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 THE PHEPAEATIONS FOR A CRUSADE. 239 rivals the Pisans. The Venetians complained that their treaties had been viohited ; that the subsidies promised by the emperor had not been paid ; above all, that the Pisans had been favored at their expense.' The doge, during the summer of the same year, sent an embassy to Alexis to demand the pay- ment of arrears and the renewal of commercial privileges. Another embassy was sent six months later, and, indeed, the whole year was occupied with negotiations, which served only to show that it was improbable that the republic should re- gain her supreme influence on the Bosphorus. But the hos- tility to Constantinople reached its height when the Venetians learned that Alexis had, in May, 1201, received an embassy from Genoa, and was negotiating with Ottobono della Croce, its leader, for the concession of privileges for trade in llomania which Venice had hitherto regarded as exclusively her own. From this time the doge appears to have determined to avenge the wrongs of his state on the ruler who had ventured to favor his rivals. The Doge of Venice at this time was the famous Henry Dandolo. He was already a very old man ' but full ot energy, greedy ot glory, exasperated against the empire, and devoted to the interests of the republic. He was able to command with equal success an army or a fleet. Though he was nearly, if not quite, blind, he devoted an amount of attention and ability to the cares of government which places him in the first rank of Venetian administrators. The New Rome was the special object of his hatred. The general belief after his death was that his eyes had been put out by order of the Emperor Alexis during his visit in 1172 or 1173 to Constantinople." What is certain is that he 1 Nicetas, p. 712. 2Du Cange makes Dandolo iiinetj'-two in 1201 ; but neither Yillchar- clouin nor Andrea Dandolo use terms which would imply so great an age. ^ Daru, " Hist, of Venice," i. 201. Authorities are divided as to whether be was blind or only of weak sight. " Visu dcbilis et visu aliqualiter obtenebratus," says Dandolo. Sanutus, Villehardouin, and Gunther say that he was altogether blind. The "Chron. of Novgorod" says that he was blinded with a burning-glass by Manuel.