The Fourth Crusade

Question 1

When was the Fourth Crusade?

Answer 1

August 1198

Question 2

When did the Fourth Crusade end?

Answer 2

1205

Question 3

Who called for the Fourth Crusade and why?

Answer 3

Pope Innocent III called for the crusade to pick up where the Third Crusade ended and recapture Jerusalem

Question 4

However, what did the Fourth Crusade turn out to be?

Answer 4

Rather than recapturing Jerusalem, the crusaders attacked Zara and Constantinople

Question 5

Why was Innocent desperate to start a Crusade?

Answer 5

He wanted to be the Pope who recaptured Jerusalem, he expressed his desire to personally lead a Crusade

Question 6

What did the death of Thibault of Champagne do?

Answer 6

In May 1201 when the important leader - Thibault III died - many of the French decided to return home

Question 7

What were the ways Innocent maximised the attraction of Crusaders? (2)

Answer 7

1: in the last crusaders, they were offered version 1 of ‘indulgence’. However, he offered this time a ‘plenary indulgence’ - which was designed to guaranteed that all your sins would be forgiven, whether the individual had done enough in the eyes of God. Additionally he made this indulgence available to a wider range of people
2: in the past, a crusader had to seek the permission of his wife before he could except the crusade vow. However, Innocent decided to abandon this in hope to provide a boost to crusade recruitment - it showed Innocent would bend the church laws to improve success

Question 8

Who was allowed to get plenary indulgence? (3)

Answer 8

1: a self-funding Crusaders
2: a crusader whose journey was funded by someone else
3: a non-crusader who paid for another to go on a crusade

Question 9

What did Innocent hope these reforms would do?

Answer 9

He hoped it would help booster the funding for the crusade and discourage any person who was not engaged in fighting from taking part

Question 10

How did Innocent insure the mistakes in the past were not repeated? (2)

Answer 10

1: abandonment - stated that a crusader had to commit to 2 years of service to fulfil their vow
2: cost - tried to raise funds by:
- a general tax
- encourage donations (chests were set up in the Churches. Donors would receive indulgence in return for their support)
- encouraged bishops to commit 1/13 of their income on the crusade

Question 11

❗️Why did Innocent fail to recruit Richard I?

Answer 11

Recruiting Richard would have brought followers and funding however, Peter of Capuano negotiations failed. He first asked for a five year truce between Richard and Philip II - which Richard was willing to do - then he asked for the release of Bishop Philip of Baeuvais (who he despised)

Question 12

Why did Innocent fail to recruit Philip II?

Answer 12

Peter of Capuano insisted that Philip restore his lawful wife to his courts and send away his new wife - Philip refused. Second Philip was bust trying to invade England after the death of Richard to enhance his kingdom

Question 13

What mistake did Innocent make when recruiting crusaders?

Answer 13

He failed to associate crusading with chivalric values. The new values meant that prominence was placed on leaders like Richard I rather that the old values. Knights wouldn’t follow Innocent to just show off, instead they would follow their leader

Question 14

What were Innocents problems of logistics?

Answer 14

1: he changed the features of the Crusade too much too quickly. For example, In 1199 he failed at a Church-wide tax - most still believed that payment to go on a Crusade should be payed by the individual rather than the Church
2: Innocent gave the crusaders a deadline of 6 months - hardly have time for recruitment and transport (unrealistic/over ambitious)

Question 15

Explain Innocents failure to influence the Zara campaign

Answer 15

Innocent tried to stop the attack on Zara by sending a letter forbidding to attack and threatening to excommunicate any Christian who took part. However, the crusade leaders chose to suppress. Secondly Innocent sent Peter of Capuano to condemn the attack, however, he gave the crusaders approval for attack

Question 16

❗️Explain Innocents failure to prevent the diversion to Constantinople

Answer 16

Innocent used diplomatic means to encourage Alexius III to leave the Fourth Crusade alone and allow it to proceed to Outremer. In 1203 he sent a letter banning a attack on Christian lands without a just cause (again it was suppressed) - despite this the diversion still happened.

Question 17

What was Innocents last attempt to at stopping the attack to Constantinople?

Answer 17

He removed the symbol papal authority from the Crusade and sent another letter to ban the trip to Constantinople. However, it was too late, the crusaders were en routes

Question 18

What happened after the attack of Constantinople?

Answer 18

The crusaders stayed in Romania and in 1205 Peter granted then ‘absolution’ (release from a vow) and the Crusade was over

Question 19

❗️What was the Treaty of Venice?

Answer 19

A treaty in 1201 that assumed the Venetians would provide:

• 33,500 men
• 9 months food supply
• 4,500 horses

In return they would receive:

• 85,000 marks in instalments
• deposit of 5,000 marks

Question 20

❗️Why was the Treaty of Venice one sided?

Answer 20

While the Venetians were guaranteed 85,000 marks, the crusaders were not guaranteed 33,500 troops. Only 12,00 had arrived - only 1,800 being knights and the rest of them troops or squires

Question 21

What did doge Enrico Dandolo suggest?

Answer 21

When the crusaders arrived in Venice, they were unable to pay off the debt, they were left in a state of limbo - unable to continue and unwilling to leave. Dandolo then offered the postponement of the debt if they helped him capture Zara

Question 22

Why was an attack on Zara seen as bad?

Answer 22

It was a Christian city

Question 23

How did the attack on Zara effect the crusade?

Answer 23

It delayed the journey, several of the leaders abandoned the cause and some began to question their actions against the papal command

Question 24

Why did Prince Alexius Angelus appeal to the crusaders?

Answer 24

To restore his father back on the Byzantine throne and crown the prince (himself) as his co-emperor after his uncle - Alexius III took the throne

Question 25

❗️In return, what did Prince Alexius offer the crusaders?

Answer 25

• 200,000 marks
• 10,000 troops to join the Crusade
• payment of 500 knights would would defend Outremer until his death

Question 26

Why was this offer incredible?

Answer 26

It gave the crusaders a fighting chance to recapture Jerusalem with the extra 10,000 troops. It also meant that they could pay if their debt to the Venetians - which had 6 months left - at the end of the 6 months it would result in loss of troops and supplies that was given

Question 27

❗️Why did Prince Alexius struggle with the promises he made?

Answer 27

Prince Alexius, did not have full control of the empire, which meant they couldn’t be taxed. He was able to put 100,000 marks but struggled to get more money. In November 1203, he had to stop the payments to the crusaders

Question 28

Why were the crusaders caught in a trap?

Answer 28

In order for prince Alexius to deliver on his promises, they would have to strengthen his position as emperor

Question 29

❗️What did the fall of Prince Alexius mean for the crusaders?

Answer 29

On 27 January 1204, prince Alexius and his father were imprisoned - this meant that he was no longer able to fulfil his promises. His death in February confirmed this

Question 30

Why did the crusaders continue on attacking Constantinople?

Answer 30

The new emperor - Alexius V - made it clear he wasn’t going to carry on the support. The crusaders decided to take what they supposed to get by force

Question 31

❗️What was the ‘March Pact of 1204’?

Answer 31

A pre-attack agreement to ensure that once Constantinople was captured the western forces did not turn on one another

Question 32

What were the terms of the pact? (3)

Answer 32

1: the Venetians would take most of the ‘booty’ until their debt was payed off
2: a new emperor to replace Alexius V would be chosen by 12 electors (the emperor would then have limited power)
3: the empire would be divided and handed out to the Venetians and crusaders

Question 33

Why was the pact a sensible move?

Answer 33

It would ensure the crusaders and the Venetians remained united

Question 35

When was the capture of Constantinople?

Answer 35

April 1204