History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 74 the Fourth Crusade Roman numeral 5.

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Hello again.

Last week we saw the leaders of the Fourth Crusade accept an offer from the ambitious Prince Alexius and Jealous to install him on the imperial

throne in Constantinople. In return for a vast sum of money and a promise by Alexius to bring the Orthodox Church under the authority

of the Pope in Rome.

While many of the rank and file Crusaders had misgivings about this plan and decided to abandon the expedition,

the leaders of the Crusade saw it as a way to pay back the debt they owed to the Venetians and to get the Fourth Crusade back on track.

So in late April, 1203, accompanied by young Alexius himself, the fleet set sail for Constantinople.

On their way to Constantinople, the fleet stopped at the city of Durazzo on the northwestern edge of the Byzantine Empire.

This was their first foray into Byzantine territory and the first opportunity for the Crusaders to test the water,

and gauge the reaction of imperial subjects

to the idea of installing young Alexius as Emperor.

The leaders of the Crusade must have been relieved when the citizens of the town opened its gates to Prince Alexius and quickly swore allegiance to him.

Heartened by this response and hopeful that the people of Constantinople would react in the same way,

the fleet sailed on to Corfu.

However, on the beautiful island of Corfu, things didn't go quite so well.

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