Nathan W. Bingham

The Venetians thought they had a deal, and then the emperor, who was on the throne, a weak man, couldn't deliver, and the crusaders were livid, and they sacked Constantinople the way they had sacked Jerusalem in the first crusade, weakening Constantinople in a way that, in a sense, it never quite recovered from.

The Venetians thought they had a deal, and then the emperor, who was on the throne, a weak man, couldn't deliver, and the crusaders were livid, and they sacked Constantinople the way they had sacked Jerusalem in the first crusade, weakening Constantinople in a way that, in a sense, it never quite recovered from.

And if you want to see the treasures of Constantinople today, the place to go is Venice. If you've ever been to Venice or ever seen the glorious San Marcos Church on the famous piazza there, the central piazza in Venice, and you look at that church and you see its splendors, rather eastern-looking splendors, and you see... pillars of stone decorating all the front of this church.

And if you want to see the treasures of Constantinople today, the place to go is Venice. If you've ever been to Venice or ever seen the glorious San Marcos Church on the famous piazza there, the central piazza in Venice, and you look at that church and you see its splendors, rather eastern-looking splendors, and you see... pillars of stone decorating all the front of this church.

Every one of those pillars was stolen from Constantinople. And when you see the great bronze horses, the four bronze horses on the balcony of San Marco, those were bronze horses that Constantine had taken from Rome to Constantinople. And then the Venetians stole in the Fourth Crusade and brought back to Venice.

Every one of those pillars was stolen from Constantinople. And when you see the great bronze horses, the four bronze horses on the balcony of San Marco, those were bronze horses that Constantine had taken from Rome to Constantinople. And then the Venetians stole in the Fourth Crusade and brought back to Venice.

And you can go into San Marco and see all sorts of gold and cloisonne and other jewels that were pirated from Constantinople to Venice in the Fourth Crusade. It was a tragedy for Christendom, although maybe if those treasures had stayed in Byzantium, they would all have been lost. Who knows in the curious times. of history.

And you can go into San Marco and see all sorts of gold and cloisonne and other jewels that were pirated from Constantinople to Venice in the Fourth Crusade. It was a tragedy for Christendom, although maybe if those treasures had stayed in Byzantium, they would all have been lost. Who knows in the curious times. of history.

But this sacking of Constantinople and then the establishment of what came to be known as the Latin Kingdom of Constantinople that lasted for about 60 years, this was an offense that the Eastern Church has never forgiven the Western Church for. because there is still a Latin bishop of Constantinople, in addition to the Greek Orthodox bishop of Constantinople.

But this sacking of Constantinople and then the establishment of what came to be known as the Latin Kingdom of Constantinople that lasted for about 60 years, this was an offense that the Eastern Church has never forgiven the Western Church for. because there is still a Latin bishop of Constantinople, in addition to the Greek Orthodox bishop of Constantinople.

And the competition between these competing clergy's never was really overcome, never really reconciled. And as I say, the Fourth Crusade greatly weakened Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. The last crusade we'll talk about, the Fifth Crusade, led by the Emperor Frederick, negotiated and actually recaptured Jerusalem through negotiation, which he was able to hold only for about 15 years.

And the competition between these competing clergy's never was really overcome, never really reconciled. And as I say, the Fourth Crusade greatly weakened Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. The last crusade we'll talk about, the Fifth Crusade, led by the Emperor Frederick, negotiated and actually recaptured Jerusalem through negotiation, which he was able to hold only for about 15 years.

That was the last time the West was able to hold Jerusalem. But the ideal, the ideal of the Crusades continued for centuries thereafter. There were still efforts to mount crusades in the 15th and the 16th century to recapture Jerusalem.

That was the last time the West was able to hold Jerusalem. But the ideal, the ideal of the Crusades continued for centuries thereafter. There were still efforts to mount crusades in the 15th and the 16th century to recapture Jerusalem.

It's a curious moment, a curious development in Western experience and a major shift in attitude that it might be right to take the sword and shed blood to advance the church of Christ. Not just Christian states, but the church and the Christian cause. And it has left, I think, a very dark wound on Christianity in the mind of many, and especially, of course, in the mind of Muslims.

It's a curious moment, a curious development in Western experience and a major shift in attitude that it might be right to take the sword and shed blood to advance the church of Christ. Not just Christian states, but the church and the Christian cause. And it has left, I think, a very dark wound on Christianity in the mind of many, and especially, of course, in the mind of Muslims.

They tend to see Christianity as every bit as much cultural and political as religious, because, of course, that's the way they understand their own religion. And so it is a battle of cultures for them, not just a battle of religions. And as battles of cultures, there's no real way to ultimate toleration in that battle.

They tend to see Christianity as every bit as much cultural and political as religious, because, of course, that's the way they understand their own religion. And so it is a battle of cultures for them, not just a battle of religions. And as battles of cultures, there's no real way to ultimate toleration in that battle.

So the Crusades both illustrate and cause a lot of problems that we still face today.

So the Crusades both illustrate and cause a lot of problems that we still face today.