3301

June 1. Anagni. Alexander IV writes to Bishop [Thomas] of Bethlehem (Bethlemmensis), papal legate, relating that he was shown the petition of the podestà, captain, council, and commune of Genoa claiming that when a dispute over various articles arose between them, on one side, and the doge of Venice and communes of Venice and Pisa, on the other, eventually the procurators and nuncios of the doge and communes having special mandate over all issues in question in Outremer decided to turn the case over to the pope's judgment in a compromise and swore to that effect, agreeing to turn over to the pope's control or that of his legate or nuncio the little fortifications or towers they had in those parts within eight days of the arrival of his legate or nuncio in Acre (Accon). But although the addressee was sent mainly for this purpose and over a year has passed since he arrived in Acre (Accon), the doge and communes have not yet turned over the fortifications they have in those parts. Thus the Genoese asked for a solution. On the other hand, the procurators of the Pisans proposed as an explanation before the pope things that seemed neither rational not proper. Thus the pope orders the addressee to have those fortifications turned over to him within eight days of receiving this letter in accordance with the compromise, forcing those who contradict with ecclesiastical censure without appeal and, if necessary, invoking the secular arm and the Hospitallers, Templars, and Teutonic Knights, notwithstanding other papal letters or indulgences.