Conrad III decided to return from Ephesos to Constantinople

Summary:
As the comined German and French crusader armies moved south Kinnamos reports increasing friction. The French abused the Germans with the cry "Budge, German". Conrad III wrote to Manuel I revealing his plan to return. [Kinnamos is probably wrong in saying that he wrote from Philadelphia, for Odo of Deuil describes a coastal journey.] He may have been motivated by shame, because of his reduced state, or by French arrogance. Manuel, no longer fearing Conrad, maybe wishing to keep the kings divided, wrote to him as to a relation and fellow-Christian who had fallen on hard times, offering help. Conrad returned from Ephesos to Constantinople for the winter, and was honourably received 
Dates:
1147 
Conrad III Hohenstaufen, king of Germany (Conrad 53)
  • Wrote to the emperor Manuel 1 from Philadelphia [from Smyrna or Ephesos?: the army probably did not go to Philadelphia]; He revealed his plan to return; Manuel replied offering help to his relative now that his situation had changed (:) Kinnamos 85.12
  • While retreating defeated by the Turks he met the French at Nicaea with the kings of the Czechs and the Poles (Vladislav 17001, and Boleslav 17001) and marched with them; insulted by the French (‘budge, German’) he decided at [Philadelphia] to go back (:) Πούτζη, Ἀλαμανέ Kinnamos 84.5-85.12
  • He and his remaining men followed the army of Louis 101 to Pergamon, Smyrna and Ephesos, with the tomb of Hagios Ioannes, but went no further; he regretted that he had not seen Manuel 1, and so returned to the capital to spend the winter with him (:) Odo of Deuil 108
  • At Ephesos, he told the rest of his army to march overland, and himself went by ship to Constantinople; he may have done this because he was ashamed of his much reduced forces, or because he was offended by French arrogance; he was received by Manuel 1 more honourably than before (:) William of Tyre bk. 16, 23.46-52
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (Manuel 1)
  • Received a letter from Conrad 53 announcing his decision to return; to divide the kings, and out of sympathy for Conrad, he replied offering help, as to a relation and co-religionist whose circumstances had changed for the worse (:) τοῦ ὁμοθρήσκους ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις εἶναι Kinnamos 85.13-86.9