Of Josip's Death
During the first half of the year 1251, while the duke was at sea sailing towards his vassal Charles de Blanchegard's bishopric in Jaffa, two of his nieces came of age and finished their studies. The first was Jelka Marinovic, daughter of the late Slavac. She was extremely talented in matters of intrigue, and she immediately ousted Dora of Feher from the position of spymistress.
She was also wed to Tvrtko Jr. of Zachlumia, the widower of Josip's cousin Lucija. The other niece, Kristina Marinovic a daughter of Nikola, was sent to the Innsbruck, where she married a certain Meinhard Contarini, and became the chancellor to the heretic and excommunicated emperor Lambert von Hohenstaufen.
Josip's cousin and former vassal Mislav Marinovic, who had been the count of Kuban and Southern Ural, and later the diocese bishop in Belgrade, returned to Split in March. He had been released from service in the Hungarian county due to his stress deepening into madness. But he would catch an illness and would die a month later, with his older son Branimir inheriting his numerous claims.
In April Josip's ally, the king of Aragorn, sent word that he had started a war with the Almohad, and requested Dalmatian aid. But chancellor Gyorgyi responded that Josip was off to the Holy Land, and that she could not commit the remaining duchy's troops to fighting in Iberia.
Josip landed in Jaffa in late June, and was informed by Bishop Charles that Jerusalem was already under siege by the combined forces of pope Ulf and the Welsh king Elaed of Dyfed.
As soon as all his troops disembarked, the duke formally declared war on the Sheikdom of Jerusalem, and marched on the city once again. He would arrive there in early July, and the pope would grant him overall command of the siege. But Josip would not capture Jerusalem for the second time, as on the morning of July 18th of 1251 he was found dead in his pavilion, his heart having stopped during sleep.
Thus ended the life and reign of Josip Marinovic, who had won Dalmatia freedom from the Hungarians, defeated the sheikdom of Reggio and the Republic of Venice, and liberated the cities of Jerusalem, Acre and Jaffa from the infidels, but did not realize his dream of recreating the Kingdom of Croatia. He left behind him one son, Galasso. Although the crusade had gained him a lot of prestige, and he was considered a very pious man, his rebellion against his liege, the attack on his ally and abandonment of his vassals to the Mongols and Muslims left his reputation forever blemished.
The Rise of Dalmatians
Part IV: Duke Josip the Treacherous
Chapter XVIII: Of Josip's Death
Part IV: Duke Josip the Treacherous
Chapter XVIII: Of Josip's Death
During the first half of the year 1251, while the duke was at sea sailing towards his vassal Charles de Blanchegard's bishopric in Jaffa, two of his nieces came of age and finished their studies. The first was Jelka Marinovic, daughter of the late Slavac. She was extremely talented in matters of intrigue, and she immediately ousted Dora of Feher from the position of spymistress.
She was also wed to Tvrtko Jr. of Zachlumia, the widower of Josip's cousin Lucija. The other niece, Kristina Marinovic a daughter of Nikola, was sent to the Innsbruck, where she married a certain Meinhard Contarini, and became the chancellor to the heretic and excommunicated emperor Lambert von Hohenstaufen.
Josip's cousin and former vassal Mislav Marinovic, who had been the count of Kuban and Southern Ural, and later the diocese bishop in Belgrade, returned to Split in March. He had been released from service in the Hungarian county due to his stress deepening into madness. But he would catch an illness and would die a month later, with his older son Branimir inheriting his numerous claims.
In April Josip's ally, the king of Aragorn, sent word that he had started a war with the Almohad, and requested Dalmatian aid. But chancellor Gyorgyi responded that Josip was off to the Holy Land, and that she could not commit the remaining duchy's troops to fighting in Iberia.
Josip landed in Jaffa in late June, and was informed by Bishop Charles that Jerusalem was already under siege by the combined forces of pope Ulf and the Welsh king Elaed of Dyfed.
As soon as all his troops disembarked, the duke formally declared war on the Sheikdom of Jerusalem, and marched on the city once again. He would arrive there in early July, and the pope would grant him overall command of the siege. But Josip would not capture Jerusalem for the second time, as on the morning of July 18th of 1251 he was found dead in his pavilion, his heart having stopped during sleep.
Thus ended the life and reign of Josip Marinovic, who had won Dalmatia freedom from the Hungarians, defeated the sheikdom of Reggio and the Republic of Venice, and liberated the cities of Jerusalem, Acre and Jaffa from the infidels, but did not realize his dream of recreating the Kingdom of Croatia. He left behind him one son, Galasso. Although the crusade had gained him a lot of prestige, and he was considered a very pious man, his rebellion against his liege, the attack on his ally and abandonment of his vassals to the Mongols and Muslims left his reputation forever blemished.
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