The era of knightly campaigns in the Middle East left a significant mark on the history of Western Europe. In this article, we will highlight the background, main events, as well as some of the participants in the Fourth Crusade.
Why was this particular campaign chosen for the article? The answer is simple. It contributed to important changes in the political map of the world, and also completely redirected the foreign policy vector of European states.
You will learn more about these events from the article.
The situation in Europe
As a result of the first three crusades, the population of Western Europe was significantly reduced. Many of those who returned from the Middle East quickly sold the looted gold in taverns. That is, for a hundred years, a large number of impoverished, angry and hungry soldiers accumulate.
In addition, rumors begin to appear that in all the failures andThe Byzantines were to blame for the defeats of the crusaders. It was said that they were playing on two fronts, helping both the knights and the Muslims. Words like these fueled hatred in the lower strata of society.
On the other hand, weakened by the defeats of previous campaigns, the Holy See began to lose authority among European monarchs. Therefore, the participants of the Fourth Crusade were needed by Innocent III for the rise of Rome.
As a result, fief possessions on the territory of the former Byzantium became the only award that the participants of the Fourth Crusade received. The table of states of the Francocracy period is given in history lessons. After reading the article to the end, you can easily compose it.
Reasons for the Fourth Crusade
As history has shown, the 4 Crusades changed the direction of Western Europe's foreign policy. If earlier the only goal was to conquer the “Holy Sepulcher”, now everything is changing dramatically.
The actual goals of the 4th crusade were completely different from the official version. But we will talk about this later. Now let's look at the reasons for this military campaign.
Basically, the Fourth Crusade reflected the aspirations of secular power and the imposed thirst for revenge of ordinary soldiers. When they began to weigh the reasons for the defeat of the first three campaigns, especially the Second Campaign, they came to unexpected conclusions. It turns out that the main problem was not a quarrel between the commanders of the crusaders and the lack of a single common plan of action, but the betrayal of the Byzantine emperor.
We will talk about the reason for this conclusiona little further. Now it is important to note the aspirations of the Pope, which influenced the official goal of the military campaign.
The Fourth Crusade of 1202 - 1204 was supposed to screw the Holy See to a leading position in Europe. After the Second and Third campaigns were defeated, the authority of Rome fell sharply. It increased significantly among the German rulers, who, instead of another "conquest of the Holy Sepulcher", staged a forced baptism of the Wends.
In addition, the indignation of ordinary crusaders grew. Many of them were veterans or children of participants in the first campaigns, but did not receive proper compensation. And from the knights of spiritual orders from the Middle East, information was received about the promiscuity and rich life of the soldiers settled there.
Thus, the Fourth Crusade became the unanimous decision of the militant part of the Europeans. True, each had their own motives. We will talk about them further.
Official and real goals
As mentioned above, the goals of the 4th crusade differed among different segments of the population. Let's see what was the difference.
The Pope began to convene again the "army of Christ" to defend the faith. But now the target was Egypt, not Jerusalem. The Holy See thought that if the Fatimids fell, it would be easier to conquer Palestine.
On the one hand, Innocent III sought to gain maximum power in the Mediterranean region, weakening the Arab rulers. On the other hand, the victory in the crusade under the personal command of the PopeRimsky was supposed to restore the authority of the representative of the Holy See in Western Europe.
The French Count Thibault was the first to respond to the call of Innocent III, who did not receive significant financial satisfaction for his ambitions in the war with England. Next came his vassals. But soon he dies, and the place of commander-in-chief is taken by the Margrave of Montferrat, Boniface.
He played a major role in the campaign, but we'll talk about his personality at the end of the article. The Fourth Crusade for secular rulers was an opportunity to improve their financial situation and gain new lands. Venice skillfully took advantage of the situation. In fact, an army of thousands of crusaders carried out the tasks of her doge.
He decided to expand the influence of the state, and also make it the main maritime power in the Mediterranean. This became the real goal of the Fourth Crusade, but the consequences were simply stunning. We will talk about this at the end of the article.
The campaign against the empire was supported by ordinary soldiers because the command played on the mood of the people. For more than half a century, everyone has been talking about the betrayal of the Byzantine emperor and eager to avenge half a million dead crusaders. Now it's possible.
Preparation
At the end of the twelfth century, Rome and the secular rulers of Europe began to independently prepare for a new crusade. The Holy See collected offerings from monarchs and nobles who did not want to go east. These appeals gathered a huge army of the poor. They consideredthat if the gentlemen pay, then they have a chance to earn.
The nobles approached this issue more pragmatically. An agreement was signed with the Venetian Republic on the lease of a flotilla to transport troops to Alexandria. This was how the conquest of Egypt was planned to begin.
The Doge of Venice asked for 85,000 silver marks. The deadline for collecting the amount was given until 1202. When by this time a significant part of the crusader army approached the city, the money had not yet been collected. The soldiers were placed on the island of Lido, away from Venice, to prevent disease and unrest. Provisions were delivered to them and the necessary services were provided.
However, when the Doge found out that the army command was unable to raise the necessary funds, he stopped the service. The participants of the Fourth Crusade began to gradually disperse. The campaign was in danger of failure, so Boniface of Montferrat had to negotiate with the Venetians about barter.
From now on, the Fourth Crusade completely changes its direction. The crusader army actually turns out to be Venice's mercenaries. The first task was the capture of the Croatian city of Zara. It was a Christian fortress under the patronage of the King of Hungary, who not so long ago also accepted the faith of Christ.
This attack went against all the foundations of society regarding the protection of fellow believers. In fact, the crusader army committed a crime against the Catholic faith and the Holy See. But the soldiers thirsting for revenge, no one couldstop, especially since Constantinople was planned as the next target.
The Taking of Zara
After the goals of the Fourth Crusade were changed, they acquired an exclusively secular direction. There was no question of any "defense of the faith", since the first city taken was Zara, a Christian stronghold on the territory of modern Croatia.
This fortress was the only equal rival of Venice in the Mediterranean. Therefore, the motives for such behavior of the Doge are obvious.
When the command of the crusaders learned from Boniface about the condition of deferred payment for the crossing to Alexandria, many refused to participate. Some even separated and went to the Holy Land on their own or returned home.
However, the bulk had nothing to lose, since most of the soldiers came from the poorest sections of society. Any robbery was their only way to earn money. Therefore, the crusaders complied with the Doge's request.
In November 1202, the warriors of the cross approached the walls of Zara. This fortress was guarded by the Hungarian and Dalmatian garrisons. They were able to hold out for two whole weeks against an army of many thousands, which included many professional soldiers and battle-hardened veterans.
When the city fell, it was plundered and ravaged. The streets were littered with the corpses of the inhabitants. For such atrocity, the Pope excommunicated all the crusaders from the church. But these words were drowned in the sound of stolen gold. The army was pleased.
Because winter came, the crossing to Alexandria was postponed untilspring. The soldiers were stationed in Zara for half a year.
The Fourth Crusade, in short, began with the curse of the army by the Pope and resulted in systematic hostilities of some Christians with others.
Fall of Byzantium
After the capture of Zara, the targets of the Fourth Crusade moved from south to east. Now the hatred for the “Byzantine traitors” fueled by the army priests could be realized. At the insistence of the Venetian Doge, the flotilla is sent not to Alexandria, which has become no longer interesting to the crusaders, but to Constantinople.
According to official documents, the army turned to the capital of Byzantium to help Emperor Alexei Angel. His father, Isaac, was overthrown by a usurper and imprisoned. In fact, the interests of all European rulers intertwined in this event.
4 Crusades have always aimed to expand the influence of the Catholic Church in the east. If Palestine did not work out, then the second chance for Rome was the accession of the Greek Orthodox Church. Verbally denying everything, Innocent III in every possible way contributed to the campaign against Constantinople.
French and German nobles, as well as the Republic of Venice, also had views of the we alth of the Byzantine Empire. Ordinary soldiers, who were fueled by calls to take revenge on the traitors, became a tool for those in power.
When the army approached the city, there was a struggle for power. Alexei, who promised a reward to the crusaders for his coronation, got scared and tried to escape. Instead of himthe people freed and re-proclaimed Isaac emperor. But the knights did not want to lose the money offered, they found and crowned Alexei. So there were two emperors in Constantinople at the same time.
Because of the difficult situation and high requisitions, a rebellion began. To suppress it, the crusaders entered the city. But it is difficult to call this peacekeeping operation. Constantinople was sacked and burned.
Consequences of the fall of Constantinople
It is interesting that the participants of the 4th Crusade planned and divided the Byzantine Empire back in Zara. In fact, the appeal of Alexei Angel became a gift of fate to avert the eyes of the public and the rulers of other countries.
The captured state was planned to be divided into four parts. One received the proclaimed emperor from among the crusaders. The three remaining were divided between Venice and the French knights. It is noteworthy that the parties involved in the division signed the following agreement. The representative of one side receives the throne of the emperor, and the other - the tiara of the patriarch. The decision prohibited the concentration of secular and spiritual power in one hand.
Venice, when dividing the empire, showed cunning and successfully took advantage of the dependent position of the crusaders. This maritime state has secured the richest and most promising coastal provinces.
Thus, it was the capture of Constantinople that ended the 4th Crusade. The results of this military campaign will be announced later.
Results of the Crusade
Talk about the consequences of thisthe military campaign should begin with the changes that have taken place on the political map of medieval Europe. One of the strongest Christian empires was defeated and ceased to exist for half a century.
Participants of the Fourth Crusade divided the lands of Byzantium into several states.
Events marked the beginning of the so-called "period of francocracy", which we will discuss later.
So far, it is important to note one feature. Objectives underwent a drastic change during the Fourth Crusade. The result shows the deep crisis of similar European military campaigns. Now there was no question of any defense of the faith, help to Christians in the east. Since the crusaders managed to destroy the Christian empire in two years.
The main result of this military campaign led by Venetian merchants was the split of Christianity into Western and Eastern. And with an irreconcilable attitude towards each other.
All subsequent events of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries point solely to the attempts of the Holy See to use traditional campaigns to the east in order to strengthen their own power.
Francocracy
As we said earlier, all participants in the Fourth Crusade were excommunicated from the church. No one wanted to answer for the crimes, so only secular states are formed on the territory of the Byzantine Empire.
The Holy See was content with the fall and temporary incapacity of the Greek Orthodox Church.
What states were created in Byzantium?
The territory of the former Christian state was divided into the Despotate of Epirus and three empires - Latin, Nicene and Trebizond. These possessions turned out to be more viable and protected than the crusader states in the Middle East. There were several reasons for this.
Firstly, they were small geographically, so they could survive in the vicinity of "infidel" states. The principalities of the crusaders in the Levant were simply crushed by the Seljuk wave.
The management system of empires was built on the principles of Western European principalities. Small local feudal lords could provide more protection to the lands than the large regular army that was once located in Constantinople.
Let's talk more about newly formed states.
The Empire of Nicaea lasted fifty-seven years. Its rulers considered themselves the direct heirs of Byzantium. This state was founded by Theodore Laskaris, a high-ranking Greek who fled from Constantinople. He was able to form a country on the fragments of the empire, and also protect it in alliance with the Bulgarians from the Seljuks and Latins.
The Empire of Trebizond has become the longest formation in this territory. It lasted for about two hundred and fifty years. It was founded and ruled by the Komnenos dynasty. This is the line of emperors of Byzantium, who reigned before the Angels. Later they were expelled and settled in the former Roman province of Pontus. Here, with the money of a relative, the Georgian queen Tamara, Komnenos buy possessions. Later, the Empire of Trebizond was created on this territory.
The kingdom of Epirus has become very interestingphenomenon in history. It was founded by Michael Komnenos Duka. This Greek initially supported Boniface in Constantinople. When he was sent to gain a foothold in Epirus, he becomes the sole ruler there and proclaims himself the successor of Byzantium. It is noteworthy that contemporaries called him the "Greek Noah", who saved the Orthodox from the Latin flood.
Last on our list will be the Latin Empire. She, like Nicaea, lasted only fifty-seven years. Both states ceased to exist after the return of Constantinople to the Byzantines in 1261.
These are the consequences of the Fourth Crusade. The result of such a military adventure exceeded all expectations, forever splitting Europe into east and west.
Montferrat is the leader of the Fourth Crusade
Earlier, we have listed some of the participants of the 4th crusade. Many of them received fiefs in the Latin Empire. However, now we will talk about the leader of the military campaign of 1202-1204.
As mentioned above, the French Count Thibault was the first to respond to the call of the Pope. But he soon dies, and the crusaders are led by Boniface, the Italian prince.
By origin, he was the Margrave of Montferrat. Participated in the wars of the emperors against the Lombard League and Sicily. Since that time, he has been recognized among the crusaders as an experienced commander.
In Soissons in 1201 he is proclaimed the sole leader of the Fourth Crusade. During this military campaign, he hides behind the Doge of Venice, showing the Europeansrulers that it is not the crusaders who are responsible for all the atrocities, but Enrico Dandolo.
However, after the capture of Constantinople, he demanded to be made emperor. But the participants of the 4th crusade did not support him. The answer of the Byzantines was negative. They did not wish to contribute to the rise of Montferrat. Therefore, Boniface received the ownership of Thessaloniki and the island of Crete.
The ruler of Thessaloniki state died in a battle with the Bulgarians, not far from the Rhodopes. His country lasted twenty years.
Thus, in this article we have learned the background, course of events and consequences of the Fourth Crusade. We also met some of its prominent members.
