(above) Pope Innocent III
Summary of the Fourth Crusade
In 1202ACE Pope Innocent III gathered the rulers of Europe to create an army and a plan to conquer Egypt, and Jerusalem which was currently held by the Ayyubids. After they put together a massive army of crusaders, they created their plan. Instead of attacking Jerusalem from the north, they would cross the Mediterranean with help from Venice, and conquer Egypt, which was the largest Ayyubidd power of that time. After Egypt, they would continue on to the Ayyubidd held city of Jerusalem. To get across the Mediterranean, they needed enough ships to transport the entire crusader army. This is why they went to Venice.
When the crusader army got to Venice, they realized that they did not have enough money to use all of the ships they needed. The leaders of Venice made a deal with them. If they captured the city of Zara for Venice, they could pay Venice at a later date. So, the Crusaders marched to Zara. Pope Innocent III did not want the crusaders to capture Zara, because it was a Christian city. So when the crusader army captured Zara for Venice any way, the Pope grew angry and excommunicated ( banned ) the entire army from the Christian church.
Even though they were excommunicated, the crusaders were still going to continue on to Jerusalem (probably as bargaining material to be entered back into the church). So right as they were about to set sail from Venice when a man named Alexus Comnenus asked them to re thrown him and his father as the rulers of Constantinople and the Byzantine empire. In return, Alexus would repay the crusaders. So the crusader army took over Constantinople, and rout Alexus' family in charge. Alexus now needed to gather money to repay the crusader army. He was having trouble, and his next option was to raise taxes. When he raised the taxes it got him so unpopular that he and his father were killed. Without any way to be repaid, the crusader army sacked the city of Constantinople.
Most of the crusaders became wealthy from the money and items they received from sacking Constantinople, and all of them (except those that died) became more wealthy. After they were done with this, it was 1204ACE, and they decided to go home, and eventually the Pope entered them back into the Christian church. Overall, Jerusalem was not even touched, and the crusader army didn't even go so far as to set sail. The meandered throughout Europe, and went back home. So much for Pope Innocent's plan.
When the crusader army got to Venice, they realized that they did not have enough money to use all of the ships they needed. The leaders of Venice made a deal with them. If they captured the city of Zara for Venice, they could pay Venice at a later date. So, the Crusaders marched to Zara. Pope Innocent III did not want the crusaders to capture Zara, because it was a Christian city. So when the crusader army captured Zara for Venice any way, the Pope grew angry and excommunicated ( banned ) the entire army from the Christian church.
Even though they were excommunicated, the crusaders were still going to continue on to Jerusalem (probably as bargaining material to be entered back into the church). So right as they were about to set sail from Venice when a man named Alexus Comnenus asked them to re thrown him and his father as the rulers of Constantinople and the Byzantine empire. In return, Alexus would repay the crusaders. So the crusader army took over Constantinople, and rout Alexus' family in charge. Alexus now needed to gather money to repay the crusader army. He was having trouble, and his next option was to raise taxes. When he raised the taxes it got him so unpopular that he and his father were killed. Without any way to be repaid, the crusader army sacked the city of Constantinople.
Most of the crusaders became wealthy from the money and items they received from sacking Constantinople, and all of them (except those that died) became more wealthy. After they were done with this, it was 1204ACE, and they decided to go home, and eventually the Pope entered them back into the Christian church. Overall, Jerusalem was not even touched, and the crusader army didn't even go so far as to set sail. The meandered throughout Europe, and went back home. So much for Pope Innocent's plan.