Note:Wereadinthe"ChronicleoftheConquestofConstantinople,andoftheEstablishmentoftheFrenchintheMorea,"translatedbyJABuchon,Paris,1825,p。64thatLeoVI。,calledthePhilosopher,hadprophesiedthataperfidiousemperorshouldbeprecipitatedfromthetopofthiscolumn。Thecrusadersconsideredthemselvesunderanobligationtofulfilthisprophecy。Brosset,noteonLeBeau,vol。xvii。p。180。M
Brossetannouncesthatacompleteeditionofthiswork,ofwhichtheoriginalGreekofthefirstbookonlyhasbeenpublishedbyM。Buchoninpreparation,toformpartofthenewseriesoftheByzantinehistorian—M。]
[Footnote20:ThedynastiesofNice,Trebizond,andEpirusofwhichNicetassawtheoriginwithoutmuchpleasureorhopearelearnedlyexplored,andclearlyrepresented,intheFamiliaeByzantinaeofDucange。]
[Footnote*:Thiswasatitle,notapersonalappellation。
Joinvillespeaksofthe"GrantComnenie,etsiredeTraffezzontes。"Fallmerayer,p。82。—M。]
[Footnote21:ExceptsomefactsinPachymerandNicephorusGregoras,whichwillhereafterbeused,theByzantinewritersdisdaintospeakoftheempireofTrebizond,orprincipalityoftheLazi;andamongtheLatins,itisconspicuousonlyintheromancersofthexivthorxvthcenturies。YettheindefatigableDucangehasdugoutFam。Byz。p。192twoauthenticpassagesinVincentofBeauvaisl。xxxi。c。144andtheprothonotaryOgerius,apudWading,A。D。1279,No。4。]
[Footnote!:OntherevolutionsofTrebizondunderthelaterempiredowntothisperiod,seeFallmerayer,GeschichtedesKaiserthumsvonTrapezunt,ch。iii。ThewifeofManuelfledwithherinfantsonsandhertreasurefromtherelentlessenmityofIsaacAngelus。FallmerayerconjecturesthatherarrivalenabledtheGreeksofthatregiontomakeheadagainsttheformidableThamar,theGeorgianqueenofTeflis,p。42。TheygraduallyformedadominiononthebanksofthePhasis,whichthedistractedgovernmentoftheAngelineglectedorwereunabletosuppress。OnthecaptureofConstantinoplebytheLatins,AlexiuswasjoinedbymanynoblefugitivesfromConstantinople。
HehadalwaysretainedthenameofCaesar。HenowfixedtheseatofhisempireatTrebizond;buthehadneverabandonedhispretensionstotheByzantinethrone,ch。iii。FallmerayerappearstomakeoutatriumphantcaseastotheassumptionoftheroyaltitlebyAlexiustheFirst。SincethepublicationofM。
Fallmerayer'swork,Munchen,1827,M。Tafelhaspublished,attheendoftheopusculaofEustathius,acuriouschronicleofTrebizondbyMichaelPanaretas,Frankfort,1832。Itgivesthesuccessionoftheemperors,andsomeothercuriouscircumstancesoftheirwarswiththeseveralMahometanpowers。—M。]
[Footnote!!:ThesuccessorofAlexiuswashisson—in—lawAndronicusI。,oftheComnenianfamily,surnamedGidon。TherewerefivesuccessionsbetweenAlexiusandJohn,accordingtoFallmerayer,p。103。ThetroopsofTrebizondfoughtinthearmyofDschelaleddin,theKarismian,againstAlleddin,theSeljukiansultanofRoum,butasalliesratherthanvassals,p。107。ItwasafterthedefeatofDschelaleddinthattheyfurnishedtheircontingenttoAlai—eddin。FallmerayerstrugglesinvaintomitigatethismarkofthesubjectionoftheComnenitothesultan。p。116。—M。]
[Footnote22:TheportraitoftheFrenchLatinsisdrawninNicetasbythehandofprejudiceandresentment。P。791Ed。
Bak。]
[Footnote23:Iherebegintouse,withfreedomandconfidence,theeightbooksoftheHistoiredeC。P。sousl'EmpiredesFrancois,whichDucangehasgivenasasupplementtoVillehardouin;andwhich,inabarbarousstyle,deservesthepraiseofanoriginalandclassicwork。]
TheLatinconquerorshadbeensalutedwithasolemnandearlyembassyfromJohn,orJoannice,orCalo—John,therevoltedchiefoftheBulgariansandWalachians。Hedeemedhimselftheirbrother,asthevotaryoftheRomanpontiff,fromwhomhehadreceivedtheregaltitleandaholybanner;andinthesubversionoftheGreekmonarchy,hemightaspiretothenameoftheirfriendandaccomplice。ButCalo—Johnwasastonishedtofind,thattheCountofFlandershadassumedthepompandprideofthesuccessorsofConstantine;andhisambassadorsweredismissedwithahaughtymessage,thattherebelmustdeserveapardon,bytouchingwithhisforeheadthefootstooloftheImperialthrone。
Hisresentment^24wouldhaveexhaledinactsofviolenceandblood:hiscoolerpolicywatchedtherisingdiscontentoftheGreeks;affectedatenderconcernfortheirsufferings;andpromised,thattheirfirststrugglesforfreedomshouldbesupportedbyhispersonandkingdom。Theconspiracywaspropagatedbynationalhatred,thefirmestbandofassociationandsecrecy:theGreekswereimpatienttosheathetheirdaggersinthebreastsofthevictoriousstrangers;buttheexecutionwasprudentlydelayed,tillHenry,theemperor'sbrother,hadtransportedtheflowerofhistroopsbeyondtheHellespont。MostofthetownsandvillagesofThraceweretruetothemomentandthesignal;andtheLatins,withoutarmsorsuspicion,wereslaughteredbythevileandmercilessrevengeoftheirslaves。
FromDemotica,thefirstsceneofthemassacre,thesurvivingvassalsofthecountofSt。PolescapedtoAdrianople;buttheFrenchandVenetians,whooccupiedthatcity,wereslainorexpelledbythefuriousmultitude:thegarrisonsthatcouldeffecttheirretreatfellbackoneachothertowardsthemetropolis;andthefortresses,thatseparatelystoodagainsttherebels,wereignorantofeachother'sandoftheirsovereign'sfate。ThevoiceoffameandfearannouncedtherevoltoftheGreeksandtherapidapproachoftheirBulgarianally;andCalo—John,notdependingontheforcesofhisownkingdom,haddrawnfromtheScythianwildernessabodyoffourteenthousandComans,whodrank,asitwassaid,thebloodoftheircaptives,andsacrificedtheChristiansonthealtarsoftheirgods。^25
[Footnote24:InCalo—John'sanswertothepopewemayfindhisclaimsandcomplaints,GestaInnocentIII。c。108,109:hewascherishedatRomeastheprodigalson。]
[Footnote25:TheComanswereaTartarorTurkmanhorde,whichencampedinthexiithandxiiithcenturiesonthevergeofMoldavia。Thegreaterpartwerepagans,butsomewereMahometans,andthewholehordewasconvertedtoChristianityA。D。1370byLewis,kingofHungary]
Alarmedbythissuddenandgrowingdanger,theemperordespatchedaswiftmessengertorecallCountHenryandhistroops;andhadBaldwinexpectedthereturnofhisgallantbrother,withasupplyoftwentythousandArmenians,hemighthaveencounteredtheinvaderwithequalnumbersandadecisivesuperiorityofarmsanddiscipline。Butthespiritofchivalrycouldseldomdiscriminatecautionfromcowardice;andtheemperortookthefieldwithahundredandfortyknights,andtheirtrainofarchersandsergeants。Themarshal,whodissuadedandobeyed,ledthevanguardintheirmarchtoAdrianople;themainbodywascommandedbythecountofBlois;theageddogeofVenicefollowedwiththerear;andtheirscantynumberswereincreasedfromallsidesbythefugitiveLatins。TheyundertooktobesiegetherebelsofAdrianople;andsuchwasthepioustendencyofthecrusadesthattheyemployedtheholyweekinpillagingthecountryfortheirsubsistence,andinframingenginesforthedestructionoftheirfellow—Christians。ButtheLatinsweresooninterruptedandalarmedbythelightcavalryoftheComans,whoboldlyskirmishedtotheedgeoftheirimperfectlines:andaproclamationwasissuedbythemarshalofRomania,that,onthetrumpet'ssound,thecavalryshouldmountandform;butthatnone,underpainofdeath,shouldabandonthemselvestoadesultoryanddangerouspursuit。ThiswiseinjunctionwasfirstdisobeyedbythecountofBlois,whoinvolvedtheemperorinhisrashnessandruin。TheComans,oftheParthianorTartarschool,fledbeforetheirfirstcharge;butafteracareeroftwoleagues,whentheknightsandtheirhorseswerealmostbreathless,theysuddenlyturned,rallied,andencompassedtheheavysquadronsoftheFranks。Thecountwasslainonthefield;
theemperorwasmadeprisoner;andiftheonedisdainedtofly,iftheotherrefusedtoyield,theirpersonalbraverymadeapooratonementfortheirignorance,orneglect,ofthedutiesofageneral。^26
[Footnote26:Nicetas,fromignoranceormalice,imputesthedefeattothecowardiceofDandolo,p。383;butVillehardouinshareshisownglorywithhisvenerablefriend,quivielshomeereetgoteneveoit,maismulteresagesetpreusetvigueros,No。193。
Note:GibbonappearstometohavemisapprehendedthepassageofNicetas。Hesays,"thatprincipalandsubtlestmischief。thatprimarycauseofallthehorriblemiseriessufferedbytheRomans,"i。e。theByzantines。ItisaneffusionofmalicioustriumphagainsttheVenetians,towhomhealwaysascribesthecaptureofConstantinople。—M。]
ChapterLXI:PartitionOfTheEmpireByTheFrenchAndVenetians。
PartII。
Proudofhisvictoryandhisroyalprize,theBulgarianadvancedtorelieveAdrianopleandachievethedestructionoftheLatins。Theymustinevitablyhavebeendestroyed,ifthemarshalofRomaniahadnotdisplayedacoolcourageandconsummateskill;
uncommoninallages,butmostuncommoninthosetimes,whenwarwasapassion,ratherthanascience。Hisgriefandfearswerepouredintothefirmandfaithfulbosomofthedoge;butinthecamphediffusedanassuranceofsafety,whichcouldonlyberealizedbythegeneralbelief。AlldayhemaintainedhisperilousstationbetweenthecityandtheBarbarians:
Villehardouindecampedinsilenceatthedeadofnight;andhismasterlyretreatofthreedayswouldhavedeservedthepraiseofXenophonandthetenthousand。Intherear,themarshalsupportedtheweightofthepursuit;inthefront,hemoderatedtheimpatienceofthefugitives;andwherevertheComansapproached,theywererepelledbyalineofimpenetrablespears。
Onthethirdday,thewearytroopsbeheldthesea,thesolitarytownofRodosta,^27andtheirfriends,whohadlandedfromtheAsiaticshore。Theyembraced,theywept;buttheyunitedtheirarmsandcounsels;andinhisbrother'sabsence,CountHenryassumedtheregencyoftheempire,atonceinastateofchildhoodandcaducity。^28IftheComanswithdrewfromthesummerheats,seventhousandLatins,inthehourofdanger,desertedConstantinople,theirbrethren,andtheirvows。SomepartialsuccesswasoverbalancedbythelossofonehundredandtwentyknightsinthefieldofRusium;andoftheImperialdomain,nomorewasleftthanthecapital,withtwoorthreeadjacentfortressesontheshoresofEuropeandAsia。ThekingofBulgariawasresistlessandinexorable;andCalo—Johnrespectfullyeludedthedemandsofthepope,whoconjuredhisnewproselytetorestorepeaceandtheemperortotheafflictedLatins。ThedeliveranceofBaldwinwasnolonger,hesaid,inthepowerofman:thatprincehaddiedinprison;andthemannerofhisdeathisvariouslyrelatedbyignoranceandcredulity。
Theloversofatragiclegendwillbepleasedtohear,thattheroyalcaptivewastemptedbytheamorousqueenoftheBulgarians;
thathischasterefusalexposedhimtothefalsehoodofawomanandthejealousyofasavage;thathishandsandfeetwereseveredfromhisbody;thathisbleedingtrunkwascastamongthecarcassesofdogsandhorses;andthathebreathedthreedays,beforehewasdevouredbythebirdsofprey。^29Abouttwentyyearsafterwards,inawoodoftheNetherlands,ahermitannouncedhimselfasthetrueBaldwin,theemperorofConstantinople,andlawfulsovereignofFlanders。Herelatedthewondersofhisescape,hisadventures,andhispenance,amongapeoplepronetobelieveandtorebel;and,inthefirsttransport,Flandersacknowledgedherlong—lostsovereign。A
shortexaminationbeforetheFrenchcourtdetectedtheimpostor,whowaspunishedwithanignominiousdeath;buttheFlemingsstilladheredtothepleasingerror;andthecountessJaneisaccusedbythegravesthistoriansofsacrificingtoherambitionthelifeofanunfortunatefather。^30
[Footnote27:Thetruthofgeography,andtheoriginaltextofVillehardouin,No。194,placeRodostothreedays'journeytroisjorneesfromAdrianople:butVigenere,inhisversion,hasmostabsurdlysubstitutedtroisheures;andthiserror,whichisnotcorrectedbyDucangehasentrappedseveralmoderns,whosenamesIshallspare。]
[Footnote28:ThereignandendofBaldwinarerelatedbyVillehardouinandNicetas,p。386—416;andtheiromissionsaresuppliedbyDucangeinhisObservations,andtotheendofhisfirstbook。]
[Footnote29:Afterbrushingawayalldoubtfulandimprobablecircumstances,wemayprovethedeathofBaldwin,1。BythefirmbeliefoftheFrenchbarons,Villehardouin,No。230。2。BythedeclarationofCalo—Johnhimself,whoexcuseshisnotreleasingthecaptiveemperor,quiadebitumcarnisexsolveratcumcarcereteneretur,GestaInnocentIII。c。109。
Note:CompareVonRaumer。GeschichtederHohenstaufen,vol。
ii。p。237。Petitot,inhisprefacetoVillehardouinintheCollectiondesMemoires,relatifsal'HistoiredeFrance,tom。i。
p。85,expresseshisbeliefinthefirstpartofthe"tragiclegend。"—M。]
[Footnote30:SeethestoryofthisimpostorfromtheFrenchandFlemishwritersinDucange,Hist。deC。P。iii。9;andtheridiculousfablesthatwerebelievedbythemonksofSt。Alban's,inMatthewParis,Hist。Major,p。271,272。
Inallcivilizedhostility,atreatyisestablishedfortheexchangeorransomofprisoners;andiftheircaptivitybeprolonged,theirconditionisknown,andtheyaretreatedaccordingtotheirrankwithhumanityorhonor。ButthesavageBulgarianwasastrangertothelawsofwar:hisprisonswereinvolvedindarknessandsilence;andaboveayearelapsedbeforetheLatinscouldbeassuredofthedeathofBaldwin,beforehisbrother,theregentHenry,wouldconsenttoassumethetitleofemperor。HismoderationwasapplaudedbytheGreeksasanactofrareandinimitablevirtue。Theirlightandperfidiousambitionwaseagertoseizeoranticipatethemomentofavacancy,whilealawofsuccession,theguardianbothoftheprinceandpeople,wasgraduallydefinedandconfirmedinthehereditarymonarchiesofEurope。InthesupportoftheEasternempire,Henrywasgraduallyleftwithoutanassociate,astheheroesofthecrusaderetiredfromtheworldorfromthewar。ThedogeofVenice,thevenerableDandolo,inthefulnessofyearsandglory,sunkintothegrave。ThemarquisofMontferratwasslowlyrecalledfromthePeloponnesianwartotherevengeofBaldwinandthedefenceofThessalonica。Somenicedisputesoffeudalhomageandservicewerereconciledinapersonalinterviewbetweentheemperorandtheking;theywerefirmlyunitedbymutualesteemandthecommondanger;andtheiralliancewassealedbythenuptialsofHenrywiththedaughteroftheItalianprince。Hesoondeploredthelossofhisfriendandfather。AtthepersuasionofsomefaithfulGreeks,BonifacemadeaboldandsuccessfulinroadamongthehillsofRhodope:theBulgariansfledonhisapproach;theyassembledtoharasshisretreat。Ontheintelligencethathisrearwasattacked,withoutwaitingforanydefensivearmor,heleapedonhorseback,couchedhislance,anddrovetheenemiesbeforehim;butintherashpursuithewaspiercedwithamortalwound;andtheheadofthekingofThessalonicawaspresentedtoCalo—John,whoenjoyedthehonors,withoutthemerit,ofvictory。
Itishere,atthismelancholyevent,thatthepenorthevoiceofJeffreyofVillehardouinseemstodroportoexpire;^31andifhestillexercisedhismilitaryofficeofmarshalofRomania,hissubsequentexploitsareburiedinoblivion。^32ThecharacterofHenrywasnotunequaltohisarduoussituation:inthesiegeofConstantinople,andbeyondtheHellespont,hehaddeservedthefameofavaliantknightandaskilfulcommander;andhiscouragewastemperedwithadegreeofprudenceandmildnessunknowntohisimpetuousbrother。InthedoublewaragainsttheGreeksofAsiaandtheBulgariansofEurope,hewasevertheforemostonshipboardoronhorseback;andthoughhecautiouslyprovidedforthesuccessofhisarms,thedroopingLatinswereoftenrousedbyhisexampletosaveandtosecondtheirfearlessemperor。Butsuchefforts,andsomesuppliesofmenandmoneyfromFrance,wereoflessavailthantheerrors,thecruelty,anddeath,oftheirmostformidableadversary。WhenthedespairoftheGreeksubjectsinvitedCalo—Johnastheirdeliverer,theyhopedthathewouldprotecttheirlibertyandadopttheirlaws:theyweresoontaughttocomparethedegreesofnationalferocity,andtoexecratethesavageconqueror,whonolongerdissembledhisintentionofdispeoplingThrace,ofdemolishingthecities,andoftransplantingtheinhabitantsbeyondtheDanube。ManytownsandvillagesofThracewerealreadyevacuated:aheapofruinsmarkedtheplaceofPhilippopolis,andasimilarcalamitywasexpectedatDemoticaandAdrianople,bythefirstauthorsoftherevolt。TheyraisedacryofgriefandrepentancetothethroneofHenry;theemperoralonehadthemagnanimitytoforgiveandtrustthem。Nomorethanfourhundredknights,withtheirsergeantsandarchers,couldbeassembledunderhisbanner;andwiththisslenderforcehefoughtandrepulsedtheBulgarian,who,besideshisinfantry,wasattheheadoffortythousandhorse。Inthisexpedition,Henryfeltthedifferencebetweenahostileandafriendlycountry:theremainingcitieswerepreservedbyhisarms;andthesavage,withshameandloss,wascompelledtorelinquishhisprey。ThesiegeofThessalonicawasthelastoftheevilswhichCalo—Johninflictedorsuffered:hewasstabbedinthenightinhistent;andthegeneral,perhapstheassassin,whofoundhimwelteringinhisblood,ascribedtheblow,withgeneralapplause,tothelanceofSt。Demetrius。^33
Afterseveralvictories,theprudenceofHenryconcludedanhonorablepeacewiththesuccessorofthetyrant,andwiththeGreekprincesofNiceandEpirus。Ifhecededsomedoubtfullimits,anamplekingdomwasreservedforhimselfandhisfeudatories;andhisreign,whichlastedonlytenyears,affordedashortintervalofprosperityandpeace。FarabovethenarrowpolicyofBaldwinandBoniface,hefreelyintrustedtotheGreeksthemostimportantofficesofthestateandarmy;andthisliberalityofsentimentandpracticewasthemoreseasonable,astheprincesofNiceandEpirushadalreadylearnedtoseduceandemploythemercenaryvaloroftheLatins。ItwastheaimofHenrytouniteandrewardhisdeservingsubjects,ofeverynationandlanguage;butheappearedlesssolicitoustoaccomplishtheimpracticableunionofthetwochurches。Pelagius,thepope'slegate,whoactedasthesovereignofConstantinople,hadinterdictedtheworshipoftheGreeks,andsternlyimposedthepaymentoftithes,thedoubleprocessionoftheHolyGhost,andablindobediencetotheRomanpontiff。Astheweakerparty,theypleadedthedutiesofconscience,andimploredtherightsoftoleration:"Ourbodies,"theysaid,"areCaesar's,butoursoulsbelongonlytoGod。Thepersecutionwascheckedbythefirmnessoftheemperor:^34andifwecanbelievethatthesameprincewaspoisonedbytheGreeksthemselves,wemustentertainacontemptibleideaofthesenseandgratitudeofmankind。Hisvalorwasavulgarattribute,whichhesharedwithtenthousandknights;butHenrypossessedthesuperiorcouragetooppose,inasuperstitiousage,theprideandavariceoftheclergy。InthecathedralofSt。Sophiahepresumedtoplacehisthroneontherighthandofthepatriarch;andthispresumptionexcitedthesharpestcensureofPopeInnocenttheThird。Byasalutaryedict,oneofthefirstexamplesofthelawsofmortmain,heprohibitedthealienationoffiefs:manyoftheLatins,desirousofreturningtoEurope,resignedtheirestatestothechurchforaspiritualortemporalreward;theseholylandswereimmediatelydischargedfrommilitaryservice,andacolonyofsoldierswouldhavebeengraduallytransformedintoacollegeofpriests。^35
[Footnote31:Villehardouin,No。257。Iquote,withregret,thislamentableconclusion,whereweloseatoncetheoriginalhistory,andtherichillustrationsofDucange。ThelastpagesmayderivesomelightfromHenry'stwoepistlestoInnocentIII。,Gesta,c。106,107。]