In those days it happened that the Emperor Mourzuphles, whose eyes had
been put out—the same who had murdered his lord, the Emperor Isaac’s
son, the Emperor Alexius, whom the pilgrims had brought with them to
that land—it happened, I say, that the Emperor Mourzuphles fled
privily, and with but few people, and took refuge beyond the straits.
But Thierri of Loos heard of it, for Mourzuphles’ flight was revealed
to him, and he took Mourzuphles and brought him to the Emperor Baldwin
at Constantinople,. And the Emperor Baldwin rejoiced thereat, and took
counsel with his men what he should do with a man who had been guilty
of such a murder upon his lord.
And the council agreed to this: There was in Constantinople, towards
the middle of the city, a column, one of the highest and the most
finely wrought in marble that eye had ever seen; and Mourzuphles should
be taken to the top of that column and made to leap down, in the sight
of all the people, because it was fit that an act of justice so notable
should be seen of the whole world. So they led the Emperor Mourzuphles
to the column, and took him to the top, and all the people in the city
ran together to behold the event. Then they cast him down, and he fell
from such a height that when he came to the earth he was all shattered
and broken.
Now hear of a great marvel! On that column from which he fell were
images of divers kinds, wrought in the marble. And among these images
was one, worked in the shape of an emperor, falling headlong; for of a
long time it had been prophesied that from that column an emperor of
Constantinople should be cast down. So did the semblance and the
prophecy come true.
It came to pass, at this time also, that the Marquis Boniface of
Montferrat, who was near Salonika, took prisoner the Emperor
Alexius—the same who had put out the eyes of the Emperor Isaac—and the
empress his wife with him. And he sent the scarlet buskins, and the
imperial vestments, to the Emperor Baldwin, his lord, at
Constantinople, and the emperor took the act in very good part. Shortly
after the marquis sent the Emperor Alexius and the empress his wife, to
Montferrat, there to be imprisoned.
CAPTURE OF ABYDOS, OF PHILIPPOPOLIS, AND OF NICOMEDIA—THEODORE LASCARIS
PRETENDS TO THE EMPIRE
At the feast of St. Martin after this (11th November 1204), Henry, the
brother of the Emperor Baldwin, went forth from Constantinople, and
marched down by the straits to the mouth of Abydos; and he took with
him some hundred and twenty good knights. He crossed the straits near a
city which is called Abydos, and found it well furnished with good
things, with corn and meats, and with all things of which man has need.
So he seized the city, and lodged therein, and then began to war with
the Greeks who were before him. And the Armenians of the land, of whom
there were many, began to turn towards him, for they greatly hated the
Greeks.
At that time Renier of Trit left Constantinople, and went towards
Philippopolis, which the emperor had given him; and he took with him
some hundred and twenty very good knights, and rode day by day till he
passed beyond Adrianople, and came to Philippopolis. And the people of
the land received him, and obeyed him as their lord, for they beheld
his coming very willingly. And they stood in great need of succour, for
Johannizza, the King of Wallachia, had mightily oppressed them with
war. So Renier helped them right well, and held a great part of the
land, and most of those who had sided with Johannizza, now turned to
him. In those parts the war with Johannizza raged fiercely.
The emperor had sent some hundred knights over the straits of Saint
George opposite Constantinople. Macaire of Sainte-Marehould was in
command, and with him went Matthew of Wallincourt, and Robert of
Ronsoi. They rode to a city called Nicomedia, which lies on a gulf of
the sea, and is well two days’ journey from Constantinople. When the
Greeks saw them coming, they avoided the city, and went away; so the
pilgrims lodged therein, and garrisoned it, and enclosed it with walls,
and began to wage war before them, on that side also.
The land on the other side of the straits had for lord a Greek named
Theodore Lascaris. He had for wife the daughter of the Emperor Alexius,
through whom he laid claim to the land—this was the Alexius whom the
Franks had driven from Constantinople, and who had put out his
brother’s eyes. The same Lascaris maintained the war against the Franks
on the other side of the straits, in whatsoever part they might be.
In Constantinople remained the Emperor Baldwin and Count Louis, with
but few people, and the Count of St. Paul, who was grievously sick with
gout, that held him by the knees and feet; and the Doge of Venice, who
saw naught.