Marie of Brienne
Encyclopedia
Marie of Brienne was the Empress consort of Baldwin II of Courtenay, Latin Emperor
of Constantinople
.
and his third wife Berenguela of Leon
. Marie was a younger, paternal half-sister of Yolande of Jerusalem
. She was also a sister of Alphonso of Brienne
.
Her matermal grandparents were Alfonso IX of León
and his second wife Berenguela of Castile
.
Their marriage took place in 1234. The bride was about nine-years-old, the groom seventeen. By her marriage Marie became the junior co-empress of the Latin Empire. The senior one being her mother. Their marriage was recorded in the chronicle of Alberic of Trois-Fontaines
.
and John III Doukas Vatatzes
of the Empire of Nicaea
. The city was only defended by its small garrison of knight
s, the fleet of the Republic of Venice
and a minor force sent by Geoffrey II of Villehardouin
, Prince of Achaea
to reinforce the defense. The city was only spared conquest because of a quarrel between the two allies over who would receive command of the city in the event of a success. John V.A. Fine has suggested that Ivan Asen realised the greater threat posed to the Second Bulgarian Empire
by the expansion of Nicaea rather than the weakened Latin Empire.
In any case, John of Brienne had taken command of the defense of Constantinople. Baldwin II undertook another mission, heading to Western Europe
in attempt of raising the funds and recruiting the armed forces needed to secure the survival of their Empire. John died on 27 March 1237, Berenguela following him on 12 April. The twelve-year-old Marie was left in nominal command of the city, as the sole representative of the imperial family present in it. Baldwin would not return until July, 1239. arjot de Toucy (died 1241)
Baldwin returned at the head of a Crusading
force from Western Europe, variously estimated to include as few as thirty thousand men or as many as sixty thousand. This force was joined by a contingent of Cumans
, combining to besiege Tzurulum
, a Nicaean strongold in Thrace
. The city fell in 1240 but this seems to have been the only success of this force. They are not mentioned afterwards. John V.A. Fine presumes that most of them returned to their homes in Western Europe, only a few of them joining the existing garrison of Constantinople. For the moment, the Latin Empire had ensured its continued survival. Marie was approximately fifteen-year-old at the time her husband returned to his capital.
On 15 April 1240 (Easter
), Baldwin II was crowned emperor in Hagia Sophia
. Their only known son, Philip of Courtenay
, was born in 1243. However this period of relative peace for the couple was not to last. Baldwin left for the Kingdom in France
by the end of 1243, intending to seek support from Louis IX of France
. In his absence Marie became regent of the Empire, with Philip of Toucy as her initial co-regent. Philip was a son of Narjot of Toucy and his first wife. His mother was a daughter of Theodore Branas
and Agnes of France
. Baldwin was absent for several years, first staying in France and then joining Louis IX in the Seventh Crusade
. He reportedly only returned in 1257 or 1258, possibly following the death of Theodore II Laskaris
.
, a general of Nicaea, was sent with a small advance force of 800 soldiers, most of them Cumans
, to keep a watch on the Bulgarians
and spy out the defences of the Latins. When the Byzantine force reached the village of Selymbria
, they learned from independent local farmers (thelematarioi) that the entire Latin garrison, and the Venetian fleet, were absent conducting a raid against the Nicaean island of Daphnousia. Although initially hesitant, due to both the small size of his force, which might be fatal if the Latin army returned, and because he would exceed his orders, Strategopoulos eventually decided not to lose such a golden opportunity to retake the city.
On the night of July 25, 1261, Alexios and his men approached the city walls
and hid at a monastery near the Pege Gate. Alexios sent a detachment of his men, who, led by some of the thelematarioi, made their way to the city through a secret passage. They attacked the walls from the inside, surprised the guards and opened the gate, allowing the Byzantine force entry into the city. The Latins were taken completely by surprise, and after some fighting, the Byzantine force gained control of the land walls. Fearing the revenge the Byzantines would exact upon them, the Latin inhabitants, from Emperor Baldwin II
downwards, hurriedly rushed to the harbour, hoping to escape by ship. Thanks to the timely arrival of the returning Venetian fleet, they were evacuated, but the city was lost for good. Marie presumably managed to flee with her husband.
, from there proceeding to Athens
, Apulia
and then back to France. In the following years they survived by selling their de facto
and de jure
rights to various secondary titles and lands.
On 26 March 1263, their rights to Namur
were bought by Guy of Dampierre
. Namur was at the time actually held by Henry V of Luxembourg
but Guy would successfully conquer it by 1268. In January, 1266, their rights to the Kingdom of Thessalonica
were bought by Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy
for 13,000 livres tournois
. At the time the city was under the control of Michael VIII Palaiologos
, the Nicaean emperor who had moved his capital to Constantinople, while the title was also claimed by William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
.
On 27 May 1267, the Treaty of Viterbo
, transferred much of the rights to the Latin Empire fiefs from Baldwin II to Charles I of Sicily. Charles was to be confirmed in possession of Corfu
and some cities in Albania
. He was also given suzerainty over the Principality of Achaea
and sovereignty of the Aegean Islands
, excepting those held by Venice
and Lesbos, Chios
, Samos
, and Amorgos
.
Baldwin and Marie spend the rest of their lives in the court of Charles. In October, 1273, Baldwin died in Naples
. Marie survived him by about two years. She was buried in Assisi
.
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
Family
She was a daughter of John of BrienneJohn of Brienne
John of Brienne was a French nobleman who became King of Jerusalem by marriage, and ruled the Latin Empire of Constantinople as regent.-Life:...
and his third wife Berenguela of Leon
Berenguela of León
Berengaria of León was the third wife but only empress consort of John of Brienne, Latin Emperor of Constantinople.-Family:...
. Marie was a younger, paternal half-sister of Yolande of Jerusalem
Yolande of Jerusalem
Isabella II also known as Yolande of Brienne, was a princess of French origin who became monarch of Jerusalem.-Infant Queen:...
. She was also a sister of Alphonso of Brienne
Alphonso of Brienne
Alphonso of Brienne or Alphonse I de Brienne, called Alphonse d'Acre was the son of John of Brienne and Berengaria of Leon, born in Acre. He was the Grand Butler of France in 1258....
.
Her matermal grandparents were Alfonso IX of León
Alfonso IX of Leon
Alfonso IX was king of León and Galicia from the death of his father Ferdinand II in 1188 until his own death...
and his second wife Berenguela of Castile
Berenguela of Castile
Berengaria was Queen regnant of Castile in 1217 and Queen consort of León from 1197 to 1204.-Family origins:...
.
Marriage
On 19 April 1229, Marie was betrothed to Baldwin II, junior co-ruler of her father in the throne of the Latin Empire. The marriage was intended to establish a dynastic alliance between the two co-rulers. Marie was at most four-years-old at the time of her betrothal, her parents having married in 1224.Their marriage took place in 1234. The bride was about nine-years-old, the groom seventeen. By her marriage Marie became the junior co-empress of the Latin Empire. The senior one being her mother. Their marriage was recorded in the chronicle of Alberic of Trois-Fontaines
Alberic of Trois-Fontaines
Alberic of Trois-Fontaines was a medieval Cistercian chronicler who wrote in Latin. He was a monk of Trois-Fontaines Abbey . In 1232 he began his Chronica Albrici Monachi Trium Fontium, which describes world events from the Creation to the year 1241...
.
Empress
In 1236, Constantinople was besieged by the combined forces of Ivan Asen II of BulgariaIvan Asen II of Bulgaria
-Early rule:He was a son of Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria and Elena . Elena, who survived until after 1235, is sometimes alleged to be a daughter of Stefan Nemanja of Serbia, but this relationship is questionable and would have caused various canonical impediments to marriages between various descendants...
and John III Doukas Vatatzes
John III Doukas Vatatzes
John III Doukas Vatatzes, Latinized as Ducas Vatatzes |Nymphaion]]) was emperor of Nicaea 1221–1254.-Life:John Doukas Vatatzes was probably the son of the general Basileios Vatatzes, Duke of Thrace, who died in 1193, and his wife, an unnamed daughter of Isaakios Angelos and cousin of the Emperors...
of the Empire of Nicaea
Empire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
. The city was only defended by its small garrison of knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s, the fleet of the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
and a minor force sent by Geoffrey II of Villehardouin
Geoffrey II of Villehardouin
Geoffrey II of Villehardouin was the third prince of Achaea . From his accession to the princely throne, he was a powerful and respected person, and even from France knights came to the principality to enter his service...
, Prince of Achaea
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
to reinforce the defense. The city was only spared conquest because of a quarrel between the two allies over who would receive command of the city in the event of a success. John V.A. Fine has suggested that Ivan Asen realised the greater threat posed to the Second Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
by the expansion of Nicaea rather than the weakened Latin Empire.
In any case, John of Brienne had taken command of the defense of Constantinople. Baldwin II undertook another mission, heading to Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
in attempt of raising the funds and recruiting the armed forces needed to secure the survival of their Empire. John died on 27 March 1237, Berenguela following him on 12 April. The twelve-year-old Marie was left in nominal command of the city, as the sole representative of the imperial family present in it. Baldwin would not return until July, 1239. arjot de Toucy (died 1241)
Baldwin returned at the head of a Crusading
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
force from Western Europe, variously estimated to include as few as thirty thousand men or as many as sixty thousand. This force was joined by a contingent of Cumans
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
, combining to besiege Tzurulum
Çorlu
Çorlu is a northwestern Turkish city in inland Eastern Thrace that falls under the administration of the Province of Tekirdağ. It is a rapidly developing industrial center built on flatland located off the E80 highway between Istanbul and Turkey's border with Greece and Bulgaria. As of the 2000...
, a Nicaean strongold in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. The city fell in 1240 but this seems to have been the only success of this force. They are not mentioned afterwards. John V.A. Fine presumes that most of them returned to their homes in Western Europe, only a few of them joining the existing garrison of Constantinople. For the moment, the Latin Empire had ensured its continued survival. Marie was approximately fifteen-year-old at the time her husband returned to his capital.
On 15 April 1240 (Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
), Baldwin II was crowned emperor in Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
. Their only known son, Philip of Courtenay
Philip of Courtenay
Philip I of Courtenay was titular Emperor of Constantinople 1273–1283. He was the son of Baldwin II of Constantinople and Marie of Brienne....
, was born in 1243. However this period of relative peace for the couple was not to last. Baldwin left for the Kingdom in France
France in the Middle Ages
France in the Middle Ages covers an area roughly corresponding to modern day France, from the death of Louis the Pious in 840 to the middle of the 15th century...
by the end of 1243, intending to seek support from Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
. In his absence Marie became regent of the Empire, with Philip of Toucy as her initial co-regent. Philip was a son of Narjot of Toucy and his first wife. His mother was a daughter of Theodore Branas
Theodore Branas
Theodore Branas or Vranas was a general under the Byzantine Empire and afterwards under the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He is called Li Vernas by western chroniclers of the Fourth Crusade, including Geoffroi de Villehardouin....
and Agnes of France
Agnes of France (Byzantine empress)
Agnes of France was a daughter of Louis VII of France by his third wife Adèle of Champagne.She was a younger half-sister of Marie de Champagne, Alix of France, Marguerite of France and Alys, Countess of the Vexin...
. Baldwin was absent for several years, first staying in France and then joining Louis IX in the Seventh Crusade
Seventh Crusade
The Seventh Crusade was a crusade led by Louis IX of France from 1248 to 1254. Approximately 800,000 bezants were paid in ransom for King Louis who, along with thousands of his troops, was captured and defeated by the Egyptian army led by the Ayyubid Sultan Turanshah supported by the Bahariyya...
. He reportedly only returned in 1257 or 1258, possibly following the death of Theodore II Laskaris
Theodore II Laskaris
Theodore II Doukas Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris was emperor of Nicaea, 1254–1258.-Life:Theodore II Doukas Laskaris was the only son of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Eirene Laskarina, the daughter of Emperor Theodore I Laskaris and Anna Angelina, a daughter of Emperor Alexios III Angelos and...
.
Fall of Constantinople
The imperial couple would not hold their capital for long. In July, 1261, Alexios StrategopoulosAlexios Strategopoulos
Alexios Strategopoulos was a Byzantine general during the reign of Michael VIII Palaiologos, rising to the rank of megas domestikos and Caesar. He is most notable for leading the reconquest of Constantinople from the Latins in 1261.- Early life :...
, a general of Nicaea, was sent with a small advance force of 800 soldiers, most of them Cumans
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
, to keep a watch on the Bulgarians
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
and spy out the defences of the Latins. When the Byzantine force reached the village of Selymbria
Silivri
Silivri is a city and a district in Istanbul Province along the Sea of Marmara in Turkey, outside of metropolitan Istanbul, containing many holiday and weekend homes for residents of the city. The largest city in the district is also named Silivri...
, they learned from independent local farmers (thelematarioi) that the entire Latin garrison, and the Venetian fleet, were absent conducting a raid against the Nicaean island of Daphnousia. Although initially hesitant, due to both the small size of his force, which might be fatal if the Latin army returned, and because he would exceed his orders, Strategopoulos eventually decided not to lose such a golden opportunity to retake the city.
On the night of July 25, 1261, Alexios and his men approached the city walls
Walls of Constantinople
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople since its founding as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire by Constantine the Great...
and hid at a monastery near the Pege Gate. Alexios sent a detachment of his men, who, led by some of the thelematarioi, made their way to the city through a secret passage. They attacked the walls from the inside, surprised the guards and opened the gate, allowing the Byzantine force entry into the city. The Latins were taken completely by surprise, and after some fighting, the Byzantine force gained control of the land walls. Fearing the revenge the Byzantines would exact upon them, the Latin inhabitants, from Emperor Baldwin II
Baldwin II of Constantinople
Baldwin II of Courtenay was the last emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.He was a younger son of Yolanda of Flanders, sister of the first two emperors, Baldwin I and Henry of Flanders...
downwards, hurriedly rushed to the harbour, hoping to escape by ship. Thanks to the timely arrival of the returning Venetian fleet, they were evacuated, but the city was lost for good. Marie presumably managed to flee with her husband.
Exile
A Venetian ship took Baldwin and Marie to EuboeaEuboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
, from there proceeding to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
and then back to France. In the following years they survived by selling their de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
and de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
rights to various secondary titles and lands.
On 26 March 1263, their rights to Namur
Marquis of Namur
Namur was a county of the Carolingian and later Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries. Its territories largely correspond with the present-day Belgian arrondissement Namur plus the northwestern part of the arrondissement Dinant....
were bought by Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre
Guy of Dampierre was the count of Flanders during the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.Guy was the second son of William II of Dampierre and Margaret II of Flanders. The death of his elder brother William in a tournament made him joint Count of Flanders with his mother...
. Namur was at the time actually held by Henry V of Luxembourg
Henry V of Luxembourg
Henry V the Blond , called the Great, was the count of Luxembourg, Laroche and Arlon from 1247 to his death and the count of Namur between 1256 and 1264 as Henry III...
but Guy would successfully conquer it by 1268. In January, 1266, their rights to the Kingdom of Thessalonica
Kingdom of Thessalonica
The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Byzantine lands.- Background :...
were bought by Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh IV of Burgundy was duke of Burgundy between 1218 and 1271. Hugh was the only son of duke Odo III and Alice of Vergy...
for 13,000 livres tournois
Livre tournois
The livre tournois |pound]]) was:#one of numerous currencies used in France in the Middle Ages; and#a unit of account used in France in the Middle Ages and the early modern period.-Circulating currency:...
. At the time the city was under the control of Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
, the Nicaean emperor who had moved his capital to Constantinople, while the title was also claimed by William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
William VII, Marquess of Montferrat
William VII , called the Great , was the twelfth Margrave of Montferrat from 1253 to his death. He was also the titular King of Thessalonica.-Youth:...
.
On 27 May 1267, the Treaty of Viterbo
Treaty of Viterbo
The Treaty of Viterbo was a pair of agreements made by Charles I of Sicily with Baldwin II of Constantinople and William II Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, on 27 May 1267, which transferred much of the rights to the Latin Empire from Baldwin to Charles.-Background:The recapture of Constantinople...
, transferred much of the rights to the Latin Empire fiefs from Baldwin II to Charles I of Sicily. Charles was to be confirmed in possession of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
and some cities in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. He was also given suzerainty over the Principality of Achaea
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
and sovereignty of the Aegean Islands
Aegean Islands
The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...
, excepting those held by Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
and Lesbos, Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, Samos
Samos Island
Samos is a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese, and off the coast of Asia Minor, from which it is separated by the -wide Mycale Strait. It is also a separate regional unit of the North Aegean region, and the only municipality of the regional...
, and Amorgos
Amorgos
Amorgos is the easternmost island of the Greek Cyclades island group, and the nearest island to the neighboring Dodecanese island group. Along with several neighboring islets, the largest of which is Nikouria Island, it comprises the municipality of Amorgos, which has a land area of...
.
Baldwin and Marie spend the rest of their lives in the court of Charles. In October, 1273, Baldwin died in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. Marie survived him by about two years. She was buried in Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
.
Ancestry
External links
- http://books.google.gr/books?id=QDFVUDmAIqIC&dq=john+va+fine+late+medieval+balkans&pg=PP1&ots=8BfcM02Zfm&sig=oM5l2vA2bygDJ15PNYYU0D4RWhw&hl=el&prev=http://www.google.gr/search%3Fq%3DJohn%2BV.A.%2BFine%2BLate%2BMedieval%2BBalkans%26ie%3Dutf-8%26oe%3Dutf-8%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:el:official%26client%3Dfirefox-a&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail#PPA130,M1-The page of the "Late Medieval Balkans" mentioning the siege]
- Her profile, along with her husband, in "Medieval Lands" by Charles Cawley