The Crusades, the Genoese and the Latin East - DSpace at ...

[my 444
emphasis] At first glance, this charter seems typical of the time, because of its similarity
to many charters that the Genoese and other trading communities obtained over the years from
the lords of various trading cities. However, considering the history of the relationship between
Genoa and Gibelet this charter might seem rather odd: in 1154 Genoa claimed full ownership
over Gibelet as well as the payment of taxes and lease fees from Guglielmo II Embriaco.
However, the situation is presented differently in Hugh's charter. Firstly, Hugh appears as the
lord, by divine right, of Gibelet. From this position, after consulting his people in a feudal
manner, he granted rights to the Genoese. The issue of outstanding debts or any sort of future
payment due to the commune are never mentioned in the charter. Nonetheless, Favreau-Lilie saw
in this charter an achievement for Lanfranco Alberico and the Genoese, because at least they
found a way for the commune of Genoa to gain some economic benefits from Gibelet.
Lanfrancus Albericus sollte allem Anschein nach in Verhandlungen zumindest bessere
Konditionen für den genuesischen Handel in Gibelet durchsetzen, wenn schon die
Eigentumsansprüche Genuas and damit eine Anerkennung der jährlichen
Zahlungsverpflichtung des Embriacus an die Kommune nicht durchsetzbar waren 445
In her observations, Favreau-Lilie assessed the achievements of Lanfranco Alberico, by
looking at these negotiations from Genoa's point of view. It is certainly true that in this
agreement Genoa at least secured some benefits, because at no point in the future was it ever able
to regain the ownership of Gibelet or receive payment for these possessions. Favreau-Lilie is
probably also right in saying that there are no grounds to support the hypothesis (Byrne's) that
Guglielmo II Embriaco paid Genoa the annual payment between 1154 and
1164 446
The question
of the financial debts of the lords of Gibelet over the years will be further discussed in the
following pages. However, the charter of Hugh II from 1168 requires further examination before
discussion of debts can proceed. It will be argued here that Hugh's charter to Genoa gives
valuable insight into the development of the relationship between Genoa and Gibelet.
Furthermore, the implications of the charter go even beyond some economic benefits.
The privileges granted by Hugh were explicitly limited to the Genoese:
the inhabitants of
Genoa and its archbishopric: `omnibus hominibus lanue qui Bunt manentes in civitate lanue et in
toto archiepiscopatu. '447 The question of `who is a Genoese' was an important one as far as
grants of this nature are considered. For example, in a charter from 1191, the concessions granted
to the Genoese, applied to the residents of all Liguria and beyond, from Portovenere to
4441 Libri lurium, vol. 1/2, no. 339, p. 156.
445 Favreau-Lilie, Die Italianer im Heiligen Land, p. 219.
446 Byrne wrote that `it is evident that up to that date, under occasional judicious pressure from the home
government, the family paid most of the censum. See Byrne, `The Genoese Colonies in Syria', p. 152;
Favreau-Lilie criticised this theory. Die Italianer im Heiligen Land, p. 218.
4471 Libri lurium, vol. 1/2, no 339, p. 156.
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