Fourth Crusade

The Fourth Crusade was a Western European expedition launched to recover Jerusalem that instead captured and sacked Constantinople in 1204.

Siege of Zara: A 1202 siege in which crusaders captured the Christian city of Zara for Venice. The army’s first major diversion followed its inability to pay Venice for transport.
Pope Innocent III: The pope from 1198 to 1216 who promoted the crusade and condemned attacks on Christian cities. He called the expedition and sought to direct its goals.
Boniface of Montferrat: A northern Italian noble who led the Fourth Crusade after its original commander died. As crusade leader, he negotiated with Venice and Byzantine claimants.
Latin Empire: A Crusader state established in Constantinople after the city’s capture in 1204. The victors replaced Byzantine rule with a Latin regime.
Council of Soissons: A church council held in 1201 that addressed the excommunication of crusaders who attacked Zara. The response to Zara’s capture showed the limits of papal control over the expedition.
Alexios IV Angelos: A Byzantine prince who promised money and military support to crusaders seeking to restore him to the throne. His offer drew the crusaders toward Constantinople in 1203.
Fulk of Neuilly: A French preacher who helped recruit participants for the Fourth Crusade after Innocent III’s call. His preaching helped turn the pope’s plan into a recruited army.
Enrico Dandolo: The doge of Venice from 1192 to 1205, who helped organize and direct the crusader fleet. His leadership made Venice central to the expedition’s changing plans.
Nicaean Empire: A Byzantine successor state established in western Asia Minor after Constantinople fell to the crusaders. Its rulers became the leading force seeking to recover the lost capital.
Alexios V Doukas: A Byzantine emperor who seized power in 1204 and opposed the crusaders before Constantinople fell. His coup ended the fragile settlement that had kept the crusaders in the city.

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