awe Isaac with the power of the English Crown, Richard was mounted on a white Spanish stallion as handsome and spirited as Isaac’s Fauvel, the cantle of his saddle decorated with snarling golden lions, his spurs and sword hilt gilded with gold, his scabbard indented with silver. He wore a tunic of rose samite, a mantle woven with silver half-moons and shining suns, and a scarlet cap embroidered in gold thread. A large crowd had gathered to witness the remarkable spectacle: Richard’s knights and men, the Italian merchants, and local people daring their emperor’s wrath for the rare pleasure of seeing him publicly humiliated. Richard’s appearance created quite a stir, dazzling the citizens and causing much amusement among his soldiers, who’d so often seen him soaked in blood, sweat, and mud. By the time the Cypriot emperor arrived, he was already at a disadvantage, just as Richard had hoped.
At a distance, he was very regal, astride Fauvel, his saddle and trappings just as gaudy as Richard’s. His purple silk mantle was studded with precious gems, and his long, fair hair was graced by a golden crown. The English were surprised by his youth, for he appeared to be about Richard’s age, in his early thirties. At closer range he was not quite so impressive, for he was sharp-featured, with darting pale eyes and a thin slash of a mouth unfamiliar with smiles. Richard’s knights had long ago learned how deceptive appearances could be, for sometimes the most ignoble souls were camouflaged by attractive exteriors. Staring at the Cypriot emperor, they exchanged knowing glances, agreeing that this was one pirate ship not flying false colors; Isaac Dukos Comnenus looked to be exactly what he was, a man doomed to burn for aye in Hell everlasting.
Garnier de Nablus, the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem, had brokered the peace conference and he acted now as intermediary, making use of one of his Cypriot Hospitallers to translate French into Greek. They met in the center of the field, Richard’s Spanish destrier and the fiery Fauvel eyeing each other with as much suspicion as their riders. The spectators nudged one another and grinned, agreeing that it was fortunate the English king and the Cypriot emperor were both skilled horsemen or else their stallions might have taken it upon themselves to end this parley here and now.
Richard was willing to follow the protocol for such surrenders, but not to waste much time doing it. So while he greeted Isaac with cold courtesy, he soon laid out his terms for peace. When they were translated for Isaac’s benefit, the Greek speakers in the audience gasped, murmuring among themselves that this would be too bitter a brew for Isaac to swallow. Richard demanded that Isaac swear fealty to him, that he take the cross and accompany the English to the Holy Land, provide one hundred knights, five hundred horsemen, and five hundred foot soldiers for the service of God and the Holy City, and pay thirty-five hundred marks in compensation for the injuries inflicted upon Richard’s men. As a pledge of his good faith, he would be required to surrender all of his castles to the English king and to offer his only daughter and heir as a hostage. There was great astonishment, therefore, among those who knew Isaac when he indicated to Garnier de Nablus that he was willing to accept Richard’s terms.
Once agreement had been reached, Richard and Isaac dismounted, and after the emperor had sworn an oath of fealty, they exchanged the ritual kiss of peace. As a gesture of goodwill, Richard then offered to return Isaac’s tent and the silver plate plundered from it at the battle of Kolossi. Isaac at once ordered it set up in the open field, announcing he preferred to camp there rather than to enter Limassol, where there might not be adequate accommodations for his men. Since Richard had appropriated his palace and the fortress of St George, no objections were raised. Richard gave orders for wine and food to be sent out to the emperor’s encampment, and they agreed to meet on the morrow to arrange for the transfer of Isaac’s castles to castellans of Richard’s choosing, and to make plans for their joint departure for Acre. The conference ended with an exchange of courtesies that was impeccably correct and utterly unconvincing.
As they rode back toward Limassol, Jaufre spurred his horse to catch up with Richard and André. Richard seemed in good spirits, talking about