Samson+&+Jade

=Enrico Dandolo and His Impact on the Fourth Crusade and the Venetian Economy in the 13th Century= By: Jade Chen and Samson Soon

General discussion and mini debate on whether or not Pope Innocent III was right in excommunicating Enrico Dandolo, as well as how Dandolo impacted Venetian economy during the 13th Century.
 * __ Outline of Podcast __**

//He charged the fleet of the 4th Crusade triple the price of what it was supposed to be, leaving them indebted to him. This made the Crusaders vunerable, and allowed Enrico Dandolo to be the controller of the entire situation.// //Pope Innocent III excommunicated the army of the 4th Crusade, Venice and Enrico Dandolo because they attacked 2 Christian cities, Zara and Constantinople. It was said that Christian cities were forbidden to attack fellow Christian cities. During those periods of time, Zara was Hungarian Territory(The Hungarians were Christian) while Constantinople belonged to the Byzantine Empire. Another reason why they were excommunicated was because they attacked cities that were enlisted under the banner of the cross.// //a) Enrico Dandolo introduced the Grosso, the silver coin to Venice. This encouraged the Venetians to trade with the East because they also used a monetary trade system. b) During the pillage of Constantinople, the Crusaders looted multiple priceless relics and took them back to Venice. This drew the attention of other merchants and it made the merchants want to trade with the Venetians.//
 * __Three Main Aspects of the Presentation__**
 * What Enrico Dandolo did to influence the Crusades to change the original plan**
 * Why the pope excommunicated the Crusaders, the Venetians and Enrico Dandolo**
 * How did Enrico Dandolo affect Venice's economy**

1192-1205
[|**www.giaretta.com/news.php?lang=2&id=100**]

Map of the Route of the Crusaders under Dandolo's Leadership


[|**http://www.boglewood.com/timeline/wayward.html**]

[|**http://www.boglewood.com/timeline/constantinople.html**]

=Medieval Sourcebook: Nicetas Choniates: The Sack of Constantinople (1204)=

//The Fourth Crusade was directed at Egypt. There were, however, a series of financial difficulties which enabled the Venetians, who had been hired as transportation providers, to divert the crusade to their own ends. First it attacked the Christian city of Zara, and then Constantinople itself. The result was the establishment of a series of Latin states in Greece and the Agean, and the permanent collapse of communion between Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The Byzantine historian Nicetas Choniates here gives an account of the sack of the city.// . . . How shall I begin to tell of the deeds wrought by these nefarious men! Alas, the images, which ought to have been adored, were trodden under foot! Alas, the relics of the holy martyrs were thrown into unclean places! Then was se en what one shudders to hear, namely, the divine body and blood of Christ was spilled upon the ground or thrown about. They snatched the precious reliquaries, thrust into their bosoms the ornaments which these contained, and used the broken remnants for pans and drinking cups,-precursors of Anti-Christ, authors and heralds of his nefarious deeds which we momentarily expect. Manifestly, indeed, by that race then, just as formerly, Christ was robbed and insulted and His garments were divided by lot; only one thing was lacking, that His side, pierced bv a spear, should pour rivers of divine blood on the ground. Nor can the violation of the Great Church [//note: Hagia Sophia//] be listened to with equanimity. For the sacred altar, formed of all kinds of precious materials and admired by the whole world, was broken into bits and distributed among the soldiers, as was all the other sacred wealth of so great and infinite splendor. When the sacred vases and utensils of unsurpassable art and grace and rare material, and the fine silver, wrought with gold, which encircled the screen of the tribunal and the ambo, of admirable workmanship, and the door and many other ornaments, were to be borne away as booty, mules and saddled horses were led to the very sanctuary of the temple. Some of these which were unable to keep their footing on the splendid and slippery pavement, were stabbed when they fell, so that the sacred pavement was polluted with blood and filth. Nay more, a certain harlot, a sharer in their guilt, a minister of the furies, a servant of the demons, a worker of incantations and poisonings, insulting Christ, sat in the patriarch's seat, singing an obscene song and dancing frequently. Nor, indeed, were these crimes committed and others left undone, on the ground that these were of lesser guilt, the others of greater. But with one consent all the most heinous sins and crimes were committed by all with equal zeal. Could those, who showed so great madness against God Himself, have spared the honorable matrons and maidens or the virgins consecrated to God? Nothing was more difficult and laborious than to soften by prayers, to render benevolent, these wrathful barbarians, vomiting forth bile at every unpleasing word, so that nothing failed to inflame their fury. Whoever attempted it was derided as insane and a man of intemperate language. Often they drew their daggers against any one ivho opposed them at all or hindered their demands. No one was without a share in the grief. In the alleys, in the streets, in the temples, complaints, weeping, lamentations, grief, the groaning of men, the shrieks of women, wounds, rape, captivity, the separation of those most closely united. Nobles wandered about ignominiously, those of venerable age in tears, the rich in poverty. Thus it was in the streets, on the corners, in the temple, in the dens, for no place remained unassailed or defended the suppliants. All places everywhere were filled full of all kinds of crime. Oh, immortal God, how great the afflictions of the men, bow great the distress!

trans. by D. C. Munro, //Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European// History, Series 1, Vol 3:1 (rev. ed.) (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1912), 15-16

Map of Zara to Constantinople: http://www.boglewood.com/timeline/constantinople.html
 * __ Bibliography __**

Map of Venice to Zara: http://www.boglewood.com/timeline/wayward.html

Enrico Dandolo Pic: [|www.giaretta.com/news.php?lang=2&id=100]

__Encyclopædia Britannica__. “Enrico Dandolo” 2008 .

__Highbeam Encyclopedia__. “Enrico Dandolo” 2004 .

__Gibbon, Edward__. “The Decline and the Fall of the Roman Empire” 1788 .

//Primary Source Document:// __Choniates, Nicetas__. “The Sack of Constantinople (1204)” 1996 