Louis VII returned home in a Sicilian ship; he narrowly escaped capture by the Byzantines

Summary:
Louis VII returned home from Palestine in a hired Sicilian ship. The vessel became involved in a battle between some Sicilian raiders and the Byzantine commander Chouroup, in which Chouroup was victorious. Louis was in considerable danger, and only avoided capture by flying the flag of a Byzantine ally 
Dates:
1149 
Chouroup, commander under Manuel I (Chouroup 17001)
  • Commanded a Byzantine fleet that was victorious over Sicilian raiders; nearly captured Louis VII of France (Louis 101, unnamed) returning from the Crusade, who sailed into the sea-battle and embarked on a Sicilian ship (:) Kinnamos 87.16-88.1
Louis VII, king of France (Louis 101)
  • He spent a full year in the east, then celebrated Easter in Jerusalem and returned home soon after with Eleanor 101 and his nobles (:) William of Tyre bk. 17, 14-16
  • Returning from Palestine by hired ship, he sailed into a sea-battle between Sicilian raiders and Byzantines under Chouroup 17001; boarded a Sicilian ship and only avoided capture in Byzantine victory by flying the flag of a Byzantine ally (:) Kinnamos 87.12-88.1