"For the Honor of God and of the Holy Roman Church:" Understanding Venetian Motivations and Involvement during the Fourth Crusade Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
"For the Honor of God and of the Holy Roman Church:"
Understanding Venetian Motivations and Involvement during the Fourth Crusade
By Eb Joseph Daniels
Venetian participation in the Fourth Crusade has often been misconstrued by modern historians
as self-serving and materialistic, a gross corruption and subversion of the crusader ideal in
service to the advancement of a secular state. It has been argued that the diversion of the Fourth
Crusade from Egypt to Zara and then to Constantinople was a deliberate attempt by the
Venetians to nefariously employ a holy army for selfish political and economic advancement.
Such a notion fails to appreciate not only the very meaningful contributions of the Venetians
during the whole crusading movement but also the fundamental concept of the crusade itself.
This thesis will attempt to understand the often controversial actions of the Venetians during the
Fourth Crusade through an analysis of the history of the crusading movement, with special
emphasis on Byzantine relations, the historical interactions between Venice and Byzantium, and
the particular contributions of the Venetians during the Fourth Crusade itself and perceptions of
the Venetians by their fellow crusaders, the papacy, and the Greeks. The nature of the Venetian
crusading spirit and her relationship with the pope will be instrumental in understanding this
final point. Through a close analysis of the often polemical secondary resources and a nuanced
reading of the extant primary texts, it will be possible to paint a more realistic picture of
Venetian motivations and involvement during the Fourth Crusade. The author hopes to illustrate
that, contrary to the opinions of many, the Venetians, as their leader, Enrico Dandolo, stated,
fought always "for the honor of God and of the Holy Roman Church."

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Part I: Introduction 1

Part II: The Historiography 5

Part III: The Crusading Movement and Byzantium 16

Part IV: Byzantium and Venice 33

Part V A: Venice and the Fourth Crusade: From Venice to Zara 68

Part V B: Venice and the Fourth Crusade: From Zara to Constantinople 104

Part VI: Conclusion 143

Bibliography 147

Appendix I: Dramatis Personae of the Fourth Crusade 153

Appendix II: Timeline of Major Events during the Fourth Crusade 156

Apendix III: A Brief History of the Crusading Movement, 1095-1198 159

About this Honors Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Emory College
Department	Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, Medieval
Keyword	Dandolo Constantinople Crusades Venice
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	White, Stephen, Emory University
Committee Members	Perkell, Christine, Emory University Corrigan, Kevin, Emory University

Last modified

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	"For the Honor of God and of the Holy Roman Church:" Understanding Venetian Motivations and Involvement during the Fourth Crusade ()	2018-08-28 15:16:57 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions