1482

Early in the year. Lateran. Pope Innocent III replies to the Byzantine emperor Alexius III, who had asked the pope to force, through sentence of excommunication, the king of Jerusalem to restore Cyprus, which had been seized by King Richard of England in violation of a treaty of peace, to the Byzantine empire and to confine the resources of the king, the Hospitallers of St John and the Knights Templar to the aid of the Holy Land. Alexius threatened to send a fleet to reconquer the island. Innocent agrees that King Richard had taken the island, but points out that at that time Cyprus was in no way dependent on the Byzantine empire. He will send a fuller reply after garnering more information. In the meantime, he warns Alexius to desist from attacking the island, because he would endanger the Holy Land.