The Conquest of Constantinople

By Robert of Clari

Book Overview

The Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) set out to capture the Holy Land; it ended up sacking Constantinople, an Orthodox Christian city and the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Robert of Clari, an obscure knight from Picardy, provides an extraordinary recounting of the decidedly mixed triumphs of the Fourth Crusade, an event that deepened the rift between the Eastern and Western churches. His chronicle is one of the few accounts of the crusades told from the point of view of an ordinary soldier. He provides firsthand descriptions of battles with the Greek defenders of Constantinople and the various hardships endured on the crusaders' eastward journey. Robert also serves as a guide, describing the marvels of Constantinople and other sights he encountered during the crusade.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231136684
• ISBN13: 9780231136686
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.7" x 9.1"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher