Cyprus (theme)
Theme of Cyprus θέμα Κύπρου théma Kýprou | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 965–1191 | |||||||||
 Cyprus shaded within the Byzantine Empire, AD 1000 | |||||||||
| Status | Theme of the Byzantine Empire (965–1185) Rump state (1185–1191) | ||||||||
| Capital | Nicosia | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Establishment as a theme | 965 | ||||||||
• Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus proclaims independence | 1185 | ||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | CY | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Cyprus Akrotiri and Dhekelia | ||||||||
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Cyprus (
History
Rebellions by the thematic governors, Theophilos Erotikos in 1042 and Rhapsomates in 1091, failed, quickly subdued by imperial forces.[1] The island was spared the destruction of the loss of Anatolia and remained peaceful and relatively prosperous during turn of the 12th century. During the Siege of Antioch, a battle of the First Crusade, the Crusader army received supplies from Byzantine-controlled Cyprus.[2]
In the spring of 1156, the island was attacked by
Proclaiming himself "emperor", Isaac Komnenos established control over the island in 1185.[1] However, storms plaguing the Third Crusade wrecked two ships of Richard I of England's fleet off Cyprus in 1187. A third—carrying his sister Joan and betrothed Berengaria—reached the port of Limassol but Isaac's known hostility to all "Franks" meant it sat at anchor in the harbor, Joan fearing that coming ashore would mean capture and being held for ransom. Richard's ships arrived a week later on May 8th and, outraged at the women's conditions and treatment, he invaded the island.[5][citation needed] He laid siege to Nicosia, defeated Isaac at Tremetousia, and became ruler of the island but sold it to the Knights Templar in 1191 to fund his debts and further action in the Crusade.
References
- ^ a b c Gregory (1991).
- ^ a b Runciman 1952, p. 347.
- ^ Runciman 1952, pp. 347–348.
- ^ a b Runciman 1952, p. 348.
- ^ "The Crusades – home page". Boisestate.edu. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
Bibliography
- Gregory, Timothy E. (1991). "Cyprus". In ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- Runciman, Steven (1952). A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
