Page:Destruction of the Greek Empire.djvu/82

48 DESTRUCTION OF THE GREEK EMPIRE Fernand Ximenes, were now acting separately, and while the negotiations were going on the former set out for Constanti- nople. They were, however, resisted by the imperial troops and compelled to retire. They continued under Eocafert to devastate Thrace. As they themselves received no food from abroad nor tilled the ground in Thrace and had already devastated the country, they were at length forced to retreat from want of provisions to Gallipoli. Dissension Happily, serious divisions arose between the Spaniards Grand themselves. A large number of them refused to recognise Company. j> oca f er t w h 0 been named leader with the consent of Ximenes. On the other hand, Eocafert declared that as he had conquered the country he had no intention of abandoning the leadership. The influence of Guy, the nephew of the king of Sicily, who had brought with him another detachment of foreign freebooters in seven large ships and who counted upon utilising the Grand Company for the re-establishment of the Latin empire in his own family, was unable to settle the differences between the two parties, and they were soon at open war with each other. On one side was Eocafert, on the other were Guy, Ximenes, and Berenger, who had been released by the Genoese. In view of an attack by the imperial troops and of the necessity of finding provisions, a peace was patched up between the two Spanish factions, and they started in a body to attack Salonica and plunder Macedonia. The six thou- sand Spaniards were accompanied by three thousand Turks. Eocafert's division led. The van of the second division reached the camping ground of the first before it had been completely evacuated, and the two armies at once began fighting each other. Berenger hastened to put an end to the quarrel and was killed by Eocafert's brother. Ximenes was captured. Eocafert was now the sole leader. He attempted to capture Salonica but failed. He then retreated in order to return to Thrace : but his position was growing weak. He appealed to a French admiral, who had arrived in the northern Aegean as the precursor of the expected great expedition from the West, for his intervention with the Spaniards who