Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/326

 308 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. tinoplc, was guarded by a chain thrown across from the city to Galata. On the Galata side, the end of this chain was protected by a tower spoken of by the "Western writers as the tower or castle of Galata/ The slope of the hill behind it was the Jewry of Constantinople. Near it also were prob- ably Genoese and other Italian quarters, the whole forming already a wealthy suburb. The Crusaders encamped in the Jewish quarter, and prepared for an attack. It was necessary for the protection of the expedition that the ships should be brought within the harbor, and the Venetians urged that an attempt should be made next day to capture the tower within which the Galata end of the chain was fastened.^ And. ttikcs possession of The council of war agreed to this proposal, and de- termined that such an attempt should be made im- mediately. Fortune favored them, and gave them their first success on the following day. In early morning the ordinary guard of the tower, assisted by a detachment which had crossed the harbor, instead of remaining on the defensive, made a foolish attack upon the invading army. The Greeks were far less numerous than the enemy, and were completely overpowered by the Crusaders. Many were killed ; others were driven into the water and drowned. The remainder fled, and endeavored to regain the protection of the castle which they ought not to have left. The enemy, however, pressed them so hard that they were unable to close the gates. A severe struggle took place, and the superior weight of the knights triumphed. The castle was captured. While this at- tack on the watch tower had been going on by land, the Ve- netian ships were doing their best to break the chain which was stretched across from Galata to the city. The capture of the tower gave the army command over this chain. It The fleet is ^as at oucc broken or loosened. The fleet entered surprised. g^yiftly into the Goldcu Horn, attacked the imperial galleys, captured some, and sank the others.' The surprise ' Thre must not be confounded with the present Galata tower, which is at the apex and highest point of the triangle formed by the walls of Galata, and was not built until two centuries later. 2 Robert de Clari, xlii. » Nicetas, p. 719.