Participants of the Fourth Crusade, goals, outcome

The era of knightly campaigns in the Middle East left a significant mark in the history of Western Europe. In this article, we will cover the background, main events, as well as some participants of the Fourth Crusade.

Why was this 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.

More details about these events you will learn from the article.

The situation in Europe

As a result of the first three crusades, the population of Western Europe fell considerably. Many of those who returned from the Middle East, quickly despoiled gold in taverns. That is, over a hundred years a large number of impoverished, angry and hungry soldiers accumulate.

In addition, rumors begin to emerge that the Byzantines are to blame for all the failures and defeats of the Crusaders. It was said that they play on two fronts, helping both the knights and the Muslims. Such words contributed to the growth of hatred in the lower strata of society.

On the other hand, weakened by the defeats of previous campaigns, the Holy See began to lose its authority among European monarchs. Therefore, the participants in the Fourth Crusade needed Innocent III for the rise of Rome.

As a result, the former possessions on the territory of the former Byzantium became the only award received by the participants of the Fourth Crusade. The table of states of the period of the Francocracy is set in history lessons. After reading the article to the end, you can easily compile it.

The causes of the Fourth Crusade

As history has shown, four crusades changed the direction of Western Europe's foreign policy. If previously the only goal was to conquer the "grave of the Lord," now everything is changing dramatically.

The actual goals of the 4th Crusade did not coincide with the official version at all. But we'll talk about this later. Now let's examine the reasons for this military campaign.

Basically, the Fourth Crusade reflected the aspirations of secular power and imposed a thirst for revenge on 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 the quarrel between the warlords of the Crusaders and the absence of a single common plan of action, but the betrayal of the Byzantine emperor.

The reason for this conclusion, we'll talk a little further. Now it is important to note the aspirations of the Pope, which influenced the official purpose of the military campaign.

The fourth crusade of 1202 - 1204 years was to turn the Holy See into the leading position in Europe. After the Second and Third campaigns were defeated, the authority of Rome fell sharply. He greatly increased from the German rulers, who instead of the next "conquest of the grave of the Lord", arranged forcible baptism of the Wends.

In addition, the indignation of the simple crusaders grew. Many of them were veterans or children of the participants of the first campaigns, but did not receive due compensation. And from the knights of spiritual orders from the Middle East, information was received about the debauchery and rich life of the soldiers who settled there.

Thus, the Fourth Crusade became the unanimous decision of the bellicose part of Europeans. True, everyone had their own motives. We will talk about them further.

Official and real goals

As already mentioned above, the goals of the 4th Crusade differed among different strata of the population. Let's see what the difference was.

The Pope began again to call the "army of Christ" to protect the faith. But now the goal was proclaimed Egypt, and not Jerusalem. The Holy See considered that if the Fatimids fall, it will be easier to conquer Palestine.

On the one hand, Innocent III sought to gain maximum power in the Mediterranean region by weakening the Arab rulers. On the other hand, the victory in the crusade under the personal command of the Pope was to restore the authority of the representative of the Holy See in Western Europe.

The first to respond to the appeal of Innocent III was the response of the French Count Thibault, who did not receive a significant financial satisfaction of his ambitions in the war with England. Then his vassals pulled up. But soon he dies, and the place of commander-in-chief is occupied by the Montferrat Margrave, Boniface.

He played a crucial 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 the financial situation, to obtain new land. The situation was skillfully used by Venice. In fact, the army of thousands of Crusaders fulfilled the tasks of her doge.

He decided to expand the influence of the state, as well as make it the main sea power in the Mediterranean. This was the real goal of the Fourth Crusade, but the consequences were simply overwhelming. We'll 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. More than half a century everyone was talking about the betrayal of the Byzantine emperor and they were eager to take revenge for half a million crusaders dead. Now it turned out to be possible.

Preparation

At the end of the twelfth century, Rome and the secular rulers of Europe began to prepare independently for a new crusade. The Holy See collected offerings from monarchs and nobles, who did not want to go to the east. To these appeals a huge army of the poor gathered. They believed that if gentlemen pay, then they have a chance to earn.

The nobles came more pragmatically to this question. An agreement was signed with the Venetian Republic on the lease of a flotilla for the transfer of troops to Alexandria. So it was planned to begin the conquest of Egypt.

Doge of Venice requested 85 thousand silver marks. The collection period was 1202 years. When by this time a significant part of the army of the Crusaders came to the city, the money had not yet been collected. The soldiers were placed on the island of Lido, away from Venice, in order to prevent illness and disturbances. They were provided with provisions and provided the necessary services.

However, when the Doge found out that the army command was not able to raise the necessary funds, he stopped serving. Participants of the Fourth Crusade began to gradually run out. The campaign threatened failure, so Boniface of Montferrat had to negotiate with the Venetians about the barter.

From that moment on, the Fourth Crusade completely reverses its direction. The army of the Crusaders actually turns out to be the mercenaries of Venice. The first task was the seizure of the Croatian city of Zara. It was a Christian fortress under the patronage of the King of Hungary, who not long ago also accepted the faith of Christ.

This attack was contrary to all the foundations of society regarding the protection of coreligionists. In fact, the army of the Crusaders committed a crime against the Catholic faith and the Holy See. But no one could stop the soldiers who wanted revenge, especially since the next goal was planned for Constantinople.

Taking Zara

After the goals of the Fourth Crusade were changed, they acquired an exclusively secular trend. There could be no question of any "defense of faith" because Zara, the Christian bulwark in the territory of modern Croatia, became the first city taken.

This fortress was Venice's only equivalent rival on the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, the motives for this 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 independently went to the Holy Land 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 fulfilled the request of the Doge.

In November 1202 the soldiers of the cross went to the walls of Zara. This fortress was guarded by the Hungarian and Dalmatian garrisons. They could hold out for two weeks against the army of many thousands, in which there were many professional soldiers and battle-hardened veterans.

When the city fell, he was plundered and outraged. The streets were filled with corpses of people. For such brutality, the Pope excommunicated all the Crusaders from the church. But these words drowned in the clatter of looted gold. The army was pleased.

Since winter came, the crossing to Alexandria was postponed until the spring. For half a year the soldiers were quartered in Zara.

The fourth crusade, briefly , began with the curse of the army by the Pope and resulted in systematic military actions of some Christians with others.

The fall of Byzantium

After the capture of Zara, the goals of the Fourth Crusade moved from south to east. Now, the hatred for "Byzantine traitors", fueled by army priests, could be realized. At the insistence of the Venetian Doge, the fleet is sent not to Alexandria, which has become no longer interesting to the crusaders, but to Constantinople.

According to official documents, the army wrapped up in the capital of Byzantium to help the emperor Alexei Angel. His father, Isaac, was overthrown by a usurper and imprisoned in prison. In fact, in this event the interests of all European rulers intertwined.

Four crusades always aimed to expand the influence of the Catholic Church in the east. If it did not work with Palestine, then the second chance for Rome was the annexation of the Greek Orthodox Church. In words, denying everything, Innocent III strongly promoted the campaign against Constantinople.

The French and German nobles, as well as the Venetian Republic, also had views on the riches of the Byzantine Empire. Simple soldiers, who were fueled by calls to take revenge on traitors, became an instrument 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, was frightened and tried to escape. Instead, the people liberated and re-proclaimed Emperor Isaac. But the knights did not want to lose the money offered, they found and crowned Alexei. So in Constantinople there were two emperors at the same time.

Due to the difficult situation and high taxes, a rebellion began. To crush it, the crusaders entered the city. But peacekeeping this operation is difficult to call. Constantinople was plundered and burnt.

The Consequences of the Fall of Constantinople

It is interesting that the participants in the 4th Crusade planned and divided the Byzantine Empire back in Zara. In fact, the call of Alexei Angel became a gift of fate for diverting the eyes of the public and the rulers of other countries.

The captured state was planned to be divided into four parts. One was received by the proclaimed emperor from among crusaders. The three remaining were divided between Venice and the French knights. It is noteworthy that the parties participating in the section 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 forbade the concentration of secular and spiritual power in the same hands.

Venice in the division of the empire showed cunning and successfully used the dependent position of the Crusaders. This sea state has secured the richest and most promising coastal provinces.

Thus, it was precisely the seizure of Constantinople that ended the four crusades. The results of this military campaign will be announced further.

Results of the Crusade

Talk about the consequences of this military campaign should begin with changes that have occurred on the political map of medieval Europe. It was defeated and for half a century one of the strongest Christian empires ceased to exist.

Participants in the Fourth Crusade divided the lands of Byzantium into several states.

The events marked the beginning of the so-called "Franco-period", of which we will talk later.

While it is important to note one feature. The goals underwent a radical change during the Fourth Crusade. The result shows a deep crisis of similar European military campaigns. Now there was no question of any defense of faith, help to Christians in the east. Since the crusaders in two years managed to destroy the Christian empire.

The main result of this military campaign led by Venetian traders was the split of Christianity into the West and East. And with an irreconcilable attitude towards each other.

All subsequent events of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries only point to the attempts of the Holy See to use traditional campaigns to the east in order to strengthen its own power.

Francocracy

As we said earlier, all participants of the Fourth Crusade were excommunicated from the church. Nobody wanted to give the answer for crimes, therefore 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 kind of states were created in Byzantium?

The territory of the former Christian state was divided into the Epirus despot and three empires - Latin, Nicaean and Trapezund. These possessions proved to be more viable and protected than the Crusader states in the Middle East. There were several reasons for this.

First, they were small territorially, therefore could survive in a neighborhood with "incorrect" states. The Principalities of the Crusaders in the Levant were simply crushed by the Seljuk wave.

The system of managing empires was built on the principles of Western European principalities. Small feudal lords on the ground could provide greater protection to the lands than the large regular army that once settled in Constantinople.

Let's talk in more detail about the newly-formed states.

The Nicene Empire lasted fifty-seven years. Its rulers considered themselves direct heirs of Byzantium. This state was founded by Fyodor Laskaris, a high-ranking Greek, who fled from Constantinople. He was able to form a country on the fragments of the empire, and also to protect it in alliance with the Bulgarians from the Seljuks and the Latins.

Trabzon Empire was the longest education in this territory. It lasted about two hundred and fifty years. Founded and rules it the dynasty of the Comneni. It is a kind of emperors of Byzantium, reigning 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, the Comnenas buy possessions. Later on this territory was created Trebizond Empire.

Epirus kingdom has become a very interesting phenomenon in history. It was founded by Michael Komnen Duka. This Greek originally supported Boniface in Constantinople. When he was sent to gain a foothold in Epirus, he becomes there an autocratic ruler and proclaims himself the successor to Byzantium. It is noteworthy that contemporaries called it "Greek Noah", which saved the Orthodox from the Latin Flood.

The last in our list will be the Latin Empire. She, like Nicaean, lasted only fifty-seven years. Both states ceased to exist after the return of Constantinople by the Byzantines in 1261.

These are the consequences of the Fourth Crusade. The result of such a military adventure surpassed all expectations, forever split Europe to the east and west.

Monferrat - leader of the Fourth Crusade

Earlier, we listed some participants of the 4th Crusade. Many of them gained their own domains in the Latin Empire. However, now we are talking about the leader of the military campaign of 1202 - 1204 years.

As indicated above, the first response to the appeal of the Pope was the French Count Thibaut. But soon he dies, and the Crusaders are headed by Boniface, the Italian prince.

By origin he was a Montferrat margrave. Participated in the wars of the emperors against the Lombard League and Sicily. From this time he gets recognition among the Crusaders as an experienced commander.

In Soissons in 1201 he is proclaimed the sole leader of the Fourth Crusade. In the course of this military campaign, he shields himself with the doge of Venice, showing the European rulers that not the crusaders, but Enrico Dandolo, are responsible for all the excesses.

However, after the seizure of Constantinople, he demanded that he be made emperor. But it was not supported by the participants in the 4th Crusade. The answer of the Byzantines was negative. They did not want to promote the rise of Monferrat. Therefore, Boniface got the property of Thessaloniki and Crete.

The ruler of the Thessalonica State perished in the battle with the Bulgarians, not far from the Rhodopes. His country lasted twenty years.

Thus, in this article we have learned the prerequisites, the course of events and the consequences of the Fourth Crusade. And also got acquainted with some of his outstanding participants.