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Veliko izdajstvo: Carigrad 1204.
Posledice pada Carigrada 1204. godine, kada ga je zauzela vojska Četvrtog krstaškog pohoda, osećaju se sve do danas. Komadanje Istočnog rimskog carstva između Venecijanaca i krstaša ne samo da je otvorilo Turcima put u Evropu nego je dovelo i do kasnijeg "balkanskog pitanja" i, konačno, stvorilo povoljnu klimu za današnju podelu između istočne i zapadne Evrope. Devet stotina godina ovaj veliki hrišćanski grad, koji je vladao trgovačkim putevima između Azije, Rusije i Evrope, stajao je sa svojom vojskom, svojim komplikovanim sistemom ugovora i sporazuma i vrhunskom primenom prefinjene diplomatije zaobilaženja i izbegavanja kao kula stražara na pragu civilizacije. Razaranje Carigrada i čerečenje njegovog carstva zastrašujući je primer posledica koje mogu proisteći iz gluposti, zavisti i gramzivosti, političkog oportunizma i uskogrudog patriotizma. Grčki istoričar iz tog doba Nikita Honijat zapisao je o krstašima: "Ni žive ni mrtve nisu poštedeli. Boga su vređali, njegove sluge sramotili, počinili su svaki greh koji je ikad postojao." Istorijska ironija ishoda Četvrtog krstaškog pohoda leži u činjenici da su krstaši koji su se zaputili da osvoje Egipat, i u daljem svom napredovanju oslobode Svetu zemlju, zapravo olakšali islamu osvajanje istočne Evrope i postigli da raskol između pravoslavne i katoličke crkve ostane trajan vekovima.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
238 people are currently reading
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About the author
Ernle Bradford
116 books85 followersErnle Dusgate Selby Bradford was a noted British historian specializing in the Mediterranean world and naval topics. Bradford was an enthusiastic sailor himself and spent almost thirty years sailing the Mediterranean, where many of his books are set. He served in the Royal Navy during World War II, finishing as the first Lieutenant of a destroyer. He did occasional broadcast work for the BBC, was a magazine editor, and wrote many books.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 17, 2019
Even if the title didn't clue you in, Bradford wastes no time and pulls no punches letting you know what he thinks of the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade. He begins with the arrival of the Venetian fleet in the Sea of Mamara, and the initial clashes before going back and laying the groundwork.
Dandolo, Philip of Swabia, and Boniface are considered to have directly and purposefully conspired to divert the Crusade to Constantinople. This is a far from an unpopular view, and Bradford is on solid ground following this track. Personally, the fall of Constantinople is one of those things that would have seemed unlikely enough beforehand that it's a little hard to believe that it was the planned outcome. My feeling is that it was the outcome of opportunism, and damage control. Dandolo especially was using his political skill to ride the tiger, knowing that getting off would cause such a financial crash in Venice that he would not survive.
But no matter the intentions, the outcome was calamitous for everything besides Venice's art collections. Bradford does a good job relating events, and impressing upon the reader the horrors associated with the fall of a rich city untouched for hundreds of years. If you want a sympathetic take on Venice's part, read Crowley's City of Fortune; but it has a much bigger scope, so Bradford's gives a fuller account of the Crusade as a whole.
Dandolo, Philip of Swabia, and Boniface are considered to have directly and purposefully conspired to divert the Crusade to Constantinople. This is a far from an unpopular view, and Bradford is on solid ground following this track. Personally, the fall of Constantinople is one of those things that would have seemed unlikely enough beforehand that it's a little hard to believe that it was the planned outcome. My feeling is that it was the outcome of opportunism, and damage control. Dandolo especially was using his political skill to ride the tiger, knowing that getting off would cause such a financial crash in Venice that he would not survive.
But no matter the intentions, the outcome was calamitous for everything besides Venice's art collections. Bradford does a good job relating events, and impressing upon the reader the horrors associated with the fall of a rich city untouched for hundreds of years. If you want a sympathetic take on Venice's part, read Crowley's City of Fortune; but it has a much bigger scope, so Bradford's gives a fuller account of the Crusade as a whole.
June 21, 2020
Long have I been fascinated by the Eastern Roman Empire, or as its better known to us, the Byzantine Empire. We are taught that the Roman Empire collapsed in 476 AD, the year that Rome finally fell to the Ostrogoths. But, the Eastern Roman Empire lasted for nearly 1000 years after, centered around the New Rome, Constantinople, which was undoubtedly the most fascinating, complex, and advanced city in the world for many centuries.
As large swaths of Western Europe fell into the Dark Ages, an era of regression, petty kingdoms, and illiteracy, the Byzantines prospered. The empire would, at its greatest extent, even reconquer Rome and some of the lost territories of the west, but were mainly centered around Greece, Asia Minor, and the Levant, where a magnificent civilization based off of Christianity and the Greco-Roman tradition would flourish. They spoke Greek instead of Latin, and fell out of Rome's (the Catholic Church) influence in the 11th Century, but here the Roman tradition carried on, and the Byzantines did indeed think themselves as Romans.
The casual scholar knows that Constantinople finally fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, just thirty-nine years before Columbus discovered the New World, but there's a lot more to the story than that, and this book proves it. Bradford argues effectively that the Byzantine Empire truly fell as a result of the 4th Crusade, where Christian knights from Western Europe descended upon Constantinople and sacked the city, ultimately carving up the empire, hauling off its innumerable treasures, and destroying the spirit of a people who had withstood invaders and conquerors for hundreds if not thousands of years.
This is an interesting but depressing read. Bradford does a remarkable job of creating Constantinople in one's mind, and then brings it crashing down. The reader feels as if they could step through the pages and walk amongst the great city's streets, with its lush gardens, flowing cisterns, and marble palaces at every corner. One can hear the merchants, metalworkers, and artists at their craft as well as see the beauty of that lost city on the Bosporus. The city seems impregnable to the reader, as it did to its inhabitants. For over 900 years, the city had never fallen to an invader, until the spring of 1204.
What was supposed to have been a crusade against the Muslims, or Saracens, as they were known then, in Egypt, turned into an all out holocaust against the Byzantines, fellow Christians and supposed allies of the crusader's cause. This tragic event, perhaps one of the most tragic in European history, was orchestrated by Venice's manipulative and cunning Doge, Enrico Dandolo, who had his own plans in mind. The almighty sin of greed outweighed the liberation of the Holy Lands, as Venice wanted to expand and grow its influence over the Mediterranean World. The puppets were the crusaders, who were duped into sacking Constantinople, and the victims the Byzantines, who never recovered from the assault.
Dandolo's schemes played out well for the Venetians, but were disastrous for Europe as a whole. The Byzantine Empire collapsed and crusader kingdoms were set up in its place for nearly fifty years. Though the Byzantines managed to recapture Constantinople and some of the empire in the 1250s, the empire was finished. By the time the Turks conquered the city in 1453, it was nothing but an empty husk of its former self. The treasures and relics that were carried off by the crusaders and Venetians can still be found in Western Europe today, such as the bulls on St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. Most tragic of all was the loss of countless pieces of art and literature from the ancient world, which we shall never have the privilege of seeing or reading.
The sacking of the city left irreparable damage between the Orthodox and Catholic churches, and it should be noted that by the time the Turks did take the city in 1453, many Greeks welcomed them as they felt that being under their rule would be far better than being under the rule of western Europeans. They were correct in this assumption, as Muslims of this time period, both Arab and Ottoman, were far more tolerant of other faiths than western Europeans. The Muslims themselves had a great civilization, far more advanced than anything Europe outside of the Byzantines had seen since Rome.
This was an easy read, just under 200 pages, and was free for Kindle if you have Amazon Prime. I was shocked to find that it was initially published in the 1980s, and the author has been long dead. Bradford was an expert in Mediterranean history, and has books on Gibraltar, Malta, and St. Paul among others. I will be reading more of his works in the future.
As large swaths of Western Europe fell into the Dark Ages, an era of regression, petty kingdoms, and illiteracy, the Byzantines prospered. The empire would, at its greatest extent, even reconquer Rome and some of the lost territories of the west, but were mainly centered around Greece, Asia Minor, and the Levant, where a magnificent civilization based off of Christianity and the Greco-Roman tradition would flourish. They spoke Greek instead of Latin, and fell out of Rome's (the Catholic Church) influence in the 11th Century, but here the Roman tradition carried on, and the Byzantines did indeed think themselves as Romans.
The casual scholar knows that Constantinople finally fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, just thirty-nine years before Columbus discovered the New World, but there's a lot more to the story than that, and this book proves it. Bradford argues effectively that the Byzantine Empire truly fell as a result of the 4th Crusade, where Christian knights from Western Europe descended upon Constantinople and sacked the city, ultimately carving up the empire, hauling off its innumerable treasures, and destroying the spirit of a people who had withstood invaders and conquerors for hundreds if not thousands of years.
This is an interesting but depressing read. Bradford does a remarkable job of creating Constantinople in one's mind, and then brings it crashing down. The reader feels as if they could step through the pages and walk amongst the great city's streets, with its lush gardens, flowing cisterns, and marble palaces at every corner. One can hear the merchants, metalworkers, and artists at their craft as well as see the beauty of that lost city on the Bosporus. The city seems impregnable to the reader, as it did to its inhabitants. For over 900 years, the city had never fallen to an invader, until the spring of 1204.
What was supposed to have been a crusade against the Muslims, or Saracens, as they were known then, in Egypt, turned into an all out holocaust against the Byzantines, fellow Christians and supposed allies of the crusader's cause. This tragic event, perhaps one of the most tragic in European history, was orchestrated by Venice's manipulative and cunning Doge, Enrico Dandolo, who had his own plans in mind. The almighty sin of greed outweighed the liberation of the Holy Lands, as Venice wanted to expand and grow its influence over the Mediterranean World. The puppets were the crusaders, who were duped into sacking Constantinople, and the victims the Byzantines, who never recovered from the assault.
Dandolo's schemes played out well for the Venetians, but were disastrous for Europe as a whole. The Byzantine Empire collapsed and crusader kingdoms were set up in its place for nearly fifty years. Though the Byzantines managed to recapture Constantinople and some of the empire in the 1250s, the empire was finished. By the time the Turks conquered the city in 1453, it was nothing but an empty husk of its former self. The treasures and relics that were carried off by the crusaders and Venetians can still be found in Western Europe today, such as the bulls on St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. Most tragic of all was the loss of countless pieces of art and literature from the ancient world, which we shall never have the privilege of seeing or reading.
The sacking of the city left irreparable damage between the Orthodox and Catholic churches, and it should be noted that by the time the Turks did take the city in 1453, many Greeks welcomed them as they felt that being under their rule would be far better than being under the rule of western Europeans. They were correct in this assumption, as Muslims of this time period, both Arab and Ottoman, were far more tolerant of other faiths than western Europeans. The Muslims themselves had a great civilization, far more advanced than anything Europe outside of the Byzantines had seen since Rome.
This was an easy read, just under 200 pages, and was free for Kindle if you have Amazon Prime. I was shocked to find that it was initially published in the 1980s, and the author has been long dead. Bradford was an expert in Mediterranean history, and has books on Gibraltar, Malta, and St. Paul among others. I will be reading more of his works in the future.
January 26, 2017
Bradford loves Constantinople: the culture, the art, the politics, the people. It was the greatest city in the world, even as its once vaunted military decayed. In the 13th century, the city was sacked by the Fourth Crusade, leaving it a husk that was finally plucked by the Turks centuries later. In this quick popular history, Bradford uses the sack of Constantinople to explore the politics of the era, and the machinations of Doge Dandolo, who used financial leverage and a puppet emperor to direct an army of Franks from Egypt to a Christian nation. Carefully, he manipulated events to destroy Constantinople, leaving Venice the supreme trading power in the Eastern Mediterranean. Looted relics decorated cathedrals and monastery across Western Europe, but a unique storehouse of treasures, skills, and ancients writings was forever lost.
Bradford has a turgid writing style, which somehow captures the romance of the period. This isn't the last or only word on the fall of Constantinople, but it's a strong introduction.
Bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhqeNUFCyI0
Bradford has a turgid writing style, which somehow captures the romance of the period. This isn't the last or only word on the fall of Constantinople, but it's a strong introduction.
Bonus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhqeNUFCyI0
November 13, 2025
Неспорна је чињеница да је Константинопољ пао 1453. године, и то је нешто што је урезанао у камен историје. Али, како ова књига убедљиво показује, темељ тог пада почео је да пуца много раније – 1204. године, у вихору Четвртог крсташког похода. Управо је то срж и поука дела „Велико издајство: Цариград 1204.“ : потресна реконструкција једне од најмрачнијих страница европске историје.
Аутор нас води у срце византијске трагедије, међу зидине које су подједнако рушили непријатељи споља и издајници (и слабост) изнутра. Тако је настало велико издајство обе стране (свако у свом контексту).
Кроз изузетно јасну анализу, приказује се како је Млетачка република, под лукавим и безкрупулозним вођством дужда Енрика Дандола, искористила наивност крсташа и слабости Византије да претвори један поход и „свети рат“ у пљачку хришћанског града, за свој рачун и корист. Просто ми је фасцинантно било како је препредењак Дандоло играо своју војно-дипломатско-економско-политичку улогу.
Књига није само историјски преглед овог сукоба и похода. Она нам нуди и сведочанство о томе како се империје не руше преко ноћи, већ изнутра, труљењем, раздорима и личним амбицијама. Византија се у овом делу показује као симбол државе која није поражена само мачем, већ и ослабљењим системом (сопственим немаром, похлепом, грађанским ратовима, слабим владарима и неповерењем). Много је фактора утицало на то.
На крају читања, остаје јасан осећај да је „Велико издајство“ више од приче о једном походу. То је и анализа дешавања на којима ће се се у будућности постављати односи између Запада и Истока, тј. католичанства и православља, односно смер по коме ће де касније трасирати и сам свет у коме данас живимо.
Читалац не излази из ове књиге само богатији за историјске чињенице, већ и дубље свестан да на многе ствари не треба гледати црно или бело, тј. крајње упрошћено.
Аутор нас води у срце византијске трагедије, међу зидине које су подједнако рушили непријатељи споља и издајници (и слабост) изнутра. Тако је настало велико издајство обе стране (свако у свом контексту).
Кроз изузетно јасну анализу, приказује се како је Млетачка република, под лукавим и безкрупулозним вођством дужда Енрика Дандола, искористила наивност крсташа и слабости Византије да претвори један поход и „свети рат“ у пљачку хришћанског града, за свој рачун и корист. Просто ми је фасцинантно било како је препредењак Дандоло играо своју војно-дипломатско-економско-политичку улогу.
Књига није само историјски преглед овог сукоба и похода. Она нам нуди и сведочанство о томе како се империје не руше преко ноћи, већ изнутра, труљењем, раздорима и личним амбицијама. Византија се у овом делу показује као симбол државе која није поражена само мачем, већ и ослабљењим системом (сопственим немаром, похлепом, грађанским ратовима, слабим владарима и неповерењем). Много је фактора утицало на то.
На крају читања, остаје јасан осећај да је „Велико издајство“ више од приче о једном походу. То је и анализа дешавања на којима ће се се у будућности постављати односи између Запада и Истока, тј. католичанства и православља, односно смер по коме ће де касније трасирати и сам свет у коме данас живимо.
Читалац не излази из ове књиге само богатији за историјске чињенице, већ и дубље свестан да на многе ствари не треба гледати црно или бело, тј. крајње упрошћено.
March 27, 2021
It happens. Not often, but it happens. I’ll buy a book based on its cover and title, without knowing anything about the historical event, and I’ll end up feeling much more learned, enriched, and educated. I come away with a sense of victory that I ‘accidentally’ discovered a great book. This book was a highly interesting and informative read; so much so that I’m tempted to scoop up other works by the author. That’s not to say that the subject matter within these pages is pleasant. No, far from it. But history is history and, if anything, you would hope that people would learn from past mistakes.
The topic of this book is the Fourth Crusade that took place in the very early years of the thirteenth century. Actually, a more appropriate description would be the diversion of the Fourth Crusade. The crusaders and their escorts never arrived at their intended destination. We read, though, that this was planned all along by the insiders. The crusade was initiated by Pope Innocent III. The intention was to “convert the heathen” in neighboring Egypt and Syria. I’m assuming the reader of this review knows a bit about the crusades, so I’ll just mention that they were an embarrassing part of Christian history. We now know better, but we weren’t always as smart.
The pope enlists the Doge of Venice, Enrico Dandolo and his legion of Venetians to lead the crusade and the actual crusaders. The issue is, unbeknownst to the pope, Dandolo has already made an agreement with the Moslems in Egypt not to invade, and he’s not about to go back on his word. Instead, he conjures up a far more lucrative scheme. He instead sets his sights on the Byzantium Empire, specifically the city of Constantinople. Constantinople, though, is also Christian. So why attack neighboring Christians? Well, it seems that there’s an exiled “pretender” to the Byzantium throne known as Alexius. Alexius makes a deal with Dandalo – restore him to the throne, and he’ll ensure Dandalo will reap a sea of riches. Well, who can refuse an offer like that? Especially since the 80-year old blind Dandolo cares much more about money than a crusade. So the journey begins.
I won’t go into any more plot details, but the story itself is quite enthralling. In fact, I’m surprised that Netflix or any other movie or television producer hasn’t snatched up this story (to my knowledge). It would be quite a ratings grabber if done right. The length of this book seemed just about right – only 200 pages or so. That may seem a bit small, but that was really all that was needed.
What makes this tale much more tragic is that the author really hits home with his readers the beauty and majesty of the Byzantine empire before it was sacked. He goes into quite a bit of detail with the descriptions of the many aspects of the culture, and this clearly came across as the place to be if one were alive at the time. It’s sad when one reflects that, due to this event, a multitude of writings and works of art were destroyed and therefore lost to history. Again, you wouldn’t think Christians would go to war with other Christians, but one only has to view the modern day barking among the divisions, no matter how minor they may be, and it sadly doesn’t come across as that surprising upon reflection. It should point out that the Byzantine Empire was considered “Eastern” and the Roman Empire was known as “Western”, and there were some apparent divisions of the two factions. Still, though, the idea of “conquering” the East by the West was not what Pope Innocent III had in mind at all.
What’s even sadder, is the ravaged Constantinople is never really able to lick its wounds, and is therefore vulnerable to the Turkish invasion that would take place two and a half centuries later. This essentially sealed its historic fate for good. (What was once known as Constantinople is now Istanbul, Turkey.)
So, no, not a happy tale, but one well told. I never felt overwhelmed by too many names, or swamped under with too much meticulous detail. The author did a great job with pacing the narrative. In addition to telling the linear story, he sets up the main players well by giving us plenty of background and history before the actual event commenced. If you’re like me, not only will you enjoy this book, but you’ll learn a whole lot of history as well.
The topic of this book is the Fourth Crusade that took place in the very early years of the thirteenth century. Actually, a more appropriate description would be the diversion of the Fourth Crusade. The crusaders and their escorts never arrived at their intended destination. We read, though, that this was planned all along by the insiders. The crusade was initiated by Pope Innocent III. The intention was to “convert the heathen” in neighboring Egypt and Syria. I’m assuming the reader of this review knows a bit about the crusades, so I’ll just mention that they were an embarrassing part of Christian history. We now know better, but we weren’t always as smart.
The pope enlists the Doge of Venice, Enrico Dandolo and his legion of Venetians to lead the crusade and the actual crusaders. The issue is, unbeknownst to the pope, Dandolo has already made an agreement with the Moslems in Egypt not to invade, and he’s not about to go back on his word. Instead, he conjures up a far more lucrative scheme. He instead sets his sights on the Byzantium Empire, specifically the city of Constantinople. Constantinople, though, is also Christian. So why attack neighboring Christians? Well, it seems that there’s an exiled “pretender” to the Byzantium throne known as Alexius. Alexius makes a deal with Dandalo – restore him to the throne, and he’ll ensure Dandalo will reap a sea of riches. Well, who can refuse an offer like that? Especially since the 80-year old blind Dandolo cares much more about money than a crusade. So the journey begins.
I won’t go into any more plot details, but the story itself is quite enthralling. In fact, I’m surprised that Netflix or any other movie or television producer hasn’t snatched up this story (to my knowledge). It would be quite a ratings grabber if done right. The length of this book seemed just about right – only 200 pages or so. That may seem a bit small, but that was really all that was needed.
What makes this tale much more tragic is that the author really hits home with his readers the beauty and majesty of the Byzantine empire before it was sacked. He goes into quite a bit of detail with the descriptions of the many aspects of the culture, and this clearly came across as the place to be if one were alive at the time. It’s sad when one reflects that, due to this event, a multitude of writings and works of art were destroyed and therefore lost to history. Again, you wouldn’t think Christians would go to war with other Christians, but one only has to view the modern day barking among the divisions, no matter how minor they may be, and it sadly doesn’t come across as that surprising upon reflection. It should point out that the Byzantine Empire was considered “Eastern” and the Roman Empire was known as “Western”, and there were some apparent divisions of the two factions. Still, though, the idea of “conquering” the East by the West was not what Pope Innocent III had in mind at all.
What’s even sadder, is the ravaged Constantinople is never really able to lick its wounds, and is therefore vulnerable to the Turkish invasion that would take place two and a half centuries later. This essentially sealed its historic fate for good. (What was once known as Constantinople is now Istanbul, Turkey.)
So, no, not a happy tale, but one well told. I never felt overwhelmed by too many names, or swamped under with too much meticulous detail. The author did a great job with pacing the narrative. In addition to telling the linear story, he sets up the main players well by giving us plenty of background and history before the actual event commenced. If you’re like me, not only will you enjoy this book, but you’ll learn a whole lot of history as well.
August 13, 2020
For Prime members, this book is a steal because of the gripping writing and incisive research.
However, it's a bit dated (1986) and uses some antiquated terms (Saracens). In Kindle, it also lacks maps and has a few scanning errors.
But don't let that stop you.
However, it's a bit dated (1986) and uses some antiquated terms (Saracens). In Kindle, it also lacks maps and has a few scanning errors.
But don't let that stop you.
July 2, 2023
Књига препуна тривијалних мада на моменте занимљивих података. Главна теза је дата већ у уводу и на даље се она само аргументује и документује. Пар ауторових узгредних опаски доприноси позитивном утиску.
February 14, 2023
“This is a calamitous story, but it contains a moral for our own time: western civilisation and culture are more likely to collapse from internal dissension than from external pressure. The enemy is within. It is a hydra with many heads, but three predominate—Stupidity, Envy and Greed. The destruction of Constantinople and its Empire is an appalling example of what can result from political opportunism and narrow patriotism. It is not necessary to look very far in the western world at this moment to see similar dangers arising from similar misguided policies.”
Sometimes I need a palate cleanser. A book that is more academic but still a story. Ernle Brandford is a solid historian. A few times his own proclivities seep into the narration, but overall he combined primary and secondary sources to produce a book that is well rounded.
The other times I’ve read about the Crusades I’ve either had a vast overview or dealt with details in another region. While history ultimately cannot hide, it can cast certain periods into shadows. This definitely is one of those times. The title of the book states exactly what happened. It was *the great betrayal.* Instead of fighting against a common enemy (Mohammedians) the greed and envy of the Venetians made Christians fight against Christians. The schism of the East/West church was solidified. And the world would never be the same.
Of course, every empire falls. Byzantium had a longer time than most. They became complacent and weak men ruled. And they were sacked. In every way.
The Crusaders started out not to sack Constantinople, but to protect Christians in Jerusalem. They were persuaded by a charismatic and bitter old man to attack brothers. And having done so, they disregarded their vows and raped, pillaged, and destroyed a great city. But Constantinople isn’t innocent either. They had become lazy and lax in their training up of their warriors. They were most despicably betrayed, but their own sins were not minor.
Sometimes I need a palate cleanser. A book that is more academic but still a story. Ernle Brandford is a solid historian. A few times his own proclivities seep into the narration, but overall he combined primary and secondary sources to produce a book that is well rounded.
The other times I’ve read about the Crusades I’ve either had a vast overview or dealt with details in another region. While history ultimately cannot hide, it can cast certain periods into shadows. This definitely is one of those times. The title of the book states exactly what happened. It was *the great betrayal.* Instead of fighting against a common enemy (Mohammedians) the greed and envy of the Venetians made Christians fight against Christians. The schism of the East/West church was solidified. And the world would never be the same.
Of course, every empire falls. Byzantium had a longer time than most. They became complacent and weak men ruled. And they were sacked. In every way.
The Crusaders started out not to sack Constantinople, but to protect Christians in Jerusalem. They were persuaded by a charismatic and bitter old man to attack brothers. And having done so, they disregarded their vows and raped, pillaged, and destroyed a great city. But Constantinople isn’t innocent either. They had become lazy and lax in their training up of their warriors. They were most despicably betrayed, but their own sins were not minor.
June 10, 2024
This is a story of the fourth crusade. Bradford says in the title what he thought of the Christian chivalric knights that attacked fellow Christians and robbed their churches.-Betrayal. So you have his opinion backed up by what happened. He really demonizes the Venetians and Doge Dandalo. He pretty much says that it was always the Venetians plan to divert the crusade from Egypt. The siege and sack of Zara was a city Dandalo coveted, if this is true, it shows damning evidence for his theory about the Venetians. Good book.
November 4, 2017
Great read.
An excellent account of, yet another, dark moment in the history of Europe. Authoritative, with good research and bibliography, yet easily read and approachable to anyone.
An excellent account of, yet another, dark moment in the history of Europe. Authoritative, with good research and bibliography, yet easily read and approachable to anyone.
January 1, 2019
So much of history has been overlooked or rewritten. What a blessing to find a scholar who will do the research, present the facts with good documentation, and also write in a manner that is enjoyable to read. The story itself is horrific and painful, but Mr. Bradford tells it extremely well.
August 18, 2020
It is the fascinating story of one of the greatest crimes of Western civilization, the rape and destruction of Orthodox Christian Constantinople by French and Italian Roman Catholic crusaders. But the city, now Istanbul, is again a major world city and well worth visiting.
September 2, 2025
Detailed history of the 4th crusade, covering the first conception by innocent III to Venetian trickery and the eventual siege an sack of Constantinople, leading to the eventual demise of the byzantine empire and fall to the Ottomans.
September 8, 2020
Nice book
It was an easy read, but not super heavily researched. Overall, I would recommend it to another person that likes popular history.
It was an easy read, but not super heavily researched. Overall, I would recommend it to another person that likes popular history.
January 1, 2022
Would help if the book included maps of the locations.
February 15, 2022
Captivating
What an incredible read. What a wild story and the author did such an incredible job making you feel as if you were in it. Couldn’t recommend more.
What an incredible read. What a wild story and the author did such an incredible job making you feel as if you were in it. Couldn’t recommend more.
May 11, 2022
Very good
Love all things related to Byzantium history and this book delivered! Really liked how it showed how stupid the crusaders were.
Love all things related to Byzantium history and this book delivered! Really liked how it showed how stupid the crusaders were.
August 8, 2023
Just a great read and at the same time, a sad commentary on the treacherous world of medieval European politics and warfare. Totally fascinating and engaging.
November 11, 2023
Bradford tells the story of Doge of Venice Enrico Dandolo's ending of the Byzantine empire two and half centuries before Mehmed II.
August 8, 2025
Good historical collection on the sack of Constantinople in the fourth crusade.
October 30, 2025
Not my fave
March 25, 2012
Das Buch erschien zuerst unter dem Titel "Verrat am Bosporus. Die Eroberung Konstatinopels 1204" (Tübingen o.J.; Originalausgabe London 1970).
Der zum Mediavisten avancierte englische Marineoffizier schildert die Ereignisse des 4. Kreuzzuges, die Eroberung Konstantinopels 1204 wesentlich als durch die Venezianischen Kaufleute vorangetriebenes Geschehen. Enrico Dandolo wird als der Mann dargestellt, der entscheidend den Verlauf und das verfehlte Resultat beeinflußt hätte. Nur: Es war nicht so! Alle überlieferten Dokumente der Zeitzeugen sagen etwas anderes aus. Das hat die Geschichtswissenschaft schon vor mehr als 100 Jahren geklärt (s. dazu z.B. meine Rezension zu Ulrich Ackermann: Die Eroberung Konstantinopels durch das Kreuzfahrerheer 1204. Norderstedt 2004).
Was soll man von Autoren, die doch wohl ernst genommen werden wollen, halten, wenn sie - obwohl sie alle Quellen kennen - entstellende und verfälschende Darstellungen geben? Bradford kann keinerlei Beweise für seine einseitige Sicht erbringen. Schon auf den ersten Seiten wird als Vorurteil verkündet, was er nachweisen will, aber nicht kann, nämlich daß "der venezianische Handelsneid, gelenkt und gefördert von den machiavellischen Künsten des Dogen Dandolo... zum Untergang der Stadt (Konstantinopel) und des ganzen Reiches führt." (Bradford Tübinger Ausgabe S. 13, s. auch S. 62) Donald M. Nicol (Byzantium and Venice - A study in diplomatic and cultural relations. Cambridge 1988 S. VI) drückte seine vorgefaßte Meinung - ebenfalls eingangs, und zwar hier gleich als 1. Satz - noch unverhohlener aus: Enrico Dandolo müsse als "Schurke im Stück" (villain in the piece) "Konstatinopel 1204" gelten. Bradford hat zu diesem Text die Melodie vorgegeben: "In diese tragische Episode der Menscheitsgeschichte waren tatsächlich 'Schurken' verstrickt..." (Bradford Tübinger Ausgabe S. 19) Wen wundert es da, wenn die überlieferten Quellen mit längst widerlegten Annahmen uminterpretiert werden (etwa S. 75, 308, 302 die Behauptung, die Venezianer hätten vor Beginn des Kreuzzuges einen Geheimvertrag mit dem Sultan von Ägypten abgeschlossen). Humbug ist natürlich immer noch steigerbar, etwa wenn die Ereignisse von 1204 zur Ursache für die 249 Jahre später erfolgende Eroberung Konstatinopels durch die Türken gemacht werden. Bradford suggeriert das insbesondere S. 14ff und S. 296ff sehr nachdrücklich.
Na gut, vielleicht ist es nicht schurkig, aber absolut unseriös, unhistorisch, Menschen des 12./13. Jahrhunderts - sei es nun der Venezianische Doge oder wer auch immer - typische Ideen und Verhaltensweisen der Renaissancezeit zu unterstellen: Niccolò Machiavelli wurde bekanntlich erst 265 Jahre nach der Eroberung Konstatinopels durch die Kreuzritter geboren.
Der zum Mediavisten avancierte englische Marineoffizier schildert die Ereignisse des 4. Kreuzzuges, die Eroberung Konstantinopels 1204 wesentlich als durch die Venezianischen Kaufleute vorangetriebenes Geschehen. Enrico Dandolo wird als der Mann dargestellt, der entscheidend den Verlauf und das verfehlte Resultat beeinflußt hätte. Nur: Es war nicht so! Alle überlieferten Dokumente der Zeitzeugen sagen etwas anderes aus. Das hat die Geschichtswissenschaft schon vor mehr als 100 Jahren geklärt (s. dazu z.B. meine Rezension zu Ulrich Ackermann: Die Eroberung Konstantinopels durch das Kreuzfahrerheer 1204. Norderstedt 2004).
Was soll man von Autoren, die doch wohl ernst genommen werden wollen, halten, wenn sie - obwohl sie alle Quellen kennen - entstellende und verfälschende Darstellungen geben? Bradford kann keinerlei Beweise für seine einseitige Sicht erbringen. Schon auf den ersten Seiten wird als Vorurteil verkündet, was er nachweisen will, aber nicht kann, nämlich daß "der venezianische Handelsneid, gelenkt und gefördert von den machiavellischen Künsten des Dogen Dandolo... zum Untergang der Stadt (Konstantinopel) und des ganzen Reiches führt." (Bradford Tübinger Ausgabe S. 13, s. auch S. 62) Donald M. Nicol (Byzantium and Venice - A study in diplomatic and cultural relations. Cambridge 1988 S. VI) drückte seine vorgefaßte Meinung - ebenfalls eingangs, und zwar hier gleich als 1. Satz - noch unverhohlener aus: Enrico Dandolo müsse als "Schurke im Stück" (villain in the piece) "Konstatinopel 1204" gelten. Bradford hat zu diesem Text die Melodie vorgegeben: "In diese tragische Episode der Menscheitsgeschichte waren tatsächlich 'Schurken' verstrickt..." (Bradford Tübinger Ausgabe S. 19) Wen wundert es da, wenn die überlieferten Quellen mit längst widerlegten Annahmen uminterpretiert werden (etwa S. 75, 308, 302 die Behauptung, die Venezianer hätten vor Beginn des Kreuzzuges einen Geheimvertrag mit dem Sultan von Ägypten abgeschlossen). Humbug ist natürlich immer noch steigerbar, etwa wenn die Ereignisse von 1204 zur Ursache für die 249 Jahre später erfolgende Eroberung Konstatinopels durch die Türken gemacht werden. Bradford suggeriert das insbesondere S. 14ff und S. 296ff sehr nachdrücklich.
Na gut, vielleicht ist es nicht schurkig, aber absolut unseriös, unhistorisch, Menschen des 12./13. Jahrhunderts - sei es nun der Venezianische Doge oder wer auch immer - typische Ideen und Verhaltensweisen der Renaissancezeit zu unterstellen: Niccolò Machiavelli wurde bekanntlich erst 265 Jahre nach der Eroberung Konstatinopels durch die Kreuzritter geboren.
January 14, 2021
This eminently readable book was very well researched and it flows nicely. Three primary eyewitness accounts have been used in the past and while each has its own flaws and biases, the author does what I felt was an excellent job of sorting through the credibility of each to glean the most useful and pertinent portions. Many historical accounts tend to be so filled with facts and details that they become dry and dispassionate. Not so here as this book becomes almost like a page-turning novel.
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