Imperator Rex Grecorum - Crusader Song

This song, taken from the Carmina Burana and performed by Estampie, talks about the invasions of Egypt by King Amalric of Jerusalem, with Byzantine support.

By the 12th century, the Schism wasn't yet cemented, and alliances between West and East were not as rare as one might think.

In this context Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Comnenus fostered a friendly attitude towards the latin West, and especially with the crusader kingdoms of Outremer.

King Amalric of Jerusalem was one of such allies, having married Manuel's great-grandniece, and enjoyed his military support. He went on to send a series of campaigns into Egyptian territory, which was controlled by the Fatimid Caliphate, an ally of the Zengid Turks who lorded over much of the Levant.

I tried to stay true to the lyrics as found in the Codex Buranus, but some of the words there seem like typos, such as "sather" instead of "soter". The word "ysma" also seems to be an arabic loanword.

Lyrics (as per Codex Buranus):

Imperator rex Grecorum,
minas spernens paganorum,
auro sumpto thesaurorum
parat sumptus armatorum.

Ayos
o theos athanathos,
ysma sather yschyros!
miserere kyrios,
salva tuos famulos!

Almaricus miles fortis,
rex communis nostre sortis,
in Egypto fractis portis
Turcos stravit dire mortis.

Ayos
o theos athanathos,
ysma sather yschyros!
miserere kyrios,
salva tuos famulos!

Omnis ergo Christianus
ad Egyptum tendat manus!
semper ibi degat sanus,
destruatur rex paganus!

Ayos
o theos athanathos,
ysma sather yschyros!
miserere kyrios,
salva tuos famulos!