History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 79, the Fourth Crusade Roman numeral 10.

Hello again.

Last week we saw the Venetians and Crusaders pillage and loot their way through the city of

Constantinople. And at the conclusion of the episode we saw Count Baldwin of Flanders crowned as the latest Byzantine emperor.

With a Latin Christian installed on the imperial throne, the victory of the Crusade instigated by Pope Innocent was complete.

For his part, Pope Innocent was initially thrilled about the outcome.

He received a letter from Emperor Baldwin outlining the Latin Christian achievement in

glowing terms and praising God for handing the Roman Church this victory.

The letter, quite understandably, failed to mention the death, rape and destruction wrought by the Crusaders, and also omitted the fact that much of Constantinople lay in ruins. Eventually, travellers and eyewitnesses to the

sacking made their way to Rome and rumors began circulating of the

terrible cost to Constantinople and her residence of the

crusader's victory.

Pope Innocent's unbridled joy at the outcome of his crusade first turned to disquiet and then once

the stories were verified to disgust. He wrote to Emperor Baldwin denouncing the atrocities committed. He was also

furious at the way the spoils had been divided. A new patriarch of the Orthodox Church

had even been appointed and all this had been done without any consultation at all with the Papal Sea.

Pope Innocent was appalled to learn that his legate in Constantinople, Peter of Saint Michelle, had issued a decree absolving all those involved

in the Fourth Crusade from any further obligation to journey to the Holy Land. To cap everything off, Pope Innocent could see that

throughout the whole venture the Venetians had outplayed the Crusaders, and now the lion's share of the spoils were also in Venetian hands.

In accordance with the terms of the treaty they had made, the Venetians claimed three-eighths of Constantinople,

taking the part which included the Ayea Sophia, the domain of the newly installed Venetian Patriarch Thomas Morissini.

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