RRR: Correspondence/envoy
604
year: 1157
initiator: Knights Templar
recipient: Pope Adrian IV
institution: Templars
text: Before Nov. 13. The Knights Templar write to Pope Adrian IV, reporting events in the Holy Land. The son of Sanguineus [Nur ad-Din, son of Zengi] besieged Bellinas with a large army and defeated King B[aldwin III] and the Knights Templar. B[ertrandus] magister and 87 Templar brothers were captured. 300 other milites, who were with them, were killed after capture. Large quantities of horses and arms were lost. King Baldwin, together with T[heodericus] Flandriae comes and Rainaldus de Sancto Walerico, collected an army, counter-attacked and relieved Bellinas. The Templars surprised 230 pagani, who were attending a wedding, and killed or captured them. The pope praises the Templars and encourages the archbishop of Reims to recruit suitable men to go to the aid of the Holy Land or to provide horses and arms.
Before Nov. 13. The Knights Templar write to Pope Adrian IV, reporting events in the Holy Land. The son of Sanguineus [Nur ad-Din, son of Zengi] besieged Bellinas with a large army and defeated King B[aldwin III] and the Knights Templar. B[ertrandus] magister and 87 Templar brothers were captured.... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 15:681-2, no. 34 (RRH no. 326)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
708
year: 1163
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Sept.- Oct. B[ertrandus] de Blanc[fort], pauperis militiae Templi magister, with the entire convent of the Knights Templar, writes to King Louis VII of France, describing the grave condition of the Latin East. Prince R[ainald] of Antioch and many magnates have been taken captive or killed. An earthquake has brought fortifications down, including many castles. King Baldwin III has died. Bertrand begs for Louis’s assistance. Templar brothers are being sent to give the king of France more information.
Sept.- Oct. B[ertrandus] de Blanc[fort], pauperis militiae Templi magister, with the entire convent of the Knights Templar, writes to King Louis VII of France, describing the grave condition of the Latin East. Prince R[ainald] of Antioch and many magnates have been taken captive or killed. An... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:38, no. 123 (RRH no. 383)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
725
year: 1164
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Apr. - May. Frater G. Fulcherii militiae Templi conservus humilis informs King Louis VII of France that he has reached Acre and transmitted the king’s salutations to the master and brothers [of the Temple]. He sends the king a ring which has been laid on the Holy Places.
Apr. - May. Frater G. Fulcherii militiae Templi conservus humilis informs King Louis VII of France that he has reached Acre and transmitted the king’s salutations to the master and brothers [of the Temple]. He sends the king a ring which has been laid on the Holy Places.
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:38-39, no. 124 (RRH no. 398)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
726
year: 1164
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Apr. - May. Bertr. de Blancafort, militiae Templi magister thanks King Louis VII of France for his reception of frater G. Fulcherii. He informs the king of the dire state of the Holy Land, especially of Antioch, which is broken and impoverished. The [Byzantine] emperor is known to be intending to arrive and the principality is exposed to the incursions of Graeci or Turci. King Louis is reminded of the misery of the see of Antioch.
Apr. - May. Bertr. de Blancafort, militiae Templi magister thanks King Louis VII of France for his reception of frater G. Fulcherii. He informs the king of the dire state of the Holy Land, especially of Antioch, which is broken and impoverished. The [Byzantine] emperor is known to be intending to... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:39, no. 125 (RRH no. 399)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
736
year: 1164
initiator: Frater Gaufredus Fulcherii Hierosolymitanae domus Templi preceptor
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Late Aug. Frater G. Fulcherii domorum pauperis militiae Templi procurator informs King Louis VII of France of the dire state of the land of Antioch and the kingdom of Jerusalem. In July King Amalric, together with the master of the Temple and other leaders of the Holy Land, invaded Egypt and besieged Syraco [Shirkuh] the conestabulus of Nur ad-Din in Berbesium [Bilbais]. Nur ad-Din responded by laying siege to Harenc, situated on the frontier between Antioch and Aleppo, with siege engines and petraries, reducing the garrison to starvation. Prince Bohemond decided to [march in] support, together with the count of Tripoli, dominus Torosius, the dux Marmistensis and brothers of the Temple. So many milites, Turcopoli and pedites were involved that there had never in modern times been such a fair army. In a battle on 12 August the prince and the count were captured. Of 600 milites and 12000 pedites, few survived. The infideles have taken Harenc and besieged Antioch. Frater G. appeals to King Louis for assistance.
Late Aug. Frater G. Fulcherii domorum pauperis militiae Templi procurator informs King Louis VII of France of the dire state of the land of Antioch and the kingdom of Jerusalem. In July King Amalric, together with the master of the Temple and other leaders of the Holy Land, invaded Egypt and... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:60-61, no. 195 (RRH no. 403)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
737
year: 1164
initiator: Frater Gaufredus Fulcherii Hierosolymitanae domus Templi preceptor
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Late Aug. Frater Gaufredus Fulcherii Hierosolymitanae domus Templi preceptor informs King Louis VII of France how Nur ad-Din crossed the Euphrates and with a huge army, including Persae, Turcomani and Ninivitae, and laid siege to Herennium on the borders of Antioch. Prince Bohemond of Antioch was captured and, together with the count of Tripoli, the dux Mamistrae, dominus Ugo de Leziniaco and many others, was incarcerated in Aleppo. 60 Templar milites were killed, together with fratres clientes and Turcopoli. Only 7 escaped. Frater Gaufredus fears for Antioch, which is short of arms, men and victuals; it has food supplies for only 2 months. The patriarch has taken over leadership. Antioch will resist the Turci, but cannot hold off the emperor of Constantinople without assistance. On 1 August King Amalric, who had invaded Egypt carrying with him the relic of the True Cross [sanctae crucis vexillum], besieged Syraco [Shirkuh], the conestabulus of Nur ad- Din in the city of Herbesium [Bilbais]. In Jerusalem the defenders are few when compared to the vast numbers of Turci. Assistance is badly needed. Frater Gaufredus warns King Louis not to expect other messengers from him, because with the king and master absent he dare not send more probi homines.
Late Aug. Frater Gaufredus Fulcherii Hierosolymitanae domus Templi preceptor informs King Louis VII of France how Nur ad-Din crossed the Euphrates and with a huge army, including Persae, Turcomani and Ninivitae, and laid siege to Herennium on the borders of Antioch. Prince Bohemond of Antioch was... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:62-63, no. 197 (RRH no. 404)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
740
year: 1164
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Nov. 1-30. B. de Blancafort pauperis militiae Templi minister humilis writes to King Louis VII of France. Louis already knows that King Amalric made war in Egypt, taking with him the relic of the True Cross. Nur ad-Din had sent Syraco [Shirkuh] with a great army to the kingdom of Cairo [regnum Babyloniorum] with the intention of uniting Old Cairo [Babylon] and Damascus. Syraco [the above-named Turcus], who had occupied the strong city of Berbesium [Bilbais] and had garrisoned it with 30000 warriors, was forced to withdraw. But on returning to the Holy Land the Christians discovered that the city of Paneas, one of the strongest in the kingdom of Jerusalem, had been betrayed and occupied by the Turci and that Antioch had suffered the defeat of its army and is in danger of falling to Graeci or Turci. King Amalric cannot defend Antioch, Tripoli, Jerusalem and Cairo [Babylon] at the same time, whereas Nur ad-Din has at his disposal enough forces to attack all of them. Frater Heustercanis, Louis’s friend, is sick and cannot travel. B. is sending frater Walterus in his place to deliver his messages.
Nov. 1-30. B. de Blancafort pauperis militiae Templi minister humilis writes to King Louis VII of France. Louis already knows that King Amalric made war in Egypt, taking with him the relic of the True Cross. Nur ad-Din had sent Syraco [Shirkuh] with a great army to the kingdom of Cairo [regnum... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:79-80, no. 244 (RRH no. 407)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
741
year: 1164
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: Nov. 1-30. Bertrannus militiae Templi minister humilis writes to King Louis VII of France, who has heard how King Amalric, following general advice, went to Egypt [regnum Babiloniae], with the relic of the True Cross, after Nur ad-Din had invaded it. Amalric succeeded, but he returned on hearing of the disasters in Antioch. Nur ad-Din had wanted to subject the kingdom of Cairo [Babilonicum regnum] to his lordship and hinder any invasion by the Christians. Antioch and Jerusalem are in such great difficulties they cannot be described in writing. Bertrannus is, therefore, sending frater Galterius to Louis, to whom everyone is looking for assistance.
Nov. 1-30. Bertrannus militiae Templi minister humilis writes to King Louis VII of France, who has heard how King Amalric, following general advice, went to Egypt [regnum Babiloniae], with the relic of the True Cross, after Nur ad-Din had invaded it. Amalric succeeded, but he returned on hearing of... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:80-81, no. 245 (RRH no. 406)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
783
year: 1167
initiator: Bertrandus de Blancfort, master of the Temple
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: (c. 1167). B. domus Templi magister, together with his convent, writes to King Louis VII of France. While Guillelmus de Deoper was on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, some of his neighbours invaded and devastated his land. He asks for justice, fearing that otherwise many who would otherwise travel to the East would fear to do so, to the detriment of the church in the East.
(c. 1167). B. domus Templi magister, together with his convent, writes to King Louis VII of France. While Guillelmus de Deoper was on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, some of his neighbours invaded and devastated his land. He asks for justice, fearing that otherwise many who would otherwise travel to... more
sources: Bouquet, Recueil 16:145, no. 439 (RRH no. 437)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
821
year: 1168
initiator: King Amalric
recipient: King Louis VII of France
institution: Templars
text: (c.1168). Amalric, per Dei gratiam Hierosolymorum rex, writes to King Louis VII of France, commending the Templars [fratres Templi], who are killed every day in the service of God.
(c.1168). Amalric, per Dei gratiam Hierosolymorum rex, writes to King Louis VII of France, commending the Templars [fratres Templi], who are killed every day in the service of God.
sources: Bouquet 16:157, no. 469 (RRH no. 459)