RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
1870
year: 1221
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Archbishop of Nicosia and the bishop of Bethlehem
text: Mar. 23. Lateran. The bishop of Acre has complained to the pope that when the pope had ordered the clergy of the diocese of Acre to respect the bishop’s ordinary jurisdiction, the archbishop of Caesarea, gathering abbots, other clergy and laity together, suspended the bishop in his absence, placed an interdict on the church of Acre and excommunicated the canons, in spite of the fact that an appeal had already been lodged with Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate. When Magister Anselmus canonicus Acconensis stated that the archbishop had acted against the statutes of the general council and began to read the pope’s letter to the archbishop, the archbishop had him expelled, tearing his clothes and ripping up the letter. Pope Honorius III orders the archbishop of Nicosia and the bishop of Bethlehem to investigate and, if they find the account is true, to force the archbishop of make satisfaction and reprimand him for his injury to the pope.
Mar. 23. Lateran. The bishop of Acre has complained to the pope that when the pope had ordered the clergy of the diocese of Acre to respect the bishop’s ordinary jurisdiction, the archbishop of Caesarea, gathering abbots, other clergy and laity together, suspended the bishop in his absence, placed... more
sources: Schabel, Bullarium 1:213-14, no. c-26; also ed. Claverie, Honorius, pp. 363-4, no. 52
RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
1871
year: 1221
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Clergy of the Genoese, Venetian and Pisan communities, and other bishops and clergy
text: Mar. 28. Lateran. The bishop of Acre has complained to the pope that the clergy in the Genoese, Venetian and Pisan communities, and many bishops, have refused to owe him due obedience. These churchmen have argued, in spite of the many deadlines given by the pope and Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, that they are merely temporary residents [hospites] and exiles in the city. Pope Honorius III orders the clergy of the Genoese, Venetian and Pisan communities, and other bishops and clergy to subject themselves to the bishop. He orders the archbishop of Nicosia and the bishop of Bethlehem, to whom he also writes, to enforce his mandate.
Mar. 28. Lateran. The bishop of Acre has complained to the pope that the clergy in the Genoese, Venetian and Pisan communities, and many bishops, have refused to owe him due obedience. These churchmen have argued, in spite of the many deadlines given by the pope and Cardinal Pelagius of Albano,... more
sources: Schabel, Bullarium 1:214-16, no. c-27; also ed. Claverie, Honorius, pp. 364-6, no. 53
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1872
year: 1221
initiator: James of Vitry
recipient: Pope Honorius III, Abbot Walter of Villers, Master John of Nivelles, his brothers and friends at and near Oignies, Duke Leopold of Austria, Stephen dean of Paris, Philip chancellor of Paris, all the masters and scholars living in Paris
text: Apr. 18. [323] James of Vitry [Iacobus Acconensis ecclesie minister/Acconensis episcopus] writes to Pope Honorius III, Abbot Walter of Villers, Master John of Nivelles, his brothers and friends at and near Oignies, Duke Leopold of Austria, Stephen dean of Paris, Philip chancellor of Paris, all the masters and scholars living in Paris, and his friends everywhere. He continues his account of events at Damietta. He dwells on bad behaviour in the Christian army, dissensions, the departures of the king of Jerusalem, the magister of the Knights Templar with most of his brothers, nearly all the French [Francigene] milites, the patriarch of Jerusalem, the Cypriots and nearly all the settlers in the Latin East, which gravely weaken the crusade, although comes Matheus from Sicily remains with milites retained at his own expense. The Christians remain in Damietta. The sultan of Egypt and his army are not far off and threaten them. James describes the dangers attached to the raiding expeditions of milites and Turcopoles, particularly from Beduini, the imprisonment of more than 3000 Christian captives, taken not only in battle but by Muslim pirates at sea, in Alexandria, Cairo and Damascus, combats between Christians and Muslims, Christian deserters and their treatment by the Sarraceni. He records how the sultan of Egypt persuaded his brother Coradinus, the sultan of Damascus, to besiege the new castle near Acre called Castrum Peregrinum, leading to many leaving Damietta to go to the castle’s relief and the refusal of those in Acre to travel to Egypt. The sultan also ordered another brother called Saleph, who was prince of Calaph in terra Assyriorum, to raid Antioch and Tripoli, with the result that no help is to be had from the principality or county, while Muslim galleys impede the transport of peregrini and merchandise and deprive the crusade of assistance from Cyprus. Muslim attacks on Thaneos and Damietta have increased. There has been an outburst of Christian fervour, so that the army has become like a monastery [quasi claustrum monachorum], and moral and sumptuary sanctions have been imposed, including the expulsion, whipping and branding of prostitutes and fines for tavern drinking or gambling. James describes the enormous efforts made at port and fortification construction, especially as suitable stone can only be found in Cyprus and Syria. The Christians now have 4 fortifications in Egypt: Damietta, Thanis, Turonum in sabulo and castrum Butavant, which is surrounded by water. Meanwhile the Sarraceni are weakened by dissension and fear the approach of David rex Indorum, commonly known as Prester John [presbyter Iohannes]. James incorporates a history of the deeds and conquests of David/Presbyter Iohannes, which he says has been translated from Arabic into Latin and had been brought to the count of Tripoli by merchants carrying spices and precious stones from the East. He has heard that David, who intends to subdue all the Muslim lands, has sent 3 armies, one to the land of Calaph [Aleppo] held by the brother of the sultan of Egypt, one to Baldach [Baghdad] and the third towards Mausa [Mosul], which used to be called Nineveh and is only 15 days’ march from Antioch. James had heard that some Christian prisoners were sent to Baghdad and on to King David, who, when he knew they were Christians, returned them to Antioch. James describes the consternation among the Muslims, the release to the crusade of the electus Belvacensis, frater eius, vicecomes Bellimontis, Iohannes de Archies, Odo de Castellione, Andreas de Espoisse and some Knights Templars, Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem and Hospitallers of St Mary of Germans, with renewed offers of a truce. The crusaders are also glad to hear that the emperor Frederick II was arriving with a large army in the following August. James writes that an Arabic book of prophecy, which has come into his possession, prophesies the successes of Saladin and the Third Crusade and foretells future Christian successes in Egypt and Syria and the liberation of Jerusalem. For him this message is reinforced by an apocryphal gospel, provided by the Suriani, containing similar prophecies. James has used it, the news of King David and the planned arrival of the emperor Frederick, to preach a comforting sermon to the crusaders in Egypt.
Apr. 18. [323] James of Vitry [Iacobus Acconensis ecclesie minister/Acconensis episcopus] writes to Pope Honorius III, Abbot Walter of Villers, Master John of Nivelles, his brothers and friends at and near Oignies, Duke Leopold of Austria, Stephen dean of Paris, Philip chancellor of Paris, all the... more
sources: James of Vitry, Lettres, pp. 134-53, no. 7 (RRH no. 941)
year: 1221
initiator: E. Nicosiensis archiepiscopus
recipient: Vuillelmus vicecomes and his wife, Katherina
text: April. 1-30. Nicosia. At the request of Vuillelmus vicecomes and his wife, Katherina, the daughter of the vicecomitissa Nephyni, and with the consent of his chapter, E. Nicosiensis archiepiscopus establishes under seal a [chantry] priest at Nicia. Vuillelmus and his wife promise that they and their heirs will provide 50 modii of wheat, 50 modii of barley and 5 modii of vegetables each August. And they assign to the capellanus a garden in the casale and a house with a curia as living quarters. The archbishop adds a further annual rent of 30 modii of wheat, 30 modii of barley and 100 white besants [bisancii albi]. Vuillelmus and his wife will persuade the queen to seal this agreement as well.
April. 1-30. Nicosia. At the request of Vuillelmus vicecomes and his wife, Katherina, the daughter of the vicecomitissa Nephyni, and with the consent of his chapter, E. Nicosiensis archiepiscopus establishes under seal a [chantry] priest at Nicia. Vuillelmus and his wife promise that they and their... more
sources: Coureas and Schabel, The Cartulary, pp. 137-8, no. 42 (RRH no. 942)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1874
year: 1221
initiator: John of Brienne
recipient: Countess Blanche of Champagne and her son Thibaut
text: April. 11-30. Acre. King John of Jerusalem writes to Countess Blanche of Champagne and her son Thibaut, requesting that they put his nephew Walter, the son of Count Walter of Brienne, in possession of the county of Brienne, which he has inherited.
April. 11-30. Acre. King John of Jerusalem writes to Countess Blanche of Champagne and her son Thibaut, requesting that they put his nephew Walter, the son of Count Walter of Brienne, in possession of the county of Brienne, which he has inherited.
sources: Layettes du trésor des chartes 1:516, no. 1446 (RRH no. 943)
RRR: Dispute/arbitration
1875
year: 1221
initiator: Garinus de Monte Acuto, master of the Hospital
recipient: Frère Pierre de Garamont and Gilles Gérald chapelain
institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
additional institution: Templars
text: * May 5. Master Guérin de Montagu commissions frère Pierre de Garamont and Gilles Gérald chapelain to go to Rome to inform the pope and the college of cardinals of the dispute over the city of Gibel between the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and the Knights Templar, who argue that the city had been given to them by Bohemond IV, count of Tripoli and prince of Antioch. The emissaries are to suggest as judge delegates Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate in the East, the archbishop of Caesarea and either the bishop of Bethlehem or the archbishop of Nicosia.
* May 5. Master Guérin de Montagu commissions frère Pierre de Garamont and Gilles Gérald chapelain to go to Rome to inform the pope and the college of cardinals of the dispute over the city of Gibel between the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and the Knights Templar, who argue that the city had... more
sources: Delaville Le Roulx, Cart Hosp 2:292, no. 1725 (RRH no. 943a)
RRR: Confirmation/renewal of grants
1876
year: 1221
initiator: Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate
recipient: Eustorgius Nicosiensis archiepiscopus
text: May 16. Damietta. Cardinal Pelagius of Albano confirms under seal for E. archiepiscopus Nicosiensis and his suffragans the agreement made between Queen Alice and the church of Cyprus in October 1220. He incorporates the text of that agreement in full.
May 16. Damietta. Cardinal Pelagius of Albano confirms under seal for E. archiepiscopus Nicosiensis and his suffragans the agreement made between Queen Alice and the church of Cyprus in October 1220. He incorporates the text of that agreement in full.
sources: Coureas and Schabel, The Cartulary, pp. 213-16, no. 82 (RRH no. 938)
RRR: Agreement/treaty
1877
year: 1221
initiator: Dominus Jacobus Acconensis episcopus and his canons
recipient: Garinus de Monte Acuto, master of the Hospital of St John
institution: Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
text: May 1-31. Damietta. In the presence of Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, the dominus Jacobus Acconensis episcopus and his canons and frater Guarinus de Monte Acuto magister Hospitalis agree to end the disputes between the bishop and his canons and the magister and brothers of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. (1) The bishop sought the payment of twentieths [half tithes] on 2 vineyards, one next to the town, the other a large vineyard that was planted by frater Americus de Pax beyond the garden belonging to St Mary of the Latins. An earlier charter of agreement had specified that twentieths should be paid to the bishop by the Hospitallers on the grain grown on land cultivated by them; and since payment had been paid to his predecessors of a twentieth of the grain crop on the greater vineyard that was now planted with vines, payment should be made on the wine. With respect to the other vineyard next to the city, the twentieth ought to be paid because although in the charter payment was to be made for grain, wine was not specifically excepted, and so ought to be included in the agreement. The magister and brothers of the Hospital of St John argued that they were not bound to pay twentieths on vineyards, first because grain and not wine was referred to in the charter and secondly because, although they were subject to canon law, they had the privilege of exemption from the payment of tithes. When, after being granted that privilege, an agreement was made to pay twentieths on grain, only grain was mentioned and no other produce, and payment now would seem to prejudice their rights. They were not bound to pay twentieths on the vineyard which is next to the town, because they were exempt by the charter from paying tithes on anything other than grain and grain had never been grown there. It had been a garden and tithes were not paid on gardens. (2) The bishop claimed a quarter of everything left intestate to the Hospital in the city of Acre, on the basis of a decretal of Pope Innocent [III]. The Hospitallers stated that their churches were immune from any episcopal yoke or service and enjoyed the fullest freedom and because of that immunity they were not bound to pay the quarter of intestate goods; and they were anyway protected by forty-year prescriptive right. (3) The bishop maintained that the brother chaplains and others ought not to visit his parishioners to confer the divine sacraments, unless the Hospital paid that quarter of intestate goods to the church of the Holy Cross, and he wanted to prohibit the brother chaplains and others in the city of Acre from preaching sermons in the churches of the Hospital. The Hospitallers replied that the churches of the Hospital ought to have the right to organize visitations and that the brother chaplains and others ought to hear confessions and take the body of Christ and go to the sick with a cross and enjoin penance on them in whatever parish of Acre they wanted, without seeking permission from the bishop of Acre, and to preach in Hospital’s churches and cemetery. The two parties now agreed the following. (1) The Hospitallers will pay the bishop of Acre the twentieths on the two vineyards, but will give nothing relating to the trees in the vineyards or to the fruit of the trees. Nothing will be paid from the produce of gardens, if those gardens are converted into vineyards, but payment ought to be made on uncultivated and deserted lands if vineyards are planted on them. (2) The bishop of Acre and the canons remit to the Hospitallers the quarter of intestate goods left to the churches of the Hospital in full and perpetual freedom. (3) The conventual prior of the Hospital and the other chaplains in the Hospital’s churches or cemetery can preach whenever they want to do so, but they cannot advertise their sermons on fixed days. They can visit the sick with cross and procession and hear their confessions in whatever parish they wish or in the house of the Hospital and bring them the Body of Christ and enjoin penance on them and provide those who choose burial with them with other sacraments. And since it is the office of the brothers of the Hospital to receive the bodies of the dead and the sick from the squares in the city and to bury the dead, they can bury them, unless they desire burial elsewhere, and they can transport the sick to their house whenever they wish to do so, unless the infirm themselves prohibit it. The gifts, alms, oblations, legacies and intestate goods received by the the Hospital, whether from those who choose, or do not choose, burial, and whether from pilgrims or parishioners, shall belong to the Hospital. When the brother chaplains and others of the Hospital and the chaplains of the bishop of Acre visit the sick they should advise them to make benefactions to the cathedral church of the Holy Cross and the house of the Hospital after their death, if they should so wish, before they are buried. The bishop of Acre will ordain the clerics presented to him by the conventual prior of the Hospital, as long as they have licence from their bishops and as long as the Order promises by letters patent, which the bishop will keep, that they will provide livelihood for these clerics in perpetuity. Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, Jacobus Acconensis episcopus and frater Guarinus de Monte Acuto Hospitalis magister confirm the agreement and affix their seals. Witnesses: of the canons of the church of Acre, Constancius decanus; Pelagius archydiaconus; Johannes precentor; Nicolaus thesaurarius, Anselmus; of the brothers of the Hospital of St John, frater Ferraudus de Barraz marescalcus; frater Golferius preceptor; frater Henricus hospitalarius; frater Poncius Boschant drapperius. [324]
May 1-31. Damietta. In the presence of Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, the dominus Jacobus Acconensis episcopus and his canons and frater Guarinus de Monte Acuto magister Hospitalis agree to end the disputes between the bishop and his canons and the magister and brothers of the... more
sources: Delaville Le Roulx, Cart Hosp 2:286-8, no. 1718 (RRH no. 945)
RRR: Correspondence/envoy
1878
year: 1221
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John, the magister and brothers of the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans and the archbishop of Bordeaux
text: Jun. 20. Lateran. Pope Honorius III informs Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John, the magister and brothers of the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans and the archbishop of Bordeaux that the emperor Frederick has promised to cross to the East in the following March passagium and that further men and money, including a force led by the marquis of Montferrat, are expected.
Jun. 20. Lateran. Pope Honorius III informs Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, the Knights Templar, the Hospitallers of St John, the magister and brothers of the Hospital of St Mary of the Germans and the archbishop of Bordeaux that the emperor Frederick has promised to cross to the... more
sources: Claverie, Honorius, pp. 366-8, no. 54
RRR: Council/ruling decisions/legislation
1879
year: 1221
initiator: Pope Honorius III
recipient: Cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate
text: Jul. 9. Lateran. On rumours of the capture and death of Raymond Rupen, Pope Honorius III orders cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, to do what he can to protect the city of Antioch from the count of Tripoli.
Jul. 9. Lateran. On rumours of the capture and death of Raymond Rupen, Pope Honorius III orders cardinal Pelagius of Albano, the papal legate, to do what he can to protect the city of Antioch from the count of Tripoli.
sources: Claverie, Honorius, pp. 368-9, no. 55