henry dandolo had, in his early years, passed, with general approbation, through many of the subordinate offices of government; and had, a few years before he was elected to the dignity of doge, been ambassador at the court of manuel, the greek emperor at constantinople. there, on account of his inflexible integrity, and his refusing to enter into the views of manuel, which he thought contrary to the interest of his country, his eyes were almost entirely put out, by order of that tyrant. notwithstanding this impediment, and his great age, being above eighty, he was now elected to the office of doge.
[105]
at this time, some of the most powerful princes and nobles of france and flanders, instigated by the zeal of innocent the third, and still more by their own pious fervour, resolved, in a fourth crusade, to attempt the recovery of the holy land, and the sepulchre of christ, from the hands of infidels; and being, by the fate of others, taught the difficulties and dangers of transporting armies by land, they resolved to take their passage from europe to asia by sea. on this occasion they applied to the venetian state, who not only agreed to furnish ships for the transportation of the army, but also to join, with an armed fleet, as principals in the expedition.
the french army arrived soon after in the venetian state; but so ill had they calculated, that, when every thing was ready for the embarkation, part of the sum which they had agreed to pay for the transporting their troops, was deficient. this occasioned[106] disputes between the french leaders and the state, which the doge put an end to, by proposing, that they should pay in military services what they could not furnish in money. this was accepted, and the first exploits of the crusade army were, the reduction of the town of zara, and other places in dalmatia, which had revolted from the venetians. it had been previously agreed, that, after this service, the army should embark immediately for egypt; but dandolo, who had another project more at heart, represented that the season was too far advanced, and found means to persuade the french army to winter in dalmatia.
during this interval, dandolo, availing himself of some favourable circumstances, had the dexterity to determine the french crusaders, in spite of the interdiction of the pope, to join with the venetian forces, and to carry their arms against the emperor of constantinople; an expedition[107] which, dandolo asserted, would facilitate their original plan against the holy land, and which, he was convinced, would be attended with far greater advantages to both parties.
the crown of constantinople was never surrounded with greater dangers, nor has it ever known more sudden revolutions, than at this period.
manuel, who had treated dandolo, while ambassador, with so much barbarity, had been precipitated from the throne. his immediate successor had, a short time after, experienced the same fate. betrayed by his own brother, his eyes had been put out, and, in that deplorable condition, he was kept close prisoner by the usurper. the son of this unfortunate man had escaped from constantinople, and had arrived at venice, to implore the protection of that state: the compassion which his misfortune naturally[108] excited, had considerable effect in promoting the doge’s favourite scheme of leading the french and venetian forces against constantinople. the indefatigable dandolo went, in person, at the head of his countrymen. the united army beat the troops of the usurper in repeated battles, obliged him to fly from constantinople, placed his brother on the throne, and restored to him his son alexis, who had been obliged to take refuge at venice, from the cruelty of his uncle, and had accompanied dandolo in this successful enterprise.
a misunderstanding soon after ensued between the united armies and alexis, now associated with his father on the throne of constantinople. the greeks murmured at the favour which their emperor shewed to those foreigners, and thought his liberality to them inconsistent with his duty to his own subjects. the crusaders, on the other hand, imagined, that all the wealth[109] of his empire was hardly sufficient to repay the obligations he owed to them. the young prince, desirous to be just to the one, and grateful to the other, lost the confidence of both; and, while he strove to conciliate the minds of two sets of men, whose views and interests were opposite, he was betrayed by murtsuphlo, a greek, who had gained his confidence, and whom he had raised to the highest dignities of the empire. this traitor insinuated to the greeks, that alexis had agreed to deliver up constantinople to be pillaged, that he might satisfy the avarice and rapacity of those strangers who had restored his family to the throne. the people fly to arms, the palace is invested, alexis and his father are put to death, and murtsuphlo is declared emperor.
these transactions, though ascertained by the authenticity of history, seem as rapid as the revolutions of a theatrical representation.
[110]
the chiefs of the united army, struck with horror and indignation, assemble in council. dandolo, always decisive in the moment of danger, gives it as his opinion, that they should immediately declare war against the usurper, and make themselves masters of the empire. this opinion prevails, and the conquest of the greek empire is resolved upon.
after several bloody battles, and various assaults, the united armies of france and venice enter victorious into constantinople, and divide the spoils of that wealthy city.
the doge, never so much blinded with success as to lose sight of the true interest of his country, did not think of procuring for the republic, large dominions on the continent. the venetians had, for their share, the islands of the archipelago, several ports on the coast of the hellespont, the morea, and the entire island of candia.[111] this was a judicious partition for venice, the augmentation of whose strength depended on commerce, navigation, and the empire of the sea.
though the star of dandolo rose in obscurity, and shone with no extraordinary lustre at its meridian height, yet nothing ever surpassed the brilliancy of its setting rays.
this extraordinary man died at constantinople, oppressed with age, but while the laurels, which adorned his hoary head, were in youthful verdure.
the annals of mankind present nothing more worthy of our admiration. a man, above the age of eighty, and almost entirely deprived of his sight, despising the repose necessary for age, and the secure honours which attended him at home; engaging in a hazardous enterprise, against a distant[112] and powerful enemy; supporting the fatigues of a military life with the spirit of youth, and the perseverance of a veteran, in a superstitious age; and, whilst he led an army of religious enthusiasts, braving, at once, the indignation of the pope, the prejudices of bigots, and all the dangers of war; displaying the ardour of a conqueror, the judgment of a statesman, and the disinterested spirit of a patriot; preparing distant events, improving accidental circumstances, managing the most impetuous characters; and, with admirable address, making all subservient to the vast plan he had conceived, for the aggrandizing his native country. yet this man passed his youth, manhood, and great part of his old age, unknown. had he died at seventy, his name would have been swept, with the common rubbish of courts and capitals, into the gulph of oblivion. so necessary are occasions, and situations, for bringing into light the concealed vigour of the greatest[113] characters; and so true it is, that while we see, at the head of kingdoms, men of the most vulgar abilities, the periods of whose existence serve only as dates to history, many whose talents and virtues would have swelled her brightest pages have died unnoted, from the obscurity of their situations, or the languor and stupidity of the ages in which they lived.
but the romantic story of henry dandolo has seduced me from my original purpose, which was, to give you an idea of the rise and progress of the venetian aristocracy, and which i shall resume in my next.
