Martin (floruit 1200–1207) was the abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Pairis in Alsace, then part of the German kingdom in the Holy Roman Empire.[1] Martin played a supporting role on the Fourth Crusade. He was a major source for the Historia Constantinopolitana, a history of the Fourth Crusade written by the monk Gunther of Pairis. Gunther's Historia serves as both a eulogy on the life of Martin and also an account of the translation of relics Martin brought to Pairis from the crusade. Gunther describes Martin as pleasant-looking, affable, eloquent, humble and wise.[2]
Martin's native tongue was Alsatian German and he also spoke Latin.[3] He is sometimes given the surname Litz.[1] This, however, is based on a misreading by Henricus Canisius of the word licet.[4]
- ^ a b Eichenlaub (1995), p. 21.
- ^ Queller & Madden (1997), pp. 49–50.
- ^ Andrea 1993, p. 118.
- ^ Pannenborg (1873), p. 233.