Certainty: 2 Manuel was praised in a set of 1150 Epiphany hymns for the successes of 1149. In three hymns written for Epiphany, Manuel I was praised for the achievements of the previous year in terms derived from the idea of baptism. There are references to the raid on Serbia and prayers for the long life of the empress Eirene
Certainty: 2 A poem for the "Gardens of Adonis", a celebration of Eirene the sebastokratorissa & her family. The ancient Gardens of Adonis was a family festival for females. On this occasion, it seems to have been celebrated by Eirene the sebastokratorissa Eirene and her daughters and daughters-in-law, on the occasion of a home visit by the family's males. Theodora is absent in Austria. The family members are enumerated as trees and then as birds; some identifications are easy, but others more difficult, as there seem to be more trees and birds than family members. Grief for the lost Theodora is a dominant emotion
Certainty: 2 Joscelin II of Edessa captured & imprisoned by Nur al-Din. Joscelin of Edessa was said to have been summoned to Antioch by Aimery, the patriarch. He went with a small escort, left them briefly to relieve himself, but was captured by brigands. He ended up in prison in Aleppo. The escort reported his loss, but it was only later that his location was discovered. Now both Antioch and Edessa had lost their lords, bringing the two peoples together. Joscelin is said by William of Tyre to have died at once, overwhelmed by mental and physical sufferings and the dreadful conditions in the prison. Other sources make him live on for some years, tortured in prison
Certainty: 2 Usama fought Frankish forces on his way to Damascus.
Certainty: 2 Geza II of Hungary because of family links supported the Serbians against Byzantium. A blind Serbian noble moved to Hungary and helped to bring up Geza II. As a result the king tended to support the Serbs militarily against Byzantine attack. This was the origin of Byzantine-Hungarian enmity
Certainty: 2 Reactions to the disappearance of Joscelin II of Edessa.
Joscelin's disappearance left his wife Beatrice with three underage children, a boy and two girls. She did all she could, more than could be expected of a woman, together with the remaining leaders of the county of Edessa, to preserve its few remaining possessions. Mas'ud of Ikonion would redouble his efforts to capture the remaining towns and fortresses. The emperor Manuel I would be inspired to try to take over those remaining possessions from the countess Beatrice, and Baldwin III would be convinced that Manuel's resources were better able to undertake the task than those of the hard-pressed Franks. Joscelin's capture entailed the loss of Azaz. He had ruled over it, rebuilt and refortified it. Nur al-Din proclaimed in the entire region of Aleppo that whoever could clearly prove his right to own a property in 'Azaz by means of a written document, he would respect that right. He shared the revenues of properties in 'Azaz among proprietors who could successfully prove ownership
Certainty: 2 Usama met Nur al-Din outside Damascus. Usama was sent by Ibn al-Sallar, the vizier of al-Zafir in Cairo, to Nur al-Din at the siege of Damascus, in order to persuade him to attack Tiberias. He instructed him, in case Nur al-Din refused, to recruit an army and set out himself. Nur al-Din received Usama at Bostra, south of Damascus. But he refused his request to make an assault on Tiberias, though he did hand over thirty men headed by one of his amirs, 'Ayn al-Dawla al-Yaruqi. Usama did recruit his own army: on the way back from Bostra, he stopped at Petra and prayed in the mosque there, together with a black slave of Baraq al-Zubaydi. He was told by the Turkish amir Barshak about a tradition concerned with the mosque
Certainty: 3 Tzetzes told Ioannes Basilakes that he often wrote, rejecting any blame if letters were not delivered. Ioannes Basilakes, a friend of Tzetzes, had written a letter complaining that his friend did not write, accompanying it with gifts. He received an indignant reply. Tzetzes claimed to have been writing constantly, and was not to blame if the carriers did not deliver the letters. He also complained about the gifts, explaining his moral objections to gift-giving
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes sent greetings to the imperial doctor Basileios Megistos, discrediting an embassy to Sicily. Tzetzes sent a letter to Basileios Megistos, an imperial doctor. He began by praising Basileios to the skies for intellectual, professional and personal qualities. Then he asked him to judge Tzetzes himself more fairly than at present. The reason for hislow opinion may have been Theodoros's failure to speak of Tzetzes' virtues. Tzetzes imagined that Basileios probably used his letters as emetics for his patients. Tzetzes then asked Basileios to pass on greetings to his friends, especially the unfortunate praitoroploi (?). He also hoped in conclusion that Basileios and Manuel I himself would realise that the spring embassy sent to Sicily was a complete waste of time
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes explained to Ioannes Triphyles that he made his living only by his pen. Tzetzes informed Ioannes Triphyles that his sole source of income was his writing, and that he would stave if he put away his pen. He compared his situation with those of several ancient writers, particularly Plato during his Sicilian period
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes thanked Kostomos for a letter & a gift, & hoped that Theodoros would read his work (?). Ioannes Kostomos (or Kostomyres) had sent Tzetzes a simple but strong letter and very generous gifts, and was involved in discussions between Tzetzes and Theodoros; Tzetzes thanked him for letter and gifts, and hoped that Theodoros would read his work [difficult to interpret], though he was fairly modest about its quality (?)
Certainty: 2 Negotiations to save the remains of the county of Edessa. Baldwin III, as tension rose between him and queen Melisende, heard that the situation in the county of Edessa was very bad. Mas'ud of Ikonion was taking places near the border with his realm, allowing the landowners and their families free passage to Tell Bashir in return for surrender, while Nur al-Din was also active; when Mas'ud had to go home, the situation was no better. Baldwin set off northwards, taking Humphrey of Toron and Guy of Beirut, and adding Raymond II as he passed Tripoli; barons from Melisende's areas did not answer his summons. At Antioch, he found Byzantine envoys with a proposal from Manuel I. Manuel had sent a major Byzantine office-holder with many troops and large sums of money, to garrison the remaining towns and forts of Edessa, offering in return a yearly income for countess Beatrice and her children sufficient for honourable comfort. He sent envoys to Antioch to seek support for this plan. Some Latins said it was not yet time for such extreme measures, others that something must be done before the county of Edessa was completely overrun. Baldwin said that Jerusalem and Antioch left him little time for Edessa, and backed the Byzantine plan, ensuring its success
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes praised the rhetorical advice sent in a letter from Ioannes Smeniotes to his son. Ioannes Smeniotes sent a rhetorical letter of advice to his son, which came into the hands of Tzetzes. He greatly admired its rhetorical qualities, gaving previouly noted Ioannes' competence only in lesser kills of writing. He judged that the work deserved a high place in two rhetorical genres: in that of advice from fathers to sons, and also (since it praised Tzetzes) that of encomia of the trivial
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote to Joseph, kathegoumenos of the Pantokrator, against the chartoularios. As Tzetzes was anxious to help all who came to his cell in the Pantokrator, so he regarded the laziness of those who currently did so as a disgrace, especially the chartoularios (of the Pantokrator?). He asked Joseph, the kathegoumenos, by letter to send him to another teacher. The chartoularios had shown initial promise in Tzetzes' classes, especially in writing scholia, but had proven incurably lazy. To choose another teacher, Joseph might consult Pelagonites, a good priest with a bright future who for some reason had earned the dislike of the archbishop of Bulgaria, who regarded him as an abomination. Tzetzes warned Joseph not to make the generosity shown to Tzetzes himself a precedent in dealing with the chartoularios. Tzetzes had asked for nothing - it was Joseph who took the initiative over the gifts. The chartoularios, in failing to continue with his scholia, had missed the opportunity to earn a good deal of money. Tzetzes had gained imperial largesse by that means
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes accused Pelagonites of trying to pass off his Aphthonios commentary as his own. Tzetzes accused Pelagonites of of plagiarism for claiming Tzetzes' Aphthonios commentary as his own. He first ironically compared Pelagonites' brilliance with his own ignorance. But, he continued, the other's attempted comments on Aphthonios would no longer gain him access to the Pantokrator, as Joseph, its kathegoumenos, was no fool
Certainty: 2 Usama invaded Frankish territory.
Certainty: 2 Baldwin III's march to save Christians from Tell Bashir (1): as far as 'Ayn Tab.
After the consent of Beatrice, countess of Edessa and her children was won and a treaty agreed with the Byzantines, he undertook to bring all those wishing to leave Tell Bashir to safety in Antioch, handing the castles to the Byzantines, though he doubted whether the latter could defend them for long. On the appointed day he took to Tell Bashir his own troops, some Antiochenes, Raymond II of Tripoli and his men, and the Byzantine garrisons. There they gathered Latins and Armenians of both sexes who wanted to leave, each with as much baggage as could be carried. The Byzantine garrisons were handed the following fortresses: Tell Bashir, 'Ayn Tab, Ravendal, Ranculat, Bile (al-Bira), Samosata, and maybe others. [We seem to observe the handover at Tell Bashir and 'Ayn Tab: presumably different arrangements were made elsewhere.] The Christian column, weighed down with baggage, first met Nur al-Din at Tulupa, near Tell Bashir; from there to 'Ayn Tab both armies were in battle formation, and fighting seemed likely; but unexpectedly the Christians reached 'Ayn Tab safely, and exhausted people and animals had a night's rest. At a meeting in the evening, Baldwin refused the requests of some magnates, notably Humphrey of Toron from Jerusalem and Robert of Sourdeval from Antioch, to take over 'Ayn Tab and defend it against the Turks from their own resources. He did not believe this possible, so kept the treaty and handed it to the Byzantines
Certainty: 3 Baldwin III's march to save Christians from Tell Bashir (2): beyond 'Ayn Tab. His arrangement of the army after 'Ayn Tab was designed to surround the unarmed marchers, especially the women and children, with a protection of armed men; he was at the front to direct the march, Raymond of Tripoli and Humphrey of Toron formed the rearguard, with the strongest forces, and the Antiochenes were on both flanks. All day he led the Christian force through constant attacks and showers of missiles, made worse by the heat and dust of August. Nur al-Din had drawn up his army in two columns, one each side of the Christians. Near Joha, at dusk, the Turks moved back, and Baldwin was informed by Humphrey of Toron that they had no more provisions, and would leave. His information came on the battlefield from the retainer of a powerful Turkish noble, with whom he was bound in close fraternal alliance. The marchers faced no more trouble and they soon reached areas under Christian control; Baldwin went on to Antioch. Nur al-Din realised that the Edessene strongholds were now garrisoned by Byzantines with no Latin stiffening, so he first harried them, then sent larger forces to capture them. In a year he had taken them all [William of Tyre ignores the role played by Masud of Ikonion in capturing the fortresses, and (from other evidence) probably shortens the time-scale]
Certainty: 3 Manuel advanced from Nis against Hungarian-Serbian allies.
Certainty: 2 Manuel showed great personal bravery in winning a confused battle on the Tara.
Certainty: 2 Details of Manuel's stuggle against Bakchinos, where Ioannes Kantakouzenos lost fingers.
Certainty: 2 Goliath on the mountain-top: brief references.
Certainty: 2 Manuel accepted submission of zupan of Serbia then returned to Constantinople.
Certainty: 2 Preliminary encomium for victory against Bakchinos.
Certainty: 2 Artah given by Nur al-Din to Shirkuh for his success against Frankish enemies. When Asad al-Din Shirkuh crushed the Franks, he went to Artah and planted his spear in the gate, asking for the town as a gift. Nur al-Din agreed with the proposal and duly gave it to him
Certainty: 2 Manuel attacked & pillaged Hungary, crossing the Sava in a hollowed canoe & towing his horse.
Certainty: 2 Manuel's numerous prisoners depopulated the "island" between Danube & Sava: he captured Zeugminon.
Certainty: 2 Manuel planned his campaign luxuriously, in the palace of the Hungarian king.
Certainty: 2 Manuel crossed the Sava against the army of the ban Belus, who soon withdrew.
Certainty: 2 Manuel camped at Branicevo, sending the pretender Boris to plunder Hungary round Mount Temises.
Certainty: 2 Boris was successful & crossed the Danube at night laden with booty, lit by Manuel's torches.
Certainty: 2 Manuel stayed by the Danube to strengthen cities there against Geza II.
Certainty: 2 Geza feared another defeat & sued for peace; Manuel returned to Constantinople to celebrate a triumph.
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote twice to Leon, metropolitan of Dristra, about a young slave Leon sent him. He wrote to Leon, metropolitan of Dristra, thanking him in a very ceremonious way for sending a letter, a carved horn inkwell and a young slave (once Seblados, now Theodoros). he praised Leon [in a way which would prove insincere] for ignoring his constant plea that he did not want or need presents, and sending generous gifts like these. As for Theodoros, he complained, only partly in jest, that the boy was more hindrance than help. He was too young to be a servant, and needed looking after himself; he was a second mouth to feed when Tetzes could hardly feed one; his poor Greek embarrassed Tzetzes, whose own Greek usage was uncompromising; he was Hungarian, not Russian; he was left-handed; he preferred eating to learning; and he had apparently fallen mortally ill and taught Tzetzes' other boy to stay in bed in the same way. The inkwell was a fine piece of art, but not made by people who wrote, because it would hardly take a pen. In a second letter, he complained that Leon had stopped writing to him. Tzetzes had openly decided not to accept the boy, but was uncertain what to do with him, complaining that Leon answered none of his letters asking where he should send him
Certainty: 2 Tzetzes wrote to a nurse of the Pantokrator hospital on the dates of some ancient doctors. A nurse from the Pantokrator hospital challenged Tzetzes' dating of ancient doctors, claiming that Galen lived in the time of Christ, and protesting that Tzetzes made up the dates without evidence. Tzetzes in a bad-tempered letter gave him detailed evidence for the dating of Galen
Certainty: 3 Usama at Askalon. Usama spent four months at Askalon in order to fight the Franks. He arrived with his troops at dawn, and had hardly finished camping there when Nasir al-Dawla Yaqut, the governor, approached them asking them to watch their baggage, for fear of the Franks. Usama refused because there was nothing to fear. From Askalon he went on an expedition to Bayt Jibril with his brother 'Ali and his soldiers. On the way back they narrowly escaped the Franks. During the same stay, he and his men attacked Yubna, where they killed about 100 people and made prisoners
Certainty: 1 Anna Komnene took up her husband's history to preserve the memory of her father's deeds. Anna Komnene took up the history that her husband Nikephoros Bryennios had not finished, eager to record the facts of her parents' reign, so that they should not be lost to posterity. She was also deeply moved when writing of her husband, the kaisar Nikephoros Bryennios, and even her betrothed Konstantinos Doukas, who had died half a century earlier. Otherwise, being surrounded by distinguished doctors, she studied medicine and visited the sick
Certainty: 2 Lavra acquires right of use of former property of Kalyka at Karyes.
Certainty: 1 Nikephoros Basilakes wrote an encomium of Nikolaos Mouzalon.
Certainty: 1 Eirene the empress dedicated to the Theotokos a gilded silver dove. Out of reverence for the Theotokos and as thanks for healing from sickness, Eirene the empress used a poem of Theodoros Prodromos to dedicate to the Theotokos a completely gilded silver dove
Certainty: 0 Michael Italikos sent letters to Theodoros Prodromos, one via Michael the priest. In one letter from Michael Italikos to Theodoros Prodromos, lard was compared to cheese. Another was sent via Michael the priest, an ardent admirer of Theodoros, whose poems he knew by heart. He was to take him a letter in the capital, reporting the real news orally. Italikos and Prodromos were such friends as to be more singular than plural, despite the distance between them, and each felt elements of the other's environment