Philipinbestowingimmunitiesuponhissubjects，andJohninhavingthemforcedfromhim。TheemissariesofthePopethereforepliedtheminvain；——butasinthefirstandsecondCrusades，theeloquenceofapowerfulpreacherincitedthenobility，andthroughthemacertainportionofthepeople，Foulque，BishopofNeuilly，anambitiousandenterprizingprelate，enteredfullyintotheviewsoftheCourtofRome，andpreachedtheCrusadewhereverhecouldfindanaudience。
Chancefavouredhimtoadegreehedidnothimselfexpect，forhehadingeneralfoundbutfewproselytes，andthosefewbutcoldinthecause。Theobald，CountofChampagne，hadinstitutedagrandtournament，towhichhehadinvitedallthenoblesfromfarandnear。
Upwardsoftwothousandknightswerepresentwiththeirretainers，besidesavastconcourseofpeopletowitnessthesports。InthemidstofthefestivitiesFoulquearriveduponthespot，andconceivingtheopportunitytobeafavourableone，headdressedthemultitudeineloquentlanguage，andpassionatelycalleduponthemtoenrolthemselvesforthenewCrusade。TheCountdeChampagne，young，ardent，andeasilyexcited，receivedthecrossathishands。Theenthusiasmspreadrapidly。CharlesCountofBloisfollowedtheexample，andofthetwothousandknightspresent，scarcelyonehundredandfiftyrefused。Thepopularphrensyseemedonthepointofbreakingoutasinthedaysofyore。TheCountofFlanders，theCountofBar，theDukeofBurgundy，andtheMarquisofMontferrat，broughtalltheirvassalstoswellthetrain，andinaveryshortspaceoftimeaneffectivearmywasonfootandreadytomarchtoPalestine。
Thedangersofanoverlandjourneyweretoowellunderstood，andthecrusadersendeavouredtomakeacontractwithsomeoftheItalianstatestoconveythemoverintheirvessels。Dandolo，theagedDogeofVenice，offeredthemthegalleysoftheRepublic；butthecrusaders，ontheirarrivalinthatcity，foundthemselvestoopoortopayevenhalfthesumdemanded。Everymeanswastriedtoraisemoney；thecrusadersmelteddowntheirplate，andladiesgaveuptheirtrinkets。
Contributionsweresolicitedfromthefaithful，butcameinsoslowly，astomakeitevidenttoallconcerned，thatthefaithfulofEuropewereoutnumberedbytheprudent。Asalastresource，DandoloofferedtoconveythemtoPalestineattheexpenseoftheRepublic，iftheywouldpreviouslyaidintherecaptureofthecityofZara，whichhadbeenseizedfromtheVenetiansashorttimepreviouslybytheKingofHungary。Thecrusadersconsented，muchtothedispleasureofthePope，whothreatenedexcommunicationuponallwhoshouldbeturnedasidefromthevoyagetoJerusalem。Butnotwithstandingthefulminationsofthechurch，theexpeditionneverreachedPalestine。ThesiegeofZarawasspeedilyundertaken。Afteralongandbravedefence，thecitysurrenderedatdiscretion，andthecrusaderswerefree，iftheyhadsochosenit，tousetheirswordsagainsttheSaracens。Buttheambitionofthechiefshadbeendirected，byunforeseencircumstances，elsewhere。
AfterthedeathofManuelComnenus，theGreekempirehadfallenapreytointestinedivisions。HissonAlexiusII。hadsucceededhim，butwasmurderedafteraveryshortreignbyhisuncleAndronicus，whoseizeduponthethrone。Hisreignalsowasbutofshortduration。
IsaacAngelus，amemberofthesamefamily，tookuparmsagainsttheusurper，andhavingdefeatedandcapturedhiminapitchedbattle，hadhimputtodeath。Healsomountedthethroneonlytobecastdownfromit。HisbrotherAlexiusdeposedhim，andtoincapacitatehimfromreigning，putouthiseyes，andshuthimupinadungeon。NeitherwasAlexiusIII。allowedtoremaininpeaceablepossessionofthethrone；
thesonoftheunhappyIsaac，whosenamealsowasAlexius，fledfromConstantinople，andhearingthatthecrusadershadundertakenthesiegeofZara，madethemthemostmagnificentoffersiftheywouldafterwardsaidhimindeposinghisuncle。Hisofferswere，thatifbytheirmeanshewasre-establishedinhisfather’sdominions，hewouldplacetheGreekchurchundertheauthorityofthePopeofRome，lendthewholeforceoftheGreekEmpiretotheconquestofPalestine，anddistributetwohundredthousandmarksofsilveramongthecrusadingarmy。Theofferwasaccepted，withaprovisoonthepartofsomeoftheleaders，thattheyshouldbefreetoabandonthedesign，ifitmetwiththedisapprovalofthePope。Butthiswasnottobefeared。ThesubmissionoftheschismaticGreekstotheSeeofRomewasagreaterbribetothePontiff，thantheutterannihilationoftheSaracenpowerinPalestinewouldhavebeen。
Thecrusadersweresooninmovementfortheimperialcity。Theiroperationswereskilfullyandcourageouslydirected，andspreadsuchdismayastoparalysetheeffortsoftheusurpertoretainpossessionofhisthrone。Afteravainresistance，heabandonedthecitytoitsfate，andflednooneknewwhither。TheagedandblindIsaacwastakenfromhisdungeonbyhissubjects，andplaceduponthethroneerethecrusaderswereapprizedoftheflightofhisrival。HissonAlexiusIV。wasafterwardsassociatedwithhiminthesovereignty。
ButtheconditionsofthetreatygaveoffencetotheGrecianpeople，whoseprelatesrefusedtoplacethemselvesunderthedominionoftheSeeofRome。Alexiusatfirstendeavouredtopersuadehissubjectstosubmission，andprayedthecrusaderstoremaininConstantinopleuntiltheyhadfortifiedhiminthepossessionofathronewhichwasyetfarfromsecure。Hesoonbecameunpopularwithhissubjects；andbreakingfaithwithregardtothesubsidies，heoffendedthecrusaders。Warwasatlengthdeclareduponhimbybothparties；byhispeopleforhistyranny，andbyhisformerfriendsforhistreachery。Hewasseizedinhispalacebyhisownguardsandthrownintoprison，whilethecrusadersweremakingreadytobesiegehiscapital。TheGreeksimmediatelyproceededtotheelectionofanewMonarch；andlookingaboutforamanwithcourage，energy，andperseverance，theyfixeduponAlexiusDucas，who，withalmosteverybadquality，waspossessedofthevirtuestheyneeded。HeascendedthethroneunderthenameofMurzuphlis。Oneofhisfirstactswastoridhimselfofhisyoungestpredecessor——abrokenhearthadalreadyremovedtheblindoldIsaac——nolongerastumblingblockinhisway——andtheyoungAlexiuswassoonafterputtodeathinhisprison。
WartotheknifewasnowdeclaredbetweentheGreeksandtheFranks，andearlyinthespringoftheyear1204，preparationswerecommencedforanassaultuponConstantinople。TheFrenchandVenetiansenteredintoatreatyforthedivisionofthespoilsamongtheirsoldiery，forsoconfidentweretheyofsuccess，thatfailureneveronceenteredintotheircalculations。Thisconfidenceledthemontovictory，whiletheGreeks，cowardlyastreacherouspeoplealwaysare，wereparalysedbyaforebodingofevil。Ithasbeenamatterofastonishmenttoallhistorians，thatMurzuphlis，withthereputationforcouragewhichhehadacquired，andtheimmenseresourcesathisdisposal，tooknobettermeasurestorepeltheonsetofthecrusaders。
Theirnumberswereasamerehandfulincomparisonwiththosewhichhecouldhavebroughtagainstthem；andiftheyhadthehopesofplundertoleadthemon，theGreekshadtheirhomestofightfor，andtheirveryexistenceasanationtoprotect。Afteranimpetuousassault，repulsedforoneday，butrenewedwithdoubleimpetuosityonanother，thecrusaderslashedtheirvesselsagainstthewalls，sleweverymanwhoopposedthem，and，withlittlelosstothemselves，enteredthecity。Murzuphlisfled，andConstantinoplewasgivenovertobepillagedbythevictors。Thewealththeyfoundwasenormous。Inmoneyalonetherewassufficienttodistributetwentymarksofsilvertoeachknight，tentoeachsquireorservantatarms，andfivetoeacharcher。Jewels，velvets，silks，andeveryluxuryofattire，withrarewinesandfruits，andvaluablemerchandiseofeverydescription，alsofellintotheirhands，andwereboughtbythetradingVenetians，andtheproceedsdistributedamongthearmy。Twothousandpersonswereputtothesword；buthadtherebeenlessplundertotakeuptheattentionofthevictors，theslaughterwouldinallprobabilityhavebeenmuchgreater。
Inmanyofthebloodywarswhichdefilethepageofhistory，wefindthatsoldiers，utterlyrecklessoftheworksofGod，willdestroyhismasterpiece，man，withunsparingbrutality，butlingerwithrespectaroundthebeautifulworksofart。Theywillslaughterwomenandchildren，butspareapicture；willhewdownthesick，thehelpless，andthehoary-headed，butrefrainfrominjuringafinepieceofsculpture。TheLatins，ontheirentranceintoConstantinople，respectedneithertheworksofGodnorman，butventedtheirbrutalferocityupontheoneandsatisfiedtheiravariceupontheother。Manybeautifulbronzestatues，aboveallpriceasworksofart，werebrokenintopiecestobesoldasoldmetal。Thefinely-chiselledmarble，whichcouldbeputtonosuchvileuses，wasalsodestroyed，witharecklessness；ifpossible，stillmoreatrocious。[Thefollowingisalistofsomeoftheworksofartthusdestroyed，fromNicetas，acontemporaryGreekauthor:——1st。AcolossalJuno，fromtheforumofConstantine，theheadofwhichwassolargethatfourhorsescouldscarcelydrawitfromtheplacewhereitstoodtothepalace。2d。ThestatueofParispresentingtheappletoVenus。3d。Animmensebronzepyramid，crownedbyafemalefigure，whichturnedwiththewind。4th。
ThecolossalstatueofBellerophon，inbronze，whichwasbrokendownandcastintothefurnace。Undertheinnernailofthehorse’shindfootontheleftside，wasfoundasealwrappedinawoollencloth。
5th。AfigureofHercules，byLysimachus，ofsuchvastdimensionsthatthethumbwasequalincircumferencetothewaistofaman。6th。TheAssandhisdriver，castbyorderofAugustusafterthebattleofActium，incommemorationofhishavingdiscoveredthepositionofAntonythroughthemeansofanass-driver。7th。TheWolfsucklingthetwinsofRome。8th。TheGladiatorincombatwithalion。9th。TheHippopotamus。10th。TheSphinxes。11th。Aneaglefightingwithaserpent。12th。AbeautifulstatueofHelen。13th。Agroup，withamonstersomewhatresemblingabull，engagedindeadlyconflictwithaserpent；andmanyotherworksofart，toonumeroustomention。]
Thecarnagebeingover，andthespoildistributed，sixpersonswerechosenfromamongtheFranksandsixfromamongtheVenetians，whoweretomeetandelectanEmperor，previouslybindingthemselvesbyoathtoselecttheindividualbestqualifiedamongthecandidates。
ThechoicewaveredbetweenBaldwin，CountofFlanders，andBoniface，MarquisofMontferrat，butfelleventuallyupontheformer。Hewasstraightwayrobedintheimperialpurple，andbecamethefounderofanewdynasty。Hedidnotlivelongtoenjoyhispower，ortoconsolidateitforhissuccessors，who，intheirturn，weresoonsweptaway。InlessthansixtyyearstheruleoftheFranksatConstantinoplewasbroughttoassuddenanddisastrousaterminationasthereignofMurzuphlis:andthiswasthegrandresultofthefifthCrusade。
PopeInnocentIII，althoughhehadlookedwithnoveryunfavourableeyeupontheseproceedings，regrettedthatnothinghadbeendoneforthereliefoftheHolyLand；still，uponeveryconvenientoccasion，heenforcedthenecessityofanewCrusade。Untiltheyear1213，hisexhortationshadnoothereffectthantokeepthesubjectinthemindofEurope。Everyspringandsummer，detachmentsofpilgrimscontinuedtosetoutforPalestinetotheaidoftheirbrethren，butnotinsufficientnumberstobeofmuchservice。TheseperiodicalpassageswerecalledthepassagiuumMartii，orthepassageofMarch，andthepassagiumJohannis，orthepassageofthefestivalofSt。John。Thesedidnotconsistentirelyofsoldiers，armedagainsttheSaracen，butofpilgrimsledbydevotion，andinperformanceoftheirvows，bearingnothingwiththembuttheirstaffandtheirwallet。Earlyinthespringof1213amoreextraordinarybodyofcrusaderswasraisedinFranceandGermany。Animmensenumberofboysandgirls，amounting，accordingtosomeaccounts，tothirtythousand，wereincitedbythepersuasionoftwomonkstoundertakethejourneytoPalestine。Theywere，nodoubt，composedoftheidleanddesertedchildrenwhogenerallyswarmingreatcities，nurturedinviceanddaring，andreadyforanything。Theobjectofthemonksseemstohavebeentheatrociousoneofinveiglingthemintoslaveships，onpretenceofsendingthemtoSyria，andsellingthemforslavesonthecoastofAfrica。[SeeJacobdeVoragineandAlbericus。]GreatnumbersofthesepoorvictimswereshippedatMarseilles；butthevessels，withtheexceptionoftwoorthree，werewreckedontheshoresofItaly，andeverysoulperished。TheremainderarrivedsafelyinAfrica，andwereboughtupasslaves，andsentoffintotheinteriorofthecountry。AnotherdetachmentarrivedatGenoa；buttheaccomplicesinthishorridplothavingtakennomeasuresatthatport，expectingthemallatMarseilles，theywereinducedtoreturntotheirhomesbytheGenoese。