1494

Dec. 1-31. Leon, son of Stephen of the powerful family of Rupinids, dei gratia rex Armeniorum, makes a sealed grant to the doge and citizens of Venice, represented by Jacobus Badoarius, the son of the knight Johannes Badoarius, the emissary of the doge, who has a safe-conduct. He gives all Venetians freedom to go and return to his cities, ports and bridges with their merchandise, to buy and sell and export without paying dues [servitium, drictura, angaria et passagia], except when they are permanenly resident in the East and have come from other ports in the Levant, when they will pay as do all Christians, and except when they bring in silver and gold and mint besants or money, in which case they must pay the same dues [drictura] as do those in the territory of Acre. They will be safe if shipwrecked. They will be free to travel by land to any city, Christian or Muslim [Saraceni] with which Leon has a peace or truce agreement. The goods of those who are dying or die will be secure, but if intestate, the goods will be deposited with Johannes Sisensi archiepiscopus, regis Armenie cancellarius, and will be sent to the doge on his request. Disputes among Venetians will be settled by the Venetians themselves, although if they cannot be resolved, they will be treated in the presence of the archbishop. Disputes between a Venetian and a non-Venetian, including those leading to death, will be heard in the curia regalis. Leon makes an eleemosynary grant to the Venetians of a church and provisions for priests and clergy in Mamistra, together with a fundicum, in which they can store their merchandise, and a site for building a house. The charter was drawn up by dominus Johannes archiepiscopus Sisensis Armenie cancellarius.