Alexis Comnenos, who had urged the Sicilians to undertake the expedition and had accompanied them, was taken prisoner and blinded. Those who could took ship and endeavored to escape. A storm destroyed many and drove others back, who were slaughtered by the people whom they had grievously wronged.
In the engagement of Demetriza the two leaders, Count Baldwin, or Aldwin, and Kichard, the brother-in-law7 of Tan- cred, We’re made prisoners. They were sent to the capital, and, when brought into the presence of the emperor, behaved themselves with characteristic insolence. The emperor, clothed in imperial purple set with pearls, seated on his throne of gold, and surrounded by his guard, ordered his distinguished prisoners to be brought before him.
He asked Baldwin why he had written in reply to the anointed of the Lord1 letters which were full of insolence. Baldwin answered by expressing his contempt for the emperor, remarked that the imperial sword was good enough against effeminate and unarmored bodies, alluding to the death of Ilagiochristophorides, and told him that, instead of being used to wear a helmet and armor and to sleep in the open air under his shield, he had been brought up tenderly, had feared to be whipped by his tutor, and was a stranger to the noise of war or the call of the trumpet to battle.
He volunteered the advice that the best thing the emperor could do would be to lay aside his crown, and give it and the other imperial insignia to a prince who could win battles, and to be careful to keep in the good graces of such a prince. The emperor appears to have taken the insolence good-naturedly, and on Baldwin afterwards endeavoring to explain away his offensive language, and on his flattering the emperor, he and Bichard were sent back to prison. Shortly afterwards Baldwin was set at liberty, on his consenting never again to give aid to those who were fighting against Isaac, their grievances, were treated as barbarians and otherwise insulted, returned to the mountains, and were soon at the head of a formidable movement.
Bulgaria 