William I of Champlitte () (1160s-1209) was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea (1205–1209).Runciman 1951, p. 126.Longnon 1969, p. 239.Evergates 2007, p. 220.
Early years and the Fourth Crusade William was the second son of Odo or Eudes I of Champlitte, viscount of Dijon. He later married Elisabeth of Mount-Saint-Jean, but they divorced in 1199.
William was one of the crusader leaders who signed the letter written in April 1203 by Counts Baldwin IX of Flanders, Louis I of Blois and Chartres and Hugh IV of Saint Pol to Pope Innocent III after the occupation of Zara (now Zadar, Croatia).Andrea 2000, pp. 54-56.
The imperial throne was given to Baldwin IX of Flanders on May 16, 1204.Runciman 1951, p. 125.
Foundation of the Principality of Achaea
Early in 1205 Geoffrey of Villehardouin, one of William of Champlitte's allies went to the camp of Boniface I of Thessalonica at Nauplia (now Nafplion, Greece).Fine 1994, p. 69.Longnon 1969, p. 237. He had earlier occupied some parts of Messenia.
William in short time occupied Coron (now Koroni, Greece), Kalamata and Kyparissia.Setton 1976, p. 25.
William became the Prince of Achaea during 1205.Fine 1994, p. 70.
While traveling to France, his death occurred during 1208 in Apulia.Fine 1994, p. 71.Setton 1976, p. 34.
See also Fourth Crusade Principality of Achaea Battle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros
References
Sources Andrea, Alfred J. (2000). Contemporary Sources for the Fourth Crusade. Brill. . Evergates, Theodore (2007). The Aristocracy in the County of Champagne, 1100-1300. University of Pennsylvania Press. .
Further reading
Finley Jr, John H. "Corinth in the Middle Ages." Speculum, Vol. 7, No. 4. (Oct., 1932), pp. 477–499. Joinville, Jean de; Villehardouin, Geoffroi de; Shaw, Margaret R. B. (1963). Chronicles of the Crusades. Penguin Books. . Tozer, H. F. "The Franks in the Peloponnese." The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 4. (1883), pp. 165–236.