CHAPTER IX

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THE FIFTH CRUSADE.

1198 Election of Innocent III. 144

Effect of the crusades in extending the jurisdiction of the pope 145

Weakening of the imperial power 146

Growing mistrust of the court of Rome by the peoples of Europe 146

Effects of Innocent to remove this mistrust 147

Fulk of Neuilly 148

The mission of Fulk sanctioned by the pope 149

Efforts of his eloquence 149

1202 Death of Fulk 150

1200 The chiefs of the fifth crusade 150

1201 Mission from the French barons to Venice 150

Compact for the conveyance of the crusaders to Palestine 151

1202 Failure of the crusaders to make up the sum agreed on with the Venetians 152

Proposal to commute the payment by an expedition against Zara 153

1195 Mission to Rome to ask aid for the dethroned Byzantine emperor, Isaac Angelus 153

Determination of the Venetians to insist on the expedition to Zara 154

1202 Siege and conquest of Zara, Nov. 15 155

Proposal to direct the crusade to the restoration of Alexios at Constantinople 155

Resolution to accept the terms proposed by Alexios 156

Negotiations with the pope for the removal of the interdict 157

1203 Vain attempts of Innocent to oppose the expedition 158

Easter Arrival of the fleet at Constantinople 158

Flight of the usurper Alexios 159

The crusaders are compelled to winter at Constantinople 160

Efforts of Mourzoufle to detach Alexios from the crusaders 160

Deposition and death of Alexios 161

Resolution to set up a Latin dynasty in Constantinople 161

1204 Siege and conquest of Constantinople 162

April Horrible excesses of the crusaders 162

Election of Baldwin, count of Flanders, as emperor of the East 163

Election of Thomas Morosini as patriarch of Constantinople 164

Embassies from Baldwin and the Venetians to the pope 165

Answers of Innocent III. 166

Results of the crusade to the pope and to the Venetians 167

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