RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1736
year: 1216
initiator: King Leon I of Cilician Armenia
recipient: Pope Innocent III
institution: Templars
text: Before Oct. [305] After describing the refusal of the count of Tripoli to abide by the papal legates’ judgement, the miseries of warfare, and the hopes for Raymond Rupen, his nephew and the legitimate prince of Antioch, Leon, per Dei et Romani imperii gratiam rex Armeniae, recounts for Pope Innocent III how he approached Antioch with his army and entered the city without any bloodshed. Raymond Rupen was received as legitimate prince at the cathedral by the patriarch, who gave him the vexillum principale and paid liege homage [ligium homagium] to him, as did the milites and clientes belligeri at the palatium. Then the barones, milites and burgenses who had been exiled were restored to their possessions. Leon agreed to restore [to the Latins] the church of Tarsus [Tarsensis Ecclesia], for which the patriarch had consecrated as archbishop the cantor Antiochen. Ecclesiae, and the church of Mamistra [Manustana Ecclesia], which he recognized to be a suffragan see of the patriarchate and to the archbishopric of which was elected the archidiaconus Antiochiae. The fons Gustoni was restored to the abbey of St Paul. The abbots of Nigra Montana had their casalia and holdings restored and the Knights Templar were given back the castellum of Gastum, which Leon had acquired from the pagani and had detained because of the needs of warfare. Leon reports that there is now peace in the land, as the pope will learn from the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John and other religious, should he enquire. Leon asks for aid and the promise of indulgences for those who come to the assistance of Cilician Armenia and Antioch.
Before Oct. [305] After describing the refusal of the count of Tripoli to abide by the papal legates’ judgement, the miseries of warfare, and the hopes for Raymond Rupen, his nephew and the legitimate prince of Antioch, Leon, per Dei et Romani imperii gratiam rex Armeniae, recounts for Pope... more
sources: Annales ecclesiastici 20:202-3 (RRH no. 817)
RRR: Confirmation/renewal of grants
1735
year: 1216
initiator: Emperor Frederick II
recipient: Knights Templar
institution: Templars
text: Sept. 1-30. Altenburg. Emperor Frederick II confirms under seal for the Knights Templar, represented by Guillelmus de Antiochia frater sacre militie templi Jherosolimitani, a charter, sealed by the archbishop of Arles and the bishop of Toulon, in which Hugo of Baux and his relations, with the agreement of the viscount of Marseille, allow the Knights Templar to have and construct in Marseille ships [naves] and other vessels [navigia] to sail to the Levant [in partes ultramarinas] or to Iberia in the defence of Christendom and to transport pilgrims, merchants and their cash with or without charge. German witnesses.
Sept. 1-30. Altenburg. Emperor Frederick II confirms under seal for the Knights Templar, represented by Guillelmus de Antiochia frater sacre militie templi Jherosolimitani, a charter, sealed by the archbishop of Arles and the bishop of Toulon, in which Hugo of Baux and his relations, with the... more
sources: Winkelmann, Acta imperii inedita 1:117, no. 139 (RRH no. 889)
RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
1730
year: 1216
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Patriarch of Jerusalem and other prelates
institution: Templars
text: [Aug. 1. Perugia. Pope Honorius III confirms that neither the patriarch of Jerusalem nor other prelates can excommunicate the Knights Templar or their servants without the express permission of the Holy See.
[Aug. 1. Perugia. Pope Honorius III confirms that neither the patriarch of Jerusalem nor other prelates can excommunicate the Knights Templar or their servants without the express permission of the Holy See.
sources: Claverie, L’ordre du Temple 3:90, no. 58. Calendar entry].
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1767
year: 1217
initiator: Willelmus de Carnoto, master of the Knights Templar
recipient: Pope Honorius III
institution: Templars
additional institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
text: Oct. 1-31. Frater W. de Carnoto pauper militie Templi magister informs Pope Honorius III of the arrival at Acre of a large number of crusaders [peregrini] from the German empire and elsewhere. They have been joined by the king of Hungary and the dukes of Austria and Moravia. Al-Adil [Sephedinus], the great sultan, is immobile in Egypt, fearing the fleet from Frisia, which is due on the next passage. He has sent his son Coradinus to the frontiers of the Latin settlement. The Muslims are weaker than at any time in many years, but on the Christian side there is a great need of provisions, because the harvests have failed in Palestine and less grain has been imported than expected.There is also a severe shortage of horses. Before the arrival of the king of Hungary and the duke of Austria, the patriarch of Jerusalem, the king, the crusaders [peregrini], the brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and the Knights Templar had decided to campaign towards Nablus and to engage with Coradinus, but after their arrival the unanimous decision has been made to invade Egypt to besiege Damietta, thus opening a prudent way to the land of Jerusalem. All crusaders [crucesignati] should be prepared to bring with them large quantities of provisions and horses.
Oct. 1-31. Frater W. de Carnoto pauper militie Templi magister informs Pope Honorius III of the arrival at Acre of a large number of crusaders [peregrini] from the German empire and elsewhere. They have been joined by the king of Hungary and the dukes of Austria and Moravia. Al-Adil [Sephedinus],... more
sources: Annales ecclesiastici 20:372 (RRH no. 902)
RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
1798
year: 1218
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Cardinal Pelagius of Albano and the magistri of the Knights Templar and Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
institution: Templars
additional institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
text: Jul. 12. Lateran. Pope Honorius III, concerned about the fate of the kingdom of Cyprus now that the king is dead and that the queen has reported threats to her and her children, and anxious about the consequences for the crusade, orders Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, and the magistri of the Knights Templar and the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem to do what they can to protect her, her children and kingdom.
Jul. 12. Lateran. Pope Honorius III, concerned about the fate of the kingdom of Cyprus now that the king is dead and that the queen has reported threats to her and her children, and anxious about the consequences for the crusade, orders Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, and the... more
sources: Schabel, Bullarium 1:201-2, no. c-19
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1804
year: 1218
initiator: James of Vitry
recipient: Pope Honorius III
institution: Templars
text: After Aug. 24. [314] James of Vitry [I. Acconensis ecclesie minister] writes to Pope Honorius III. He describes how in 1217 the kings of Hungary, Cyprus and Jerusalem, the duke of Austria, the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John, princes and counts, knights [equites] and footsoldiers, in a greater army than any since the city’s fall [in 1191], gathered at Acre and decided to launch a destructive raid against Damascus, but was ambushed by the Sarraceni and lost many men. It then made unsuccessful assaults on Mons Thabor [without siege engines], Belfort and Belinas. After Epiphany [6 January 1218] the king of Hungary left, travelling by way of Tripoli, Antioch and Constantinople. He was accompanied as far as Tripoli by the king of Cyprus, who died there, and by the count of Tripoli, betrothed to the sister of the king of Cyprus, who was forced by Muslim pressure to make a truce with the Sarraceni. The king of Jerusalem, the duke of Austria, the patriarch, James of Vitry himself [episcopus Acconensis], the Hospitallers of St John and most of the diminished Christian force refortified the castle of Caesarea. The Knights Templar spent an enormous sum of money building a new castle [Castrum Peregrinorum]. After returning to Acre, the Christian army was joined by Oliver of Paderborn [magister Oliverus Coloniensis ecclesie canonicus], authorized to preach the cross, who brought a fleet of cogs [cogones] containing major reinforcements. The decision was made to invade Egypt [Babylonia] and the army left Acre by sea on 24 May, reaching the Egyptian city of Damietta. The Christians established a siege camp and took a great tower in the middle of the river Nile on 24 August. They are planning to attack Damietta in spite of its strength.
After Aug. 24. [314] James of Vitry [I. Acconensis ecclesie minister] writes to Pope Honorius III. He describes how in 1217 the kings of Hungary, Cyprus and Jerusalem, the duke of Austria, the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John, princes and counts, knights [equites] and footsoldiers, in a... more
sources: James of Vitry, Lettres, pp. 98-100, no. 3 (RRH no. 913)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1806
year: 1218
initiator: Oliver of Paderborn
recipient: Archbishop and clergy of Cologne
institution: Templars
additional institution: Hospital of Saint Mary of the Germans
text: Sept. 14. In the siege of Damietta. Oliver of Paderborn [Oliverus peccator, dictus Coloniensis scolasticus] records for the archbishop and clergy of Cologne, what he has heard and seen. He recounts the actions of the Fifth Crusade before his arrival: the stationing of the patriarch and the True Cross outside Acre [in castra Domini] on the other side of Recordana; the first campaign by way of the plain of Faba to the fons Tubanie, and from there to Betsaida, then across the Jordan, around the east side of the Sea of Galilee, and back to Acre by way of Capharnaum; the second campaign to Mons Thabor and the failure to attack it; and the third expedition to Sarepta on the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He describes the departure of the kings of Hungary and Cyprus, the second of whom died in Tripoli; the trepidation of many crusaders who gathered in Acre to wait for the next passage home; the expedition of the king of Jerusalem, the duke of Austria, the Monasteriensis episcopus and the Traiectensis episcopus to Caesarea; and the construction between Haifa and Caesarea, on the site of the Castrum filii Dei called Districtum, by the Knights Templar, together with some peregrini and Hospitallers of St Mary of the Germans, of Castrum Peregrinorum, although a Muslim assault had to be driven off. He records the castle in detail and the expenses needed to build it. He reports that the Knights Templar intend to move their headquarters there, away from the sinful distractions of Acre. He goes on to describe the invasion of Egypt, the establishment of the Christian camp opposite Damietta, the attacks on the tower built in the middle of the Nile and their lack of success until Oliver’s Germans and Frisians constructed an ingenious floating siege engine. He records their eventual success, the final assault being led by a young knight from Liège.
Sept. 14. In the siege of Damietta. Oliver of Paderborn [Oliverus peccator, dictus Coloniensis scolasticus] records for the archbishop and clergy of Cologne, what he has heard and seen. He recounts the actions of the Fifth Crusade before his arrival: the stationing of the patriarch and the True... more
sources: Oliver of Paderborn, ‘Briefe’, pp. 288-95, no. 3
RRR: Eleemosynary grant
1824
year: 1219
initiator: Milo comes Barri
recipient: Petrus de Monte Acuto, master of the Knights Templar
institution: Templars
text: Aug. 1-18. [316] At the siege of Damietta. Milo comes Barri makes an eleemosynary grant of rents in France to Frater Petrus de Monte Acuto magister and the Knights Templar. Witnesses: Johannes de Arcies; Simon de Rupeforti; Hugo de Thore.
Aug. 1-18. [316] At the siege of Damietta. Milo comes Barri makes an eleemosynary grant of rents in France to Frater Petrus de Monte Acuto magister and the Knights Templar. Witnesses: Johannes de Arcies; Simon de Rupeforti; Hugo de Thore.
sources: Lalore, Les sires, p. 222 note. 3
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1826
year: 1219
initiator: James of Vitry
recipient: Pope Honorius III
institution: Templars
additional institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
text: May - Sept. 1-30. [317] James of Vitry [I. Acconensis ecclesie minister] writes to Pope Honorius III. He continues his narrative of the Fifth Crusade, describing how the Christian army reached Damietta, took the strong tower in the middle of the river Nile, breaking the iron chains that stretched across the river and prevented ships passing up stream, although the Sarraceni sank ships to impede any progress. Cardinal Pelagius had his cog hauled into the upper river, as had James of Vitry himself, although with losses, including his barbota with 20 men on board, and the cog of the Knights Templar, which had to fight its way upstream with heavy losses. He describes galley battles [galeae] with losses on both sides and the attempt by the Sarraceni to build a bridge up-river, the sufferings during the winter from storms, floods, cold and disease, the deaths of Cardinal Robert de Courçon and the bishop of Paris, the building of a canal round the Christian camp, the fasting and liturgical processions decreed by Cardinal Pelagius of Albano and the patriarch of Jerusalem, and their expulsion of malefactors, the passage of ships up the canal, the flight of the sultan of Egypt, the building of a pontoon by the Christians, their occupation of the bank on which the city stood, its encirclement and the preparation of siege-engines, the arrival of major Muslim reinforcements under Coradinus rex Damasci [al-Mu‘azzam], the brother of the sultan of Egypt, and their withdrawal after an unsuccessful assault on the Christians, because of threats to Aleppo and Damascus from the sultan of Konya, the king of Cilician Armenia and one of Saladin’s sons. James returns to his letter, the early part of which had been written at the time of the Easter passage. He describes attacks on the city, a break down in discipline and a Muslim attack that resulted in heavy Christian losses. He reports the deaths or captivity of 200 milites of the Knights Templar and the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem and others, among whom were the electus Belvacensis, domnus Walter regis Francie camerarius, filius eius vicecomes de Bellomonte, domnus Iohannes de Archies, domnus Andreas de Espoisse and domnus Andreas de Nantuel, the brother of the electus. He reports desertions from the Christian army, but also that the Muslims in Damietta face starvation. He hopes that once Damietta is taken the crusade will advance into Egypt and will then recover Jerusalem.
May - Sept. 1-30. [317] James of Vitry [I. Acconensis ecclesie minister] writes to Pope Honorius III. He continues his narrative of the Fifth Crusade, describing how the Christian army reached Damietta, took the strong tower in the middle of the river Nile, breaking the iron chains that stretched... more
sources: James of Vitry, Lettres, pp. 112-22, no. 5 (RRH no. 924)
year: 1222
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: England
institution: Templars
text: Jul. 23. Lateran. Pope Honorius III has heard of the construction by the Knights Templar of the castle popularly called Castrum Peregrinorum and that their daily expenses exceed 3000 besants. He therefore appeals for financial support [from England].
Jul. 23. Lateran. Pope Honorius III has heard of the construction by the Knights Templar of the castle popularly called Castrum Peregrinorum and that their daily expenses exceed 3000 besants. He therefore appeals for financial support [from England].
sources: Claverie, Honorius, pp. 382-3, no. 69