In the year 1204, a Christian city was destroyed by Christian crusaders. How could that happen? Surely the crusaders were supposed to be fighting the Muslim Saracens? Well, this is how a crusade was derailed for commercial gain setting Christian against Christian. And why the city of Constantinople was reduced to a smouldering ruin in the process. It’s a tale of betrayal, violence, and theft on a grand scale.
The Fourth Crusade, originally aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim control, was diverted to Constantinople by the Republic of Venice, which was bankrolling the crusader fleet. Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire, a long time political and commercial rival of Venice in the eastern Mediterranean. The walls of Constantinople were famously impregnable and had not been breached since being built in the fifth century CE. But in the year 1204, the crusaders burst through.
A Byzantine official, Nicetas Choniates (c.1155-1217) witnessed the horrific scene of looting and carnage as it unfolded. He was especially shocked by the defiling of the city’s holy places by the crusaders. The Christians of Constantinople were eastern orthodox whereas the crusaders were Roman Catholics.
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 seen 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.
The crusaders then stormed into the Hagia Sophia – a vast basilica built by the Emperor Justinian in the 500s CE. The building still stands today, in what is now the city of Istanbul in modern Turkey, but is now a mosque. In 1204, it was the most important basilica in the eastern Christian church. Here I am on the upper level of the Hagia Sophia this year and despite what happened to it at the hands of the crusaders – more details below – it is still breathtaking.
For centuries, the Byzantine emperors and the patriarchs had been crowned there and it played host to the empire’s great ceremonies. Yet now it was stripped of all valuables.
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 splendour.
In what must have been a dreadful scene, the crusaders brought carts into the basilica to loot it even faster.
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.
But there was worse…much worse. The crusaders crowned a prostitute on the patriarch’s throne.
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.
Throughout the city, the horror continued.
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!
If you would like to know more about the Knights Templar, then get your hands on a copy of my book: The Knights Templar – History & Mystery. Published by Pen & Sword and available on Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and WHSmith. Don’t miss out on your copy!
Reblogged this on The 9th Templar Story and commented:
The city has been in the forefront of war and conquest due to it’s strategic location for centuries.