‘Cyprus.’ [‎9v] (18/184)

12
CYPRUS.
Capture of
the fortresses.
King Richard
leaves Cyprus.
Sale of
Cyprus to the
Templars.
Guy de Lu-
signan pur
chases Cyprus.
the strong castles in the north of the island, which would otherwise
form places of refuge for the few Greeks who had not surrendered.
Eichard, being detained by illness at Nicosia, intrusted this task to
Guy de Lusignan, who was a prominent figure in all the operations ol
the conquest of Cyprus. The castle of Cerinea was the first attacked,
it soon capitulated, and Isaac’s wife, daughter, and treasures fell into
the hands of the English. Lusignan then marched against Fort St.
Hilarion, which, after a brave resistance, was also forced to capitu
late. Shortly afterwards the castles of Buffavento and Kantara
opened their gates to Eichard himself, and the subjugation of the
island was then complete.
Eichard was now able to turn his thoughts to his neglected
crusade ; he returned to Limasol and sent Isaac’s daughter, with
his own wife and sister, on before him to St. Jean d’Acre. On the
5th June, 1191, Eichard himself sailed from Cyprus, leaving the
island in charge of Eichard de Canville and Eobert de Turnham,
with injunctions to keep the army in Syria well provided with
provisions.
Isaac was placed in silver fetters and taken with King Eichard
to Syria, where he was handed over to the Hospitallers, since
Knights of Khodes, for safe custody, and was by them confined in the
castle of Margat near Tripoli, where he died shortly afterwards.
Several insurrections subsequently occurred in Cyprus, but were
all suppressed by the decision and prompt action of Eobert de
Turnham.
The Templars now entered into negociations with King Eichard
for the purchase of Cyprus, and they eventually obtained it from him
for the sum of 100,000 Saracenic golden besants, it was further ar
ranged that 40,000 besants should be paid at once, and the remainder
as soon as it could be derived from the revenues of the island.*
The Templars ruled Cyprus for a time with a heavy hand, and
their government became highly unpopular amongst the inhabitants,
who continued in a perpetual state of revolt, causing so much
annoyance and trouble to their masters, that in May 1192, the
Templars, finding that the popular feeling was entirely beyond
their control, were compelled to entreat King Eichard to take back
the island, and they begged that the price which they had paid for
it might be returned to them. Eichard expressed his willingness
to take over the island, but refused to return the 40,000 besants.
King Guy de Lusignan now came forward, and, having arranged
with the Templars that in the event of his being made King of
Cyprus, he would refund to them what they had paid, went to
Eichard, and asked him for the island as compensation for the
loss of the crown of Jerusalem, engaging also to pay the same sum
that the Templars had agreed to. This offer was accepted and
Guy intrusted to his chancellor, Pierre d’Engoulesme, Bishop of
* To estimate the relative value of this payment, the golden besant may be taken
as equivalent to about 9 fr. 50 cent., so the sum was about 950,000 francs, which in
the present day would be worth about eight times as much, so that the price may
be considered to be about £304,000 sterling. See “ L’Histoire de L’lle do Chypre,”
by M. L. l)e Mas Latrie, vol. ii, page 7 (note).