Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 16, 2026

William of Champlitte

William I of Champlitte (1160s-1209) was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea (1205–1209).

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William I
Prince of Achaea
Coat of Arms of William of Champlitte
Reign1205–1209
SuccessorGeoffrey I
Born1160s
Died1209
SpouseAlais of Meursault
Elisabeth of Mount-Saint-Jean
House
FatherOdo I of Champlitte
MotherSybille

William I of Champlitte (French: Guillaume de Champlitte) (1160s-1209) was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea (1205–1209).123

Early years and the Fourth Crusade

William was the second son of Odo or Eudes I of Champlitte, viscount of Dijon.3 He later married Elisabeth of Mount-Saint-Jean, but they divorced in 1199.

William was one of the crusader leaders who signed the letter written in April 1203 by Counts Baldwin IX of Flanders, Louis I of Blois and Chartres and Hugh IV of Saint Pol to Pope Innocent III after the occupation of Zara (now Zadar, Croatia).4

The imperial throne was given to Baldwin IX of Flanders on May 16, 1204.5

Foundation of the Principality of Achaea

Early in 1205 Geoffrey of Villehardouin, one of William of Champlitte's allies went to the camp of Boniface I of Thessalonica at Nauplia (now Nafplion, Greece).67 He had earlier occupied some parts of Messenia.6

The Peloponnese in the Middle Ages source ↗

William in short time occupied Coron (now Koroni, Greece), Kalamata and Kyparissia.8

Fortress at Modon (Methoni) source ↗

William became the Prince of Achaea during 1205.9

While traveling to France, his death occurred during 1208 in Apulia.1011

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Runciman 1951, p. 126.
  2. Longnon 1969, p. 239.
  3. Evergates 2007, p. 220.
  4. Andrea 2000, pp. 54-56.
  5. Runciman 1951, p. 125.
  6. Fine 1994, p. 69.
  7. Longnon 1969, p. 237.
  8. Setton 1976, p. 25.
  9. Fine 1994, p. 70.
  10. Fine 1994, p. 71.
  11. Setton 1976, p. 34.
Sources

Sources

Further reading

Further reading