03-14-2007, 04:07 AM
I don't know of any specific regiment of latin knights, but certainly there are references to various latin (mostly French, Norman or Flemish) cavalry in the service of the Empire as mercenaries.
There's the famous Roussel de Bailleuil who caused so much trouble when he turned his coat and tried to split off a region of Imperial territory to set up his own "independent" principality in the 1070's.
There are references IIRC in Blondel/Benedikz's "Varangians of Byzantium" to Normans in Imperial service - who may or may not have been included among the Varangians.
There's the 500 Fleming knights sent by Count Robert I of Flanders to served the Empire from about 1090 (mentioned in the Alexiad of Anna Komnena).
And finally there was the Catalan Company in the 14th century - who also tried to grab some Imperial territory for themselves and caused more trouble than they were worth.
There's the famous Roussel de Bailleuil who caused so much trouble when he turned his coat and tried to split off a region of Imperial territory to set up his own "independent" principality in the 1070's.
There are references IIRC in Blondel/Benedikz's "Varangians of Byzantium" to Normans in Imperial service - who may or may not have been included among the Varangians.
There's the 500 Fleming knights sent by Count Robert I of Flanders to served the Empire from about 1090 (mentioned in the Alexiad of Anna Komnena).
And finally there was the Catalan Company in the 14th century - who also tried to grab some Imperial territory for themselves and caused more trouble than they were worth.
"It is safer and more advantageous to overcome the enemy by planning and generalship than by sheer force"
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia