Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/397

Rh as might have been expected, his strongest supporters were found. As France had taken, as she continued to take, the leading part in the Crusades, it was natural that the French should desire one whose influence would commend itself to the French people, rather than an Italian whose influence would only be among a section of a people which had not played a prominent part in these attempts to resist the Moslem. There was yet another consideration in favor of the election of Baldwin rather than Boniface. The marquis from the first had played the principal part in the intrigues for the diversion of the enterprise from its lawful purpose. Baldwin had indeed acquiesced in what Boniface and Dandolo had arranged, but the less active opposition of the Count of Flanders was likely to make his election much more agreeable to the pope than that of the leader who had been the conspicuous opponent of the orders emanating from Rome. His election would gratify that portion of the army which had been opposed to the expedition to Constantinople, while even among those who had willingly followed the lead of Boniface there would be a considerable number ready to abandon him in order, now that the plunder had been procured, to obtain the absolution of the pope. There are reasons also for supposing that, after young Alexis had been restored, Baldwin had placed himself at the head of the party which urged that the Crusaders should leave for the Holy Land, and, if this were so, not only must he have had the support of those who had wished to make their pilgrimage, but of all those who now desired to be reconciled with the Church.

A fortnight was spent before the Venetians and the Crusaders could agree upon the choice of the electors. Feeling ran high. No declaration appears during that time to have been made by Dandolo as to whether he would consent to be named or not. It appears to have been understood that the contest would be between