Isol the Pisan

Isol le Pisan, also Zolus Bofeti or Zolus de Anestasio, was an Italian adventurer of the 13th century. For some time he resided among the Mongol Ilkhanate in Persia, and became an embassador to the Mongol ruler Ghazan. According to Le Templier de Tyr, in 1300 Isol was sent by Ghazan to Henry II of Jerusalem to negociate combined operations in the Holy Land.

A joint embassy was then formed to go to the Pope, in order to negociate a joint intervention. The embassy is mentionned in a 1300 letter by Romeu de Marimundo:

"From the Tatars, the king of Armenia, the king of Cyprus, the Great Master of the Templars or other nobles from Outremer, are arriving embassadors on a visit to the Pope. They are already in Apulia and should reach the Pope in the next few days"
— Letter by Romeu de Marimundo, counsellor of the king of Aragon, dated July 2nd, 1300, in Barcelona.^[1]

As a result of this embassy, Henry II of Jerusalem, king of Cyprus, in alliance with Ghazan, sent 15 frigates to Egypt in July to support the offensive.^[2]^[3] On the ships was hoisted the banner of Ghazan.^[4]

Notes

^ Demurger, p.146
^ According to the "Chronicle of Cyprus", by FLorio Bustron, quoted in in "Adh-Dhababi's Record of the Destruction of Damascus by the Mongols in 1299-1301", Note 18, p.359
^ Demurger, p.147
^ Demurger, p.147, quoting Le Templier de Tyr

References

Alain Demurger, "Jacques de Molay", Editions Payot, 2007

[1] Demurger, p.146

[2] According to the "Chronicle of Cyprus", by FLorio Bustron, quoted in in "Adh-Dhababi's Record of the Destruction of Damascus by the Mongols in 1299-1301", Note 18, p.359

[3] Demurger, p.147

[4] Demurger, p.147, quoting Le Templier de Tyr

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