Battle of Adrianople 1205

[Dragoncrusader]

Does anyone have any details about the Battle of Adrianople on 14th April 1205 between the Latin Emperor Baldwin I and the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan? A description of the battle and numbers involved would be nice.
thanks
Dragoncrusader

[Adrian II]

Does anyone have any details about the Battle of Adrianople on 14th April 1205 between the Latin Emperor Baldwin I and the Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan? A description of the battle and numbers involved would be nice.Hi Dragoncrusader. There is a chronicle online that tells the story of the whole crusader campaign in rich detail: Geoffrey de Villehardouin [b.c.1160-d.c.1213], Chronicle of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest of Constantinople (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/villehardouin.html). For modern research into the episode you mentioned you'll have to dig in some Library I'm afraid.

EDIT
Here's another online text (http://libtext.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=header&id=History.CrusTwo) that might yield more information and lots of footnotes with sources.

[Aurelian]

Here is some material on the battle from Wikipedia's List of Battles 601-1400 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Adrianople_%281205%29):


Battle of Adrianople (1205)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This Battle of Adrianople occurred on April 14, 1205 between Bulgars under Tsar Kaloyan, and Latins under the Latin emperor Baldwin I. It was won by the Bulgars after a skillful ambush. Around 300 Latin knights were killed, and the emperor was captured, blinded and later died in captivity. The Bulgars then overran much of Thrace and Macedonia, exterminating a large part of the Greek population. Baldwin was succeeded by his younger brother, Henry, who took the throne on August 20, 1205.

[BalkanTourist]

The Cumans had allied the Bulgarians and actually they were the ones to lead to the ambush. They sent horse archers (the traditional way of steppe nomads to fight battles) to harass the knights. The Latins took the bate and followed. Bad move, for in the nearby grove the Bulgarian Heavy Cavalry stood along with some infantry. Baldwin was captured and taken to the capital - Turnovgrad, where he was kept prisoner in a tower in the castle which to this day is called the Baldwin tower (I had the pleasure of seeing it in person). He died there.

[Adrian II]

Geoffrey is quite elaborate on the episode:


Johannizza, King of Wallachia, was coming to succour Adrianople with a very great host; for he brought with him Wallachians and Bulgarians, and full fourteen thousand Comans who had never been baptised.

Now because of the dearth of provisions, Count Louis of Blois and Chartres went foraging on Palm Sunday. With him went Stephen of Perche, brother of Count Geoffry of Perche, and Renaud of Montmirail, who was brother of Count Hervée of Nevers, and Gervais of Châtel, and more than half of the host. They went to a castle called Peutace, and found it well garrisoned with Greeks, and assailed it with great force and fury; but they were able to achieve nothing, and so retreated without taking anv spoils. Thus they remained during the week of the two'Easters (Palm Sunday to Easter Day), and fashioned engines of divers sorts, and set such miners as they had to work underground and so undermine the wall. And thus did they celebrate Easter (10th April) before Adrianople, being but few in number and scant of provisions.

page 93

JOHANNIZZA, KING OF WALLACHIA, COMES TO RELIEVE ADRIANOPLE

Then came tidings that Johannizza, King of Wallachia, was coming upon them to relieve the city. So they set their affairs in order, and it was arranged that Geoffry the Marshal, and Manasses of l'Isle should guard the camp, and that the Emperor Baldwin and all the remainder of the host should issue from the camp if so be that johanizza came and offered battle.

Thus they remained till the Wednesday of Easter week, and Johannizza had by that time approached so near that he encamped at about five leagues from us. And he sent his Comans running before our camp, and a cry was raised throughout the camp, and our men issued therefrom helterskelter, and pursued the Comans for a full league very foolishly; for when they wished to return, the Comans began to shoot at them in grievous wise, and wounded a good many of their horses.

So our men returned to the camp, and the barons were summoned to the quarters of the Emperor Baldwin. And they took counsel, and all said that they had dealt foolishly in thus pursuing people who were so lightly armed. And in the end they settled that if Johannizza came on again, they would issue forth, and set themselves in array of battle before the camp, and there wait for him, and not move from thence. And they had it proclaimed throughout the host that none should be so rash as to disregard this order, and move from his post for any cry or tumult that might come to his ears. And it was settled that Geoffry the Marshal should keep guard on the side of the city, with Manasses of l'Isle.

So they passed that night till the Thursday morning in Easter week, when they heard mass and ate their dinner. And the Comans ran up to their tents, and a cry arose, and they ran to arms, and issued from the camp with all their battalions in array, as had afore been devised.

page 94

DEFEAT OF THE CRUSADERS-BALDWIN TAKEN PRISONER

Count Louis went out first with his battalion, and began to follow after the Comans, and sent to urge the emperor to come after him. Alas! how ill did they keep to what had been settled the night before! For they ran in pursuit of the Comans for at least two leagues, and joined issue with them, and chased them a long space. And then the Comans turned back upon them, and began to cry out and to shoot.

On our side there were battalions made up of other people than knights, people having too little knowledge of arms, and they began to wax afraid and be discomfited. And Count Louis, who had been the first to attack, was wounded in two places full sorely; and the Comans and Wallachians began to invade our ranks; and the count had fallen, and one of his knights, whose name was John of Friaise, dismounted, and set him on his horse. Many were Count Louis' people who said: "Sir, get you hence, for you are too sorely wounded, and in two places." And he said: "The Lord God forbid that ever I should be reproached with flying from the field, and abandoning the emperor."

The emperor, who was in great straits on his side, recalled his people, and he told them that he would not fly, and that they were to remain with him: and well do those who were there present bear witness that never did knight defend himself better with his hands than did the emperor. This combat lasted a long time. Some were there who did well, and some were there who fled. In the end, for so God suffers misadventures to occur, they were discomfited. There on the field remained the Emperor Baldwin, who never would fly, and Count Louis; the Emperor Baldwin was taken alive and Count Louis was slain.

Alas! how woful was our loss! There was lost the Bishop Peter of Bethlehem, and Stephen of Perche, brother to Count Geoffry, and Renaud of Montmirail, brother of the Count of Nevers, and Matthew of Wallincourt, and Robert of Ronsoi, John of Friaise, Walter of Neuilli, Ferri of Yerres, John his brother, Eustace of Heumont, John his brother, Baldwin of Neuville, and many more of whom the book does

page 95

not here make mention. Those who were able to escape, they came back flying to the camp.

THE CRUSADERS RAISE THE SIEGE OF ADRIANOPLE
When Geoffry the Marshal of Champagne, who was keeping guard at one of the gates of the cityo , saw this he issued from the camp as soon as he could, with all the men that were with him, and gave command to Manasses of lisle, who was on guard at another gate, that he should follow after him. And he rode forth with all his force at full speed, and in full array, to meet the fugitives, and the fugitives all rallied round him. And Manasses of l'Isle followed as soon as he was able, with his men, and joined himself to him, so that together they formed a very strong body; and all those who came out of the rout, and whom they could stop, were taken into their ranks.

The rout was thus stayed between Nones and Vespers. But the most part of the fugitives were so afeared that they fled right before them till they came to the tents and quarters. Thus was the rout stayed, as you have heard; and the Comans, with the Wallachians and Greeks, who were in full chace, ceased their pursuit. But these still galled our force with their bows and arrows, and the men of our force kept still with their faces turned towards them. Thus did both sides remain till nightfall, when the Comans and Wallachians began to retire.

Then did Geoffry of Villehardouin, the Marshal of Champagne and Roumania, summon to the camp the Doge of Venice, who was an old man and saw naught, but very wise and brave and vigorous; and he asked the Doge to come to him there where he stood with his men, holding the field; and the Doge did so. And when the Marshal saw him, he called him into council, aside, all alone, and said to him: "Lord, you see the misadventure that has befallen us. We have lost the Emperor Baldwin and Count Louis, and the larger part of our people, and of the best. Now let us bethink ourselves how to save what is left. For if God does not take pity of them, we are but lost."

[nokhor]

AdrianII,

i noticed the last couple of sentences having to deal with enrico dandalo. now that guy knew realpolitk. is there more stuff about him in that source?

[Adrian II]

AdrianII,

i noticed the last couple of sentences having to deal with enrico dandalo. now that guy knew realpolitk. is there more stuff about him in that source?Here's the full Chronicle of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest of Constantinople (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/villehardouin.html) by Villehardouin for you.

[Adrian II]

AdrianII,

i noticed the last couple of sentences having to deal with enrico dandalo. now that guy knew realpolitk. is there more stuff about him in that source?I think you'll find more about the devious Doge, Baldwin, Innocent III and other protagonists in the on-line six volume history of the Crusades by the University of Wisconsin. It's a very detailed, scholarly treatment of the period.

Link (http://libtext.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=browse&scope=HISTORY.HISTCRUSADES)