Afterwards, by the advice of the Greeks and the French the Emperor
Alexius issued from Constantinople, with a very great company,
purposing to quiet the empire and subject it to his will. With him went
a great part of the barons; and the others remained to guard the camp.
The Marquis Boniface of Montferrat went with him, and Count Hugh of St.
Paul, and Henry, brother to Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault, and
James of Avesnes, and William of Champlitte, and Hugh of Colerni, and
many others whom the book does not here mention by name. In the camp
remained Count Baldwin of Flanders and Hainault, and Count Louis of
Blois and Chartres, and the greater part of the pilgrims of lesser
note.
And you must know that during this progress all the Greeks, on either
side of the straits, came to the Emperor Alexius, to do his will and
commandment, and did him fealty and homage as to their lord—all except
John, who was King of Wallachia and Bulgaria. This John was a
Wallachian, who had rebelled against his father and uncle, and had
warred against them for twenty years, and had won from them so much
land that he had become a very wealthy king. And be it known to you,
that of the land lying on the west side of the Straits of St. George,
he had conquered very nearly the half. This John did not come to do the
will of the emperor, nor to submit himself to him.
CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GREEKS AND LATINS IN CONSTANTINOPLE-BURNING OF THE
CITY
While the Emperor Alexius was away on this progress, there befell a
very grievous misadventure; for a conflict arose between the Greeks and
the Latins who inhabited Constantinople, and of these last there were
many. And certain people—who they were I know not—out of malice, set
fire to the city; and the fire waxed so great and horrible that no man
could put it out or abate it. And when the barons of the host, who were
quartered on the other side of the port, saw this, they were sore
grieved and filled with pity-seeing the great churches and the rich
palaces melting and falling in, and the great streets filled with
merchandise burning in the flames; but they could do nothing.
Thus did the fire prevail, and win across the port, even to the densest
part of the city, and to the sea on the other side, quite near to the
church of St. Sophia. It lasted two days and two nights, nor could it
be put out by the hand of man. And the front of the fire, as it went
flaming, was well over half a league broad. What was the damage then
done, what the possessions and riches swallowed up, could no man
tell-nor what the number of men and women and children who perished-for
many were burned.
All the Latins, to whatever land they might belong, who were lodged in
Constantinople, dared no longer to remain therein; but they took their
wives and their children, and such of their possessions as they could
save from the fire, and entered into boats and vessels, and passed over
the port and came to the camp of the pilgrims. Nor were they few in
number, for there were of them some fifteen thousand, small and great;
and afterwards it proved to be of advantage to the pilgrims that these
should have crossed over to them. Thus was there division between the
Greeks and the Franks; nor were they ever again as much at one as they
had been before, for neither side knew on whom to cast the blame for
the fire; and this rankled in men’s hearts upon either side.
At that time did a thing befall whereby the barons and those of the
host were greatly saddened; for the Abbot of Loos died, who was a holy
man and a worthy, and had wished well to the host. He was a monk of the
order of the Cistercians.
THE YOUNG ALEXIUS RETURNS TO CONSTANTINOPLIZHE FAILS IN HIS PROMISES TO
THE CRUSADERS
The Emperor Alexius remained for a long time on progress, till St.
Martin’s Day, and then he returned to Constantinople. Great was the joy
at his home-coming, and the Greeks and ladies of Constantinople went
out to meet their friends in great cavalcades, and the pilgrims went
out to meet their friends, and had great joy of them. So did the
emperor re-enter Constantinople and the palace of Blachernæ; and the
Marquis of Montferrat and the other barons returned to the camp.
The emperor, who had managed his affairs right well and thought he had
now the upper hand, was filled with arrogance towards the barons and
those who had done so much for him, and never came to see them in the
camp, as he had done aforetime. And they sent to him and begged him to
pay them the moneys due, as he had covenanted. But he led them on from
delay to delay, making them, at one time and another, payments small
and poor; and in the end the payments ceased and came to naught.
The Marquis Boniface of Montferrat, who had done more for him than any
other, and stood better in his regard, went to him oftentimes, and
showed him what great services the Crusaders had rendered him, and that
greater services had never been rendered to any one. And the emperor
still entertained them with delays, and never carried out such things
as he had promised, so that at last they saw and knew clearly that his
intent was wholly evil.
Then the barons of the host held a parliament with the Doge of Venice,
and they said that they now knew that the emperor would fulfil no
covenant, nor ever speak sooth to them; and they decided to send good
envoys to demand the fulfilment of their covenant, and to show what
services they had done him; and if he would now do what was required,
they were to be satisfied; but, if not, they were to defy him, and
right well might he rest assured that the barons would by all means
recover their due.