William of Champlitte
First Prince of Achaea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William I of Champlitte (French: Guillaume de Champlitte) (1160s-1209) was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea (1205–1209).[1][2][3]
| William I | |
|---|---|
| Prince of Achaea | |
Coat of Arms of William of Champlitte | |
| Reign | 1205–1209 |
| Successor | Geoffrey I |
| Born | 1160s |
| Died | 1209 |
| Spouse | Alais of Meursault Elisabeth of Mount-Saint-Jean |
| House |
|
| Father | Odo I of Champlitte |
| Mother | Sybille |
Early years and the Fourth Crusade
William was the second son of Odo or Eudes I of Champlitte, viscount of Dijon.[3] He later married Elisabeth of Mount-Saint-Jean, but they divorced in 1199.
William was one of the crusader leaders who signed the letter written in April 1203 by Counts Baldwin IX of Flanders, Louis I of Blois and Chartres and Hugh IV of Saint Pol to Pope Innocent III after the occupation of Zara (now Zadar, Croatia).[4]
The imperial throne was given to Baldwin IX of Flanders on May 16, 1204.[5]
Foundation of the Principality of Achaea
Early in 1205 Geoffrey of Villehardouin, one of William of Champlitte's allies went to the camp of Boniface I of Thessalonica at Nauplia (now Nafplion, Greece).[6][7] He had earlier occupied some parts of Messenia.[6]
William in short time occupied Coron (now Koroni, Greece), Kalamata and Kyparissia.[8]
William became the Prince of Achaea during 1205.[9]
While traveling to France, his death occurred during 1208 in Apulia.[10][11]