Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/346

 328 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. ulated quarters of the city was entirely destroyed. A wide belt across the peninsula, from the harbor to the Marmora, was left a heap of ruins. The width of the fire was at one time, according to Yillehardouin, half a league. The inhab- itants of this burned strip lost everything they had. The houses, sa^'s Xicetas, were enriched with many precious orna- ments, and were full of various kinds of valuable property. No one, says the marshal, can estimate the amount of the wealth which was destroyed, while many men and women per- ished in the flames.^ The barons and leaders regretted the fire, " f urent bien tristes et eurent grand pitie," ^ when they saw these beautiful churches and splendid palaces being con- sumed and the great commercial streets burning, but they could do nothing. The natural result of the fire was to intensify the ill-feeling which existed between the Latins and the citizens. The bru- tal soldiery of the West had caused the fire, and had been brought into the city by Italian colonists. It was not surpris- ing that the citizens no longer cared to protect any Italians within their walls. None of the Latins, says Yillehardouin, dared remain any longer in the city. They escaped with their families and such property as they could save from the fire, and, crossing the harbor, took up their abode with the Cru- saders. Fifteen thousand thus fled. On the 11th of November the Emperor Alexis returned to Retarnof Constantinople, and was welcomed by the Crusad- Adrianopie. ers, and, accordiug to Yillehardouin, by his own of William of Tyre nine days. All accounts agree that the fire was of a terrible character. Nicetas implies that it occurred before the departure of Alexis with Boniface. This may be so, but he is always so violent against the emj^eror that it is impossible to trust his statement. For ex- ample, in this place he affirms that while Isaac was greatly troubled at this sad accident, Alexis, 6 rj/c TrarpiSoQ dag, who had a fiice like that of the greatest incendiary, the Destroying Angel himself, would have liked to see the whole of the city reduced to ashes (p. 734). The statement of Yillehardouin that the fire was during the absence of Alexis is confirmed by the " Chronique de Munic " (Tafel and Thomas). See also Eracles, " Recueil," p. 270. 1 Yillehardouin, sec. 204. ' Ibid. sec. 203.