Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/417

 QUARREL BETWEEN BALDWIN AND BONIFACE. 309 subject. Oil bis arrival tbe latter begged Baldwin to allow him to leave at once for Salonica, in order to take possession of his signiory, and recpiested the emperor not to ruin liim by going there himself. Baldwin, however, refused. A de- fiance followed. Boniface declared that if the emperor went into his country when he, Boniface, was quite able to conquer it for himself, it could not be for his benefit. "If you go, understand clearly that I shall not go with you, and that I shall separate myself from you." ' The emperor replied that even on such terms he would go to Salonica. The breach was a serious one. Boniface, through his marriage, was sup- ported by many of the Greeks. He declared that Baldwin was more perjured than the Greeks. He gave to his wife's eldest son the name and the imperial ornaments of the em- peror. The marshal shows his estimate of the danger by the statement that if God had not taken pity on them they would have lost all that they had gained. The rival leaders, each with an army behind him, were on the verge of war. Bald- win remained firm, and marched towards Salonica. Boniface, with his own followers, and with nearly all the German Cru- saders, went on their way back, apparently towards Constan- tinople. The latter reached and entered Didymotica on the Maritza, and a day's journey south of Adrianople. The Greeks submitted, and, indeed, the inhabitants of the country flocked in wherever he passed with offers of support. Boni- face pushed on to and besieged Adrianople, in which Baldwin had left a garrison. The Crusader in command immediately sent messengers, w4io rode day and night, to the capital, to in- form Dandolo of the rupture, and that Boniface, after having occupied Didymotica, one of the strongest forts in Romania, was supported by the Greeks, and was now laying siege to Adrianople. Boniface then played a bold stroke to detach the Venetians Boniface ^^'om the sido of Baldwin. In the beginning of Au- pa'iu wiuuhe g"st he made a bargain with their representatives veuetiaus. ^^ Adriauoplc, by which he was to receive 1000 VillehardouiD, p. 277.