The Treaty of Devol was an agreement made in 1108 between Bohemund I of Antioch and Byzantine Emperor Alexius I, in the wake of the First Crusade. Although it was not initially enforced, it was intended to make the Principality of Antioch a vassal state of the Byzantine Empire. It is a typical example of the Byzantine tendency to settle disputes through diplomacy rather than warfare, and was both a result of and a cause for the distrust between the Byzantines and their Western European neighbors. Events May - Battle of Ucles Consecration of Chichester cathedral Saint Magnus becomes the first earl of Orkney In Pistoia, Italy, Cathedral of San Zeno burned to the ground. ... Bohemund I of Antioch (c. ... The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya; Greek Αντιόχεια) is located in what is now Turkey. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus Alexius I (1048–August 15, 1118), Byzantine emperor (1081–1118), was the third son of John Comnenus, nephew of Isaac I Comnenus (emperor 1057–1059). ... The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II to regain control of the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Christian Holy Land from Muslims. ... The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade. ... A vassal, in European medieval feudalism terminology, is one who through a commendation ceremony (composed of homage and fealty) enters into mutual obligations with a lord, usually military conscription and mutual protection, in exchange for a fief. ... The Byzantine Empire (Native Greek names: ΡΩΜΑΝΙΑ Romania or ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ ΡΩΜΑΙΩΝ Basileia Romaion) is the term conventionally used to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centred at its capital in Constantinople. ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... Western Europe is distinguished from Eastern Europe by differences of history and culture rather than by geography. ...

Background

Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus

In 1054, the Crusader armies assembled at Constantinople after having traveled separately eastward through Europe. Alexius I, who had requested only mercenaries from the West to help fight the Seljuk Turks, blockaded these armies in the city and would not permit them to leave until their leaders swore oaths promising to return to the Empire any land that they might conquer on the way to Jerusalem. The Crusaders eventually swore these oaths, individually rather than as a group; some, such as Raymond IV of Toulouse, were probably sincere, but others, such as Bohemund, probably never intended to honor their promise. It was generally understood by the Crusaders that Alexius would, in return, offer Byzantine military assistance. Alexius was indeed prepared to do so, although the Crusaders were exasperated by Byzantine tactics, such as negotiating the surrender of Nicaea from the Seljuks while it was still under siege by the Crusaders, who hoped to plunder it to help finance their journey. The Crusaders, feeling betrayed by Alexius, continued on their way without Byzantine aid. In 1098, when Antioch had been captured after a long siege and the Crusaders were in turn themselves besieged in the city, Alexius marched out to meet them, but, hearing from various deserters that the situation was hopeless, he returned to Constantinople. The Crusaders, who had unexpectedly withstood the siege, believed Alexius had abandoned them and now considered the Byzantines completely untrustworthy. Painting of Alexius I, from a Greek manuscript in the Vatican library This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Painting of Alexius I, from a Greek manuscript in the Vatican library This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Events Cardinal Humbertus, a representative of Pope Leo IX, and Michael Cerularius, Patriarch of Constantinople, decree each others excommunication. ... This article is about the medieval Crusades . ... Map of Constantinople. ... A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for money, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... The Seljuk Turks (Turkish: Selçuk; Arabic: سلجوق Saljūq, السلاجقة al-Salājiqa; Persian: سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that occupied parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. ... An oath (from Saxon eoth) is either a promise or a statement of fact calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually a god, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... Raymond IV of Toulouse (c. ... The Capitole, the 18th century city hall of Toulouse and best known landmark in the city; in the foreground is the Place du Capitole, a hub of urban life at the very center of the city Toulouse (pronounced in standard French, in local Toulouse accent) ( Occitan: Tolosa, pronounced ) is a... Nicaea (now İznik) is a city in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) which is known primarily as the site of two major meetings (or Ecumenical councils) in the early history of the Christian church. ... A siege is a prolonged military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. ... Events First Crusade: end of the siege of Antioch. ... The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya; Greek Αντιόχεια) is located in what is now Turkey. ...

By 1100, there were several Crusader states, including the Principality of Antioch, founded by Bohemund in 1098. It was argued that Antioch should be returned to the Byzantines, despite Alexius's supposed betrayals, but Bohemund disagreed and claimed it for himself. Alexius, of course, disagreed; Antioch had an important port, was a trade hub with Asia, and was a stronghold of the Eastern Orthodox Church, with an important Greek Patriarch. It had only been captured from the empire a few decades previously, unlike Jerusalem, which was much farther away and had not been in Byzantine hands for centuries. Alexius, therefore, did not recognize the legitimacy of the Principality, believing it should be returned to the Empire according to the oaths Bohemund had sworn in 1097. For alternate uses, see Number 1100. ... The Crusader states, c. ... A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is a Christian body whose adherents are largely based in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with a growing presence in the western world. ... The Patriarch of Antioch is one of the Eastern Orthodox patriarchs, sometimes called the Greek Patriarch of Antioch to distinguish from the Oriental Orthodox Syrian Patriarch of Antioch. ... Jerusalem (Hebrew: יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yerushalayim; Arabic: القدس al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ...

In 1100, Bohemund added a further insult to Alexius and the Orthodox Church by appointing Bernard of Valence as the new Latin Patriarch, at the same time expelling the Greek Patriarch, John the Oxite, who fled to Constantinople. Soon after this, Bohemund was captured by the Danishmends of Syria and was imprisoned for three years, during which the Antiochenes chose his nephew Tancred as regent. After Bohemund was released, he was defeated by the Seljuks at the Battle of Harran in 1104; this defeat led to renewed pressure on Antioch from both the Seljuks and the Byzantines. Bohemund left Tancred in control of Antioch and returned home, touring Italy and France to raise more troops and money for a new crusade. The Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office established in the aftermath of the First Crusade by Bohemund, the first Prince of Antioch. ... The Danishmend dynasty was a Turcoman dynasty ruling in eastern Anatolia in the 11th and 12th centuries. ... Tancred (1072 - 1112) was a leader of the First Crusade, and later became regent of the Principality of Antioch and Prince of Galilee. ... A regent is an acting governor. ... The Battle of Harran took place on May 7, 1104 between the Crusader states of the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa, and the Seljuk Turks. ... Events The worlds first factory, the Venice Arsenal, is founded in Venice. ...

Bohemund's Norman relatives in Sicily had been in conflict with the Byzantine Empire for over 30 years; his father Robert Guiscard was one of the Empire's strongest enemies. While Bohemund was away Alexius sent an army to reoccupy Antioch and the cities of Cilicia. In 1107, having organized a new army for his planned crusade against the Muslims in Syria, Bohemund instead launched into open warfare against Alexius, crossing the Adriatic to besiege Dyrrhachium, the westernmost city of the Empire. Like his father, however, Bohemund was unable to make any significant advances into the Empire; Alexius avoided a pitched battle and Bohemund's siege failed, partly due to a plague among his army. Norman may refer to: The Norman language The Norman people Norman architecture, the Romanesque architecture erected by the Normans. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Robert Guiscard (i. ... In ancient geography, Cilicia (Ki-LIK-ya) formed a district on the southeastern coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), north of Cyprus. ... Events William Warelwast becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... The Adriatic Sea is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea separating the Apennine peninsula (Italy) from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. ... Durrës (Italian: Durazzo; see also alternative names) is the most ancient and one of the most economically important important cities of Albania. ...

Settlements

In September 1108, Alexius requested that Bohemund negotiate with him at the imperial camp at Diabolis (Devol). Bohemund had no choice but to accept, now that his disease-stricken army would no longer be able to defeat Alexius in battle. He admitted that he had violated the oath sworn in 1097, but refused to acknowledge that it had any bearing on the present circumstances, as Alexius, in Bohemund's eyes, had also violated the agreement by turning back from the siege of Antioch in 1098. Alexius agreed to consider the oaths of 1097 invalid. The specific terms of the treaty were negotiated by the general Nicephorus Bryennius, and were recorded by Nicephorus' wife, Alexius' daughter Anna Comnena: Events May - Battle of Ucles Consecration of Chichester cathedral Saint Magnus becomes the first earl of Orkney In Pistoia, Italy, Cathedral of San Zeno burned to the ground. ... Nicephorus Bryennius (1062-1137), Byzantine soldier, statesman and historian, was born at Orestias (Adrianople). ... Anna Comnena ( December 1, 1083 - 1153) was a daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus, and is the first known female historian. ...

• Bohemund agreed to become a vassal of the emperor, and also of Alexius' son and heir John;
• He agreed to help defend the empire, wherever and whenever he was required to do so, and agreed to an annual payment of 200 talents in return for this service;
• He was given the title of sebastos, as well as doux (duke) of Antioch;
• He was granted as imperial fiefs Antioch and Aleppo (the latter of which neither the Crusaders nor the Byzantines controlled, but it was understood that Bohemund should try to conquer it);
• He agreed to return Laodicea and other Cilician territories to Alexius;
• He agreed to let Alexius appoint a Greek patriarch.

A Byzantine title and a grant of land may have been all Bohemund was looking for in the first place in 1097, although he may have also wanted the title of Grand Domestic of the East, rather than simply sebastos. Mosaic of John II John II Comnenus (September 13, 1087 - April 8, 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. ... A talent is an ancient unit of mass. ... The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of aristocracy and bureaucracy. ... Old Town Aleppo viewed from the Citadel Aleppo is also the name of two townships in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... Latakia (Arabic: اللاذقية Al-Ladhiqiyah) is the principal port city of Syria. ...

Asia Minor and the Crusader states around 1140.

The terms were negotiated according to Bohemund's western understanding, so that he saw himself as a feudal vassal of Alexius, a "liege man," homo ligius or ανθροπος λιζιος. However, in Byzantine terms he was essentially a conquered enemy drafted into mercenary service for the empire, as evidenced by the annual payment. The title of doux meant that he was a Byzantine subject, not an independent prince (the title he had given himself in 1098); this was more similar to the Byzantine pronoia system than to the western feudal system. Asia Minor and the States of the Crusaders in Syria, about 1140, from a Classical Atlas of Ancient Geography by Alexander G. Findlay, 1849. ... Asia Minor and the States of the Crusaders in Syria, about 1140, from a Classical Atlas of Ancient Geography by Alexander G. Findlay, 1849. ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... The Crusader states, c. ... Events Henry Jasomirgott was made count palatine of the Rhine. ... Defining feudalism is difficult because there is no generally accepted agreement on what it means. ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for money, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... Pronoia (plural pronoiai, Greek for provisions) refers to a system of land grants in the Byzantine Empire. ...

In any case, Antioch was granted to Bohemund for life, unless the emperor (either Alexius or, in the future, John) chose for any reason to renege on the deal. The principality would then revert to direct Byzantine rule on Bohemund's death. Bohemund therefore could not set up a dynasty in Antioch, although Alexius promised him a hereditary dukedom elsewhere (possibly the County of Edessa; there is text missing in the Alexiad, but if this is the case, neither Bohemund nor Alexius controlled that territory either, although at the time Tancred was regent there as well as in Antioch). The County of Edessa was one of the Crusader states in the 12th century, based around a city with an ancient history and an early tradition of Christianity (see Edessa). ...

Anna Comnena described the proceedings with very repetitive details, with Bohemund frequently pointing out his own mistakes and praising the benevolence of Alexius and the Empire. The treaty appears to be entirely to Alexius' benefit, and the proceedings must have been rather humiliating for Bohemund. On the other hand, Anna's work was meant to praise her father and the terms of the treaty may not be entirely accurate. It is notable that Crusader sources either mention the treaty only in passing, or do not mention it at all.

The treaty was concluded with an oath sworn by Bohemund, as recorded by Anna:

"...I swear to you, our Lord and Emperor Alexius Comnenus, most powerful and revered, and to your co-Emperor, the thrice-beloved Lord John the Porphyrogenitus, that all the agreements made between us and confirmed by me verbally I will observe and will for ever keep absolutely inviolate...In thought and in deed I shall do everything to help and honour the Empire of the Romans..."

The oral agreement was written down in two copies, one given to Alexius, and the other given to Bohemund. According to Anna, the witnesses from Bohemund's camp who signed his copy of the treaty were Maurus, bishop of Amalfi and papal legate, Renard, bishop of Tarentum, and the minor clergy accompanying them; the abbot of the monastery of St. Andrew in Brindisi, along with two of his monks; and a number of unnamed "pilgrims" (probably soldiers in Bohemund's army). From Alexius' imperial court, the treaty was witnessed by the sebastos Marinus, Roger son of Dagobert, Peter Aliphas, William of Gand, Richard of the Principate, Geoffrey of Mailli, Hubert son of Raoul, Paul the Roman, the ambassadors Peres and Simon from Hungary, and the ambassadors Basil the Eunuch and Constantine. Interestingly, many of Alexius' witnesses were themselves westerners, and Basil and Constantine were ambassadors in the service of Bohemund's relatives in Sicily. A Papal legate is a representative of the Pope to the nations. ... Categories: Italy-related stubs | Towns in Puglia ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ...

Neither copy of the treaty survives. It is unknown if it was written in Latin, Greek, or both. Both languages are likely given the number of westerners present, many of whom would have known Latin. Latin is the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Outcome

Bohemund then returned to Sicily and died in 1111, before he had an opportunity to return to Antioch; or, perhaps, he felt he had lost his prestige and power there and did not want (or dare) to return. He probably realized his nephew Tancred would be persuaded to honour the treaty only by force of arms; in Bohemund's absence, Tancred indeed refused to honour it. In his mind, Antioch was his by right of conquest. He saw no reason to hand it over to someone who had not been involved in the Crusade, and had indeed actively worked against it (as the Crusaders believed). The Crusaders seem to have felt Alexius had tricked Bohemund into giving him Antioch; they already believed Alexius was devious and untrustworthy and this may have confirmed their beliefs. The treaty referred to Tancred as the illegal holder of Antioch, and Alexius had expected Bohemund to expel him or somehow control him. Tancred also did not allow a Greek Patriarch to enter the city; instead, Greek Patriarchs were appointed in Constantinople and nominally held power there. Events The Synod of Rathbreasail marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan one Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Paschal II Baldwin VII becomes Count of Flanders Births Deaths March 3 - Bohemund I, prince of Antioch Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad... The right of conquest is the purported right of a conqueror to territory taken by force of arms. ...

The question of the status of Antioch and the adjacent Cilician cities troubled the Empire for many years afterwards. The Treaty of Devol seems to have been considered void after Bohemund's death, but Alexius' son John attempted to impose his authority in Antioch, travelling to Antioch himself in 1137 to negotiate a new treaty. In 1138 a riot was engineered against him and he was forced to leave. It was not until 1158, during the reign of Manuel I Comnenus, that Antioch truly became a vassal of the empire, after Manuel forced Prince Raynald of Chatillon to swear fealty to him in punishment for Raynald's attack on Byzantine Cyprus. The Greek Patriarch was restored, and ruled simultaneously with the Latin Patriarch. Antioch, weakened by powerless regents after Raynald's capture by the Muslims in 1160, remained a Byzantine vassal state until 1182 when internal divisions following Manuel's death in 1180 hindered the Empire's ability to enforce its claim. Events Louis VII is crowned King of France. ... For other uses, see number 1138. ... Events January 11 - Vladislav II becomes King of Bohemia End of the formal reign of Emperor Go-Shirakawa of Japan, also the beginning of his cloistered rule, which will last to his death in 1192. ... Fresco of Manuel I Manuel I Comnenus Megas (November 28, 1118? - September 24, 1180) was Byzantine Emperor from 1143 to 1180. ... Raynald of Châtillon (also Reynald or Reginald of Chastillon) (c. ... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste. ... Events Erik den helige is succeeded by Karl Sverkersson. ... Events Canute VI crowned king of Denmark Serbia allies itself with Hungary to gain independence First Sejm, or Polish Parliment, convenes at Łęczyca Jews expelled from Paris by Philip Augustus Maronites reestablish their affiliation with Catholicism Venetians massacred during a riot in Constantinople Raynald of Chatillon instigates another war between... Events April 13 - Frederick Barbarossa issues the Gelnhausen Charter November 18 - France Emperor Antoku succeds Emperor Takakura as emperor of Japan Afonso I of Portugal is taken prisoner by Ferdinand II of Leon Artois is annexed by France Prince Mochihito amasses a large army and instigates the Genpei War between...

References

• Anna Comnena, The Alexiad, 13.11–12. Trans. E.R.A. Sewter. Penguin Books, 1969.
• William of Tyre, A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea, Vol. I, 11.6. Trans. Emily Atwater Babcok and A.C. Krey. Columbia University Press, 1943.
• Thomas S. Asbridge, The Creation of the Principality of Antioch, 1098–1130. The Boydell Press, 2000.
• Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades. Hambledon and London, 2003.
• Ralph-Johannes Lilie, Byzantium and the Crusader States, 1096–1204. Trans. J.C. Morris and J.C. Ridings. Clarendon Press, 1993.
• Kenneth M. Setton, ed., A History of the Crusades, Vols. II and V. Madison, 1969–1989.