[Footnote32:Themarshalwasalivein1212,butheprobablydiedsoonafterwards,withoutreturningtoFrance,Ducange,ObservationssurVillehardouin,p。238。HisfiefofMessinople,thegiftofBoniface,wastheancientMaximianopolis,whichflourishedinthetimeofAmmianusMarcellinus,amongthecitiesofThrace,No。141。]
[Footnote*:Therewasnobattle。OntheadvanceoftheLatins,Johnsuddenlybrokeuphiscampandretreated。TheLatinsconsideredthisunexpecteddeliverancealmostamiracle。LeBeausuggeststheprobabilitythatthedetectionoftheComans,whousuallyquittedthecampduringtheheatsofsummer,mayhavecausedtheflightoftheBulgarians。Nicetas,c。8
Villebardouin,c。225。LeBeau,vol。xvii。p。242。—M。]
[Footnote33:ThechurchofthispatronofThessalonicawasservedbythecanonsoftheholysepulchre,andcontainedadivineointmentwhichdistilleddailyandstupendousmiracles,Ducange,Hist。deC。P。ii。4。]
[Footnote34:Acropolitac。17observesthepersecutionofthelegate,andthetolerationofHenry,\'Eon,ashecallshim。]
[Footnote35:SeethereignofHenry,inDucange,Hist。deC。P。
l。i。c。35—41,l。ii。c。1—22,whoismuchindebtedtotheEpistlesofthePopes。LeBeauHist。duBasEmpire,tom。xxi。p。
120—122hasfound,perhapsinDoutreman,somelawsofHenry,whichdeterminedtheserviceoffiefs,andtheprerogativesoftheemperor。]
ThevirtuousHenrydiedatThessalonica,inthedefenceofthatkingdom,andofaninfant,thesonofhisfriendBoniface。
InthetwofirstemperorsofConstantinoplethemalelineofthecountsofFlanderswasextinct。ButtheirsisterYolandewasthewifeofaFrenchprince,themotherofanumerousprogeny;andoneofherdaughtershadmarriedAndrewkingofHungary,abraveandpiouschampionofthecross。ByseatinghimontheByzantinethrone,thebaronsofRomaniawouldhaveacquiredtheforcesofaneighboringandwarlikekingdom;buttheprudentAndrewreveredthelawsofsuccession;andtheprincessYolande,withherhusbandPeterofCourtenay,countofAuxerre,wasinvitedbytheLatinstoassumetheempireoftheEast。Theroyalbirthofhisfather,thenobleoriginofhismother,recommendedtothebaronsofFrancethefirstcousinoftheirking。Hisreputationwasfair,hispossessionswereample,andinthebloodycrusadeagainsttheAlbigeois,thesoldiersandthepriestshadbeenabundantlysatisfiedofhiszealandvalor。VanitymightapplaudtheelevationofaFrenchemperorofConstantinople;butprudencemustpity,ratherthanenvy,histreacherousandimaginarygreatness。Toassertandadornhistitle,hewasreducedtosellormortgagethebestofhispatrimony。Bytheseexpedients,theliberalityofhisroyalkinsmanPhilipAugustus,andthenationalspiritofchivalry,hewasenabledtopasstheAlpsattheheadofonehundredandfortyknights,andfivethousandfivehundredsergeantsandarchers。Aftersomehesitation,PopeHonoriustheThirdwaspersuadedtocrownthesuccessorofConstantine:butheperformedtheceremonyinachurchwithoutthewalls,lestheshouldseemtoimplyortobestowanyrightofsovereigntyovertheancientcapitaloftheempire。TheVenetianshadengagedtotransportPeterandhisforcesbeyondtheAdriatic,andtheempress,withherfourchildren,totheByzantinepalace;buttheyrequired,asthepriceoftheirservice,thatheshouldrecoverDurazzofromthedespotofEpirus。MichaelAngelus,orComnenus,thefirstofhisdynasty,hadbequeathedthesuccessionofhispowerandambitiontoTheodore,hislegitimatebrother,whoalreadythreatenedandinvadedtheestablishmentsoftheLatins。Afterdischarginghisdebtbyafruitlessassault,theemperorraisedthesiegetoprosecutealongandperilousjourneyoverlandfromDurazzotoThessalonica。HewassoonlostinthemountainsofEpirus:thepasseswerefortified;hisprovisionsexhausted;hewasdelayedanddeceivedbyatreacherousnegotiation;and,afterPeterofCourtenayandtheRomanlegatehadbeenarrestedinabanquet,theFrenchtroops,withoutleadersorhopes,wereeagertoexchangetheirarmsforthedelusivepromiseofmercyandbread。TheVaticanthundered;andtheimpiousTheodorewasthreatenedwiththevengeanceofearthandheaven;butthecaptiveemperorandhissoldierswereforgotten,andthereproachesofthepopeareconfinedtotheimprisonmentofhislegate。Nosoonerwashesatisfiedbythedeliveranceofthepriestsandapromiseofspiritualobedience,thanhepardonedandprotectedthedespotofEpirus。HisperemptorycommandssuspendedtheardoroftheVenetiansandthekingofHungary;anditwasonlybyanaturaloruntimelydeath^36thatPeterofCourtenaywasreleasedfromhishopelesscaptivity。^37
[Footnote36:Acropolitac。14affirms,thatPeterofCourtenaydiedbythesword,butfromhisdarkexpressions,Ishouldconcludeapreviouscaptivity。TheChronicleofAuxerredelaystheemperor\'sdeathtilltheyear1219;andAuxerreisintheneighborhoodofCourtenay。
Note:Whatevermayhavebeenthefact,thiscanhardlybemadeoutfromtheexpressionsofAcropolita。—M。]
[Footnote37:SeethereignanddeathofPeterofCourtenay,inDucange,Hist。deC。P。l。ii。c。22—28,whofeeblystrivestoexcusetheneglectoftheemperorbyHonoriusIII。]
Thelongignoranceofhisfate,andthepresenceofthelawfulsovereign,ofYolande,hiswifeorwidow,delayedtheproclamationofanewemperor。Beforeherdeath,andinthemidstofhergrief,shewasdeliveredofason,whowasnamedBaldwin,thelastandmostunfortunateoftheLatinprincesofConstantinople。HisbirthendearedhimtothebaronsofRomania;
buthischildhoodwouldhaveprolongedthetroublesofaminority,andhisclaimsweresupersededbytheelderclaimsofhisbrethren。Thefirstofthese,PhilipofCourtenay,whoderivedfromhismothertheinheritanceofNamur,hadthewisdomtopreferthesubstanceofamarquisatetotheshadowofanempire;andonhisrefusal,Robert,thesecondofthesonsofPeterandYolande,wascalledtothethroneofConstantinople。
Warnedbyhisfather\'smischance,hepursuedhisslowandsecurejourneythroughGermanyandalongtheDanube:apassagewasopenedbyhissister\'smarriagewiththekingofHungary;andtheemperorRobertwascrownedbythepatriarchinthecathedralofSt。Sophia。Buthisreignwasanaeraofcalamityanddisgrace;
andthecolony,asitwasstyled,ofNewFranceyieldedonallsidestotheGreeksofNiceandEpirus。Afteravictory,whichheowedtohisperfidyratherthanhiscourage,TheodoreAngelusenteredthekingdomofThessalonica,expelledthefeebleDemetrius,thesonofthemarquisBoniface,erectedhisstandardonthewallsofAdrianople;andadded,byhisvanity,athirdorafourthnametothelistofrivalemperors。TherelicsoftheAsiaticprovinceweresweptawaybyJohnVataces,theson—in—lawandsuccessorofTheodoreLascaris,andwho,inatriumphantreignofthirty—threeyears,displayedthevirtuesbothofpeaceandwar。Underhisdiscipline,theswordsoftheFrenchmercenarieswerethemosteffectualinstrumentsofhisconquests,andtheirdesertionfromtheserviceoftheircountrywasatonceasymptomandacauseoftherisingascendantoftheGreeks。Bytheconstructionofafleet,heobtainedthecommandoftheHellespont,reducedtheislandsofLesbosandRhodes,attackedtheVenetiansofCandia,andinterceptedtherareandparsimonioussuccorsoftheWest。Once,andonceonly,theLatinemperorsentanarmyagainstVataces;andinthedefeatofthatarmy,theveteranknights,thelastoftheoriginalconquerors,wereleftonthefieldofbattle。ButthesuccessofaforeignenemywaslesspainfultothepusillanimousRobertthantheinsolenceofhisLatinsubjects,whoconfoundedtheweaknessoftheemperorandoftheempire。Hispersonalmisfortuneswillprovetheanarchyofthegovernmentandtheferociousnessofthetimes。TheamorousyouthhadneglectedhisGreekbride,thedaughterofVataces,tointroduceintothepalaceabeautifulmaid,ofaprivate,thoughnoblefamilyofArtois;andhermotherhadbeentemptedbythelustreofthepurpletoforfeitherengagementswithagentlemanofBurgundy。Hislovewasconvertedintorage;heassembledhisfriends,forcedthepalacegates,threwthemotherintothesea,andinhumanlycutoffthenoseandlipsofthewifeorconcubineoftheemperor。Insteadofpunishingtheoffender,thebaronsavowedandapplaudedthesavagedeed,^38which,asaprinceandasaman,itwasimpossiblethatRobertshouldforgive。Heescapedfromtheguiltycitytoimplorethejusticeorcompassionofthepope:theemperorwascoollyexhortedtoreturntohisstation;beforehecouldobey,hesunkundertheweightofgrief,shame,andimpotentresentment。^39
[Footnote38:MarinusSanutusSecretaFideliumCrucis,l。ii。p。
4,c。18,p。73issomuchdelightedwiththisbloodydeed,thathehastranscribeditinhismarginasabonumexemplum。YetheacknowledgesthedamselforthelawfulwifeofRobert。]
[Footnote39:SeethereignofRobert,inDucange,Hist。deC。
P。l。ii。c。—12。]
Itwasonlyintheageofchivalry,thatvalorcouldascendfromaprivatestationtothethronesofJerusalemandConstantinople。ThetitularkingdomofJerusalemhaddevolvedtoMary,thedaughterofIsabellaandConradofMontferrat,andthegranddaughterofAlmericorAmaury。ShewasgiventoJohnofBrienne,ofanoblefamilyinChampagne,bythepublicvoice,andthejudgmentofPhilipAugustus,whonamedhimasthemostworthychampionoftheHolyLand。^40Inthefifthcrusade,heledahundredthousandLatinstotheconquestofEgypt:byhimthesiegeofDamiettawasachieved;andthesubsequentfailurewasjustlyascribedtotheprideandavariceofthelegate。AfterthemarriageofhisdaughterwithFrederictheSecond,^41hewasprovokedbytheemperor\'singratitudetoacceptthecommandofthearmyofthechurch;andthoughadvancedinlife,anddespoiledofroyalty,theswordandspiritofJohnofBriennewerestillreadyfortheserviceofChristendom。Inthesevenyearsofhisbrother\'sreign,BaldwinofCourtenayhadnotemergedfromastateofchildhood,andthebaronsofRomaniafeltthestrongnecessityofplacingthesceptreinthehandsofamanandahero。TheveterankingofJerusalemmighthavedisdainedthenameandofficeofregent;theyagreedtoinvesthimforhislifewiththetitleandprerogativesofemperor,onthesoleconditionthatBaldwinshouldmarryhisseconddaughter,andsucceedatamatureagetothethroneofConstantinople。Theexpectation,bothoftheGreeksandLatins,waskindledbytherenown,thechoice,andthepresenceofJohnofBrienne;andtheyadmiredhismartialaspect,hisgreenandvigorousageofmorethanfourscoreyears,andhissizeandstature,whichsurpassedthecommonmeasureofmankind。^42Butavarice,andtheloveofease,appeartohavechilledtheardorofenterprise:histroopsweredisbanded,andtwoyearsrolledawaywithoutactionorhonor,tillhewasawakenedbythedangerousallianceofVatacesemperorofNice,andofAzankingofBulgaria。TheybesiegedConstantinoplebyseaandland,withanarmyofonehundredthousandmen,andafleetofthreehundredshipsofwar;
whiletheentireforceoftheLatinemperorwasreducedtoonehundredandsixtyknights,andasmalladditionofsergeantsandarchers。Itrembletorelate,thatinsteadofdefendingthecity,theheromadeasallyattheheadofhiscavalry;andthatofforty—eightsquadronsoftheenemy,nomorethanthreeescapedfromtheedgeofhisinvinciblesword。Firedbyhisexample,theinfantryandthecitizensboardedthevesselsthatanchoredclosetothewalls;andtwenty—fiveweredraggedintriumphintotheharborofConstantinople。Atthesummonsoftheemperor,thevassalsandalliesarmedinherdefence;brokethrougheveryobstaclethatopposedtheirpassage;and,inthesucceedingyear,obtainedasecondvictoryoverthesameenemies。
Bytherudepoetsoftheage,JohnofBrienneiscomparedtoHector,Roland,andJudasMachabaeus:^43buttheircredit,andhisglory,receivesomeabatementfromthesilenceoftheGreeks。
Theempirewassoondeprivedofthelastofherchampions;andthedyingmonarchwasambitioustoenterparadiseinthehabitofaFranciscanfriar。^44
[Footnote40:RexigiturFranciae,deliberationehabita,responditnuntiis,sedaturumhominemSyriaepartibusaptum;inarmisprobumpreuxinbellissecurum,inagendisprovidum,JohannemcomitemBrennensem。Sanut。Secret。Fidelium,l。iii。p。
xi。c。4,p。205MatthewParis,p。159。]
[Footnote41:GiannoneIstoriaCivile,tom。ii。l。xvi。p。380—
385discussesthemarriageofFredericII。withthedaughterofJohnofBrienne,andthedoubleunionofthecrownsofNaplesandJerusalem。]
[Footnote42:Acropolita,c。27。Thehistorianwasatthattimeaboy,andeducatedatConstantinople。In1233,whenhewaselevenyearsold,hisfatherbroketheLatinchain,leftasplendidfortune,andescapedtotheGreekcourtofNice,wherehissonwasraisedtothehighesthonors。]
[Footnote*:JohndeBrienne,electedemperor1229,wastedtwoyearsinpreparations,anddidnotarriveatConstantinopletill1231。Twoyearsmoreglidedawayiningloriousinaction;hethenmadesomeineffectivewarlikeexpeditions。Constantinoplewasnotbesiegedtill1234。—M。]
[Footnote43:PhilipMouskes,bishopofTournay,A。D。1274—
1282,hascomposedapoem,orratherstringofverses,inbadoldFlemishFrench,ontheLatinemperorsofConstantinople,whichDucangehaspublishedattheendofVillehardouin;seep。
38,fortheprowessofJohnofBrienne。
N\'Aie,Ector,Roll\'neOgiersNeJudasMachabeuslifiersTantnefitd\'armesenestorsComfistliRoisJehansceljorsEtildeforsetildedansLaparusaforceetsessensEtlihardimentqu\'ilavoit。]
[Footnote44:SeethereignofJohndeBrienne,inDucange,Hist。
deC。P。l。ii。c。13—26。]
InthedoublevictoryofJohnofBrienne,IcannotdiscoverthenameorexploitsofhispupilBaldwin,whohadattainedtheageofmilitaryservice,andwhosucceededtotheimperialdignityonthedeceaseofhisadoptivefather。^45Theroyalyouthwasemployedonacommissionmoresuitabletohistemper;
hewassenttovisittheWesterncourts,ofthepopemoreespecially,andofthekingofFrance;toexcitetheirpitybytheviewofhisinnocenceanddistress;andtoobtainsomesuppliesofmenormoneyforthereliefofthesinkingempire。
Hethricerepeatedthesemendicantvisits,inwhichheseemedtoprolonghisstayandpostponehisreturn;ofthefive—and—twentyyearsofhisreign,agreaternumberwerespentabroadthanathome;andinnoplacedidtheemperordeemhimselflessfreeandsecurethaninhisnativecountryandhiscapital。Onsomepublicoccasions,hisvanitymightbesoothedbythetitleofAugustus,andbythehonorsofthepurple;andatthegeneralcouncilofLyons,whenFrederictheSecondwasexcommunicatedanddeposed,hisOrientalcolleaguewasenthronedontherighthandofthepope。Buthowoftenwastheexile,thevagrant,theImperialbeggar,humbledwithscorn,insultedwithpity,anddegradedinhisowneyesandthoseofthenations!InhisfirstvisittoEngland,hewasstoppedatDoverbyaseverereprimand,thatheshouldpresume,withoutleave,toenteranindependentkingdom。Aftersomedelay,Baldwin,however,waspermittedtopursuehisjourney,wasentertainedwithcoldcivility,andthankfullydepartedwithapresentofsevenhundredmarks。^46
FromtheavariceofRomehecouldonlyobtaintheproclamationofacrusade,andatreasureofindulgences;acoinwhosecurrencywasdepreciatedbytoofrequentandindiscriminateabuse。HisbirthandmisfortunesrecommendedhimtothegenerosityofhiscousinLouistheNinth;butthemartialzealofthesaintwasdivertedfromConstantinopletoEgyptandPalestine;andthepublicandprivatepovertyofBaldwinwasalleviated,foramoment,bythealienationofthemarquisateofNamurandthelordshipofCourtenay,thelastremainsofhisinheritance。^47
Bysuchshamefulorruinousexpedients,heoncemorereturnedtoRomania,withanarmyofthirtythousandsoldiers,whosenumbersweredoubledintheapprehensionoftheGreeks。HisfirstdespatchestoFranceandEnglandannouncedhisvictoriesandhishopes:hehadreducedthecountryroundthecapitaltothedistanceofthreedays\'journey;andifhesucceededagainstanimportant,thoughnameless,city,mostprobablyChiorli,thefrontierwouldbesafeandthepassageaccessible。ButtheseexpectationsifBaldwinwassincerequicklyvanishedlikeadream:thetroopsandtreasuresofFrancemeltedawayinhisunskilfulhands;andthethroneoftheLatinemperorwasprotectedbyadishonorablealliancewiththeTurksandComans。
Tosecuretheformer,heconsentedtobestowhisnieceontheunbelievingsultanofCogni;topleasethelatter,hecompliedwiththeirPaganrites;adogwassacrificedbetweenthetwoarmies;andthecontractingpartiestastedeachother\'sblood,asapledgeoftheirfidelity。^48Inthepalace,orprison,ofConstantinople,thesuccessorofAugustusdemolishedthevacanthousesforwinterfuel,andstrippedtheleadfromthechurchesforthedailyexpenseofhisfamily。SomeusuriousloansweredealtwithascantyhandbythemerchantsofItaly;andPhilip,hissonandheir,waspawnedatVeniceasthesecurityforadebt。^49Thirst,hunger,andnakedness,arepositiveevils:butwealthisrelative;andaprincewhowouldberichinaprivatestation,maybeexposedbytheincreaseofhiswantstoalltheanxietyandbitternessofpoverty。
[Footnote45:SeethereignofBaldwinII。tillhisexpulsionfromConstantinople,inDucange,Hist。deC。P。l。iv。c。1—34,theendl。v。c。1—33]
[Footnote46:MatthewParisrelatesthetwovisitsofBaldwinII。
totheEnglishcourt,p。396,637;hisreturntoGreecearmatamanu,p。407hislettersofhisnomenformidabile,&c。,p。481,apassagewhichhasescapedDucange;hisexpulsion,p。850。]
[Footnote47:LouisIX。disapprovedandstoppedthealienationofCourtenayDucange,l。iv。c。23。ItisnowannexedtotheroyaldemesnebutgrantedforatermengagetothefamilyofBoulainvilliers。Courtenay,intheelectionofNemoursintheIsledeFrance,isatownof900inhabitants,withtheremainsofacastle,Melangestiresd\'uneGrandeBibliotheque,tom。xlv。p。
74—77。]
[Footnote48:Joinville,p。104,edit。duLouvre。AComanprince,whodiedwithoutbaptism,wasburiedatthegatesofConstantinoplewithaliveretinueofslavesandhorses。]
[Footnote49:Sanut。Secret。Fidel。Crucis,l。ii。p。iv。c。18,p。73。]
ChapterLXI:PartitionOfTheEmpireByTheFrenchAndVenetians。
PartIII。
Butinthisabjectdistress,theemperorandempirewerestillpossessedofanidealtreasure,whichdrewitsfantasticvaluefromthesuperstitionoftheChristianworld。Themeritofthetruecrosswassomewhatimpairedbyitsfrequentdivision;