1492

Oct. 1. Sis. King Leon I of Cilician Armenia assures Pope Innocent III of his devotion. He reports that the vexillum sancti Petri sent by the pope has arrived and will always be carried in his armies against enemies of the Cross. He is maintaining peace with the citizens of Antioch and the count of Tripoli, but he informs the pope that the count of Tripoli and the citizens of Antioch have sent messengers to Roconidinus [Rukn ad-Din Sulaiman of Konya] entering into an alliance against him. He has stationed himself on the borders of Antioch. He has committed the case of his nephew Rupinus to the papal legates, but asks for the archbishop of Mainz to be made judge in his cause. He is grateful to the pope for writing to the count of Tripoli. In July he led his army on campaign against the Muslims, who are divided among themselves, and asked the Knights Templar, whose possessions in his country are worth 20000 besants, to come to his aid. The Templars came to Antioch and Leon asked the magister to join with him and the patriarch of Antioch in sending messengers to the Holy See over the issue of Gaston, which the pope wanted him to surrender to the Knights Templar. Leon offered to hand over Gaston provided the Templars gave support to his nephew Rupinus and lodged him in that castle. He and Rupinus sought to become confratres and assist the Templars in recovering another of their castles called Trapesach, but the Templars refused. Leon assures the pope of his attachment to the Latin faith. He is sending to the pope as a representative his miles called Garnerius Teuton.