Richard was immediately secured, and though at first treated with respect, was soon confined in prison. Being sold at length to the emperor, Henry VI. removed him to a castle in the Tyrol. But the strongest walls are not sufficiently secure for the fears of a tyArmed men were sent into his chamber, and commanded to watch him with the utmost strictness.

rant.

Here, sometimes, the royal captive calmed his angry soul, by singing the warlike deeds of the heroes of romance. At other times, he diverted melancholy by the composition of poems. Occasionally, he forgot his misfortunes, and the apparent negligence of his friends. His native hilarity conquered the bitterness of his spirit; he laughed at the frequent intoxication of his gaolers, he sported the keenness of his wit, and in the boisterousness of his merriment, displayed his personal strength and agility.

At the request of his mother, the queen Eleanora, the Pope interfered for his release; and, after a trial on some pretended crime, it was concluded to ransom the English monarch, as though he had been a prisoner of war, the English people paying about 150,000 marks of silver to the German emperor.

10. By the energy of Richard, Palestine was saved from becoming a Mussulman colony; and so much of the sea coast was in the hands of the Christians, and so enfeebled was the enemy, that it was safe to commence hostilities, whenever Europe should again pour forth her religious and military fanatics. This event was not long delayed, notwithstanding the infinite losses and sufferings, which had hitherto resulted from the crusades.

A fourth crusade was fitted out in 1202, by Baldwin, count of Flanders, who collected an army of the Flemish and French, professedly to attack the Mahometans, though it seems to have found another enemy. Like the other crusaders, he made the eastern Christians first feel the effect of European adventure and military enthusiasm. Indeed, his efforts ended here; for, arriving at Constantinople, at a time when there was a dispute for the succession, his interference. afforded the occasion of plundering the city, and securing the possession of the imperial throne of the East. The Venetians lent their vessels for the enterprise, and participated in it.

§ Some historians reckon a crusade anterior to the war carried on by Baldwin, denominating his the fifth. There were expeditions from Germany in the intermediate time; but it may be doubtful whether they deserve the name of a distinct crusade. Indeed, there were so many different expeditions, some public and others private, that the designation of a certain number of separate crusades, seerns somewhat arbitrary. According to the common accounts, we have

1:|: འསྙེན་

assigned the name of the fourth crusade, to the expedition of which the count of Flanders was the leader.

The third crusade was created by the ordinary influence of papal power and royal authority; but the fourth sprang from genuine fanaticism. Fulk, who was worthy of companionship with Bernard, became a preacher distinguished by the vehemence with which he declaimed against certain vices of the age. With his celebrity, increased his desire to be generally useful to mankind. The natural consequence in that superstitious age, was, that he turned his eye towards the east, and assumed the cross. The copious matter of his sermons was the war with the infidels. Around the man of God, all classes thronged, and thousands were eager to assume, the insignia of holy warriors. Nor was Pope Innocent III. inactive in the cause, having required the various temporal and spiritual chiefs of christendom to take up arms for the defence of Palestine, or at least to send him considerable succours of men and money.

Application having been made to the Venetians for the loan of their ships, and the Venetians themselves desiring to embark in the enterprise, the croises at length set sail for Constantinople. That proud city, once the sister and rival of Rome, was fallen so low, that the aid of the western barbarians was invoked by a claimant to the throne of the Cæsars. In his behalf, war against the Greek empire was resolved on, and Constantinople was made the point of attack. The particulars of the assault need not be given, but it is a striking account drawn up by an old writer, that when the invaders, at the distance of three leagues, beheld the city, "the magnitude and splendour of Constantinople awed the courage of the bravest ; and not without reason, for never since the creation of the world, had so bold an enterprise been undertaken by so small a force." The Greeks made a display of numbers and strength, but the nerves and soul of war were not in them. The partisans of the usurper, Alexius, made only a feeble defence, and soon abandoned the city to its fate. The city was captured, and the young Alexius sat on the throne.

After one or two revolutions in the government, the allied army of French and Venetians, who had been paid the tribute which they required, and had been kept in the vicinity of Constantinople, determined to seize the city on their own account. This, after a severe struggle, was effected; and a severe struggle it ought to have been on the part of the invaders, when only 20,000 men captured the largest city in the world. There were 400,000 men capable of bearing arms in Constantinople. The excesses of the barbarians were enormous. To their eternal infamy, they destroyed most of the remains of the noble monuments of genius, in the sculpture and statuary of the Pagan world. In no conquered city, it is thought, was there ever obtained so much booty. One historian remarks, that the gold and silver, the silk, the gems, and precious stones, and all those things which are accounted riches, were found in more abundance than all the Latin world could furnish,"

11. Baldwin, as the reward of his success against the capit al of the East, was invested with the Roman pumple, 1204 But he was dethroned and murdered, after a reign of a few months. The Imperial dominions were shared among the principal leaders; the Venetians obtained the Isle of Candia, as their portion. By the acquisition of Constantinople, the injuries of the crusaders were avenged; and, for the present they looked for no other conquest. The dominion of the La tins, however, lasted but fifty-seven years. Few events on the page of history have been equally curious and interesting, with the stablishment of this people in the city of Constantine.

12. In the former part of the thirteenth century, succeeding the crusade against the Greek empire, several expeditions were fitted out against the Musselmans. In these, the Germans, Hungarians, French, English, and Italians, were principally concerned. Their object seems to have been, not so much Palestine, as Egypt. Success crowned their efforts at first, and one of the expeditions, under the duke of Austria, captured Damietta, an event which filled the Musselman empire with alarm; but the mortality of the country, and the return of many of the European soldiers, with other causes, finally rendered the acquisitions of the crusaders, in that coun-" try, of no avail, and the unbelievers still retained their power. 13. The fifth and last of these extraordinary expeditions against the infidel world, was led by Louis IX. of France. There had been previously a few smaller adventures, especially by the English, who had the good fortune to redeem the holy sepulchre. But it was soon lost, and the fears of the Christian world were in a degree aroused. It was, however, obvious that the crusading spirit in Europe had at length be-, gun to languish, and it would at this crisis have entirely died: away, had not Louis felt the strong stirrings of fanaticism and chivalry. He kept it alive a few years, after which, this folly of a dark and barbarous age was heard of no more.

The warlike heroism and religious devotion of the French monarch, commanded the reverence of mankind. Indeed, in many respects, he was an amiable and estimable prince, though deeply imbued with the unworthy superstition of the times. His efforts preserved to the Christians, for a time, the land of Palestine, which was in danger, not from the Saracens, but

from the Tartars. This fierce people were then pouring over the face of Asia.

Louis spent three years in preparation, when he set out for Palestine, with his queen, three brothers, and a powerful train of French knights, 1248 A. C. He had greatly encouraged the fainting hearts of the Christians in Palestine, by the men and troops he had sent thither before his own departure. The invasion of Egypt was his first object. Here, he lost one half of his army by sickness, was defeated in battle, and fell a prisoner into the hands of his enemy.

After ransoming himself and his followers, he proceeded to the Holy Land, in which he continued a considerable time. On his return, to France, he devoted himself, wisely, to the regular cares of government, during thirteen years, and would probably have long continued useful and happy, had not the mad spirit of crusading seized him again. In obedience to its dictates, he embarked on a crusade against the Moors in Africa. In this adventure, he and the greater part of his army perished, in consequence of a pestilence. Louis has been honoured with the title of saint.

§ History records, that on the subject of crusading, the mind of Louis was influenced by the following circumstance. Agreeably to the temper of the times, he had vowed, whilst afflicted by a severe illness, that in case of recovery he would travel to the holy land. In the delirium of his fever he had beheld an engagement between the Christians and the Saracens ; the infidels were victorious, and the brave king of a valiant nation fancied himself called upon to avenge the defeat.

The following incident indicated the king's zeal for a crusade.. One night, during the Christmas festival, Louis caused magnificent crosses, fabricated by goldsmiths, to be sewn on the new dresses, which, as usual upon such occasions, had been bestowed upon the courtiers. The next day the cavaliers were surprised at the religious ornaments that had been affixed to their cloaks; piety and loyalty combined to prevent them from renouncing the honours which had been thrust upon them, and the good king obtained the title of the hunter for pilgrims and fisher of men.

Louis could have adopted the lines of a French rhymer of the thirteenth century. (5 HP, DHC B ********{"Ló, now the fruitful hour at hand! To thee the precious boon is given,

For Paynims waste the holy land, Butts And spoil the heritage of heaven. Shall we such faithless works behold, With craven courage slack and cold? How else, to the Giver's praise, May we devote our wealth and days.

The French, on landing in Egypt, captured Damietta; but the rashness of the Count d'Artois was the means of checking them in the career of victory. Sad reverses soon ensued, and though Louis defended himself with the greatest bravery, he was obliged to yield to the enemy. Being taken prisoner with his army, he offered for his own ransom the city of Damietta, and for the deliverance of his soldiers 500,000 livres. One fifth part of the latter was remitted through the generosity of the sultan.

In Louis' second expedition against the infidels, he was joined by the English; so that his force amounted to sixty thousand men His fleet being driven into Sardinia, a change was made in the design of the pilgrim hero, and an attack upon the Musselman Moors of Africa was fixed upon. Pestilence, however, prevented the meditated blow, and the great stay of the crusades fell.

The English portion of the forces, which had not reached Africa, when the death of Louis took place, made their way to Palestine, under the conduct of Prince Edward. Feats of arms were performed; but the Turks were fast overunning the holy land, and with the capture of Acre, by that adventurous people, was connected the final loss of a country, on which the eyes of fanatical Europe had been fastened for more than two hundred years.

14. Among the causes of the decline and cessation of the fanatical military spirit of Europe, may be enumerated the following, viz. the decrease of the moral influence of the popes, and the increase of their tyranny, which the people were loth to bear the avarice of the popes and priests, in converting to their own purposes the funds which were raised to support the holy wars the consequent unwillingness of the people to be taxed-the scandal which was cast on the crusades, when many of the soldiers of the cross were diverted from their religious purpose, to promote the secular objects of the court of Rome-and most of all, the increasing conviction on the part of the people, that no lasting conquest of Palestine could be made by the sovereigns of Europe. These causes were too powerful even for the deep darkness and superstition of the age, ambition, love of military achievement, and desire of plunder.

15. Various opinions have been formed and maintained respecting the tendency and effects of the crusades. By some, they are thought to have benefitted Europe on the wholeby others, they are supposed to have been positively disadvantageous. We incline to the latter opinion. They who look upon the crusades in a favourable light in respect to their consequences, nevertheless admit, that they were immediately