The Crusaders Motives
Although the Crusades are often noted for their religious ferventness, the Sack of Constantinople exposes other motives of the Crusaders.
Political Ambitions
"Boniface II, Marquis de Montferrat"
Henri Decaisne
Crusade leaders, such as Boniface II of Montferrat, hoped to gain political power and influence from the Sack of Constantinople.
This can be scene in how Boniface II of Montferrat established a new kingdom in conquered Byzantine land, the Kingdom of Thessalonica where he was king.
The Crusaders engaged in looting and vandalization during the Sack of Constantinople. Artifacts from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome were not spared in the Crusade.
For example, the Horses of Saint Mark sculptled by Lysippos were looted by Venetians and then transported to Venice where they remain today.
The Looting of Artifacts
“Horses of Basilica San Marco”
Unknown
Following the Fourth Crusade, the Crusade leaders established the feudal Latin Empire on captured Byzantine lands.
The Latin Empire was a feudal Christian monarchy with Latin Catholicism as the national religion, in spite of the region being primarily Greek Orthodox.
The first two Emperors of the Latin Empire were leaders in the Fourth Crusade, Baldwin I and Henry, with the rest of the Emperors were descendants of those leaders.
The Latin Empire
“1204-1453: The Byzantine Empire: Broken Up and Eroded by the Turks”
Cart@Graphie