Roger II again asked for a Byzantine bride for his son, bribed the Byzantine ambassador, but failed

Summary:
Roger II had earlier asked Ioannes II for a Byzantine bride for one of his sons, but Ioannes' death had intervened. He now repeated the request to Manuel I, and Manuel sent Basileios Xeros as an envoy to discuss the question. Roger bribed Xeros to make concessions, inclusing framing a proposed pact in a form that gave equal status to the two rulers. This apparent success was turned to failure when Manuel ignored the pact. Xeros died on the way home to Constantinople before he could be punished. Roger built a fleet to exact revenge 
Dates:
1143 
son of Roger II of Sicily (Anonymus 17029)
  • As his father tried to find him a Byzantine imperial bride, embassies were sent to the emperor Ioannes 2 and then Manuel 1, who sent Basileios 17002 (Xeros) to negotiate. Basileios was bribed and the plan failed, to the fury of Roger 17001 (:) Kinnamos 91.16-92.10
Basileios Xeros, envoy to Sicily (Basileios 17002)
  • Was sent to Sicily to discuss an imperial bride for Roger 17001'’s son, was bribed and made fatal concessions, including equality between Roger and the emperor Manuel 1; died unpunished on his way back to Constantinople (:) Kinnamos 91.21-92.5
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (Manuel 1)
  • Received a renewed request from Roger 17001 of Sicily for an imperial bride for his son, as had previously been sent to Ioannes 2 (:) Kinnamos 91.19-21
  • Sent Basileios 17002 (Xeros) as envoy to Roger 17001 of Sicily over the marriage of his son; Basileios was bribed into great concessions, accepting equality of the two rulers, so Manuel ignored the pact, provoking Roger to build ships for revenge (:) Kinnamos 91.21-92.10
Roger II, king of Sicily (Roger 17001)
  • Received the emperor Manuel 1’'s ambassador Basileios 17002 (Xeros) and bribed him to give the two rulers equal status in the pact; when Manuel ignored it, Roger built a fleet for revenge (:) Kinnamos 91.21-92.10