The Venetians had completed their part of the contract; the Crusaders were unable to pay their fare; the doge made a proposal which was accepted. At this point it becomes necessary to examine such other testimony as exists, in order to learn whether the diversion was due to the simple cause which is assigned for it by the great apologist for the crusade. The intention was, as we have seen, to go to Alexandria. " But this praiseworthy design," says Gunther, " was hindered by the fraud and malice of the Venetians.

The Crusaders were received treacherously, says Rostangns, by those to whom they had come, who would not allow them for a long time to pass beyond sea. They refused to carry them beyond sea or to allow them to leave St. Kicolo di Lido unless they paid the uttermost farthing." The leaders and the Crusaders generally appear, as we have seen, to have done their best to pay. But the number for which the city had furnished transport was largely in excess of that which had been brought together by the end of June. Out of 4000 knights and their attendants, only 1000 had assembled. Of the 100,000 foot soldiers provided for, there were not more than 50,000 or 60,000 on the Lido. The Crusaders argued that those who had come and were ready to pay ought not to be forced to pay for those who had not come. The Venetians claimed their pound of flesh.

Resistance was useless; the Crusaders were prisoners. The doge, according to Robert de Clari, told the Crusaders plainly, " If you do not pay, understand well that you will not move from this island, nor will you find any one who 'will furnish you meat and drink." It was upon this threat that the leaders had borrowed what they could to pay their jailers. It was after a second collection for payment, in July Visit Bulgaria, 1202, that there was still about one third of the freight, or, according to Robert de Clari, 36,000 marks, unpaid. Shortly afterwards the Crusaders were persuaded to accept a compromise, which, on the whole, could not be considered as unfair. Dandolo was understood to have proposed that out of the share of the first spoil which fell to the Cru-saders in fighting the common enemy—that is, the Moslems —the sum due to the Venetians should be deducted. This proposition was gladly accepted.

Adriatic to Venice

Subsequently this promise was changed into a proposal for Proposal an aack Ponzara. This city lies on the oppotothe site coast of the Adriatic to Venice, was the capital of Dalmatia, and belonged to the King of Hungary, who had himself sent aid to the Crusaders. It had been rising in importance for many years. The Venetians alleged that its inhabitants had often of late made piratical attacks upon their ships. Possibly the charge was true, but the real reason of the hostility felt towards it was a jealousy of its commercial prosperity. The non-official versions represent the Zara expedition as forced on the Crusaders. The official versions represent the Crusaders as gladly consenting to pay the Venetians out of the spoils taken at Zara falling to their share. The story of Villehardouin is not at variance generally with those of other contemporary writers.

Its chief fault is a suppression of disagreeable facts. His object in writing the story of the crusade was to show that the expedition had not been so complete a failure as a crusade as the world had taken it to be. We must look to others for the unpleasant facts. The author of the " Devastatio " states that the troubles of the Crusaders began even before their arrival in Venice. The Lombards charged them heavy prices for victuals. When they reached the city they were cast out of the houses and compelled to go to Lido. The Crusaders were there treated in every respect as captives. Provisions were sold to them at famine prices. A sistarius of corn cost 50 soldi.

The Venetian rulers gave orders that no one should ferry any of the foreigners out of the island. The want of provisions and the sense of their helplessness created a panic among them. Those who could escaped. Some went home; some hastened to other ports in the hope of finding ships for Egypt or Syria. The summer heats caused a terrible mortality among the crowded host, so that, according to the same author, the living could scarcely be found to bury the dead.

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