The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 3.

Frederick Barbarossa his setting forth to the Holy land; Of the tyrannous Grecian Empe∣rour.

MAtters going thus wofully in Palestine, the Christians sighs there were alarms to stir up their brethren in Europe to go to help them, and chiefly Frederick Barbarossa the Ger∣mane Emperour. Impute it not to the weaknesse of his judge∣ment, but the strength of his devotion, that at seventy years of age, having one foot in his grave, he would set the other on pil∣grimage. We must know that this Emperour had been long tied to the stake, and baited with seven fresh successive Popes; till at last not conquered with the strength, but wearied with the con∣tinuance of their malice, he gave himself up to be ordered by them; and Pope Clement the third sent him on this voyage into the Holy land.

Marching through Hungarie with a great army of one hun∣dred and fifty thousand valiant souldiers,* 1.1 he was welcomed by King Bela.* 1.2 But changing his host, his entertainment was changed; being basely used when he entred into the Grecian Empire.

Of the Emperours whereof we must speak somewhat. For though being to write the Holy warre, I will climbe no hedges, to trespasse on any other story; yet will I take leave to go the high-way, and touch on the succession of those Princes which lead to the present discourse.

When Conrade Emperour of Germany last passed this way, Emmanuel was Emperour in Greece: Who having reigned thir∣ty eight years, left his place to Alexius his sonne; a youth, the depth of whose capacity onely reached to understand pleasure; governed by the factious nobility, till in his third year he was strangled by Andronicus his cousin.

Andronicus succeeded him; a diligent reader and a great lover of† 1.3 S. Pauls epistles, but a bad practi••er of them: Who rather observing the Devils rule, That it is the best way for those who have been bad, to be still worse, fencing his former villanies by committing new ones, held by tyranny what he had gotten by usurpation; till having lived in the bloud of others, he died in his own, tortured to death by the headlesse multitude; from whom he received all the cruelties which might be expected from ser∣vile natures when they command.

Then Isaacius Angelus, of the Imperiall bloud, was placed

in his throne; of whom partly† 1.4 before. Nero-like, he began mildly, but soon fell to the trade of tyranny: no personall, but the hereditary sinne of the Emperours. He succeeded also to their suspicions against the Latines, as if they came through his countrey for some sinister ends. This jealous Emperour reign∣ed when Frederick with his army passed this way; and many bad offices were done betwixt these two Emperours by unfaithfull† 1.5 Embassadours, as such false mediums have often deceived the best eies. But Frederick finding perfidious dealings in the Greeks, was drawn to draw his sword; taking as he went,† 1.6 Philippople, Adrianople, and many other cities,* 1.7 not so much to get their spoil, as his own security. Isaac understanding hereof, and see∣ing these Pilgrimes would either find or make their passage, left all terms of enmity, and fell to a fair complying,* 1.8 accommoda∣ting them with all necessaries for their transportation over the Bosporus, pretending to hasten them away because the Christi∣ans exigencies in Palestine admitted of no delay: doing it indeed for fear,* 1.9 the Grecians loving the Latines best when they are furthest from them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Arnoldus Lub••censis.
• * 1.2

  Iune 29.
• † 1.3

  Nicetas Choniates, in fi••e vitae Andronici.
• † 1.4

  In the first chapter of this book.
• † 1.5

  Nicetas Choniates, in Isaaci••, lib. 2. pag. 436.
• † 1.6

  Baronius, Annal.
• * 1.7

  Aug. 25.
• * 1.8

  1190
• * 1.9

  Mar. 28.