edessa, Kyrros and Hierapolis) were his supporters. After being honourably entertained there, he returned to Antioch, where he was given a solemn entry to the city, conducted by Raymond of Poitiers in person. Outwardly at least Radulf was reconciled to the prince
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote to Manuel Gabrielakites, stationed in Thessaly. Ioannes Tzetzes wrote a letter to Manuel Gabrielakites, who was stationed at Platamon in Thessaly. He said he admired Manuel, but as he was now in the area where heroes were trained, he was worried that Manuel might return as a Lapith or a Centaur. Manuel's praise of Ioannes was also exaggerated, and he wondered what his secret agenda might be. His letter to Manuel was ruined by grief for his brother Isaakios, and by the letter-carrier, who spent too long on his own affairs, gave Manuel's letter late then demanded a quick reply. Tzetzes sent best wishes from his surviving brothers, Alexios the nephew of the protovestiarios and Basileios Machetarios, to Manuel and his father
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes warned the chartophylax of trouble at the Church of the Holy Apostles. Tzetzes wrote a letter to Konstantinos, the chartophylax of Hagia Sophia, about problems at the Church of the Holy Apostles. A hermit occupying a cell there was spreading unspecified mischief; this monk had been helped by Konstantinos himself and the patriarch Leon Stypes, but they had withdrawn support on realising his character. Konstantinos told the man to leave the church, and he had gone. But later he returned, supported by some of its clergy, his own relatives and false use of Konstantinos' name. The previous inhabitant of the cell, though honoured by the protosebastos, also wanted to come back. These cells in the Church of the Holy Apostles were being used to make profits, spread vice and ruin the church. Konstantinos was urged to shut them down and send away the monks concerned to be held in monasteries. If not, these troubles would go down in history
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos pronounced a basilikos logos to Ioannes II on his return from Syria. Michael Italikos wrote (and dleivered?) a lengthy basilikos logos for Ioannes II on his return to the capital from the campaign to Cilicia and Syria. He narrated in an encomiastic way several of the events of the expedition, sharply changing details, especially at Shayzar and Antioch, to appear more favourable to the emperor than they were. He ended with a request for promotion to be one of the special clergy attached to the emperor (other evidence suggests that he wished to become didaskalos of the Gospels)
Certainty: 2 Operations, building & preparations in Western Anatolia. Though feeling exhausted, Ioannes II marched for the tenth time against the Turks, with a warning to Muhammad the Danishmendid. He went to defend the weak areas along the Sangarios against Tukish attacks. News of his arrival was enough to stop them. He drove off many animals as booty and returned to Lopadion, where many people from the capital felt secure in visiting him, including women and Theodoros Prodromos. When the womenfolk left, he built Ochyrai. Now for the first time he acquired a reputation as an implacable slave-driver, allowing his troops little or no time at home after returning from Syria before preparing for an expedition to Pontos. His enforcement was strict, resentment was extreme, and he made little attempt to soothe it
Certainty: 2 The forces of Thierry of Flanders were used to capture a nest of brigands across the Jordan. Thierry, count of Flanders arrived in Jerusalem for prayer and pilgrimage with a noble company of knights. King Fulk welcomed him joyfully, and it was decided to use his forces to capture a cave-fortress of brigands across the Jordan. They besieged the place together and took it
Certainty: 2 In Fulk's absence with Thierry, the Turks defeated Templar troops. During the absence across the Jordan of king Fulk with Thierry of Flanders, with the kingdom denuded of troops, some Turks raided Tekoah. Robert the Burgundian, master of the Temple, heard of this and went against them with some bretheren and other knights, the people following, and Bernard Vacher from Fulk's household brought a royal standard. The Turks retreated but the attackers moved up so carelessly that the fugitives were able to rally and defeat them with heavy casualties, including the much-lamented Templar Odo of Monfaucon
Certainty: 2 'Imad al-Din Zanki threatened Damascus; its governor, Anar, enlisted Christians in the defence. 'Imad al-Din Zanki prepared an attack on Damascus, whose regent, Anar, persuaded king Fulk to help in the defence, promising hostages, 20,000 gold pieces a month and the return of Banyas. The deterrent worked: when Fulk joined the Damascenes, Zanki retreated, and the operation turned into an attack on Banyas, which was closely besieged by the combined Muslim-Christian army. Raymond of Antioch and Raymond of II Tripoli were summoned to help in the attack
Certainty: 2 When Zanki withdrew, Anar & the Frankish leaders besieged & captured Banyas. The arrival at Banyas of Raymond of Antioch and Raymond of II Tripoli and their forces was a blow to the defenders. Anar carried out his promises in full in paying for Christian help in defending Damascus against Zanki. He took a full part in the siege and capture of Banyas, sending to Damascus for wood for siege-engines and arranging for the surrender by offering the besieged some land of his own. The Christian leaders, king Fulk, Raymond of Antioch and Raymond of II Tripoli, approved his plans for the surrender, and Fulk was delighted to arrange for the government of his new possession, reappointing Rainier of Brus, who had been expelled earlier. William the patriarch suggested that Adam, archdeacon of Acre, should become bishop of Banyas, with the approval of the relevant metropolitan, Flcher of Tyre. The leaders went to give thanks in Jerusalem
Certainty: 2 Alberic from Banyas summoned bishops of the Frankish East to a synod on Radulf in Antioch. Alberic of Beauvais was sent as a papal legate to Antioch, to replace the deceased Peter, archbishop of Lyons, to investigate on the spot the case of the patriarch Radulf of Domfront. Raymond of Poitiers, like the other Frankish rulers, had been summoned to join the Christian siege of Banyas. Alberic decided to go there also, to add his encouragement to the attackers. He met William, the patriarch of Jerusalem and Fulcher, archbishop of Tyre, and was able to discuss the case of Radulf with Raymond in Jerusalem. He finally summoned all the bishops of the Frankish east to a synod on the Radulf dispute to be held in Antioch on 30 November
Certainty: 2 Delay over tax receipts for the metropolitan of Patrai. The metropolitan of Patras, needing tax receipts, had written to the nephew who handled such matters for him; but he heard nothing, and complained. The nephew had Tzetzes compose his reply. He said that the receipts of the year before had to come from the imperial campaign around Cilicia and Antioch, and Adrianos Komnenos had just brought them. This year's receipts were suffering from the lack of letter-carriers and incomplete payments
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote to a bishop over the wrong attribution of a work of his. A bishop had sent Tzetzes his blessing, but in a letter attributing one of Ioannes' works to a certain Leon. Ioannes' reply thanked him for the blessing, with the playful suggestion that the work be reattributed from the wild (Leon) to the gracious (Ioannes)
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes demanded the return of papers generously loaned to a grammatikos. A grammatikos had borrowed some papers from Tzetzes, but did not return them. He wrote to him, demanding them back: if not (he said) he would have to learn his lesson and be less generous, so that the grammatikos would be responsible for a decrease in the generosity of humanity
Certainty: 2 Roger (II) of Sicily captured the Pope & forced him to designate him as king. Pope Innocent II was angry at the occupation of Apulia by Roger II of Sicily. He gathered German forces and confronted Roger, but was defeated and captured by him. As a result, Roger in a theatrical scene did penance in such a way that the pope was forced to name him king
Certainty: 3 Trial & deposition of Radulf of Domfront. On the day of the synod over Radulf of Domfront, many bishops appeared: William the patriarch, Gaudentius of Caesarea, Anselm of Bethlehem and Fulcher of Tyre with two suffregans, Bernard of Sidon and Baldwin of Beirut. Alberic the papal legate had special hopes in Fulcher's discretion. The local bishops of the diocese of Antioch was were all there, but divided: Stephanos of Tarsos, Gerard of Laodikeia and Hugh of Jabala were against Radulf, while Franco of Ierapolis, Gerard of Kyrros and Serlo of Apamea were his supporters; others were neutral. Serlo had been an opponent, but changed his mind. Alberic presided in Hagios Peteros on behalf of the pope, and the pope's mandate was read. The accusers were led by Arnulf and Lambert the archdeacon, who had repented of his submission to Radulf. The accusations involved irregularities in Radulf's installation, and sinful acts of incontinence and simony. Radulf was called on each of the first two days to answer the charges, but refused to come; thus nothing was achieved. Serlo of Apamea was the sole bishop without pontifical robes. When asked by Alberic why he was so dressed and why he had changed his mind over accusing Radulf, he said that his previous stance was a grave mistake, of which he now repented and would defend Radulf to the death. After this, he was excommunicated and deposed from all offices, as Raymond the prince was determined to brook no opposition, influencing even Alberic. Serlo left Antioch for his diocese, but fell mortally ill at Harim and died. On the third day of the synod, Radulf agsin refused to attend, but kept court for his supporters in his palace. Thus Alberic, under protection of Raymond the prince, went there to depose him and force him to give up symbols of his office; he was bound like a criminal and imprisoned at St Symeon
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II made an expedition to Pontos, & wintered there. Ioannes II decided to expel barbarian invaders of Armeniakon and to arrest Konstantinos Gabras, ruler of Trebizond. He chose to advance along the coast, to obtain supplies from his own provinces and to be protected by the sea, fighting, if necessary, only on one side. He had to guard against the growing power of the Danishmendid emir Muhammad, with the most warlike of antecedents, ruling from Kaisareia, and controlling a part of Iberia and some of Mesopotamia. He set out at the end of spring, campaigned in the summer and autumn, and in December took up winter quarters at Kinte in Pontos
Certainty: 1 Theodoros Prodromos began to write poems of pure begging. Theodoros Prodromos' poetry depended on imperial and aristocratic commissions, which naturally dried up when the emperor and the aristocracy were away for a long military campaign. In the period 1137-1142 there were two of these campaigns, one after the other, first to Cilicia and Syria then to Pontos, with only a brief (but very welcome) interlude between them of hippodrome races and weddings, with fun, food and drink. Several of his compositions of this period make extreme claims of poverty and desperation. This contributed to his plans in 1140 to leave Constantinople, and merged into his complaints of severe illness in that and following years. At the least, these poems seem to suggest that his expectations of the patronage system were severely disappointed. It is hard to judge how close to starvation he really was
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II attacked Neokaisareia in appalling conditions. Beyond Kinte Ioannes II faced extreme cold and an enemy much more expert than the Romans in the conditions, who inflicted heavy casualties. Horses and beasts of burden suffered terribly, and when they died they were often eaten. He collected surviving warhorses and gave them to experts in heavy cavalry (often Westerners), thus cutting through the Turks and reaching Neokaisareia
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II praised his son, Manuel (I), for bravery but thrashed him for rashness. Battles around Neokaisareia were intense. In one, Manuel (I), unrecognised by his father, led an inspirational charge, making the rest of the army fight beyond their strength. When Ioannes discovered his identity, he praised him fulsomely in public for bravery, but thrashed him hard in private for rashness
Certainty: 3 Dedication of the Temple of the Lord & a synod with the Armenians; Alberic returned to Rome. After the deposition of Radulf of Domfront, Alberic the papal legate returned to Jerusalem, where he spent Easter. Just after Easter, with William the patriarch and the bishops, before all the clergy and many visitors from many areas, he sollemnly dedicated the Temple of the Lord. Also present was Joscelin II, who had come to Jerusalem in state for Easter. Alberic with William then held a synod in the Church of Sion, which was attended by the Armenian katholikos. The differences in doctrine and practice between the Armenian and Roman churches were discussed, and the katholikos promised improvements. Alberic then returned to Rome via Acre
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes asked Nikephoros Serblias for improvement in his housing. Tzetzes wrote to the mystikos Nikephoros Serblias, asking for improvement in his housing conditions. He lived on the second of three floors, with a hay-barn below and a priest with many children and pigs above; he risked fire from below, and rivers of rain mixed with urine from above; he told Nikephoros that a tile and a little cement would at least fix the latter
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote to the bishop of Klokotinitza to quash rumours. Ioannes Tzetzes wrote to Leon, the bishop of Klokotinitza, about a rumour which was circulating that Basileios the didaskalos had been appointed metropolitan of Philippopolis. This was extremely unlikely, but nothing like so unlikely as the other part of the rumour, that Ioannes Tzetzes himself would leave Constantinople and follow him to take up a salaried post. He expressed (ironical?) contentment with his independent life, free of ties as well as money
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes expelled Konstantinos Kotertzes from his lessons, to his father's dismay. Among Tzetzes' pupils, Konstantinos Kotertzes was the laziest, making almost no progress in comparison with the others, despite being given a second chance. Tzetzes had warned Konstantinos' father Theodoretos of this fact, and now repeated it in writing, returning his fee and expelling him from the classes. Theodoretos was devastated, and replied in terms which reminded Tzetzes of high tragedy. He read the letter to his pupils, who were all very affected - even Konstantinos, who at last showed promising signs
Certainty: 2 Ioannes Tzetzes finished a commentary on Lykophron, in the name of Isaakios Tzetzes. Ioannes Tzetzes attributed his commentary on Lykophron to his deceased brother Isaakios Tzetzes. Basileios Achridenos, the patriarchal protonotarios, noticed this and expressed puzzlement. Ioannes replied that out of brotherly love he, like Pheidias, had attributed one of his works to a lesser artist. But neither he nor Pheidias had forgotten their own names (?)
Certainty: 2 Election of Aimery of Limoges as Patriarch of Antioch to replace Radulf of Domfront. Raymond of Poiters had played an influential role with force and money in securing the deposition of Radulf of Domfront. He had been pressured into this role by Pierre Armoin, the castellan of Antioch, who now tried to promote in Radulf's place a relation of his own, Aimery of Limoges, an obscure man whom Radulf had made a deacon in a vain attempt to secure his loyalty. Those who had had Radulf deposed now combined to have Aimery elected
Certainty: 2 Defection to the Turks of the emperor's nephew Ioannes. Ioannes II might have taken Neokaisareia, but for the unexpected pride and unjust anger of his nephew Ioannes, son of his brother Isaakios. When a fierce battle had begun, Ioannes II saw that a distinguished Italian knight had no horse, and told his nephew to provide him with his Arabian steed, knowing he had others. The young man was furious and abusive, challenged the Italian to a duel for the horse, but eventually had to give way, seeing the emperor was angry. He remounted on another horse, charged towards the enemy, but suddenly stopped, reversed his lance, removed his helmet and deserted. He was welcomed as an old acquaintance, and one who would help the Turks. He would later become a Muslim and marry the daughter of Mas'ud of Ikonion
Certainty: 3 Retreat of the Byzantine forces from Neokaisareia. Ioannes II feared that his nephew, after deserting, would reveal to the enemy all about the weakness of his position. He therefore withdrew, his rearguard harried by the Turks. Once they reached the coast, the retreat became easier. He arrived at Constantinople shortly after the end of the year
Certainty: 1 Tzetzes sent two notes correcting errors over books. In the first of two notes on books to his pupil, Alexios, nephew of protovestiarios, he complained that Alexios had sent him Aristotle's Ethics, not Chorikios, as it said on the label. Punning on Chorikios' name, he claimed the label was written by a peasant. In the second note he told Alexios to return Libanius and Lysias to the man who had lent them, as they were of no use to him, and he would build up unnecessary obligations. Tzetzes would see about all his book needs, once Alexios clarified his requirements
Certainty: 2 Theodoros Prodromos was to leave the capital with the metropolitan of Trebizond. Stephanos Skylitzes, metropolitan of Trebizond, was to leave Constantinople for his see, taking Theodoros Prodromos with him. So Theodoros said goodbye in hexameters to the city, Hagia Sophia and the palace; his obvious affection for them was mixed with bitterness, that they gave preference to the ignorant over the learned
Certainty: 0 Donation of properties by Maria Komnene Tzousmene to Xeropotamou. Maria Komnene Tzousmene, daughter of Ioannes II, granted to Xeropotamou properties in the region of Hierissos, to pay for for her commemoration and for the salvation of her soul
Certainty: 1 Theodoros Prodromos was ill with a severe sickness (smallpox?). Theodoros Prodromos was afflicted with a very serious illness, the symptoms of which are described with more or less precision in several of his works, reminding some modern experts of smallpox. It is plain that it reduced his quality of life for a considerable (though indeterminate) period - months, perhaps even years. He described some hot iron treatment he received to Eirene the sebastokratorissa: the treatment was more painful than the disease. He apologised to Stephanos Meles, logothetes of the dromos, and to the epi tou kanikleiou, for not keeping appointments, with brief lists of symptoms and profound wishes that his torment would end. Finally he devoted two substantial poems to his sickness, showing poetic versatility by writing in hexameters, which do not, however, make it easy to work out what was wrong with him
Certainty: 0 Usama on Frankish women. Salim, a bathkeeper at Ma'arrat al-Nu'man, was once approached by a Frankish customer to have his pubic hair shaved. The Frank was very pleased with the result, and soon brought another customer for the same service - his wife. Majd al-Din Abu Salama Murshid, Usama's father, once noticed a pretty young girl among a group of Frankish prisoners he had captured. He cleaned her up a little and sent her as a gift to his friend, Shihab al-Din Malik b. Salim, Lord of Qal'at Ja'bar. Malik liked her and she became his concubine, bearing him a son, Badran. After Malik's death Badran became his successor, ruling under his mother's influence. Despite being the real power behind Badran's throne, she showed her Frankish race by escaping to Saruj and marrying a Frankish shoemaker. Usama once was in Tiberias during a Frankish feast and saw a race between two old women with a pig for a prize. He once saw a Frankish woman in a bathhouse (for men) at Tyre; her father had brought her with him to wash her hair
Certainty: 0 Usama on Frankish medicine. The lord of al-Munaytira wrote to 'Izz al-Din Abu l-'Asakir Sultan asking him to send him a physician, so as to cure some sick people. Sultan sent a Christian doctor from Shayzar named Thabit. He went to al-Munaytira, but returned after only ten days, saying he had been unable to help. His first patient was a Frankish knight with an abscess on his leg. He had applied a poultice, and it improved, but a Frankish doctor had ridiculed this treatment; instead of treating the abscess, he cut off the leg, leading to the knight's death. Next came an imbecile Frankish woman, whom Thabit cured by putting her on a diet to replace her previous food of garlic and mustard, which had led to the imbecility. But the same Frankish doctor shaved off her hair while allowing her to revert to her previous diet, so the imbecility returned. Then he incised her skull with a razor, peeled off the skin and rubbed it with salt, causing instant death. Thabit's medicine was useless. But Frankish medicine did have its successes: king Fulk had a villainous treasurer, a knight named Bernard, who had a nasty wound on his leg from a horse's kick, open in fourteen places. This was cured by a Frankish doctor who removed all ointments from it and washed it with vinegar. Abu l-Fath, an artisan from Shayzar, was once in Antioch on business with his son, who suffered badly from scrofula. A man from Antioch taught him an effective remedy, on condition that he did not ask for money to use it on others. The remedy, involving glasswort, olive oil, vinegar, burnt lead and ghee butter, was tried out by Usama, who guaranteed that it worked. Wiiliam of Bures, on a journey from Acre to Tiberias, told Usama and Mu'in al-Din Anar of a priest who, instead of laying on hands to cure a man, blocked his nose with wax to save him suffering
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II reached Constantinople on his return from Pontos. The emperor arrived back in Constantinople from Pontos in January or February
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left the capital for Lopadion. Ioannes II left Constantinople for Lopadion at the spring equinox (around March 20)
Certainty: 1 Tzetzes wrote of problems over mules. Tzetzes had asked Alexios, nephew of the protovestiarios, for a mule, but was sent an unruly beast which he compared to a crude axe, with which he had chopped all his firewood and now returned with qualified thanks; he had arrived late for a dinner. Later he wrote again to Alexios, with the freedom the latter had conceded to him. He asked boldly for a placid mule, as he had to go to the ordination of one of his students as a deacon, and the streets were very muddy after rain. He also asked Alexios for incense. Over security: the incense was to be sent sealed, while Alexios should only hand over the mule if Ioannes' messenger showed a sample of his handwriting, so as to avoid losing the mule. Chrysobelones had pretended he needed a mule from the hegoumenos Kalliotes to visit his lawyer, but instead stole it and sold it
Certainty: 2 Roger II asked Ioannes II for an imperial bride for his son - but Ioannes' death intervened. Roger II of Sicily sent an embassy to Ioannes II Constantinople, seeking a Byzantine imperial bride for one of his sons. However before anything was achieved, Ioannes died. The request was repeated later
Certainty: 3 Kalyka became a metochion of Philotheou & a Kalyka property at Karyes became a monastery. Makarios, the hegoumenos of Kalyka on Athos, reached an agreement with Arsenios, the hegoumenos of Philotheou about his monastery of Kalyka, which was deserted, and its property at Karyes, called Taulas. The monastery was to become a metochion of Philotheou, while the property was to become a monastery of the Theotokos with Makarios himself as hegoumenos. Gabriel, the protos of Athos, four hegoumenoi (Barnabas of Docheiariou, Gregorios of Rabdouchou, Kallinikos of Phalakrou and Dorotheos of Neakitou) and Symeon, oikonomos of Athos, approved the arrangement. Gabriel sent the five others to oversee the transfer; they brought back the inventory of the monastery. Gabriel had asked Leontios, hegoumenos of Philadelphou, to draw up a document to record the terms of the transfer. He did so, and Gabriel and the five who had overseen the process signed it
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II returned to Constantinople after the summer. The emperor returned to the capital with the worsening of weather in the autumn
Certainty: 2 Castle of Ibelin built to provide defence against raids from Askalon. Despite the building of Beit Gibelin, raids from Askalon continued at a serious level; Fulk, William of Messines and the barons and bishops therefore set to to build another castle out of stones from ancient buildings: it was named Ibelin, and when complete it was given to Balian the elder, who took his name from the castle. He would harry the people of Askalon from there throughout the rest of his life, and his children, Hugh, Baldwin and Balian the younger, would continue the work after his death
Certainty: 2 Alexios Aristenos the nomophylax returned to Constantinople. Alexios Aristenos the nomophylax and protekdikos, who had been away as a provincial governor, returned to the capital and became orphanotrophos for the second time. He was welcomed by Theodoros Prodromos with a group of works in different kinds of prose and verse, and by an elaborate prose encomium from Nikephoros Basilakes. Both stress his broad education and eloquence, and celebrate his service in both the religious and legal spheres
Certainty: 2 Adrianos Komnenos left the capital to become archbishop of Bulgaria. Adrianos Komnenos, now as a monk Ioannes, had been one of the few consolations for Michael Italikos in the bleak intellectual landscape of Constantinople. He now left the capital to become archbishop of Bulgaria. Michael congratulated the Bulgarians on their new prelate, but would badly miss him
Certainty: 1 Cilician cities, retaken by Turks after withdrawal of Ioannes II, recovered by Thomas. After Ioannes II withdrew from Cilicia, the Turks took back the cities he had captured. However Ioannes made an aggressive gesture, causing the Turks to return the cities to Thomas, the Byzantine governor of Cilicia
Certainty: 1 Encomium of Ioannes Axouch by Nikephoros Basilakes. Nikephoros Basilakes wrote an encomium of Ioannes Axouch, calling him an icon of the prototype Ioannes II. He referred to the symbolism of the latter's leg wound in the defeat of the Pechenegs, and ended with a reference to the promised land, perhaps a planned journey to Jerusalem
Certainty: 1 Fragmentary text (by Basilakes?) mentions naval activity against Sicily. A fragment attributed to Nikephoros Basilakes described a revival of the Byzantine navy against Roger II, rather like that undertaken by Manuel I. However the description of the emperor's career would fit better with that of Ioannes II (though the differences are not conclusive). Roger was warned of the consequences of any attack. There is a reference to a close male colleague, who is probably Ioannes Axouch
Certainty: 1 Poems of Theodoros Prodromos to the learned monk Ioannikios. Theodoros Prodromos sent two hexameter poems to the learned monk Ioannikios. The first was a foreword to a book containing some of Ioannikios' schedographical exercises. The second was an apology for not visiting Ioannikios, as Theodoros had been ill
Certainty: 1 Poems of Theodoros Prodromos to Theodoros Stypeiotes. Theodoros Prodromos wrote a poem to Theodoros Stypeiotes, asking his help in two ways. First over information: Stypeiotes had as a student been an enthusiastic supporter of Prodromos' poetry, especially his encomia. But now that his former student travelled with the emperor and could send him useful information about victories, he did not. Second, over money: during the absence of the imperial party, Prodromos had very few potential paymasters in the city, and so had fallen into very serious poverty
Certainty: 1 Death of an unidentified logothetes & his sons, much mourned by his wife. An unidentified logothetes and his two sons died in quick succession. This threw his wife into complete despair, and she prayed to the Theotokos that they should meet again in heaven
Certainty: 3 Property dispute between the monasteries of Phalakrou & Xylourgou. A dispute between the monasteries of Phalakrou and Xylourgou over property boundaries on Athos was settled by the protos Gabriel, who summoned the monks and hegoumenoi to the disputed property and established an agreement between the parties, signed by 7 witnesses. There was to be a small money payment from Xylourgou to Phalakrou
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left Constantinople for Attaleia. Some four years after his previous departure from Cilicia and Antioch, he gathered a large army and set out again for that area, having received frequent requests for his presence from Raymond of Poitiers. He left as soon as spring began to smile, and said farewell to his daughters, who wept mythological tears. He went across Phrygia to Attaleia, where he intended to spend some time
Certainty: 1 Tzetzes blamed Alexios, nephew of the protovestiarios, over failure to meet him. Tzetzes wrote that there was an (unexplained) crisis, and he had failed to meet Alexios, nephew of the protovestiarios. Ioannes had done his best, sending messengers and going in vain on foot to Alexios' house. It was for Alexios to throw off his langour and take action
Certainty: 1 Tzetzes asked for the return of texts borrowed from him. The nephew of Psylles the protovestiarios had borrowed some texts from Tzetzes. The latter now tried to demand them back in an amusing way, saying that the recipient of the letter had every right to give or withhold things that were his, but not things belonging to others and lent to him
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II went to Sozopolis, then captured islands in Lake Pousgouse, suffering losses. He attacked and captured islands on Lake Pousgouse. The people were Christians, but long accustomed to close contact with Ikonion, so they refused imperial rule. He put siege machines on boats to capture the islands, suffering losses in storms
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II planned a "portion" in the south for his son Manuel (I). Ioannes II had long ago made his eldest son, Alexios, his co-emperor, and planned to bequeath the empire to him. But he became aware that there were many premonitions in favour of the youngest, Manuel (I), who also had personal qualities of an imperial type. When he heard of the revolt of Raymond of Antioch, he thought of an alternative arrangement, to make Antioch, Cilicia, Attaleia and Cyprus into a southern "portion" for Manuel
Certainty: 2 Birth of Alexios, fifth child of the sebastokrator Andronikos. Theodoros Prodromos wrote a poem to welcome Alexios Komnenos, the second son of the sebastokrator Andronikos and his wife Eirene. Eirene the sebastokratorissa was congratulated on adding a second (male) sun to her three (female) moons, and told to forget the pain of childbirth and begin preparing mounts, armour and weapons for the new Achilles, telling him of the exploits of his ancestors. Andronikos, though absent, was asked to embrace the new-born Alexios as if present, and to rejoice with tears of joy. Ioannes II, also absent, should lead the celebrations for another branch of the huge Komnenian tree and another potential general
Certainty: 2 Death of Alexios & Andronikos, sons of Ioannes II, around Attaleia. Before Ioannes II reached Cilicia, he lost his eldest son and co-emperor Alexios, as predicted in a dream he had seen long ago of Alexios riding a wild lion. The illness was sudden, a fever attacking the head. His second son Andronikos had barely time for mourning before he died too
Certainty: 2 Death of Andronikos on the boat taking Alexios' body home: Isaakios took over. After the death of the co-emperor Alexios, Ioannes II sent his brother Andronikos to conduct his body by ship back to the capital. But after they had sailed, he too died, as if unwilling to be separated from his dead brother - and so a corpse was conducting a corpse. It seems that Isaakios too was on the ship [he was later in Constantinople, not with the army - perhaps an indication that Andronikos was at least unwell before the voyage began]. He delivered the two bodies in the capital
Certainty: 2 Building by Fulk, his barons & bishops of Blanchegarde, a third castle against Askalon. After the building of Beth Gibelin and Ibelin, attacks from Askalon were much reduced. King Fulk thus decided, with William the patriarch, to build a third castle, against the raids, Blanchegarde. When it was finished, he took it over himself, increased the Christian population of the area and made the people of Askalon seek aid from Egypt
Certainty: 2 Michael Italikos wrote to an imperial grammatikos about the death of the co-emperor Alexios. Michael Italikos complained in a letter to an imperial grammatikos that the latter wrote to his own brother (naturally) but not to Michael himself. Now he knew the reason: the grief which must have overcome all the army, especially the imperial entourage, as a result of the death of the co-emperor Alexios. When he had recovered, he should write
Certainty: 2 Arrival of Andronikos' corpse in the capital: mourning of his wife & family. Andronikos arrived back in Constantinople by ship either dead or (as is suggested by Manganeios Prodromos) in a mortal coma. His wife Eirene the sebastokratorissa was devastated, only saved from death by her recently-born baby. The mourning of his children is depicted as puzzlement that their father ignores them completely, despite their attempts to communicate with him
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II approached closer to Antioch, then withdrew to winter quarters. From Tell Bashir, Ioannes II moved towards Antioch, taking up a position ot Gastounai with the idea of restraining Raymond of Poitiers. From there he sent messengers to Antioch, so as to activate the treaty made in 1137. He asked that Antioch and its contents be handed over as a base for war with neighbouring peoples, promising to interpret the treaty generously. The Antiochenes debated how to reply. They decided that a large and rich city like Antioch should not be handed over to the Byzantines, whose sloth would lose it, as before. But it was necessary to cloak this decision in a persuasive pretext for (apparently) breaking the pact. They sent messengers to Ioannes to inform him that he could not enter the city. They claimed that neither Raymond's wife Constance nor he (whose rule was dependent on marriage to her) had the right to hand over Antioch, which belonged to its people. If the rulers accepted Ioannes' request, they would be disinherited and driven out. Ioannes was angered at this reply, but he knew how stubborn the Antiochenes could be. It would be unexpectedly difficult to enter the city, and even if he succeeded, he might have little long-term effect. He did not want war between Christians, and so decided not to force entry into Antioch. He camped in the suburbs, allowing his troops to take all they could, especially necessary supplies, so that they burned fruit-trees as wood for cooking; he then returned to winter quarters in Cilicia
Certainty: 2 Determination of Ioannes II to continue his campaign to Antioch & visit Jerusalem. Despite the terrible blows of the deaths of Alexios and Andronikos, his two eldest sons, Ioannes went on from Attaleia towards the Armenian lands and Antioch with his youngest son Manuel, though he had already been away from the capital for a full year. Ostensibly his purpose was the better organisation of the Armenian cities captured earlier; however, the real motive was to join Antioch to Constantinople and then go on to Jerusalem, see the Holy Places and make gifts, and cleanse the area of barbarians. Most sources include a hint of this, and William of Tyre described an elaborate diplomatic exchange with Jerusalem, in which Ioannes proposed to visit Jerusalem. King Fulk sent a guarded response via Anselm, bishop of Bethlehem, Geoffrey, abbot of the Temple and Rohard, castellan of Jerusalem. Ioannes finally gave up the idea because he would only be able to take ten thousand troops with him on account of the lack of provisions. Manuel is even said to have planned to make Cilicia and Antioch with Attaleia and Cyprus into a "portion" for Manuel. Because of such ulterior motives, he tried every trick to have the Latins concede to him the lordship of Antioch, or if not (he knew of their bloody-mindedness), to win the loyalty of the Cilicians and Syrians
Certainty: 3 Inventory of the possessions of the monastery of Xylourgou. When a new hegoumenos, Christophoros, was appointed at the head of Xylourgou, a delegation of monks under the oikonomos of Athos Arsenios went to the monastery, established an inventory of its movable possessions, and presented them to Christophoros
Certainty: 3 Consecration of Michael Italikos as didaskalos of the Gospels. Michael Italikos was consecrated as didaskalos of the Gospels on Christmas Day, and two days later he prepared this didaskalia. He was full of joy at the promotion, after waiting what he considered a long time as didaskalos of the Epistles, renewed for fresh efforts in the spirit of Christmas. He felt like a fisherman tending his nets on the Sea of Gallilee, called by a Christ-patriarch (Leon Stypes) to be an apostle. He had spent time with David, teaching the Psalms, then with Paul, on the Epistles; now he passed on to the Gopels. Like Moses, he had seen God, and rejoiced. The patriarch had taken him in his old age and made him part of a Christmas tableau
Certainty: 1 Tzourichos, a heretic from Adrianople, provoked negative reactions in the capital. Nikephoros, a man with power in the Pantokrator monastery (probably the hegoumenos) ordered men to go and seize the heretic Tzourichos and his mature son and give them 36 strokes of the cane in the courtyard (of the monastery?). But both scoundrels hid, and the men caught Tzourichos' innocent young son, whom they punished with 13 strokes. The mature son insulted Tzetzes, and as a result was violently driven out of the monastery of Mousele (where presumably he was living) by the bishop of Dalisanda and the protekdikos
Certainty: 1 Usama often visited Fulk I & the kingdom of Jerusalem. Usama used frequently to visit Fulk I of Jerusalem, during Fulk's truce with Jamal al-Din Muhammad, the Atabeg of Damascus. There was a family connection, because Fulk's father-in-law, Baldwin II, had an obligation towards Usama's father Murshid. Sometimes Usama was accompanied by Mu'in al-Din Anar, vizier of Damascus. Usama and Anar once saw a Genoese man at Acre with a falcon and a bitch newly brought from the west, for hunting cranes. Anar asked Fulk for the pair as a present, and Fulk complied, but the falcon died shortly afterwards without hunting again. Another time Usama was offered a leopard for sale at Haifa: he refused it, but was impressed with the way its Frankish owner had trained it. In Jerusalem, whenever he entered the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Templars there, who were his friends, evacuated the adjoining little mosque, which had been turned into a church, to let him pray. On one visit he was repeatedly interrupted in the little mosque by a very rude Frank, who tried to persuade him to pray facing the east. Anar, in the Dome of the Rock, was asked by a Frank whether he wanted to see God as a child; when he answered in the affirmative, he was shown a picture of the Virgin and Child. Rainier of Brus, the lord of Banyas, had stolen flocks of sheep from the Arabs in a time of truce. At Usama's request, Fulk had Rainier tried before six or seven knights of his court. He was fined for the offence. On visits to Acre, Usama would often ransom prisoners, and once he wanted to ransom many from William Jiba (?). As he did not have enough money with him, he went back to Damascus for more, then returned, only to find that the captives had escaped. He could only ransom one female prisoner. Usama once was in Tiberias during a Frankish feast and saw a race between two old women with a pig for a prize. He once saw a Frankish woman in a bathhouse (for men) at Tyre; her father had brought her with him to wash her hair
Certainty: 1 Pagan the butler built the castle of Kerak (Transjordan). Pagan the butler, lord of Transjordan, had taken over the lands across the Jordan vacated by the expulsion of Roman of Le Puy and his son Radulf. He built a castle named Kerak on a site which was naturally strong, and had been further strengthened by hard work
Certainty: 1 Usama on the Frankish kingdom: Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, whenever Usama entered the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Templars there, who were his friends, evacuated the adjoining little mosque, which had been turned into a church, to let him pray. On one visit he was repeatedly interrupted in the little mosque by a very rude Frank, who tried to persuade him to pray facing the east. He was restrained by the Templars. Anar, ithe vizier of Damascus, in the Dome of the Rock, was asked by a Frank whether he wanted to see God as a child; when he answered in the affirmative, he was shown a picture of the Virgin and Child
Certainty: 1 Usama on the Franks: birds & animals. Sir Adam, lord of Hunak, went to investigate a leopard which would sleep during the day high in the window of a ruined church, then jump down and leave. But this time the leopard jumped down on him and killed him. Usama and Anar, the vizier of Damascus, once saw a Genoese man at Acre with a falcon and a bitch newly brought from the west, for hunting cranes. Anar asked Fulk for the pair as a present, and Fulk complied, but the falcon died shortly afterwards without hunting again. On another occasion Usama was offered a leopard for sale at Haifa: he refused it, but was impressed with the way its Frankish owner had domesticated it. Usama's brother, Abu l-Hasan 'Ali, paid rent to a Frank from Kafartab who owned a village. As part of the rent he sent an old horse which died a year later. The Frank accused 'Ali of killing it with a slow poison which only worked after a year
Certainty: 1 Usama on the Frankish kingdom: Nablus. Whenever Usama stayed in Nablus, he would use the lodgings ran by a certain Muizz. There was a Frankish wineseller in Nablus whose house was close by, and he would take some wine in a bottle and go around shouting "so-and-so the merchant has just opened a cask full of this wine; anyone who wants to buy some will find it in such-and-such a place". This man was not at all jealous of his wife and would not become suspicious even when he found another man in bed with her. [There follows a case of trial by combat, ridiculed by Usama.] A peasant from a village near Nablus was accused of helping Muslim thieves, and fled from king Fulk. Fulk had his children imprisoned, and this brought him back, and he challenged his (unknown) accuser to a duel. Fulk then asked the tenant of the village to bring the accuser, but he chose the village blacksmith [presumably to minimise the chance of losing one of his peasants]. The viscount of Nablus provided the man and the blacksmith with a cudgel and shield each, and gathered an audience, who made a circle. The blacksmith killed his opponent, and thus justice was done!
Certainty: 1 Michael Italikos returned a commentary on the Gospels to the chartophylax. Michael Italikos borrowed from the chartophylax a commentary on the Gospels by a past patriarch of Constantinople. He had to return it after a few days but provided a good summary of the contents: quotations from all the fathers who wrote on the Gospels
Certainty: 0 Eirene the sebastokratorissa dedicated liturgical furnishings to the Theotokos .
Certainty: 1 Weddings in the family of Theodora Komnenos & Manuel Anemas. Before his death, Manuel Anemas had settled his children in good marriages, for which Theodoros Prodromos wrote wedding songs which have not survived