The Forsaking of the High Enterprise
_'Tis Greece, but living Greece no more._
BYRON: _Childe Harold._
The Siege of Zara affords one more example of the fatal disunion which
was always appearing among the ranks of the Crusaders.
From the first, the Abbot de Vaux, who had to some extent taken the
place of the priest Fulk (now gone to his rest), had protested against
warring upon the King of Hungary, who was himself a Crusader. The Pope
sent urgent messages forbidding the whole enterprise; and when he found
that the Venetians paid no heed to this prohibition, the Marquis of
Montferrat, leader of the host, found convenient business which would
for some time detain him from leading the host against his
fellow-Christians.
Even when the Crusaders assembled before the city walls, there were
plenty of traitors in the camp only too ready to work mischief. When
the people of Zara, utterly dismayed at the sight of the great host
before their walls, sent messengers to the Doge, offering to yield up
city and goods, if only their lives were spared, the latter replied,
quite rightly, that he must first get the consent of the counts and
barons of the Crusading pilgrims before he could accept any conditions.
{176}
But while the Doge tried to obtain this consent, some of the
discontented and disloyal members were busy talking to the envoys.
"Why should you surrender your city? The pilgrims will not attack
you--have no fear of them. If you can defend yourselves against the
Venetians, you will be safe enough." One of them even went upon the
walls of the city and made a similar declaration to the citizens.
Consequently the envoys returned to those who sent them, and the
negotiations were broken off.
Meantime the Doge and the barons had promptly decided to accept the
conditions offered, and were returning to make this known in public,
when the Abbot de Vaux confronted the council with--"Lords, I forbid
you on the part of the Pope of Rome to attack this city; for those
within it are Christians and you are pilgrims," and then informed the
Doge that the envoys had departed.
Great was the wrath of Dandolo, as he declared to the counts and
barons, "Signors, I had this city, by their own agreement, at my mercy,
and your people have broken that agreement; you have covenanted to help
me to conquer it, and I summon you to do so."
"Now are we ashamed if we do not help to take the city," was the
verdict of the Crusaders when the matter had been discussed, and they
came to the Doge and said:
"Sire, we will help you to take the city in despite of those who would
let and hinder us."
It was a sorry business altogether, that siege of Zara, and though we
may sympathise with their reluctance to attack their fellow-Christians
with the arms destined for the fall of Islam, we must remember the
solemn undertaking given to the Doge in payment of a just debt. {177}
Fortunately the siege lasted but five days, when the citizens, finding
their position hopeless, surrendered the city on condition that their
lives were spared. With great generosity the Doge divided the town
into two parts, and handed one over to the French for winter quarters.
The Venetians settled on the other, for it was impossible to return
before Easter.
Scarcely had they been lodged there three days when "there began a
fray, exceeding fell and fierce, between the Venetians and the Franks
... and the fray was so fierce that there were but few streets in which
battle did not rage with swords and lances and cross-bows and darts;
and many people were killed and wounded."
Perhaps this incident served to convince the leaders of the difficulty
of inducing the quarrelsome soldiers of two nations to sit down
together in peace for any considerable period, and to induce them to
look with more favour upon their next visitors. These were the envoys
of King Philip of Germany and the young Alexios, who came, bringing
this message to the Crusaders and the Doge:
"Lords," said King Philip, "I will send you the brother of my wife, and
I commit him into the hands of God--may He keep him from death--and
into your hands. And because you have fared forth for God, and for
right, and for justice, therefore are you bound, in so far as you are
able, to restore to their own inheritance those who have been
unrighteously despoiled. And my wife's brother will make with you the
best terms ever offered to any people, and give you the most puissant
help for the recovery of the land oversea."
This proposal was the occasion of much debate. The Abbot de Vaux was
all for the dispersal of the host, or {178} an immediate advance upon
Palestine. The other side pointed out that they would not be able to
do anything, disunited as they were, if they went to Palestine, and
that it was only "by way of Babylon or of Greece, that the land oversea
could actually be recovered."
"If we reject this covenant," they urged, "we shall be shamed to all
time."
So the treaty with Alexios was accepted, even by the Marquis of
Montferrat, who had at first held aloof in deference to the wishes of
the Pope. Innocent himself did all in his power to break down their
resolve, hurling the bolt of excommunication upon the Venetians, and
warning the Crusaders that the Empire of Constantinople was under his
special protection. But Dandolo remained unmoved, and the Crusading
chiefs, influenced by the desire for the rich booty of Constantinople,
were all on his side save Simon de Montfort, who betook himself, with
his men, and several of his colleagues, forthwith to the Court of
Hungary. It was pointed out to the Pope that the fall of
Constantinople would bring back the Eastern Church within the fold of
the Western Church, and the threats of Innocent grew fainter and
fainter as preparation for the attack went on apace, and the young
prince Alexios himself joined the host at Zara.
So, on the Eve of Pentecost, 1203, "there were all the ships assembled,
and all the transports, and all the galleys of the host, and many other
ships of merchants that fared with them. And the day was fine and
clear, and the wind soft and favourable, and they unfurled all their
sails to the breeze.
"And Geoffrey, the Marshal of Champagne, who dictates this work, _and
has never lied therein by one word to his knowledge_, and who was,
moreover, present at all {179} the councils held--he bears witness that
never was yet seen so fair a sight. Well might it appear that such a
fleet would conquer and gain lands, for, far as the eye could reach,
there was no space without sails, and ships, and vessels, so that the
hearts of men rejoiced greatly."
At the Straits of Malea they met two ships full of the pilgrims who had
deserted them at Venice and taken their own way; "Who, when they saw
our fleet so rich and well-appointed, conceived such shame that they
dared not show themselves."
From one of these a sergeant suddenly let himself down into a boat,
saying to those on deck, "I am quits to you for any goods of mine that
may remain in the ship, for I am going with these people, for well I
deem they will conquer lands."
"Much did we make of the sergeant," comments Geoffrey, quaintly, "and
gladly was he received into the host. For well may it be said, that
even after following a thousand crooked ways a man may find his way
right in the end."
And so at length they came to the port of St Stephen, from whence they
had a good view of Constantinople. "Upon which they looked very
earnestly, for they never thought there could be in the world so rich a
city; and they marked the high walls and strong towers that enclosed it
round about, and the rich palaces and mighty churches--of which there
were so many that no one would have believed it who had not seen it
with his eyes--and the height and length of that city which above all
others was sovereign.
"And be it known to you that no man there was of such hardihood, but
his flesh trembled; and it was no wonder, {180} for never was so great
an enterprise undertaken by any people since the Creation of the World!
"Next day they took port before the magnificent royal palace that faced
the city, just across the straits, and finding plenty of corn, for it
was harvest time, the leaders took possession of the palace, and all
were well content."
It was not long before the usurping Emperor Alexios realised his peril,
and sent to them envoys bearing fair messages.
"Lords," said they, "the Emperor Alexios would have you know that he is
well aware that you are the best people uncrowned, and come from the
best land on earth. And he marvels much why, and for what purpose, you
have come into his land and kingdom. For you are Christians, and he is
a Christian, and well he knows that you are on your way to deliver the
Holy Land oversea and the Holy Cross and the Sepulchre.
"If you are poor and in want, he will right willingly give you of his
food and substance, provided you depart out of his land. Neither would
he otherwise wish to do you any hurt, though he has full power therein,
seeing that if you were twenty times as numerous as you are, you would
not be able to get away without utter discomfiture if so be that he
wished to harm you."
"Then arose that good knight, Conon of Bethune, and said, 'Fair sirs,
you have told us that your lord marvels much why we should have entered
into his kingdom and land. Into his land they have not entered, for he
holds this land wrongfully and wickedly, against God and against
reason. It belongs to his nephew, who sits upon a throne among us, and
is the son of his brother, the Emperor Isaac. But, if he is willing to
throw himself {181} upon the mercy of his nephew and to give him back
his crown and empire, then will we pray his nephew to forgive him, and
bestow upon him as much as will enable him to live in wealth. And if
you come not as the bearer of such a message, then be not so bold as to
come here again.'"
Next morning the Crusaders determined to show the young Alexios to the
people of the city; so the Doge of Venice and the Marquis of Montferrat
entered into one galley, taking the prince with them, and the knights
and barons crowded into as many other boats as they could get. They
came close to the city walls and showed the youth to the Greeks,
saying, "Behold your natural lord! And be it known to you that I have
not come to do you harm, but have come to guard and defend you, if so
be that you return to your duty. Now behold the rightful heir. If you
hold with him you will be doing as you ought, and if not, we will do to
you the very worst that we can."
But the citizens were far too much in awe of the Emperor Alexios to
show a sign of sympathy, and so they returned to the host.
Then a terrible siege began, and for ten days both sides fought with
might and main. One of the most interesting incidents is thus related
by the eye-witness Geoffrey.
"Now may you hear of a strange deed of prowess; for the Doge of Venice,
who was an old man and saw naught (seeing he was blind) stood, fully
armed, on the prow of his galley, and had the standard of St Mark
before him; and he cried to his people to put him on land, or else that
he would do justice upon their bodies with his hands.
"And so they did, for the galley was run aground, {182} and they leapt
therefrom, and bore the standard of St Mark before him on the land.
"And when the Venetians saw the standard of St Mark on land, and the
galley of their lord touching ground before them, each held himself for
shamed, and they all got to the land, and those in the transports leapt
forth and landed; and those in the big ships got into barges, and made
for the shore, each and all as best they could.
"Then might you have seen an assault, great and marvellous and to this
bears witness Geoffrey de Villehardouin, who makes this book, that more
than forty people told him for sooth that they saw the standard of St
Mark of Venice at the top of one of the towers, and that no man knew
who bore it thither.
"Now hear of a strange miracle. Those that are within the city fly and
abandon the walls, and the Venetians enter in, each as fast and as best
he can, and seize twenty-five of the towers, and man them with their
own people."
That same night, after a disgraceful retreat from a conflict before the
gates, the Emperor Alexios "took of his treasure as much as he could
carry, and of his people as many as would go," and fled from the city.
The rest of the citizens drew the poor blind Isaac from his dungeon,
clothed him in the imperial robes, and seating him on a high throne,
did obeisance to him; after which they hastened to tell the prince
Alexios and the barons of what had happened.
Great was the joy throughout the host. "Him whom God will help can no
men injure," was said of young Alexios, yet with the distrust which the
Greeks always inspired, the leaders hastened to send envoys to enquire
{183} whether Isaac meant to ratify the covenant made by the prince,
his son. With much reluctance, this was done, though the words with
which the request was received might well be thought to ring false.
"Certes," said the Emperor, "this covenant is very onerous, and I do
not see how effect can be given to it, nevertheless, you have done us
such service, both to my son and to myself, that if we bestowed upon
you the whole empire, you would have deserved it well."
There was now nothing else to wait for save the coronation of the new
Emperor, and when once that was over, had their hearts been really set
upon the cause of God, they would resolutely have turned their faces to
the Holy Land. But they had already too lightly forsaken their high
enterprise, and readily turned away again from its fulfilment.
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