Then the Emperor Baldwin moved from Constantinople, with all his host,
and rode forward till he came to Adrianople. There he found Henry his
brother, and the men with him. All the people whithersoever the emperor
passed, came to him, and put themselves at his mercy and under his
rule. And while they were at Adrianople, they heard the news that the
Emperor Alexius had pulled out the eyes of the Emperor Mourzuphles. Of
this there was much talk among them; and well did all say that those
who betrayed one another so disloyally and treacherously had no right
to hold land in possession.
Then was the Emperor Baldwin minded to ride straight to Messinopolis,
where the Emperor Alexius was. And the Greeks of Adrianople besought
him, as their lord, to leave a garrison in their city because of
Johannizza, King of Wallachia and Bulgaria, who ofttimes made war upon
them. And the Emperor Baldwin left there Eustace of Saubruic, who was a
knight of Flanders, very worthy and very valiant, together with forty
right good knights, and a hundred mounted sergeants.
So departed the Emperor Baldwin from Adrianople, and rode towards
Messinopolis, where he thought to find the Emperor Alexius. All the
people of the lands through which he passed put themselves under his
rule and at his mercy; and when the Emperor Alexius saw this, he
avoided Messinopolis and fled. And the Emperor Baldwin rode on till he
came before Messinopolis; and those of the city went out to meet him
and surrendered the city to his commandment.
Then the Emperor Baldwin said he would sojourn there, wafting for the
arrival of Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat, who had not yet joined the
host, seeing he could not move as fast as the emperor, because he was
bringing with him the empress, his wife. However, he also rode forward
till he came to Messinopolis, by the river, and there encamped, and
pitched his tents and pavilions. And on the morrow he went to speak to
the Emperor Baldwin, and to see him, and reminded him of his promise.
“Sire,” said he, “tidings have come to me from Salonika that the people
of the land would have me know that they are ready to receive me
willingly as their lord. And I am your liegeman, and hold the land from
you. Therefore, I pray you, let me go thither; and when I am in
possession of my land and of my city, I will bring you out such
supplies as you may need, and come ready prepared to do your behests.
But do not go and ruin my land. Let us rather, if it so pleases you,
march against Johannizza, the King of Wallachia and Bulgaria, who holds
a great part of the land wrongfully.”
RUPTURE BETWEEN BALDWIN AND BONIFACE—THE ONE MARCHES ON SALONIKA, THE
OTHER ON DEMOTICA
I know not by whose counsel it was that the emperor replied that he was
determined to march towards Salonika, and would afterwards attend to
his other affairs. “Sire,” said Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat, “I
pray thee, since I am able without thee to get possession of my land,
that thou wilt not enter therein; but if thou dost enter therein, I
shall deem that thou art not acting for my good. And be it known to
thee that I shall not go with thee, but depart from among you.” And the
Emperor Baldwin replied that, notwithstanding all this, he should most
certainly go.
Alas! how ill-advised were they, both the one and the other, and how
great was the sin of those who caused this quarrel! For if God had not
taken pity upon them, now would they have lost all the conquests they
had made, and Christendom been in danger of ruin. So by ill fortune was
there division between the Emperor Baldwin of Constantinople and
Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat,—and by illadvice.
The Emperor Baldwin rode towards Salonika, as he devised, with all his
people, and with all his power. And Boniface, the Marquis of
Montferrat, went back, and he took with him a great number of right
worthy people. With him went James of Avesnes, William of Champlitte,
Hugh of Colemi, Count Berthold of Katzenellenbogen, and the greater
part of those who came from the Empire of Germany and held with the
marquis. Thus did the marquis ride back till he came to a castle, very
goodly, very strong, and very rich, which is called Demotica; and it
was surrendered by a Greek of the city, and when the marquis had
entered therein he garrisoned it. Then because of their knowledge of
the empress (his wife), the Greeks began to turn towards him, and to
surrender to his rule from all the country round about, within a day or
two’s journey.
The Emperor Baldwin rode straight on to Salonika, and came to a castle
called Christopolis, one of the strongest in the world. And it
surrendered, and those of the city did homage to him. Afterwards he
came to another place called Blache, which was very strong and very
rich, and this too surrendered, and the people did homage. Next he came
to Cetros, a city strong and rich, and it also came to his rule and
order, and did homage. Then he rode to Salonika, and encamped before
the city, and was there for three days. And those within surrendered
the city, which was one of the best and wealthiest in Christendom at
that day, on condition that he would maintain the uses and customs
theretofore observed by the Greek emperor.
MESSAGE OF THE CRUSADERS TO BONIFACE—HE SUSPENDS THE SIEGE OF
ADRIANOPLE
While the Emperor Baldwin was thus at Salonika, and the land
surrendering to his good pleasure and commandment, the Marquis Boniface
of Montferrat, with all his people and a great quantity of Greeks who
held to his side, marched to Adrianople and besieged it, and pitched
his tents and pavilions round about. Now Eustace of Saubruic was
therein, with the people whom the emperor had left there, and they
mounted the walls and towers and made ready to defend themselves.
Then took Eustace of Saubruic two messengers and sent them, riding
night and day, to Constantinople. And they came to the Doge of Venice,
and to Count Louis, and to those who had been left in the city by the
Emperor Baldwin, and told them that Eustace of Saubruic would have them
know that the emperor and the marquis were embroiled together, and that
the marquis had seized Demotica, which was one of the strongest castles
in Roumania, and one of the richest, and that he was besieging them in
Adrianople. And when those in Constantinople heard this they were moved
with anger, for they thought most surely that all their conquests would
be lost.
Then assembled in the palace of Blachernæ the Doge of Venice, and Count
Louis of Blois and Chartres, and the other barons that were in
Constantinople; and much were they distraught, and greatly were they
angered, and fiercely did they complain of those who had put enmity
between the emperor and the marquis. At the prayer of the Doge of
Venice and of Count Louis, Geoffry of Villehardouin, the Marshal of
Champagne, was enjoined to go to the siege of Adrianople, and appease
the war, if he could, because he was well in favour with the marquis,
and therefore they thought he would have more influence than any other.
And he, because of their prayers, and of their great need, said he
would go willingly; and he took with him Manasses of l’Isle, who was
one of the good knights of the host, and one of the most honoured.
So they departed from Constantinople, and rode day by day till they
came to Adrianople, where the siege was going on. And when the marquis
heard thereof, he came out of the camp and went to meet them. With him
came James of Avesnes, and William of Champlitte, and Hugh of Colemi,
and Otho of la Roche, who were the chief counsellors of the marquis.
And when he saw the envoys, he did them much honour and showed them
much fair seeming.
Geoffry the Marshal, with whom he was on very good terms, spoke to him
very sharply, reproaching him with the fashion in which he had taken
the land of the emperor and besieged the emperor’s people in
Adrianople, and that without apprising those in Constantinople, who
surely would have obtained such redress as was due if the emperor had
done him any wrong. And the marquis disculpated himself much, and said
it was because of the wrong the emperor had done him that he had acted
in such sort.
So wrought Geoffry, the Marshal of Champagne, with the help of God, and
of the barons who were in the confidence of the marquis, and who loved
the said Geoffry well, that the marquis assured him he would leave the
matter in the hands of the Doge of Venice, and of Count Louis of Blois
and Chartres, and of Conon of Béthune, and of Geoffry of Villehardouin,
the Marshal-all of whom well knew what was the covenant made between
himself and the emperor. So was a truce established between those in
the camp and those in the city.
And you must know that Geoffry the Marshal, and Manasses of l’Isle,
were right joyously looked upon, both by those in the camp and those in
the city, for very strongly did either side wish for peace. And in such
measure as the Franks rejoiced, so were the Greeks dolent, because
right willingly would they have seen the Franks quarrelling and at war.
Thus was the siege of Adrianople raised, and the marquis returned with
all his people to Demotica, where was the empress his wife.