Crusades-Encyclopedia
			Return to Crusades-Encyclopedia
		Enrico Dandolo
Enrico Dandolo's significance for the crusading movement comes from his role as the Doge of Venice during the Fourth Crusade. The degree of his influence on the crusaders and their diversion from Egypt to the Christian cities of Zara and Constantinople has been a subject of controversy among modern crusades historians. In 1202 the warriors of the Fourth Crusade found themselves stranded in Venice. They were unable to pay the Venetians for a previously agreed contract for the construction of several ships to transport the crusaders to their destination of Egypt. Under Enrico's leadership, the Venetians negotiated a favorable deal in which the crusaders agreed to help the Venetians win control over the Christian city of Zara on the Adriatic coast. Although this action brought the condemnation of Pope Innocent III, the arrival of Alexius IV, son of the deposed and imprisoned Byzantine Emperor Isaac II, led to even greater misdeeds. Alexius IV promised the crusaders massive financial support (among other things) for their crusade. The debt of the crusaders to the Venetians put the crusaders in a tough spot. With the encouragment of Enrico Dandolo and the Venetians, the crusaders ultimately attacked and conquered the Byzantine Christian city of Constantinople. Although Enrico Dandolo has traditionally been given much of the credit, or blame, for the events of the Fourth Crusade, more recent scholarship disputes the level of influence the Doge really had over events. For additional research on Enrico Dandolo, one should consult the works of Dr. Thomas Madden. Dr. Madden has provided the best and most recent scholarship on Enrico Dandolo including Thomas Madden. "Venice and Constantinople in 1171 and 1172: Enrico Dandolo's Attitude Towards Byzantium." Mediterranean Historical Review 8. (1993): 166-185. See also the more recent work, Thomas Madden. Enrico Dandolo and the Rise of Venice. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2003. Fourth Crusade- Crusades-Encyclopedia Primary Sources of the Fourth Crusade- Crusades-Encyclopedia Venice- Crusades-Encyclopedia Doge of Venice- Crusades-Encyclopedia Zara- Crusades-Encyclopedia Alexius IV- Crusades-Encyclopedia Isaac II- Crusades-Encyclopedia Sack of Constantinople- Crusades-Encyclopedia Pope Innocent III- Crusades-Encyclopedia Thomas Madden- Crusades-Encyclopedia (c) Andrew Holt, June 2005-Permission is granted for copying in electronic form and distribution in print for educational and personal use. No permission is granted for commercial use.