King of Wallachia and Bulgaria

Johannizza, the King of Wallachia and Bulgaria, who had sojourned long in Roumania, and wasted the country during the whole of Lent, and for a good while after Easter (and April 1206), now retired towards Adrianople and Demotica, and had it in mind to deal with those cities as he had dealt with the other cities of the land. And when the Greeks who were with him saw that he turned towards Adrianople, they began to steal away, both by day and by night, some twenty, thirty, forty, a hundred, at a time.

When he came to Adrianople, he required of those that were within that they should let him enter, as he had entered elsewhere. But they said they would not, and spoke thus: “ Sire, when we surrendered to thee, and rebelled against the ranks, thou didst swear to protect us in all good faith, and o keep us in safety. Thou hast not done so, but hast utterly uined Roumania; and we know full well that thou wilt do into us as thou hast done unto others.” And when Johanlizza heard this, he laid siege to Demotica, and erected round 11 sixteen large petraries, and began to construct engines of wery kind for the siege, and to waste all the country round.

Then did those in Adrianople and Demotica take mesa engers, and send them to Constantinople, to Henry, the legent of the empire, and to Vernas, and prayed them, for jod’s sake, to rescue Demotica, which was being besieged. And when those at Constantinople heard these tidings, they lecided to succour Demotica. But some there were who did lot dare to advise that our people should issue from Con- .tantinople, and so place in jeopardy the few Christian folk hat remained. Nevertheless, in the end, as you have heard, t was decided to issue forth, and move on Salymbria.

The cardinal, who was there as legate on the part of the Pope of Rome, preached thereon to the people, and promised i full indulgence to all such as should go forth, and lose their ives on the way. So Henry issued from Constantinople vith as many men as he could collect, and marched to the  of Salymbria; and he encamped before the city for full light days. And from day to day came messengers from Adrianople praying him to have mercy upon them, and come to their relief, for if he did not come to their relief, they were out lost. . , V

THE CRUSADERS MARCH TO THE RELIEF OF DEMOTICA

Then did Henry take council with his barons, and their decision was that they would go to the city of Bizye, which was a fair city, and strong. So they did as they had devised, and came to Bizye, and encamped before the city on the eve of the feast of our Lord St. John the Baptist, in June (23rd June 1206). And on the day that they so encamped came messengers from Adrianople, and said to Henry, the brother of the Emperor Baldwin: “ Sire, be it known to thee that if thou dost not relieve the city of Demotica, it cannot hold out more than eight days, for Johannizza’s petraries have breached the walls in four places, and his men have twice got on to the walls.”

Then he asked for counsel as to what he should do. Many were the words spoken, to and fro; but in the end they said: “ Lord, we have come so far that we shall be for ever shamed if we do not succour Demotion. L&t.every man now confess and receive the communion; and then let us set our forces in array .” And it was reckoned that they had with them about four hundred knights, and of a certainty no more. So they summoned the messengers who had come from Adrianople, and asked them how matters stood, and what number of men Johannizza had with him. And the messengers answered that he had with him at least forty thousand men-at-arms, not reckoning those on foot, of whom they had no count guided istanbul tour.

Ah God! what a perilous battle so few against so many I In the morning, on the day of the feast of our Lord St. John the Baptist, all confessed and received the communion, and on the following day they marched forward. The van was commanded by Geoffry, the Marshal of Roumania and Champagne, and with him was Macaire of Sainte-Menehould. The second division was under Conon of Bethune and Miles the Brabant; the third under Payen of Orleans and Peter of Bracieux; the fourth was under Anseau of Cayeux; the fifth under Baldwin of Beauvoir; the sixth under Hugh of Beaumetz; the seventh under Henry, brother of the Emperor Baldwin; the eighth, with the Flemings, under Walter of Escomai; Thierri of Loos, who was seneschal, commanded the rear-guard.

So they, rode for three days, all in order; nor did any host ever advance seeking battle so perilously. For they were in peril on two accounts; first because they were so few, and those they were about to attack so many; and secondly, because they did not believe the Greeks, with whom they had just made peace, would help them heartily. For they stood in fear lest, when need arose, the Greeks would go over to Johannizza, who, as you have already heard, had been so near to taking Demotica.