Leadership

• What were the early recruitment issues for the crusaders?

  • Inability to recruit kings = The death of Richard I in April 1199 and controversy surrounding Philip II had meant the crusade was not going to be led by a monarch
  • Need for Baronial support = Recruitment was on the personal decision on nobles, meaning if a baron went, it was unlikely his lords would join
  • Mercenaries = In early 12th century warfare, it was common for mercenaries to be acquired, without a king, hired troops would be essential
• Whose plan was the Fourth Crusade?

  • Thibault III of Champagne, Louis of Blois and Baldwin of Flanders ,et in summer of 1200
  • They had six representatives sent out around Europe, with the power to negotiate binding agreements on behalf of its overlords
• Key Features of Plan

  • Transport = They Crusaders knew that Byzantine support was not an option, so they sent an envoy in early 1201 to the Venetians
  • Destination = They would not sail to Antioch or Jerusalem, but straight to the Egyptian port of Alexandria
  • Why Egypt? = Richard I had previously wanted to divert the 3rd crusade to attack Egypt; Previous attempts by Almaric; Successful attack by Sicilian fleet in 1174; Did not want to break 5 year truce with Muslims in 1198
• The Flaws in the Plan - The Price Reliance from the Venetians

  • The Treaty of Venice was agreed in April 1201 with Dandolo
  • It assumed the transportation of 35,000 troops (4500 knights, 9000 squires and additional 20000 troops) as well as 4500 horses, 9 months food supply and 50 valleys escorted by 30000 Venetians
  • This would all be ready by June 29th 1202, with the Crusaders paying: 85,000 marks in instalments(£60,000 currently), deposit of 5000 marks and half of the booty delivered to the Venetians
• The Flaws in the Plan - Size of the Forces

  • Out of the 33,500 troops they committed to pay for, only 12000 had arrived - only 1800 were knights
  • They were supposed to depart Venice on June 29th, however many arrived much later eg Peter of Capuano, the papal legate arrived on July 22nd
• The New Fourth Crusade Leader

  • This left the Fourth Crusade with a principal leader, so Boniface of Monteferrat was selected as the next leader
  • Boniface was brother to William Longsword and Conrad of Montferrat, whilst also married to the daughter of the deposed Byzantine Emperor Isaac Angelus
• What effect did Thibault's death have on the Crusade

  • Support = Many knights in the Champagne region abandoned their cause
  • Nationality = Boniface of Montferrat was Italian, whereas many of the leaders were French, creating tension between the leaders
  • Connections = He was friends with Philip of Swabia, an enemy of the Pope in the imperial succession crisis