The statement implies that he had no knowledge of their intention. It may fairly be presumed that such knowledge as lie had was of a very vague character. He certainly had officially no knowledge. It is possible, and indeed probable, that spies or others had hastened on to Constantinople as soon as the destination of the army had been make known at Corfu. It is unlikely that more than a suspicion of what was going on can have been communicated to him at any period before the arrival of the army in that island.

Answer of the behalf of the Crusaders

Conon de Bethune replied to the imperial messenger on Answer of the behalf of the Crusaders. He denied that they had crusaders. Come into the land of Alexis, because the occupant of the throne was not the rightful emperor. The land belonged to Ins nephew, who was with them, the son of Isaac. The message he was to take back to his master was, that if Alexis would surrender his crown and empire to his nephew, they, the Crusaders, would ask young Alexis to pardon him and to give him enough to live upon luxuriously. If the messenger did not return with an answer accepting these conditions he had better not dare to return at all.

The leaders seem to have been under the impression that there existed within the city a strong party in favor of Alexis. No doubt Philip, and possibly young Alexis himself, had done their best to persuade them that such was the case. The barons determined to give this party the opportunity to declare itself. The nephew of the emperor should be shown to the people of Constantinople.

Accordingly they manned and armed all their galleys.

Dandolo and the Marquis of Montferrat and young Alexis went on board one of them, and a crowd of barons is shown to and knights into the others. Ihe walls of Constantinople then, as now, came down to the waters edge through two thirds of their extent.

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