And well does Geoffry of Villehardouin, the Marshal of Champagne
and Roumania, who is dictating this work, bear witness, that never at
any time were people so distracted and oppressed by war; this was by
reason that the host were scattered in so many places.
SIEGE OF ADRIANOPLE BY JOHANNIZZA - SIEGE OF SKIZA AND CIBOTOS BY LASCARIS
Then Johannizza left Wallachia with all his hosts, and with a great
host of Comans who joined themselves to him, and entered Roumania. And
the Comans overran the country up to the gates of Constantinople; and
he himself besieged Adrianople, and erected there thirty-three great
petraries, which hurled stones against the walls and the towers. And
inside Adrianople were only the Greeks and
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Peter of Radinghem, who had been set there by the emperor, with ten
knights. Then the Greeks and the Latins together sent to tell the
Emperor Henry how Johannizza had besieged them, and prayed for
succour.
Much was the emperor distraught when he heard this; for his forces on
the other side of the straits were so scattered, and were everywhere
so hard pressed that they could do no more than they were doing, while
he himself had but few men in Constantinople. None the less he
undertook to take the field with as many men as he could collect, in
the Easter fortnight; and he sent word to Skiza, where most of his
people were, that they should come to him. So these began to come to
him by sea; Eustace, the brother of the Emperor Henry, and Anseau of
Cayeux, and the main part of their men, and thus only Peter of
Bracieux, and Payen of Orl?ans, with but few men, remained in Skiza.
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