History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 6

Preservation Of The Greek Empire.—Numbers, Passage, And Event, Of The Second And Third Crusades.—St. Bernard.— Reign Of Saladin In Egypt And Syria.—His Conquest Of Jerusalem.—Naval Crusades.—Richard The First Of England.— Pope Innocent The Third; And The Fourth And Fifth Crusades.— The Emperor Frederic The Second.—Louis The Ninth Of France; And The Two Last Crusades.—Expulsion Of The Latins Or Franks By The Mamelukes.
Note: It is now called the Girama: its course is described in M’Donald Kinneir’s Travels.—M.]
Note: Von Hammer (Geschichte der Assassinen, p. 202) sums up against Richard, Wilken (vol. iv. p. 485) as strongly for acquittal. Michaud (vol. ii. p. 420) delivers no decided opinion. This crime was also attributed to Saladin, who is said, by an Oriental authority, (the continuator of Tabari,) to have employed the assassins to murder both Conrad and Richard. It is a melancholy admission, but it must be acknowledged, that such an act would be less inconsistent with the character of the Christian than of the Mahometan king.—M.]
Note: Compare Wilken, vol. vii. p. 94.—M.]
Note: Wilken, vol. vii. p. 257, thinks the proposition could not have been made in earnest.—M.]
Note: After these chapters of Gibbon, the masterly prize composition, “Essai sur ‘Influence des Croisades sur l’Europe,” par A H. L. Heeren: traduit de l’Allemand par Charles Villars, Paris, 1808,’ or the original German, in Heeren’s “Vermischte Schriften,” may be read with great advantage.—M.]
Schism Of The Greeks And Latins.—State Of Constantinople.— Revolt Of The Bulgarians.—Isaac Angelus Dethroned By His Brother Alexius.—Origin Of The Fourth Crusade.—Alliance Of The French And Venetians With The Son Of Isaac.—Their Naval Expedition To Constantinople.—The Two Sieges And Final Conquest Of The City By The Latins.
by alienating her most useful allies, and provoking her most dangerous
enemies, has precipitated the decline and fall of the Roman empire in the East.