Life Bohemond VI of Antioch

1 life

1.1 war of saint sabas
1.2 mongols
1.3 loss of antioch
1.4 siege of tripoli

life

bohemond vi ruled on antioch , tripoli (green), , ally of cilician armenia (blue).

bohemond vi son of bohemond v of antioch , luciana di segni, great-niece of pope innocent iii. when bohemond v died in january 1252, 15-year-old bohemond vi succeeded under regency of mother. however, luciana never left tripoli, , instead handed on government of principality relatives. made unpopular, young bohemond vi, through approval of king louis ix of france, on crusade @ time, gained permission pope innocent iv inherit principality few months early. young bohemond travelled acre knighted king louis, , took power in antioch. through efforts of king louis, truce negotiated between antioch , cilician armenia. @ louis s suggestion, in 1254 17-year-old bohemond married sibylla of armenia, daughter of hetoum of armenia, ended power struggle between 2 states had been started bohemond iv, grandfather.

war of saint sabas

bohemond overlord of genoese embriaco family. involved him in dispute between genoese , venetians, war of st. sabas, started in 1256 , drew in many of nobles in holy land, wasted valuable resources , cost tens of thousands of lives. embriaco lords of gibelet (also known jebail or byblos, small nearby territory) resolute opponents of princes of antioch. bohemond tried persuade genoese support venetians, embriaco family rebelled against him in 1258 , escalated situation civil war lasted off , on decades. bohemond able achieve measure of peace having leader of revolt, bertrand embriaco (a cousin of guy embriaco), murdered serfs, bitterness continued.

bertrand s son bartholomew embriaco became mayor of commune set embriaco family. bartholomew s brother william, along cousin lord of gibelet, defeated bohemond s son, bohemond vii, , driven out muslims.

mongols

bohemond s reign saw major conflict between mamluks , mongols. mongol army had been approaching steadily central asia, cilician armenia , antioch directly in path. mongols had deserved reputation of ruthlessness – if settlements in path did not surrender immediately, inhabitants slaughtered tens of thousands. christian country of georgia had been conquered in 1236. hetoum of armenia, bohemond s father-in-law, prudently decided subject mongol authority well, sending brother sempad mongol court in karakorum in 1247 negotiate details. hethoum later persuaded son-in-law bohemond vi same, , antioch became tributary of mongols in 1260. both hetoum , bohemond participated own forces during 1260 mongol conquests of aleppo , damascus. historical accounts, quoting writings of medieval historian templar of tyre, dramatically describe 3 christian rulers (hetoum, bohemond, , kitbuqa) entering city of damascus in triumph, though modern historians have questioned story apocryphal.

the mongols rewarded bohemond allegiance, , returned him various areas had been lost muslims, such lattakieh, darkush, kafar-dubbin, laodicea, , jabala. bohemond able re-occupy them, assistance of templars , hospitallers.

in return lands, bohemond had install greek patriarch euthymius @ antioch, in place of latin patriarch, since mongols trying strengthen ties byzantine empire. earned bohemond enmity of latins @ acre, , bohemond excommunicated patriarch of jerusalem, jacques pantaléon. pope alexander iv put bohemond s case on agenda of upcoming council (as cases of hetoum of armenia, , daniel of russia), died in 1261, months before council convened. new pope, choice fell pantaléon, took name pope urban iv, , after hearing bohemond s explanation submission mongols, suspended excommunication sentence.

bohemond vi joined armenians , mongols in capture of damascus in 1260.

after taking damascus, mongol army had cease westward push, due internal troubles in mongol empire. bulk of mongol army left syria, smaller force left under kitbuqa occupy territory. provided opportunity egyptian mamluks. mamluks advanced northward cairo engage mongols, along way negotiating unusual pact of neutrality franks of acre allowed egyptians pass through frankish territory unmolested. mamluks thereby able defeat mongols @ historic battle of ain jalut in september 1260. mongol army removed, mamluks proceeded conquer syria , iran, had been ravaged mongols. mamluks, under leader baibars, began threaten antioch.

in 1263, bohemond , hethoum tried various methods of regaining control of situation. kidnapped greek patriarch euthymius, , carried him off armenia, replacing him latin patriarch opizzo. attempted gain financial leverage on mamluks. example, bohemond , hethoum controlled forests of southern anatolia , lebanon, wood of needed egyptian mamluks build ships. hethoum attempted use bargaining chip obtain truce mamluks. however, attempts @ blockade merely further incited baibars.

in 1264, bohemond sought assistance mongols. traveled court of hulagu, trying obtain support possible mongol rulers against mamluk progression. however, hulagu unhappy bohemond replacing greek patriarch latin one, byzantine alliance important him, against turks in anatolia.

coat-of-arms of poitiers of antioch


loss of antioch

in 1266, hetoum set out mongol court, pleading assistance. while gone, mamluk army attacked armenian army, being commanded hetoum s sons, @ battle of mari. mamluks victorious. killed 1 of hetoum s sons, took other prisoner, , laid waste cilician armenia, reducing capital ruins. after destroying cilicia, mamluk army turned attention towards antioch. generals had taken fill of loot armenia, , not eager battle. bohemond thereby able bribe them keep them attacking.

baibars angry @ generals weakness, , returned attack. in may 1267 attacked acre, , in 1268 began siege of antioch, taking city while bohemond away in tripoli. of northern syria lost, leaving bohemond no estates except tripoli.

siege of tripoli

baibars s siege of bohemond vi in tripoli lifted in may 1271 when edward arrived in levant, starting ninth crusade.

baibars attacked again in 1271 starting siege of tripoli, sending letter bohemond threatening him total annihilation , taunting him alliance mongols:

our yellow flags have repelled red flags, , sound of bells has been replaced call: allâh akbar! (...) warn walls , churches our siege machinery deal them, knights our swords invite in homes (...) see use alliance abagha

bohemond begged truce, not lose tripoli well. baibars mocked him lack of courage , asked him pay expenses of mamluk campaign. bohemond had enough pride left refuse offer, in may baibars offered him truce anyway. time, mamluks had captured every inland castle of franks, mamluks had heard reports new crusade, 1 prince later edward of england. edward had landed in acre on may 9, 1271, joined bohemond , cousin king hugh of cyprus , jerusalem.

bohemond died in 1275, leaving son , 3 daughters: bohemond vii, nominal prince of antioch (though antioch had ceased exist) , count of tripoli; isabelle, died young; lucia, later titular countess of tripoli; , marie (d. ca 1280), married nicolas de saint-omer (d. 1294).

the rancour of mamluks regarding bohemond vi s alliance mongols remain until 1289 final fall of tripoli.

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