Crusades
The island once again became the target of the crusaders in the
12th century with Richard the Lionhearted landing in Limassol on
the 1st of June 1191 in search of his bride to be Berengaria, whose
ship had become separated from the fleet in a storm. Richard married
Berengaria in Limassol on the 12th of May 1192. She was crowned
as Queen of England by John Fitzluke, Bishop of Evreux. The crusader
fleet continued to St. Jean d'Acre (Syria) on the 5th of June. The
army of Richard the Lionhearted continued to occupy Cyprus and raised
taxes. He sold the island to the Knights Templar, before they moved
to Rhodes and finally to Malta. Soon after that, the Franks (Lusignans)
occupied the island, establishing the Kingdom of Cyprus. The relationship
between the Cypriots and the Franks was not a happy one with the
Franks declaring Latin the official language, later replacing it
with French; much later, Greek was recognised as a second official
language. In 1196, the Latin Church was established in Cyprus, and
the Orthodox Cypriot Church experienced a series of religious persecutions.
Maronites settled on Cyprus during the crusades and still maintain
some villages in the North.
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