Great Britain -- Kings and rulers -- Biography; Richard I, King of England, 1157-1199
He then immediately made a signal for Joanna's galley--which, during
all this time, had remained at the mouth of the harbor--to advance.
The galley accordingly came up, and Joanna and the princess were
received by the whole army at the landing with loud acclamations. They
were immediately conducted into the town, and there were lodged
splendidly in the best of Isaac's palaces.
But the contest was not yet ended. The place to which Isaac had
retreated was a city which he possessed in the interior of the island
called Nicosia. From this place he sent a messenger to Richard to
propose another conference, with a view of attempting once more to
agree upon some terms of peace. Richard agreed to this, and a place of
meeting was appointed on a plain near Limesol, the port. King Isaac,
accompanied by a suitable number of attendants, repaired to this
place, and the conference was opened. Richard was mounted on a
favorite Spanish charger, and was splendidly dressed in silk and gold.
He assumed a very lofty bearing and demeanor toward his humbled enemy,
and informed him in a very summary manner on what terms alone he was
willing to make peace.
"I will make peace with you," said Richard, "on condition that you
hold your kingdom henceforth subject to me. You are to deliver up all
the castles and strongholds to me, and do me homage as your
acknowledged sovereign. You are also to pay me an ample indemnity in
gold for the damage you did to my wrecked galleys. I shall expect you,
moreover, to join me in the crusade. You must accompany me to the
Holy Land with not less than five hundred foot-soldiers, four hundred
horsemen, and one hundred full-armed knights. For security that you
will faithfully fulfill these conditions, you must put the princess,
your daughter, into my hands as a hostage. Then, in case your conduct
while in my service in the Holy Land is in all respects perfectly
satisfactory, I will restore your daughter, and also your castles, to
you on my return."
Isaac's daughter was a very beautiful young princess. She was
extremely beloved by her father, and was highly honored by the people
of the land as the heir to the crown.
These conditions were certainly very hard, but the poor king was in no
condition to resist any demands that Richard might choose to make.
With much distress and anguish of mind, he pretended to agree to these
terms, though he secretly resolved that he could not and would not
submit to them. Richard suspected his sincerity, and, in utter
violation of all honorable laws and usages of war, he made him a
prisoner, and set guards over him to watch him until the stipulations
should be carried into effect. Isaac contrived to escape from his
keepers in the night, and, putting himself at the head of such troops
as he could obtain, prepared for war, with the determination to resist
to the last extremity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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