older literature french knight lord led colourful turbulent life narrated detail chronicle accounted finest knight fought wars byzantine greeks captured sent bearing byzantine terms twice deprived uncle abandoning leave order spend time mistress wife italy pardoned times henceforth held title gift prince died childless split origin son hugh alice daughter family hailed sur french province champagne variously named sources greek father inherited brother largest counting knights responsible keeping watch rebellious inhabitants mountainous area baron revolt william born greece possibly soon father arrival died early years old succeeded young main source life versions chronicle words narrates detail colourful adventures peculiar charming figure representative generation born greece chronicle credits construction castle greek calls enjoyed high reputation warrior deemed best knight according version chronicle maintained school castle sons greek nobles trained knights western manner married daughter great lord athens guy involved war succession lieutenant uncle leading army laid waste recovered town prince later sided father law lords opposed william ambitions william prevailed parliament assembled judge defeated lords pardoned prince confiscated lands returned time personal grant held right conquest byzantine captivity italy participated army joined alliance opposing allied forces distrust greeks dealt crushing defeat barons including captured aftermath battle lords remained captivity following recovery constantinople greeks emperor offered release exchange oath number fortresses southeastern william agreed released order convey emperor proposals nobles parliament held presence chancellor captive lords represented wives assembly known parliament agreed terms handed castles greeks returned constantinople number hostages barons released surrender fortresses began long period conflict greeks byzantine_empire forces control pope warfare began soon returned despite situation william permission spent years italy ostensibly pilgrimage reality living wife john absence allowed inhabitants rise aid byzantine troops offensive halted john deprived act pardoned restored return final years death mentioned campaigns early sent new commander neighbour baron joined prince army horsemen infantry latin force raided byzantine holdings avoided drawn pitched battle period relative peace followed ongoing mutual truce broken greeks entrusted force horse stationed watch died late death increasingly subject attacks byzantines finally fell died childless held grant direct descendants consequently split death half remained widow isabella married hugh count death reverted prince domain inheritance appeared years certain achieved nephew younger persistence managed obtain fictional portrayals eponymous subject novel lord fancy sympathetic flawed hero observed distant cousin increasingly disillusioned narrator baron portrayed supreme qualities limitations
Geoffrey of Briel