The Blind Doge

Power & Greed · Venice & Constantinople, 1202–1204 · Enrico Dandolo
TL;DR: An army of crusaders arrived in Venice 34,000 silver marks short of their shipping bill. The city's doge, blind and by the chronicles around ninety, turned their debt into a repossession of his business rivals, and the crusade never saw Jerusalem at all.
The Blind Doge

What actually happened

Enrico Dandolo offered to forgive the shortfall if the crusade made one stop: Zara, a Christian port in rebellion against Venice. The Pope excommunicated the entire crusade for sacking it. A Byzantine pretender then arrived promising riches, and Dandolo pointed the fleet at Constantinople, the richest city on earth and Venice's greatest trade competitor.

In April 1204 the crusaders breached the walls and plundered the city for three days; chroniclers describe a prostitute enthroned on the altar of Hagia Sophia. Venice shipped home relics, trade concessions, and the four bronze horses that still stand over St Mark's Square.

The play to remember

Whoever finances the mission owns the mission. The creditor's itinerary always wins.

Sources & fact flags: Villehardouin and Choniates (opposing eyewitness chronicles); papal correspondence.

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