Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/14

 Xii PREFACE, considerable light. He believes that there was an understand- ing between Philip and Boniface. c. When did Philip first entertain the idea of an attack upon Constantinople for the benefit of young Alexis ? M. Tessier is of opinion that Philip interfered with the plan of the crusade not so much to further his own designs upon the New Rome, or to aid his brother-in-law, as to put Innocent in a dilemma and to secure his own position as Eoman Emperor in the West. His argument is, in brief, the following : either Innocent would fall in with his plans or ho would not. If he did, he must almost necessarily declare against Otho, the rival of Philip for the rule over the Western Empire. If he did not, and the Crusaders went to Constanti- nople, then the great object of Innocent's pontificate would be thwarted and his influence proportionately decreased. In connection with the conduct of Innocent, the contro- versy of the last fifteen years has amply demonstrated that this great pope condemned the expedition to Zara, and never authorized that to Constantinople. It will be seen that I be- lieve that Innocent took an active part in endeavoring to pre- vent the expedition to Constantinople, but this view is still the subject of much controversy. The utmost that my own examination of the facts would allow me to concede is that, while Innocent was bitterly disappointed with the diversion of the expedition to Zara, and while he certainly assumed an attitude of opposition towards a possible attack on Constanti- nople, which his judgment condemned, there are yet certain passages in his correspondence which tend to show that he would not be dissatisfied if the heterodox capital were pun- ished. While I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to the various writers I have mentioned, as well as to authors to