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The Course of the Fourth Crusade (Military Preparations (Venice (numbers…
The Course of the Fourth Crusade
Christmas 1201 with Philip of Swabia
Boniface went to see his overlord, Philip
Alexios II (deposed) had escaped imprisonment
came to Philip and Boniface to ask for help
some say that they hatched plans to get Alexios back into power but this is unlikely
Military Preparations
Venice
had fulfilled their side of the deal
Crusaders started arriving in 1202
numbers obviously insufficient
Geoffrey of Villehardouin said it was because many crusaders were sailing from other ports and going directly to Syria
crusaders had broken promise to go from Venice
only 12 000 out of the 35 000 required had gone to Venice
did not have the money to pay the Venetians
were 34 000 marks short of the 80 000 needed
Villehardouin (in his memoirs) said that money had been collected during the preaching
clerical tax on incomes of churches put in place by Pope but this was sent to the east so couldn't be used to pay Venetians
Both sides in bad situation
Doge had encouraged Venetians to take deal and halt production for a year
he didn't want his time in office to end like this
Crusaders risked having to go home as laughing stocks
The diversion to Zara
Dandalo suggested diverting to Zara
was a Christian town on the Dalmatian coast
had been under venetian control but know ruled by King Bela of Hungary
King Bela had signed up for the crusade so this was problematic
it being a christian town posed problems
Dandalo said that they could split booty gained and Crusaders could use this to pay Venetians
Pope Innocent forbade it
sent letter to Peter Capuano (papal legate) forbidding attack on Zara
Peter Capuano let it happen because otherwise there would be no crusade
Crusaders left in October 1202 and siege started 13 November
outcome of siege
joint armies were able to get fast surrender once full arsenal was deployed
Pope excommunicated all of them
Released crusaders after pleas from churchmen
Venetians still under the order
this created divisions between the two groups
Had to camp outside the walls of Zara
The Failure to make any impact on Muslim Power
Envoys from Alexios arrived outside of Zara
wanted them to place him on the throne in Constantinople
would pay them 20 000 marks
supply provisions for the expedition
give them contingent of 10 000 men
500 knights would then remain in Holy Land
promised submission of Greek Church to Rome
each side would get something
crusaders would be able to pay Venetians
reunification of the church would pacify the Pope
Venetians would receive help in future conquests
Fleet left Zara in April 1203
Peter Capuano wouldn't go with them and sailed to the Levant
meant no papal representation on the Crusade
picked up Alexios at Corfu
arrived at Constantinople in May and paraded Alexios in front of the walls
he was not welcome with open arms but insults
Constantinople
The second attack on Constantinople
preparations
March Pact: crusaders out spoils of war and organisation to follow
Mono-brow added to walls with wooden towers to make them taller
Venetians suspended bridges on ship's mastheads to allow men to access walls
9 April
tried to get to Golden Horn but wind wouldn't allow it so withdrew
13 April
better winds meant that they were able to sail close to the walls
Venetians crossed to the walls and started taking battlements
knights tried to take door on the ground
crusaders came through door and forced open a gate
allowed knights to ride in and take the city
The sack of Constantinople
provisions of March Pact set aside
Franks pillaged constantinople
not even holy places were spared
monobrow fled but was brought back in December and executed
Outcome
Baldwin of Flanders made emperor
Venetian was made patriarch
titles and land was distributed
relics and wealth of Constantinople were stripped and sent to crusaders' homeland
Innocent's reaction
was initially pleased with how things went
began to hear of atrocities committed and blamed crusade leaders for going against their oaths
the first attack on Constantinople
started on 3 July 1203
first crusade was to help Byzantines but now fighting against them
success meant able to take Galata Tower
Venetians occupied themselves with chain of fleets that stretched across the Golden Horn
able to break chain and defeat the Greek navy
Alexios III fled
left nobility in a bit of a state
nobles didn't want to be ruled by Western pupped so they proclaimed blind Isaac as emperor
Venetians and crusaders met with nobility and Isaac's son, Alexios II crowned as co-emperor
meant crusaders had kept their side of the bargain
Problems with Alexios' rule
couldn't pay crusaders
melted icons from churches down to base metal and given to crusaders
didn't help persuade clergy to submit to Rome
Isaac stopped this to improve his standing with the nobility but it peed off crusaders
crusaders had attacked mosque inside Constantinople
fighting broke out
fire started by crusaders causing lots of damage
meant any westerner in Constantinople had to live with crusaders at Galata
Beginning of Jan 1204
byzantines sent boats on fire to Venetians
Venetians directed boat to safety
greek resistance centred around a noble called mono-brow
Greeks tried to proclaim another noble emperor
Alexios called for western aid
mono-brow imprisoned Alexios and procalimed himself emperor
then killed Isaac and other noble emperor person (strangled Alexios later)