Villains and Virgins History Podcast

The story of how Constantinople was assaulted and sacked by the army of the Fourth Crusade is horrifying.  Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, and it was full of Eastern Christians.  So how did the army of the Fourth Crusade, who thought they were going to fight Muslims and reconquer Jerusalem, end up looting churches and assaulting nuns?  A naive prince, a cunning Venetian Doge, and two emperors who fled into the night are part of the spiral that leaves French knights fighting the Varangian Guard.  The shocking attack on the city was a turning point: it redefined the potential targets for crusader violence, which would soon be unleashed in France, and it shattered the power of the Eastern Roman Empire.
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If you enjoyed this, check out my series on the First, Second, and Third Crusades, available in both your podcast player and on YouTube...
1st Crusade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnOZJsYzx1k&list=PLteESDDVIavR-8R7p6ZTFVo5NhCJBblB_
2nd Crusade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_yn_iyHsHE&list=PLteESDDVIavT9n0q_5d8xrt9A6LhlsoEl
3rd Crusade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zaN0_xDjU&list=PLteESDDVIavSf0NWjBx3Hl9pJ5tyjJTy_
Thanks
Eva Schubert
VillainsAndVirgins.com

Of all the Crusades, this one may be the worst.  It is the story of how an army of Crusaders end up fighting only other Christians, and it ends with the sacking of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and the heart of the eastern Christian world.  It is a tale of mistakes, greed, and misjudgment.  Along the way we meet a runaway prince with delusions of grandeur, and the powerful city state of Venice, with world class shipbuilders and intense ambitions.
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The Third Crusade is over and King Richard the Lionheart is making his way home, escorted by the Knights Templar. After a daring journey in disguise, he will end up becoming a prisoner, as enemies he has made settle scores. When he is ransomed and returns to his kingdom, he has a few scores of his own to settle. This story is a crazy ride through the politics of medieval Europe, where serving the wrong man can get you improsoned, hanged, or even worse. Even more remarkable than the men themselves is the astonishing afterlife enjoyed by Richard and Saladin as they become legends for generations to come, connecting with figures from Dante to Kaiser Wilhelm II.

The Third Crusade involves two of the most well known figures of any crusade: Richard I, the Lionheart, King of England, and Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, Sultan of Egypt and Syria. These two men each command an army, and the fate of the Near East hangs in the balance.  After the Siege of Acre, the army of the Third Crusade takes the road to Jerusalem.  Along the way they will face Saladin, and have an encounter with the Assassins.  Their quest to take the city involves epic battles, murder, surprising camaraderie, and scandalous marriage proposals.  This is the story which founded legends.

The siege of Acre, from 1189-1191 was one of the most brutal battles of the Third Crusade.  The armies of the King of Jerusalem surrounded the city of Acre, but were themselves under attack from the armies of Saladin.  Into this mess, the armies of the Third Crusade, led by King Richard the Lionheart of England and Philip Augustus of France, joined the fight.  The brutal siege lasted for two years, inflicting damage, disease, and death on both sides.  The catapults are in full swing, hurling Greek fire at the crusaders, while sappers tunnel under ground.  The Crusader states are divided over who should be king, and the fight ends with one of the most infamous massacres of the Third Crusade.