Louis VII accepted a Byzantine alliance & departed

Summary:
Before negotiations began for a treaty, there was for some days a dispute over the venue, forcing the French to eat food set apart for the journey. Manuel wanted discussions in the palace, Louis insisted on a more neutral Asian venue, or perhaps a ship. Manuel revealed his terms: a kinswoman of Louis was to marry one of his nephews, and Louis' barons were to pay homage to Manuel. Manuel offered guides, markets where he could, and allowed plundering where there was no market, if plundered towns were returned empty to him; he also promised rich presents. Further delays were caused by the arrival of Amadeus, count of Maurienne, William III of Montferrat and William, count of Auvergne and others, who had come via Italy. The Byzantines, contrary to usual practice, did not hurry the new arrivals to cross to Asia. Therefore major French nobles plundered nearby areas for food to take on the journey, and bought a boat to enlarge the market and greet the latecomers. Robert, count of Perche, saved his kinswoman from marriage by abducting her and taking her to Nikomedeia, also avoiding the payment of homage. Manuel's terms were discussed by the French barons and bishops. Nobody liked the idea of homage to Manuel, Godfrey of Langres calling it an insult to Louis and asking again for an attack on the capital. His opponents, who were in the majority, spoke of the multiple allegiances common among French barons and insisted on peace among Christians. When the latecomers were shipped over, Louis ordered the army to move. This spurred Manuel to arrange discussions in a fort near the sea, protected by the Byzantine fleet. Louis was annoyed at the delay and the demand for homage from his barons, but turned back with the flower of his army and agreed to Byzantine terms, anxious to promote the Crusade. The terms had changed little: Louis should capture no places owned by Manuel, Manuel should send guides who would provide a market wherever possible, and otherwise allow plunder (plundered places to be left vacant). Homage from the French barons was met with imperial gifts 
Dates:
1147 
Amadeus, count of Maurienne (Amadeus 102)
  • He was one of the barons of the Second Crusade who travelled through Italy; they reached Constantinople after Louis 101, who waited for them for five days before crossing to Asia; their arrival complicated negotiations for a treaty between Louis and Manuel 1; their crossing to Asia allowed the army to set out (:) Odo of Deuil 78-80
kinswoman of Louis VII, in the company of Eleanor of Aquitaine on the crusade (Anonyma 247)
  • Manuel 1 planned that she be married to Anonymus 992, to cement the treaty between Byzantium and France; to save her from this, her kinsman, Robert 105, abducted her from the retinue of Eleanor 101 and took her to Nikomedia, also avoiding the need for him to pay homage to Manuel (:) Odo of Deuil 76
nephew of Manuel I, who planned to marry him to a kinswoman of Louis VII (Anonymus 992)
  • It was proposed by Manuel 1 that he should cement the alliance between Byzantium and France by marrying him to Anonyma 247, a relation of Louis VII attending Eleanor 101; the proposal lapsed when a kinsman of the potential bride saved her by carrying her off to Nikomedia (:) Odo of Deuil 76
Godfrey, bishop of Langres (Godfrey 101)
  • He and others took offence at Manuel 1's demands for homage; he called again for the capture of Constantinople rather than subservience to an infidel and rejection of Louis 101; Godfrey's opponents said that French barons already had multiple allegiances, and stressed the need for Christian peace (:) Odo of Deuil 78-80
Louis VII, king of France (Louis 101)
  • After the interview in the palace he was lodged at Philopation, visited the church in the south (in the Great Palace?) and its relics of Christ's body, swore to be a Byzantine ally and crossed to Asia (:) Kinnamos 83.4-13
  • Before negotiations began for a treaty of alliance between him and Manuel 1, there was for several days a dispute over the venue, which made the French army eat food set apart for the journey; Manuel wanted discussions in the palace, Louis insisted on a more neutral Asian venue, or perhaps a ship (:) Odo of Deuil 76
  • He heard Manuel 1's terms for a treaty: a marriage between the two ruling families and homage for Manuel from the French barons, in return for promises of guides, markets (where possible), plunder where there was no market (plundered towns to be returned) and rich presents for Louis and his barons (:) Odo of Deuil 78
  • Further delays were caused by the arrival of Amadeus 102, William 106 and William 107, coming via Italy; the Byzantines too, contrary to usual practice, were not hurrying the new arrivals to cross to Asia; therefore major French nobles plundered nearby areas for food to take on the journey (:) Odo of Deuil 78
  • His army purchased a boat, which supplied the deficiencies in the market provided by the Byzantines; they also crossed the straits, and welcomed the latecomers who had arrived via Italy (:) Odo of Deuil 78
  • His barons and bishops discussed Manuel 1's proposals for a treaty: Godfrey 101 and others repeated calls for an attack on the City, but ended in the minority; when Amadeus 102, William 106, William 107 and their comrades were shipped across the straits, he ordered the army to move (:) Odo of Deuil 78-80
  • His departure spurred Manuel 1 to arrange a discussion in a fort near the sea, protected by the Byzantine fleet; Louis was annoyed at the delay and the demand for homage from his barons, but turned back with the flower of his army and agreed to Byzantine terms, anxious to start on the Crusade (:) Odo of Deuil 80
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (Manuel 1)
  • Before negotiations began for a treaty of alliance between him and Louis 101, there was for several days a dispute over the venue, which made the French army eat food set apart for the journey; Manuel wanted discussions in the palace, Louis insisted on a more neutral Asian venue, or perhaps a ship (:) Odo of Deuil 76
  • He revealed terms for an alliance: Anonyma 247 to marry Anonymus 992, and Louis 101's barons to pay homage to Manuel; Manuel offered guides, markets where he could, and allowed plundering where there was no market, if plundered towns were returned empty to him; he also promised rich presents (:) sibique baronum hominium requisivit Odo of Deuil 76
  • The treaty was finally made: Louis 101 should not capture places owned by Manuel, Manuel should send guides who would provide a market wherever possible, and allow plunder where there was no market (plundered places to be left vacant); homage from the French barons was met with imperial gifts (:) Odo of Deuil 82
Robert, count of Perche (and Dreux) (Robert 105)
  • He joined with a group of others to abduct Anonyma 247 from Eleanor 101, to save her from marrying Anonymus 992; he took her on to Nikomedeia, thus avoiding (for himself and the others) the need to pay homage to Manuel 1 (:) Odo of Deuil 78
William V, margrave of Montferrat (William 106)
  • He was one of the barons of the Second Crusade who travelled through Italy; they reached Constantinople after Louis 101, who waited for them for five days before crossing to Asia; their arrival complicated negotiations for a treaty between Louis and Manuel 1; their crossing to Asia allowed the army to set out (:) Odo of Deuil 78-80
William, count of Auvergne (William 107)
  • He was one of the barons of the Second Crusade who travelled through Italy; they reached Constantinople after Louis 101, who waited for them for five days before crossing to Asia; their arrival complicated negotiations for a treaty between Louis and Manuel 1; their crossing to Asia allowed the army to set out (:) Odo of Deuil 78