1612

Mar. 5. Lateran. Pope Innocent III writes to the patriarch of Jerusalem, the papal legate. He approves the election by the canons of the church of Antioch and the translation to the patriarchate of Antioch of the bishop of Ivrea that resulted from the patriarch of Jerusalem’s mediation. He wishes the patriarch of Jerusalem to confer on the new patriarch the insignia of his office as soon as possible and he expects the two patriarchs to work together in the interests of the Holy Land. Turning to the conflict between the king of Armenia, the Knights Templar and the count of Tripoli, he orders the patriarch of Jerusalem to work for reconciliation and to insist on the observance of truces, given the danger to the Holy Land, while persuading the king to restore the Templar properties. With the ending of the dispute between Duke Philip of Swabia and Otto [of Brunswick], who has gained the [western] empire, he hopes assistance will come. Meanwhile he is sending a large sum of money, to be spent on the needs of the Holy Land by the patriarch, the Knights Templar and the Hospitallers of St John.