CRUSADES

Guglielmo Embriaco, having arrived tempestuously in 1099 at the siege og Jerusalem, using the wood from his ships, got useful to build the weapons necessary to conquer the Holy Citry. The crusades were a great business deal for the Genoese (and for the Ligurians). Not only for the colonies that they went to start in the Orient, but also for the orders for the construction of ships. Luigi IX, the King of France, had them build numerous ships. Guglielmo Boccanegra, when he left the city because he was hated, moved to Aigues Mortes in Provenza, where he built, by order of the King, the fortified city, still today an example of medieval architecture.
Casalino Pierluigi, on Dec. 19th 2013