Saint Demetrian (d. 912?) is a saint from Cyprus . In the 9th and 10th centuries, he served the Christian Church as a monk and an abbot , and ultimately as the bishop of the ancient city of Khytri . He is venerated for his apparently miraculous rescue of Christian Cypriots who had been enslaved by Saracen invaders.
116-420: Contemporaneous documentation of Demetrian's life is limited to a single manuscript. Complicating his record, he has at times been called by the common names Demetrio or Demetrius . The lone manuscript holds that Demetrian was the son of a priest, born in a small village named Sika in medieval Cyprus . As a young man, he wed a woman who died only a few months after marriage. After her death, he devoted himself to
232-651: A protector domesticus , either at Leo's court in Constantinople, or attached at Ardabur's staff in Antioch . In 465, Leo and Aspar quarrelled about the appointment of consuls for the following year; it was on this occasion that Tarasis' position was strengthened, as he became friend and ally of the Emperor. To make himself more acceptable to the Roman hierarchy and the population of Constantinople, Tarasis adopted
348-615: A church in its place. The school relocated to its original home of Nisibis , becoming again the School of Nisibis , and leading to a wave of Nestorian immigration into Persia . According to Samaritan sources, Zeno (whom the sources call "Zait the King of Edom") persecuted the Samaritans. The Emperor went to Sichem ( Neapolis ), gathered the elders and asked them to convert; when they refused, Zeno had many Samaritans killed, and converted
464-609: A citizen of the Empire reached such a high distinction. Zeno had Theoderic fight against Illus and the usurper Leontius , besieging them at Papurius in 484–488. However, in 486 Theoderic revolted again and attacked Constantinople, severing the city's water supply. Zeno bought a peace and agreed with Theoderic that the Ostrogoths should have gone to invade Italy to fight Odoacer , who had allegedly supported Leontius, and to establish his new kingdom there (487). This all but eliminated
580-491: A fairly good relationship, and it is probably very much due to the church that this political conflict arose between them. James convinced the Egyptian Sultan to aid him, promising loyalty to Egypt, and landed, armed, in 1460. James won victories over the major forts, including Genoese Famagusta , and was solidly placed on the throne in 1464. Charlotte had unsuccessfully tried to secure aid from outside, including from
696-544: A favoured member of the Imperial court, Anastasius , to succeed Zeno. Zeno's brother Longinus then revolted, starting the Isaurian War . The chroniclers George Kedrenos (eleventh century) and Joannes Zonaras (twelfth century) allege that Ariadne had Zeno locked up in a tomb while he was unconscious from drinking or acute illness. She ordered passersby to ignore Zeno's cries for help after he awoke; he survived for
812-608: A joint request to the Emperor, in order to extend to the south the settlement territory of the Ostrogoths in Moesia. Zeno tried to divide the two Theoderics by bribing the Amal, but he refused the bribe. The Imperial army obtained some initial successes, but Zeno did not press his advantage, and allowed the Amal to move westward in Thrace, plundering territories as he went. With the Amal far away, Strabo accepted an agreement with Zeno: Strabo
928-712: A lasting peace with Theodoric by sending him to Italy, where he defeated Odoacer and established the Ostrogothic Kingdom . In religious matters, Zeno issued the Henotikon in 482 on the advice of Acacius , the Patriarch of Constantinople , in an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile the differences between the Chalcedonians and the Miaphysites over the nature of Christ . Pope Felix III condemned
1044-744: A people who lived inland from the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia , in the core of the Taurus Mountains (generally what is now the Konya / Bozkir area of Turkey ). Like most borderland tribes, they were looked upon as barbarians by the Romans even though they had been Roman subjects for more than five centuries. However, being Orthodox Christians rather than Arians , as the Goths and other Germanic tribes were, they were not formally barred from
1160-486: A religious life, but historical sources attest the existence of only one son by Arcadia, called Zenon. According to ancient sources, Flavius Zeno 's prestigious career—he had fought against Attila in 447 to defend Constantinople and been consul the following year—was the reason why Tarasis, another Isaurian officer, chose the Greek name Zeno when he married into the Imperial family, thus being known as Zeno when he rose to
1276-484: A satellite island of Byzantine forces which could threaten the caliphate on the western banks of Palestine. 'Ubadah, along with veteran companions of Muhammad such as Miqdad Ibn al-Aswad, Abu Dhar GhiFari , Shadaad ibn Aws , Khalid bin Zayd al-Ansari, and Abu Ayyub al-Ansari , all participated in building the caliphate's first Naval armada, led by Mu'awiya. Before he joined Mu'awiya's project to build first naval forces of
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#17327803989841392-631: A solemn promise from Zeno not to shed their blood. Basiliscus and his family were sent to a fortress in Cappadocia , where Zeno had them enclosed in a dry cistern, to die from exposure. After his restoration, Zeno fulfilled his promises, letting Armatus keep his title of magister militum praesentalis (possibly even raising him to the rank of patricius ) and appointing his son Basiliscus Caesar in Nicaea . In 477, however, Zeno changed his mind, probably instigated by Illus, who stood to gain from
1508-567: Is mentioned in Chaucer 's canterbury tales. He led an expedition to Alexandria that upset the Italian merchants, but proved successful (at least in gathering booty). He toured Europe in order to gather support for his love of crusading, but found their promises unfulfilled. He sacked Alexandria again regardless, and in destroying the gates found it impossible to hold against the Mameluks . He
1624-575: The Acacian schism , which lasted until 519. In 488 the patriarch of Antioch, Peter the Fuller , came to Constantinople to have his right to the Church of Cyprus confirmed. Zeno called the bishop of Cyprus, Anthemius , to answer the accusations. The bishop claimed that before his departure, he had had a vision of St. Barnabas , in which the position of the tomb of the apostle had been revealed to him. In
1740-546: The Church of Cyprus under his control. They were finally successful in 488, when Archbishop Anthemius guided by a dream discovered the tomb of Barnabas with the saint's body lying in a coffin and on his chest a copy of the Gospel of Matthew in Barnabas' own writing. Having the relics with him, Anthemius dashed to Constantinople and presented them to Emperor Zeno . The latter was very much impressed and he not only confirmed
1856-751: The Crusaders . During the Siege of Antioch , a battle of the First Crusade , the Crusader army received supplies from Byzantine-controlled Cyprus. In the 12th century A.D. the island became a target of the crusaders. Richard the Lionheart landed in Limassol on 1 June 1191 in search of his sister and his bride Berengaria , whose ship had become separated from the fleet in a storm. Upon her arrival,
1972-470: The Kingdom of Jerusalem made it unnecessary for the island to waste its money on its defense. It also made the island the center for Oriental trade, and Famagustan merchants became notoriously rich, and the island as a whole became known for its wealth. Hugh enjoyed a peaceful reign, and preferred to stay on the island. Peter I (1359–1369), son of Hugh IV, may perhaps be the best known king of Cyprus. He
2088-665: The Vandal King, Genseric , who was conducting raids against the Empire's coastal cities, threatening key commercial sea routes. Zeno sent Genseric a high-ranking officer as ambassador, Severus, who succeeded in stipulating an "eternal" peace between the Vandals and the Empire, which allowed the Romans to pay ransoms for the prisoners in Vandal hands and which ended the Vandal persecution of Orthodox Christians in their territory. Despite this success, Zeno continued to be unpopular with
2204-501: The Vandals , Zeno was an unpopular emperor due to his barbarian origins. In early 475, he was forced to flee Constantinople in a revolt orchestrated in part by dowager Empress Verina , which concluded with Leo I's brother-in-law Basiliscus installing himself as emperor. Seeking refuge in his native Isauria, Zeno later took advantage of Basiliscus's own flagging popularity, convinced the generals Illus and Armatus to defect, marched on
2320-642: The church of the Holy Apostles , but was arrested with his brothers. Zeno sent Marcian and his brothers to Caesarea in Cappadocia . They tried to flee, but Marcian was captured and obliged to become a monk in Tarsus (Cilicia), or imprisoned in Isauria, in the fortress of Papurius . He tried to escape a second time, and this time he succeeded, but, after gathering new troops and attacking Ancyra , he
2436-429: The 7th crusade under Louis IX of France to destroy the power of Egypt . His forces left behind were forced to surrender in 1250. At about that time, a Cypriot youngster in search of a better education would travel to the empire of Nicaea and eventually become Patriarch of Constantinople as Gregory II . Gregory's autobiography gives valuable information on the transition from Byzantine to Lusignan rule and its impact on
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#17327803989842552-573: The Caesarea-based Arcadiani of Rheges, defeated Justa, killed him and sent his head to Zeno. According to Procopius of Caesarea , Terebinthus went to Zeno to ask for revenge; the Emperor personally went to Samaria to quell the rebellion. Modern historians believe that the order of the facts preserved by Samaritan sources should be inverted, as the persecution of Zeno was a consequence of the rebellion rather than its cause, and should have happened after 484, around 489. Zeno rebuilt
2668-706: The Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Famagusta between the Venetians and the Genoese. The dispute arose over who would lead the king's horse on the right side; traditionally it belonged to the Genoese but now the Venetians took it. Many Genoese were killed in the riot, and the Italian city responded harshly. In 1374, the island surrendered to the Genoese under terms of tribute, payment for damages, and loss of Famagusta to
2784-474: The Christian Church. Demetrian served in a monastery dedicated to Saint Anthony , and he was eventually ordained as that institution's abbot, or hegoumenos , a position he is said to have held for forty years. Church leaders then elevated him to bishop of the city of Khytri , but at first he resisted the appointment. Not wanting to exchange his quiet monastic life for a busy episcopal office in
2900-608: The Emperor. The aggressions of the two Ostrogothic leaders, Theoderic the Amal ( Theoderic the Great ), the son of Theodemir and leader of the Moesian Ostrogoths, and Theodoric Strabo , the leader of the Thracian Ostrogoths, had been a constant source of danger since 472. Although Zeno at times contrived to play them off against each other, they in turn were able to profit by his dynastic rivalries. It
3016-552: The Genoese, Spanish , and the Hospitallers. By backing the Venetians, she hoped to have her son recognized as the King of Jerusalem, but the title had little value. When Plaisance died, Hugh of Antioch became regent. Hugh II died childless, and Hugh of Antioch changed his name to Hugh III , (1267–1284), taking from his mother's side in order to revive the Lusignan dynasty. The Christian-friendly Mongols were pushing from
3132-474: The Genoese, effectively ending prosperity. Peter succumbed to his lethargy, and the rule passed on to James I (1382–1398), his uncle and now prisoner in Genoa . He was released on harsh terms, including the proviso that all ships coming into Cyprus land in now Genoese Famagusta . The king also had to raise taxes in order to pay. He added the title the King of Armenia in 1393, though it was useless as well. He
3248-770: The Germanic presence in the east. In religious matters, Zeno is famous for his Henotikon , or "Act of Union", issued in 482 to mediate between Chalcedonian and Miaphysite views about the nature of Christ . The Chalcedonians recognised two natures ( physis ) in Christ, the Miaphysites only one; the Council of Chalcedon (451) had issued the Chalcedonian Creed and condemned the Miaphysite position, but
3364-402: The Greek name of Zeno and used it for the rest of his life. In mid-late 466, Zeno married Ariadne , elder daughter of Leo I and Verina ; there is no reference to him divorcing Arcadia who evidently died prior to this. The next year their son was born, and Zeno became father of the heir apparent to the throne, as the only son of Leo I had died in his infancy; to stress his claim to the throne,
3480-405: The Imperial treasure. Illus and Trocundes were sent to chase him, and Zeno was compelled to shut himself up in a fortress, where Illus besieged him, also capturing Zeno's brother Longinus and keeping him as a hostage. However, the conspirators quickly fell in conflict with each other. Basiliscus took the throne for himself, putting to death Verina's lover and candidate, Patricius. He also allowed
3596-472: The Isaurian general as an important counterweight against the Germanic leader Aspar . In 466, he married Leo I's daughter, Ariadne , with whom he had a son, Leo . On the death of Leo I in 474, Zeno's seven-year-old son took the throne as Leo II, with Zeno made co-emperor shortly after. Leo II died of an illness later that year, leaving Zeno as the sole emperor. Despite his early success in making peace with
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3712-483: The Miaphysites were still strong, especially in the Eastern provinces of the Empire, and the Patriarch of Alexandria , Peter Mongus , was a Miaphysite. Supporting the Miaphysites was one of the mistakes made by Basiliscus , as the people of Constantinople were Chalcedonian, but Zeno needed the support of the Miaphysite provinces—Egypt, Syria, Palestine and Asia Minor; also, the Patriarch of Constantinople , Acacius ,
3828-610: The Sassanid King to invade Roman territory, promising to support the invasion. Through these letters, which Tarasis gave to Leo, the Emperor could dismiss Ardabur, who at the time was magister militum per Orientem and patricius , thus reducing Aspar's influence and ambition. As reward for his loyalty, which Leo praised to Daniel the Stylite , Tarasis was appointed comes domesticorum , an office of great influence and prestige. This appointment could mean that Tarasis had been
3944-491: The Scythian , and Theoderic the Amal , who was at this time consul. John defeated the rebels near Seleucia and drove them into the fort of Papurius where he blockaded them. After a few months Trocundes died; the fort was taken only after four years of siege, by the treachery of Trocundes's brother-in-law, who had been sent for the purpose from Constantinople by Zeno. Illus and Leontius were beheaded (488) and their heads sent to
4060-479: The again unitary Empire, but increasingly started using the title of king for himself. Marcian was son of the Western Roman emperor Anthemius (467–472) and maternal grandson of Emperor Marcian (450–457). He had married Ariadne 's sister Leontia , and was therefore Zeno's brother-in-law; he was twice consul, in 467 and 472. In 479 Marcian tried to overthrow Zeno and claim the throne for himself. With
4176-475: The assassin was taken prisoner and Zeno, who appears to have been privy to the affair, was unable to prevent his execution. Illus—with his friend Pamprepius , Leontius and his brother Trocundes —now retired from court. They first went to Nicaea and then, on pretence of change of air and of procuring a cure for his wound, into the East where he was made magister militum . Having traversed Asia Minor, they raised
4292-560: The attack and were accompanied by their wives Katwa bint Qaraza ibn Abd Amr of the Qurayshite Banu Nawfal and Umm Haram. Umm Haram died in an accident during the campaign. The Muslim forces accepted Cyprus' surrender under the condition that they refrain from hostility to the Muslims, inform the caliphate of any Byzantine movements, pay 7,200 dinars annually for Jizya , and never reveal information to outsiders regarding
4408-602: The attack, Zeno did not return to Constantinople , where Aspar and Ardabur were, still with considerable power. Instead, he moved to the "Long Wall" (the Long Wall of the Thracian Chersonese or, less probably, the Anastasian Wall ), then to Pylai and from there to Chalcedon . While waiting here for an opportunity to return to the capital, he was appointed magister militum per Orientem . He took
4524-557: The blame on him for a great fire that burned several parts of the city. With the secret support of the Senate, and bribes paid by Zeno, Illus agreed to switch sides and united his army with Zeno's, marching on Constantinople. Basiliscus tried to recover popular support and sent another army against Zeno, under his nephew Armatus' command. Zeno succeeded in bribing Armatus too, promising to confirm his rank of magister militum praesentalis for life and promoting his son (also called Basiliscus) to
4640-646: The boy was called Leo . Zeno, however, was not present at the birth of his son, as in 467, he participated in a military campaign against the Goths. Zeno, as a member of the protectores domestici , did not take part in the disastrous expedition against the Vandals , led in 468 by Leo's brother-in-law Basiliscus . The following year, during which he held the honour of the consulate, he was appointed magister militum per Thracias and led an expedition in Thrace . The sources do not clearly state what enemy he fought there, and historians had proposed either Goths or Huns, or
4756-521: The caliphate's military operations. Mu'awiya and 'Ubadah forces pacified almost every Byzantine garrison. This is evidenced by two Greek inscriptions in the Cypriot village of Solois that note those two offensives. The entire island of Cyprus surrendered after their capital, Salamis , was surrounded and besieged. At least 50 military operations occurred in Cyprus between this first campaign in 648 until
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4872-418: The caliphate, 'Ubadah joined forces with Muslim general, Abd Allah ibn Qays . Together with Mu'awiya, they built the first caliphate armada with permission from ibn al-Affan. Abu Dharr mentioned that Miqdad ibn Amr al-Aswad participated in this project. Shortly later, Mu'awiya and 'Ubadah departed from Acre and headed to Cyprus . According to al-Baladhuri and Khalifa ibn Khayyat , Mu'awiya and 'Ubadah led
4988-516: The capital and reclaimed the throne in mid-476. Meanwhile, in the western empire, Germanic leader Odoacer deposed the final Western Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, and sent the imperial regalia to Constantinople. He expressly acknowledged the suzerainty of Zeno over the West, making Zeno the theoretical sole ruler of a reunified empire. In return, Zeno recognised Odoacer's de facto reign in Italy. In
5104-426: The causes, but clearly state that in 471, Leo I had Aspar and Ardabur treacherously killed. This certainly occurred with Zeno's and Basiliscus' approval, as, on the eve of the murders, the two generals had moved closer to Constantinople (Zeno was at Chalcedon). Thereafter, Zeno returned to Constantinople and was appointed magister militum praesentalis . In October 473, Leo I appointed as caesar his grandson Leo II,
5220-681: The chronicle of Leontios Makhairas Cypriot serfs rebelled against the Franks and established "Re Alexis" as a king in Lefkonoiko (the word Re means king in Provençal and Italian ), and "captains" in Morphou, Limassol, Lefka and Peristerona. It took the Frankish nobility more than 6 months to defeat the rebels and Re Alexis was eventually hanged. Ten months after the battle at Khirokitia, Janus
5336-462: The church of St. Procopius in Neapolis (Sichem) and the Samaritans were banned from Mount Gerizim, on whose top a signalling tower was built to alert in case of civil unrest. Zeno died on 9 April 491, of dysentery or of epilepsy , after ruling for 17 years and 2 months. No sons were to succeed him: Leo had died in 474, Zenon, the first son, in his youth, while living at court. Ariadne chose
5452-575: The cities were not rebuilt, save Salamis which was rebuilt on a smaller scale and renamed Constantia after the Roman Emperor Constantius II , son of Constantine the Great , residing in Constantinople . The new city was now the capital of the island. It was mainly Christian and due to this, some alterations were made during the rebuilding. The palaestra was turned into a meeting place and many architectural elements
5568-685: The city and then failed to effectively repress their violence. Martyrius went to Constantinople to ask Leo for help, but, on returning to Antioch, he was informed that Peter had been elected bishop, and resigned (470). Leo reacted by ordering Peter into exile and addressing to Zeno a law that forbade the monks from leaving their monasteries or fomenting rebellion (1 June 471). In 470/471, Zeno had also to deal with an invasion of Tzanni , who attacked Roman Armenia . With Zeno far from Constantinople, Aspar had increased his influence by having his son Patricius appointed caesar and married to Leo I's younger daughter, Leontia (470). Sources are contradictory on
5684-480: The city, he is said to have fled, and was hidden in a cave by a friend. Ultimately, however, his friend became uncomfortable with the situation, and Demetrian was convinced to return to the city and embrace his appointment. He served as bishop of Khytri for some twenty-five years, from 885 until his death, and is acknowledged by the Catholic Encyclopedia as that office's most famous inhabitant. Near
5800-483: The division of the Roman Empire into an Eastern and Western half. After the division of the Roman Empire into an eastern half and a western half, Cyprus came under the rule of Byzantium . The cities of Cyprus were destroyed by two successive earthquakes in 332 and 342 AD and this marked the end of an era and at the same time the beginning of a new one, very much connected with modern life in Cyprus. Most of
5916-603: The document and excommunicated Acacius in 484, beginning the Acacian schism which lasted until 519. Zeno died without an heir in 491 and was succeeded by Anastasius I Dicorus , a courtier chosen by Empress Ariadne. Zeno's original name was Tarasis or more fully Tarasikodissa ( Latin : Trascalissaeus ) in his native Isaurian language , meaning Tarasis son of Kodissa . Tarasis was born in Isauria , Cilicia , at Rusumblada, later renamed Zenopolis in Zeno's honour. His father
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#17327803989846032-411: The east and offered a chance of alliance against the Egyptian Sultan, but the eternally feuding powers of Medieval Europe threw this chance away, while Hugh tried to mediate with them in Syria . He died in Tyre , succeeded by his oldest son John I (1284–1285), and then by his other son Henry II (1285–1324). His reign and reputation suffered from his epilepsy , and in 1286 he was crowned at Tyre for
6148-436: The emperor. Under Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886) Byzantine troops recaptured Cyprus, which was established as a theme , but after seven years the island reverted to the previous status quo . Once again, in 911, the Cypriots helped a Byzantine fleet under admiral Himerios , and in retaliation the Arabs under Damian of Tarsus ravaged the island for four months and carried off many captives. The isolation of Cyprus from
6264-423: The end of his life, Demetrian saw Cyprus overrun by Saracen invaders. Many Christians were taken captive and marched toward Baghdad to become slaves. Despite his advanced age, Demetrian followed them on the road and pleaded desperately for their release. Seemingly miraculously, the Saracens were persuaded and they released the captives to him. A longstanding devotional following of Saint Demetrian continues through
6380-403: The epithet of "the wretch". Richard married Berengaria in Limassol on 12 May 1192. She was crowned as Queen of England by John Fitzluke , Bishop of Évreux . The crusader fleet continued to St. Jean d'Acre on 5 June. The army of Richard the Lionheart continued to occupy Cyprus and raised taxes. After local revolts he decided to sell the island to the Knights Templar , who were unable to hold
6496-405: The ex- magister officiorum Patricius, with the help of her brother Basiliscus . The conspirators fomented riots in the capital against the Isaurian emperor; Basiliscus succeeded also in convincing Illus, Trocundes and the Ostrogothic general Theodoric Strabo to join the plot. On 9 January 475, Zeno was forced to flee Constantinople to Isauria with his wife and mother, some Isaurian fellows and
6612-458: The fall of Armatus. Armatus was executed, his property confiscated, and his son Basiliscus removed from power and ordained as a priest. The western emperor Olybrius died in the autumn of 472. Gundobad , the western magister militum , then proclaimed Glycerius , the comes domesticorum (commander of the Imperial guard) as western emperor in Ravenna. Leo I refused to endorse Glycerius and elevated his nephew Julius Nepos to co-emperor for
6728-447: The fingers of bishop Terebinthus, who was officiating the ceremony of Whitsun . They elected Justa (or Justasa/Justasus) as their king and moved to Caesarea , where a significant Samaritan community lived. Here several Christians were killed and the church of St. Sebastian was destroyed. Justa celebrated the victory with games in the circus. According to John Malalas , the dux Palestinae Asclepiades, whose troops were reinforced by
6844-415: The first half of 1210, with Alisia receiving the County of Jaffa as the agreed dowry. Hugh's marriage with Alisia of Jerusalem (daughter of Henry of Champagne and queen Isabella I of Jerusalem) produced only one son, Henry I (1218–1253), but also two daughters. Henry I became king at the age of 8 months, when his father died. The official regency was undertaken by Henry's mother Alice, but the acting regent
6960-515: The fort of Papurius . There is some doubt as to the timing of these events. Candidus of Isauria places the banishment of Verina before the revolt of Marcian, and Theodore Lector assigns as the cause of it her share in the revolt of Basiliscus. It is not unlikely, indeed, that this turbulent woman was twice banished, once before Marcian's revolt, for her connection with Basiliscus, and again after Marcian's revolt, for her plot against Illus. From her prison she managed to persuade her daughter Ariadne,
7076-419: The help of his brothers Procopius Anthemius and Romulus , he gathered in Constantinople troops composed of both citizens and foreigners in the house of a Caesarius, south of the Forum of Theodosius , and from there they marched at the same time on the imperial palace and on the house of Illus , who was a supporter of Zeno. The emperor almost fell into the hands of the rebels, who, during the day, overwhelmed
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#17327803989847192-432: The imperial troops, who were also attacked by citizens from the roofs of their houses. During the night, however, Illus moved an Isaurian unit, quartered in nearby Chalcedonia , into Constantinople and also corrupted Marcian's soldiers, who allowed Zeno to flee. The following morning, Marcian, understanding that his situation was desperate and that reinforcements from Theodoric Strabo would not arrive in time, took refuge in
7308-406: The independence of the Church of Cyprus but he also gave to the Archbishop in perpetuity three privileges that are as much alive today as they were then, namely to carry a sceptre instead of a pastoral staff, to sign with red ink and to wear a purple cloak during services. By the beginning of the 7th century, the patriarch of Alexandria was John the Merciful from Amathus. Another important Cypriot of
7424-423: The island because of further hostility among the local population due to tax raising. A rebellion which took place on April 6, 1192 made the Templars sell the island to Guy de Lusignan (1192–1194) who established himself in May 1192. Richard saw this sale as advantageous to himself, as the island wasn't worth the trouble to him, as Guy had been captured by Saladin at Jerusalem . Though released later, in 1192 he
7540-539: The island formed a revolt supporting Ferdinand II of Aragon , that was put down by the Venetians. In 1479, the party of Queen Charlotte plotted to assassinate the queen, but it was betrayed and quashed. Due also to the looming threat of the Ottoman Turks , Venice used the Queen's brother to convince her to abdicate the throne in 1489, ushering in the Venetian period. Zeno (emperor) Zeno ( / ˈ z iː n oʊ / ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ζήνων , translit. Zénōn ; c. 425 – 9 April 491)
7656-475: The island of Cyprus, the popular John of Ibelin rallied forces from the Outremer, and retook the island, which began the War of the Lombards . In the Battle of Aghirda , the much smaller force of Ibelins won a surprising victory over the imperial forces, and the efforts of Frederick, known as the Stupor Mundi proved unsuccessful. King Henry ("the fat" as he was called, for his easy going manner) played no part in these struggles, but when of age he participated in
7772-399: The kingdom of Jerusalem only to see it fall to Egyptian Mameluk sultan. In 1306, Henry's brother Amaury seized power and exiled Henry in Cilicia , but Henry was restored in 1310. He is mentioned in Dante 's Paradiso, but it is not a nice reference. Rule passed on to his nephew Hugh IV (1324–1359), who found himself in a new privileged position. The fall of the last coastal strongholds of
7888-432: The last Byzantine governor of Cyprus, Isaac Komnenos , from a minor line of the Komnenos imperial house, rose in rebellion and attempted to seize the throne. His attempted coup was unsuccessful, but Komnenos was able to retain control of the island. Byzantine actions against Komnenos failed because he enjoyed the support of William II of Sicily . The emperor had agreed with the sultan of Egypt to close Cypriot harbours to
8004-406: The last one in 650. In 688, the emperor Justinian II and the caliph Abd al-Malik reached an unprecedented agreement. The Arabs evacuated the island, and for the next 300 years, Cyprus was ruled jointly by both the Caliphate and the Byzantines as a condominium , despite the nearly constant warfare between the two parties on the mainland. The collected taxes were divided among the Arabs and
8120-399: The late 470s and 480s Zeno faced several revolts, including one from his brother-in-law Marcianus and one from Illus, both of which he ultimately suppressed. He also attempted to deal with hostilities from the two Ostrogothic leaders, Theodoric the Amal ( Theodoric the Great ) and Theodoric Strabo , by playing them against each other. Following Strabo's early death, Zeno was able to achieve
8236-446: The local population and especially education. Meanwhile, Henry takes as his 3rd wife Plaisance of Antioch , who finally bears him a son Hugh II (1253–1267) who came upon the throne while only a few months of age. Plaisance acted as his regent, and is described by one chronicler as "one of the most valiant women in the world". She appeared at Acre, now erupting into virtual war between the Venetians , Pisans , and Knights Templar and
8352-413: The mid-460s, Arcadia and Zeno had been living at Constantinople for some time, where Lallis and Longinus also lived, the latter married to a Valeria, possibly a woman of aristocratic rank. According to ancient sources, the earliest reference to Tarasis dates back to 464, when he put his hands on some letters written by Aspar's son, Ardabur , which proved that the son of the magister militum had incited
8468-586: The mob to kill all of the Isaurians left in Constantinople, an episode that damaged relations with the Isaurian generals Illus and Trocundes. Basiliscus appointed his nephew Armatus magister militum , thus alienating Theodoric Strabo. Since Zeno had left no money, Basiliscus was forced to levy heavy taxes. Finally, he alienated the Church by supporting the Monophysites . The people of Constantinople also put
8584-653: The monk Peter the Fuller with him and left for Antioch , his office's see, passing through Isauria , where he put down the rebellion of Indacus. Zeno stayed at Antioch for two years. While living in Antioch with his family, Zeno sympathised with the Monophysite views of Peter the Fuller, and supported him against his opponent, the Chalcedonian bishop Martyrius . Monks from nearby monasteries journeyed to Antioch to support Peter, and Zeno first allowed them into
8700-476: The names of Zeno, Leo II and himself. In August 475, during Basiliscus ' reign, while Zeno was in Isauria blocked by Illus ' army, Orestes , the western magister militum , revolted, forcing Nepos to flee Italy for Dalmatia; Orestes proclaimed his own son Romulus Augustus emperor, but was unable to gain the allegiance of the remnants of the Western Empire outside of Italy. One year later, while Zeno
8816-527: The other fragments of the empire's western holdings, but no army. Perhaps in deference to Zeno, Odoacer recognised Nepos' de jure reign in Italy until his death, ruling and even minting coins in his name, but he never allowed his return. After Nepos' assassination in 480, Odoacer invaded Dalmatia to pursue and punish the assassins (and also to take Dalmatia for himself). Zeno legitimised Odoacer's authority in Dalmatia; Odoacer recognised Zeno as sole emperor of
8932-420: The people and Senate because of his barbarian origins; his right to the throne was limited to his marriage with Ariadne and his relationship to Verina , the dowager Empress. Therefore, he chose to draw support from the Isaurian component of the army, in particular, the Isaurian generals Illus and Trocundes , both brothers. However, Verina decided to overthrow her son-in-law Zeno and replace him with her lover,
9048-517: The pope. According to legend, James fell in love with his wife Caterina Cornaro while walking with her uncle who purposely dropped an image of her. The two were wed by proxy, and Caterina was adopted by the Venetian state, securing the passage of the island to the signory. James died in 1473, and his short-lived son the next year, and the Venetians were eyed with suspicion. In 1473, the Catalans on
9164-713: The position of ruler, so Guy was succeeded by his older brother Aimery (1194–1205). During his reign, the Latin church took over the dioceses of the Orthodox, creating a long-standing dispute that also characterized the Lusignan period. Aimery also got Cyprus recognized as " kingdom ", a title granted to him by Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI . He then regained officially the title of the King of Jerusalem by marrying Henry II of Champagne 's widow, Isabel . Though in name only, this title
9280-488: The present day in Cyprus. His annual feast day is celebrated on 6 November. Venerated as a patron saint of prisoners , Demetrian is also invoked in a more general fashion by a preamble to Catholic prayer: "Loving Father, through the intercession of Saint Demetrian, rescue me from the anxieties that hold me captive". Cyprus in the Middle Ages The Medieval history of Cyprus starts with
9396-535: The queen bit off her adversary's nose. As the queen was Greek, she was well loved by the Cypriots and the orthodox church . Her daughter Charlotte and her opponent's son James would play huge roles in the collapse of the Lusignan dynasty. James "the bastard", as he was called, was well loved by John, who made him archbishop of the island at a very young age. Yet Charlotte in 1458 was recognized as Queen regent, and James fled to Egypt. The two were said to have had
9512-495: The rank of caesar ; Armatus' army failed to intercept Zeno's troops during their march on Constantinople. In August 476, Zeno besieged Constantinople. The Senate opened the gates of the city to the Isaurian, allowing the deposed emperor to resume the throne. Basiliscus fled with his family to the baptistery of Hagia Sophia . Betrayed by the Patriarch Acacius , he surrendered himself and his family after extracting
9628-489: The rebels of Anagastes . Either way, before leaving, Leo and Zeno asked for Daniel the Stylite 's opinion about the campaign, and Daniel answered that Zeno would be the target of a conspiracy but would escape unharmed. Indeed, Leo sent some of his personal soldiers with Zeno to protect him, but they were bribed by Aspar to capture him instead. Zeno was informed of their intention and fled to Serdica , and, because of this episode, Leo grew even more suspicious of Aspar. After
9744-682: The rest of the Greek-speaking world assisted the formation of a separate Cypriot dialect . This period of Arab influence lasted until the 10th century. In the year 965 or slightly earlier, the Byzantines reconquered the island and installed theme . The general Niketas Chalkoutzes led the reconquest, of which no details are known, and was probably the first governor of Cyprus after that. A rebellion by governor Theophilos Erotikos in 1042, and another in 1091 by Rhapsomates , failed as they were quickly subdued by imperial forces. In 1185,
9860-519: The ruler Isaac Comnenus of Cyprus requested that Berengaria deboard, which she refused, and upon her own refusal was denied supplies from Comnenus. Richard took this as an insult and attacked the island which was easily subdued. Comnenus was bound to lend aid to Richard in his crusade against Saladin, an oath which he later broke, and Richard had him bound in silver chains (as he swore not to bind Comnenus in iron) and kept prisoner till his death in 1194 or 1195. The Cypriot chronicler Neophytus gave Richard
9976-530: The same time, Zeno received another embassy, sent by Julius Nepos, who asked Zeno to give him the money and the army he needed to resume his control of Italy. Zeno answered that the Roman Senate should welcome back Julius Nepos, their rightful emperor, and that Odoacer should properly receive the patriciate from Nepos, although he allowed that he would also grant it. Odoacer was officially recognised and left in possession of Italy, while Nepos kept his title and
10092-464: The son of Zeno and Ariadne . On 18 January 474, Leo I died; if Leo II had not already been proclaimed co-emperor by his grandfather, he would have become augustus on that occasion. Since Leo II was seven years old (too young to rule himself) Ariadne and her mother Verina prevailed upon him to crown Zeno, his father, as co-emperor, which he did on 29 January 474. When Leo II became ill and died, Zeno became sole emperor. Zeno had to settle matters with
10208-496: The standard of revolt in 484, when Illus declared Leontius Emperor. Zeno sent an army to fight them, but Illus won, obtained possession of Papurius , released Verina, and induced her to crown Leontius at Tarsus. In 485 Zeno sent against the rebels a fresh army, said to consist of Macedonians and Scythians (Tillemont conjectures, not unreasonably, that these were Ostrogoths ) under John the Hunchback , or, more probably, John
10324-489: The synagogue to a church. Zeno then took for himself Mount Gerizim , where the Samaritans worshipped God, and built several edifices, among which a tomb for his recently deceased son, on which he put a cross, so that the Samaritans, worshipping God, would prostrate in front of the tomb. According to these same sources, Zeno was buried on Mount Gerizim. Later, in 484, the Samaritans revolted. The rebels attacked Sichem, burnt five churches built on Samaritan holy places and cut off
10440-527: The throne. According to some scholars, in the mid-460s, the Eastern Roman Emperor, Leo I , wanted to balance the weight of the Germanic component of the army, whose leader was the Alan magister militum Aspar . He thought that Tarasis and his Isaurians could be that counterweight, and called him, with many Isaurians, to Constantinople . This interpretation, however, has been contested. By
10556-419: The throne. Some modern historians suggest that the Isaurian general Flavius Zeno was the father of the emperor, but there is no consensus about this, and other sources suggest that Tarasis was a member of Zeno's entourage. A Byzantine Princess, putative daughter of Zeno and first wife Arcadia, named Helen, married as his second wife Saint Vakhtang I Gorgasali, King of Iberia , and had issue. The Isaurians were
10672-513: The time is the church writer Leontios of Neapolis . In 649 AD the Arabs made the first attack on the island under the leadership of Muawiyah I . They conquered the capital Salamis - Constantia after a brief siege, but drafted a treaty with the local rulers. In the course of this expedition a relative of Muhammad , Umm-Haram, fell from her mule near the Salt Lake at Larnaca and was killed. She
10788-580: The tomb, Anthemius had found the relics of the apostle and a copy of the Gospel of Matthew written in Hebrew by Barnabas himself. Zeno received the relics and the manuscript, and in exchange he proclaimed the autonomy of the Church of Cyprus. In 489 Zeno closed the Persian school of Edessa in Mesopotamia, by request of bishop Cyrus II of Edessa , because it promoted Nestorian teachings, and built
10904-399: The twelve chapters of Cyril of Alexandria were accepted. The teaching of Chalcedon was not so much repudiated as passed over in silence; Jesus Christ was described as the "only-begotten Son of God [...] one and not two" and there was no explicit reference to the two natures. The bishop of Rome, Pope Felix III , refused to accept the document and excommunicated Acacius (484), thus beginning
11020-632: The useless 5th crusade, and died suddenly in Tripoli. Maria Komnene, dowager queen of Jerusalem, and a daughter of a former Byzantine dux of Cyprus, conducted the negotiations for the marriage of her granddaughter Alisia of Jerusalem to Hugh I of Cyprus, king Aimery's eldest surviving son and successor, in accordance with the agreement their fathers had reached. Champagne's regentess, Blanche of Navarre, supplied Alisia's dowry as she sought to ensure that Alisia would stay in Cyprus rather than attempting to lay claim to Champagne and Brie. Alisia and Hugh I married in
11136-588: The west in 473. Expecting resistance, Nepos was forced by bad winter weather to delay his voyage until the next year; it was therefore left to Zeno, as Leo's successor, to support Julius Nepos' installation in Ravenna. Nepos arrived in Italy, quickly deposed Glycerius who offered no resistance, and was proclaimed emperor by the Roman Senate in June 474. Julius was on good terms with Zeno, and he even minted coins in
11252-488: The wife of Zeno, to attempt to obtain her release, first from Zeno, and then from Illus, to whom the Emperor referred her. Illus refused her request. Ariadne, like her mother, attempted to assassinate Illus. Jordanes ascribes her hatred to another cause: he says that Illus had infused jealous suspicions into Zeno's mind which had led Zeno to attempt to end her life, and that her knowledge of these things stimulated her to revenge. The assassin whom she employed only wounded Illus;
11368-530: Was Eastern Roman emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. His reign was plagued by domestic revolts and religious dissension, but was more successful on the foreign front. He is credited with further stabilizing the Eastern empire, while the Western Roman Empire fell following the deposition of Romulus Augustulus . Born in Isauria , Zeno was known as Tarasis before adopting his Greek name and becoming an ally of Emperor Leo I , who saw
11484-468: Was Henry's uncle Philip of Ibelin, who had Henry crowned at the age of 8, to ward off advances from Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor . When Philip died, the regency passed to Philip's brother John of Ibelin, the Old Lord of Beirut , who maintained it until Henry came of age at 15. When Henry was 12, Emperor Frederick seized the regency, taking it by force from John of Ibelin. However, when Frederick left
11600-583: Was buried at that spot and the Hala Sultan Tekke was built there in Ottoman times . Under Abu'l-Awar , the Arabs returned in 650 and installed a garrison of 12,000 on part of the island, where they remained until 680. After Uthman ibn al-Affan became caliph after Umar's death, Mu'awiya requested that the caliph allow him to build a navy to attack Cyprus, as Mu'awiya reasoned that Cyprus had become
11716-558: Was called Kodisa (as attested by his patronymic "Tarasicodissa"), his mother Lallis, his brother Longinus . Tarasis had a first wife, Arcadia, whose name indicates a relationship with the Constantinopolitan aristocracy, and whose statue was erected near the Baths of Arcadius , along the steps that led to Topoi . Near Eastern and other Christian traditions maintain that Zeno had two daughters, Hilaria and Theopiste, who followed
11832-411: Was defeated and captured by Trocundes , Illus' brother. The commanding position and popular favour of Illus rendered him an object of suspicion, and Zeno in various ways sought to rid himself of him. Also Verina , the dowager Empress, plotted against his life. Verina's attempt was unsuccessful, and Zeno, equally jealous of her and of Illus, banished her at the suggestion of the latter, confining her in
11948-459: Was driven out, but had he held it would have been a very valuable outpost. He was murdered by his nobles, but left a very devoted wife Eleanor of Aragon (supposedly he took her nightgown with him on his campaigns), who with the help of the Italians pursued the assassins. Upon the ascension of Peter II "the fat", (1369–1382), because of his lethargy, a riot broke out the coronation ceremony at
12064-484: Was entering Constantinople to end Basiliscus' brief usurpation, Romulus and Orestes were overthrown by the Chieftain Odoacer . With the support of Odoacer, the Roman Senate sent an envoy to present the imperial insignia to the restored Zeno. They asked Zeno to dissolve the separation of the empire and rule as sole Emperor; also, to appoint Odoacer both patricius and official imperial governor of Italy. At
12180-455: Was forced to return to Greece. On his way back, he died in an accident. After Theodoric Strabo died in 481, the future Theoderic the Great became king of the entire Ostrogoth nation and continued to be a source of trouble in the Balkan peninsula . Zeno allied to Theoderic, whom he appointed magister militum praesentalis and even consul for the year 484, the first time a barbarian who was not
12296-766: Was interested in reducing the distance between the two positions. Therefore, in 482 Zeno issued the Henotikon , a document he had developed with the support of Acacius and addressed to the factions in Egypt. The edict affirmed the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (i.e., the Creed of Nicaea completed at Constantinople) as affording a common, final and united symbol or expression of faith. All other symbola or mathemata were excluded; Eutyches and Nestorius were unmistakably condemned in an anathema , while
12412-462: Was only by offering them pay and high command that he kept them from attacking Constantinople itself. At the death of Leo II , Theodoric Strabo rebelled against Zeno. His support was instrumental in overthrowing Zeno and raising Basiliscus to the Byzantine throne (475), but Theodoric and Basiliscus had a falling-out, so when Zeno returned to Constantinople in 476 and defeated Basiliscus, Strabo
12528-421: Was ousted in favor of Henry II of Champagne as a result, and was willing to buy Cyprus. The crusaders described him as "simplex et minus astutus", though he did set the foundation of Cypriot society in the Lusignan period. He invited Palestinian barons, disenfranchised by Saladin to move on the island, granting them feudal rights over huge estates, using the Cypriots as serfs. Geoffrey of Lusignan passed up
12644-416: Was ransomed back, and Cyprus was now ruled by the Mameluks as a tributary state. His son John II (1432–1458), was described as "effeminate, but not unattractive" and was reviled by Pope Pius II as a vile evil sloth. He was dominated by two women in his life, both Greek ; Helena Palaiologina his wife and Marietta de Patras , his mistress. Supposedly in a fight between these two in the king's presence,
12760-552: Was reported to have not defended the city. In 476/477, Zeno allied himself with Strabo's rival, Theoderic the Amal, and ordered him to attack Strabo. The leader of the Thracian Goths sent an embassy to the Emperor, offering peace and blaming the Moesian Theodoric. Zeno understood that this offering was hiding further conspiracies, and convinced the Senate and army to declare Strabo a public enemy. Zeno's plan
12876-572: Was something the Lusignan kings were very proud of as it appears on the Cypriot coat of arms. After some skirmishing in Acre with the Sultan of Egypt al-Malkik al-Adil , a treaty was granted in 1204 giving him some advantages in Palestine . It is said that his eating too much fish in one sitting was his cause of death in 1205. The kingship then passed to his son, Hugh I (1205–1218). He participated in
12992-449: Was succeeded by the son of Peter the II., Janus (1398–1432), though also called the fat was described as "tall and good looking". He unsuccessfully tried to drive the Genoese from Famagusta. In 1426 the Mameluks raided the island, and Janus met them at Khirokitia . Apparently the troops had no water, so they drank wine instead and became rather intoxicated. When a Mameluk embassy was sent, it
13108-594: Was to be given back his wealth, money to pay 13,000 soldiers, the command of two palatinae units, and the title once more of magister militum . However, the army of Theodoric Strabo, 30,000-men strong was still a menace for Zeno, who convinced the Bulgars to attack the Thracian Goths in their own base. Strabo defeated the Bulgars in 480/481, and moved towards Constantinople, but he had to deal with problems with his own men, so he could not capitalise upon his victory and
13224-428: Was to have the two Theoderics attack each other. He sent the Amal against Strabo, who supported the revolt of Marcianus , with the promise of a huge Roman force as reinforcement (478). When Theoderic the Amal arrived through the mountains at Mount Soundis , he did not find the Roman reinforcement army he expected, but instead Theodoric Strabo's army, in a strongly fortified camp. The two Theoderics agreed to put forward
13340-399: Was treacherously killed by Janus' men. The outraged mameluks slaughtered the inebriated, enfeebled, soldiers under Janus. They then proceeded to expose the hoax of the levitating cross at the monastery at Stavrovouni , containing a piece deposited by St. Helena in the 4th century. Janus was taken to Egypt and paraded around backwards on a donkey in humiliation. At the same time according to
13456-631: Was used to erect spacious churches decorated with murals, mosaics, and coloured marble. The main event in Cyprus in this period was the spreading of the Christian faith. At that time, its bishop , while still subject to the Church , was made autocephalous by the First Council of Ephesus . People were engaged very much in matters of faith, especially fighting the effort of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch to put
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