Editing Cyprus in the Middle Ages (section)

==Crusades&ndash;Lusignan period 1095–1489==
Cyprus was spared the destruction of the loss of [[Anatolia]] and remained peaceful and relatively prosperous during turn of the 12th century. During the [[Siege of Antioch]], a battle of the [[First Crusade]], the Crusader army received supplies from Byzantine-controlled Cyprus.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=347}}

In the spring of 1156, the island was attacked by [[Raynald of Châtillon]] and [[Thoros II, Prince of Armenia]].{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=347}} The island was the governed by [[John Doukas Komnenos]], who remained with part of the local garrison at Nicosia, while the general [[Michael Branas]] led a force to confront the invaders. Branas was driven back towards Nicosia, and John led a sally to rescue him. The Byzantines were again defeated, with both John and Branas taken prisoner.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|pp=347–348}} The victorious Franks and Crusaders then conducted widespread plundering of the island, not sparing churches or convents. In the words of the historian [[Steven Runciman]], "The crops were burnt; the herds were rounded up, together with all the population, and driven down to the coast. The women were raped; children and folk too old to move had their throats cut". The rape of the island lasted for three weeks, before Raynald and Thoros boarded their ships with their loot and prisoners, and departed.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=348}} The destruction was compounded by the effects of the [[1157 Hama earthquake]], and by a [[Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid]] naval raid in 1158.{{sfn|Runciman|1952|p=348}}

[[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] landed in [[Limassol]] on 1 June 1191 in search of his sister and his bride [[Berengaria of Navarre|Berengaria]], whose ship had become separated from the fleet in a storm. Upon her arrival, the ruler [[Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus|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 [[Neophytos of Cyprus|Neophytus]] gave Richard the epithet of "the wretch". Richard married Berengaria in Limassol on 12 May 1192. She was crowned as [[Queen consort|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 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.

===Guy de Lusignan===
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 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 system|feudal rights]] over huge estates, using the Cypriots as serfs.

===Aimery===
[[Geoffrey of Lusignan]] passed up 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 of Cyprus|Aimery]] also got Cyprus recognized as "[[Kingdom of Cyprus|kingdom]]", a title granted to him by [[Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor|Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI]]. He then regained officially the title of the [[Kingdom of Jerusalem|King of Jerusalem]] by marrying [[Henry II of Champagne]]'s widow, [[Isabella I of Jerusalem|Isabel]]. Though in name only, this title 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 I|al-Adil]], a treaty was granted in 1204 giving him some advantages in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. It is said that his eating too much fish in one sitting was his cause of death in 1205.

===Hugh I===
The kingship then passed to his son, [[Hugh I of Cyprus|Hugh I]] (1205–1218). He participated in 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 the first half of 1210, with Alisia receiving the County of Jaffa as the agreed dowry. Hugh's marriage with [[Alice of Champagne of Jerusalem|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===
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 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 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 I of Cyprus|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 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 [[Patriarch Gregory II of Constantinople|Gregory II]]. Gregory's autobiography gives valuable information on the transition from Byzantine to Lusignan rule and its impact on the local population and especially education.

Meanwhile, Henry takes as his 3rd wife [[Plaisance of Antioch]], who finally bears him a son [[Hugh II of Cyprus|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 [[Venice|Venetians]], [[Pisa]]ns, and [[Knights Templar]] and the Genoese, [[Spain|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 III===
Hugh II died childless, and Hugh of [[Antioch]] changed his name to [[Hugh III of Cyprus|Hugh III]], (1267–1284), taking from his mother's side in order to revive the Lusignan dynasty. The Christian-friendly [[Mongols]] were pushing from 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 (Lebanon)|Tyre]], succeeded by his oldest son [[John I of Cyprus|John I]] (1284–1285), and then by his other son [[Henry II of Jerusalem|Henry II]] (1285–1324). His reign and reputation suffered from his [[epilepsy]], and in 1286 he was crowned at Tyre for the kingdom of Jerusalem only to see it fall to Egyptian Mameluk sultan. In 1306, Henry's brother [[Amalric, Lord of Tyre|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.

===Hugh IV===
Rule passed on to his nephew [[Hugh IV of Cyprus|Hugh IV]] (1324–1359), who found himself in a new privileged position. The fall of the last coastal strongholds of 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 [[Famagusta]]n 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===
[[Peter I of Cyprus|Peter I]] (1359–1369), son of Hugh IV, may perhaps be the best known king of Cyprus. He is mentioned in [[Chaucer]]'s canterbury tales. He led an expedition to [[Alexandria]] that upset the [[Italy|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 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, Queen of Cyprus|Eleanor of Aragon]] (supposedly he took her nightgown with him on his campaigns), who with the help of the [[Italians]] pursued the assassins.

===Peter II===
Upon the ascension of [[Peter II of Cyprus|Peter II]] "the fat", (1369–1382), because of his lethargy, a riot broke out the coronation ceremony at 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 the Genoese, effectively ending prosperity.

===James I===
Peter succumbed to his lethargy, and the rule passed on to [[James I of Cyprus|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.

===Janus===
He was succeeded by the son of Peter the II., [[Janus of Cyprus|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 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 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 dialect|Provençal]] and [[Italian language|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 was ransomed back, and Cyprus was now ruled by the [[Mameluks]] as a tributary state.

===John II===
His son [[John II of Cyprus|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 [[Greeks|Greek]]; [[Helena Palaiologina]] his wife and [[Marietta de Patras]], his mistress. Supposedly in a fight between these two in the king's presence, the queen bit off her adversary's nose. As the queen was Greek, she was well loved by the Cypriots and the [[Orthodox Church of Cyprus|orthodox church]].

Her daughter Charlotte and her opponent's son [[James II of Cyprus|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 of Cyprus|Charlotte]] in 1458 was recognized as Queen regent, and James fled to Egypt. The two were said to have had 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===
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 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 [[Catalan people|Catalans]] on 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.