RRR: Correspondence/envoy
2467
year: 1244
initiator: Patriarch Robert of Jerusalem, the papal legate, the queen of Cyprus, who is Bauilla regni Ierosolimitani, Tirenensis archiepiscopus, R. Acconensis episcopus, G. Sidonensis episcopus, R. Lidenensis episcopus, frater Hermannus Petragoricensis magister milicie Templi, frater Willelmus magister domus Hospi-talis sancti Johannis, praeceptor domus sancte Marie Teutonicorum, Odo de Monte Beligardo dominus Tyberiadensis et constabularius regni Ierosolimitani and Philippus de Monte forti dominus Turonensis
recipient: Pope Innocent IV
text: Sept. 11. Acre. Patriarch Robert of Jerusalem, the papal legate, the queen of Cyprus, who is Bauilla regni Ierosolimitani, Tirenensis archiepiscopus, R. Acconensis episcopus, G. Sidonensis episcopus, R. Lidenensis episcopus, frater Hermannus Petragoricensis magister milicie Templi, frater Willelmus magister domus Hospitalis sancti Johannis, praeceptor domus sancte Marie Teutonicorum, Odo de Monte Beligardo dominus Tyberiadensis et constabularius regni Ierosolimitani and Philippus de Monte forti dominus Turonensis inform Pope Innocent IV of the arrival of the Khorezmians, to whom the patriarch had already referred in a letter to the pope. They had been driven from their lands by the Mongols and were accompanied by their families and have occupied a large part of the province of Jerusalem, from Niro militum, 8 miliari from Jerusalem, to Ascalon and Gaza. They are allied to the sultan of Egypt, who believes that they will subjugate Damascus and the Christians for him. They had first arrived from the north, by way of the pons ferreus near Antioch and had been bought off by the rulers of Damascus, Aleppo and Homs [Camella]. The Christians in the Holy Land, who are short of soldiers, had called for assistance from the king of Cyprus, the prince of Antioch and the sultans of Damascus and Homs [Camella]. The Khorezmians then assaulted the city of Jerusalem, which they entered on 11 July, killing many inhabitants, including Armenians who had sought refuge in the church of sanctus Iacobus Armenorum, and decapitating the imperial castellan [castellanus imperialis] and the praeceptor of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem before withdrawing. The leaders in the Holy Land sent messages to the sultan of Damascus, begging for assistance, and sent the Dominican frater Simon to Jerusalem. He comforted and encouraged the people to defend the city, but a great part of the armed men in Jerusalem withdrew to Jaffa. They were followed on 23 August by 6000 of the inhabitants, but 2000 were killed on their journey to the plain of Ramla. The Khorezmians then returned and reentered Jerusalem. Among the martyrs killed while celebrating at the altars was magister Petrus de Montranda Remensis et Sconensis canonicus. The leaders describe the sacrileges and looting in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church of the Nativity at Bethlehem, and the churches of Mt Sion and the Templum Domini. They describe the devastation elsewhere around Tiberias and near Acre. They appeal for assistance.
Sept. 11. Acre. Patriarch Robert of Jerusalem, the papal legate, the queen of Cyprus, who is Bauilla regni Ierosolimitani, Tirenensis archiepiscopus, R. Acconensis episcopus, G. Sidonensis episcopus, R. Lidenensis episcopus, frater Hermannus Petragoricensis magister milicie Templi, frater Willelmus... more
sources: Chronica de Mailros, pp. 156-62 (RRH no. 1123)