The Emperor Mourzuphles had not yet removed more than four days’
journey from Constantinople; and he had taken with him the empress who
had been the wife of the Emperor Alexius, who aforetime had fled, and
his daughter. This Emperor Alexius was in a city called Messinopolis,
with all his people, and still held a great part of the land. And at
that time the men of note in Greece departed, and a large number passed
over the straits towards Turkey; and each one, for his own advantage,
made himself master of such lands as he could lay hands upon; and the
same thing happened also throughout the other parts of the empire.
The Emperor Mourzuphles made no long tarrying before he took a city
which had surrendered to my lord the Emperor Baldwin, a city called
Tchorlu. So he took it and sacked it, and seized whatever he found
there. When the news thereof came to the Emperor Baldwin, he took
counsel with the barons, and with the Doge of Venice, and they agreed
to this, that he should issue forth, with all his host, to make
conquest of the land, and leave a garrison in Constantinople to keep it
sure, seeing that the city had been newly taken and was peopled with
the Greeks.
So did they decide, and the host was called together, and decision made
as to who should remain in Constantinople, and who should go in the
host with the Emperor Baldwin. In Constantinople remained Count Louis
of Blois and Chartres, who had been sick, and was not yet recovered,
and the Doge of Venice. And Conon of Béthune remained in the palaces of
Blachernæ and Bucoleon to keep the city; and with him Geoffry the
Marshal of Champagne, and Miles the Brabant of Provins, and Manasses of
l’Isle, and all their people. All the rest made ready to go in the host
with the emperor.
Before the Emperor Baldwin left Constantinople, his brother Henry
departed thence, by his command, with a hundred very good knights; and
he rode from city to city, and in every city to which he came the
people swore fealty to the emperor. So he fared forward till he came to
Adrianople, which was a good city, and wealthy; and those of the city
received him right willingly and swore fealty to the emperor. Then he
lodged in the city, he and his people, and sojourned there till the
Emperor Baldwin came thither.
MOURZUPHLES TAKES REFUGE WITH ALEXIUS, THE BROTHER OF ISAAC, WHO PUTS
OUT HIS EYES
The Emperor Mourzuphles, when he heard that they thus advanced against
him, did not dare to abide their coming, but remained always two or
three days’ march in advance. So he fared forward till he came near
Messinopolis, where the Emperor Alexius was sojourning, and he sent on
messengers, telling Alexius that he would give him help, and do all his
behests. And the Emperor Alexius answered that he should be as welcome
as if he were his own son, and that he would give him his daughter to
wife, and make of him his son. So the Emperor Mourzuphles encamped
before Messinopolis, and pitched his tents and pavilions, and Alexius
was quartered within the city. So they conferred together, and Alexius
gave him his daughter to wife, and they entered into alliance, and said
they should be as one.
They sojourned thus for I know not how many days, the one in the camp
and the other in the city, and then did the Emperor Alexius invite the
Emperor Mourzuphles to come and eat with him, and to go with him to the
baths. So were matters settled. The Emperor Mourzuphles came privately,
and with few people, and when he was within the house, the Emperor
Alexius called him into a privy chamber, and had him thrown on to the
ground, and the eyes drawn out of his head. And this was done in such
treacherous wise as you have heard. Now say whether this people, who
wrought such cruelty one to another, were fit to have lands in
possession I And when the host of the Emperor Mourzuphles heard what
had been done, they scattered, and fled this way and that; and some
joined themselves to the Emperor Alexius, and obeyed him as their lord,
and remained with him.