ðə sˈɪstɚʃˌiənz wɜːɹ ˈæktɪv ɪnðə fˈoːɹθ kɹuːsˈeɪd ænd ɪstˈæblɪʃt æt lˈiːst ɐ dˈʌzən ˈæbiz ɪn bˈɪzɐntˌiːn tˈɛɹɪtˌoːɹiz kˈæptʃɚd baɪ ðə kɹuːsˈeɪdɚz, ænd ðɛɹ ɪz ˈɑːɹkaɪvəl ˈɛvɪdəns ðæt spəsˈɪfɪkli sədʒˈɛsts sˈɪstɚʃˌiən ɪnvˈɑːlvmənt ɪn tˈuː mənˈæstɪk faʊndˈeɪʃənz ɪnðə pˌɛləpənˈiːz ɪtsˈɛlf dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðɪ ˈɜːli θˈɜːtiːnθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi.
The Cistercians were active in the Fourth Crusade and established at least a dozen abbeys in Byzantine territories captured by the Crusaders, and there is archival evidence that specifically suggests Cistercian involvement in two monastic foundations in the Peloponnese itself during the early 13th century.