The Crusader Army That Was Supposed to Invade Egypt in 1202 and Instead Sacked Constantinople in 1204 to Pay Off Its Venetian Debt
The Fourth Crusade was contracted in 1201 to invade Egypt. By 1202 the crusaders could not pay for the Venetian fleet they had ordered. They diverted to attack the Christian Byzantine capital at Constantinople, where they installed an Angelid pretender. When he could not pay either, they sacked the city on 12-15 April 1204. The Eastern Orthodox-Catholic schism became permanent.
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