itself advanced large sums of money and was liberal in its presents to the Frank lords who obtained oriental principalities.[1]
A.D. 1163.
A.D. 1190.
A.D. 1279.
Hence, during the domination of the Franks in
Syria, the most intimate relations subsisted between
them and the city of Marseilles. Thus, in 1163 the
Marseillais lent Rodolph, bishop of Bethlehem, two
thousand two hundred and eight bezants upon
security of his castle and his possessions in the city
of Acre. In 1190 they assisted in besieging that
city, and obtained, as the price of their services,
various commercial advantages. In 1279 they sent
corn to the Grand Master of the Order of Jerusalem,
by which means their mercantile franchises
were confirmed in Palestine: indeed, the history of
Marseilles records many services rendered to the
potentates of the time, the consideration for which
was, however, invariably the concession of some
commercial franchise or the confirmation of ancient
privileges, so that amidst all their religious enthusiasm
they never forgot their own interests.
Monopoly in shipping trade. The spirit of monopoly soon, however, exhibited itself at Marseilles as in other places. Her viscounts, who were the lords paramount at the time, had permitted ships belonging to the order of the Temple and of St. John of Jerusalem to frequent the port of Marseilles; but when the commonalty of that city were enfranchised from the jurisdiction of the viscounts, they refused to recognize the freedom of
- ↑ See, for all that is known of the early mediæval commerce of Marseilles, De Ruffi, Hist. de la Ville de Marseille, 2 vols. fol. 1696; and Fabre, Hist. de Marseille, 2 vols. 8vo. 1829. It was owing to the lead which the French took in the early Crusades, that Orientals came to designate first the Western, and then all Christians by the name of "Franks."
