Enrico Dandolo
Doge of Venice; leader of the Fourth Crusade
"Though I am an old man, feeble and in need of rest, yet I will go and die with you."
Biography
Enrico Dandolo was the aged and blind Doge of Venice who steered — many would say hijacked — the Fourth Crusade. When the crusaders could not pay the enormous fleet-hire they owed Venice, Dandolo bound their debt to Venetian interests, first diverting them to attack the Christian city of Zara, and ultimately to Constantinople itself, the great rival of Venetian commerce. Despite being well into his nineties and totally blind, Dandolo led from the front during the assault on Constantinople in 1204, reputedly being first ashore under the walls. The ensuing three-day sack made Venice immensely rich — Dandolo secured for it vast territories, trading privileges, and a fortune in plunder, including the famous bronze horses of San Marco. He died in 1205 and was buried in the Hagia Sophia of the city he had helped to sack.
Did you know?
He had reportedly lost his sight years earlier, possibly from an injury during an earlier diplomatic mission to Constantinople itself.
Key Battles
The Sack of Constantinople
Crusaders (Latin Christendom) victoryApril 1204 · 15,000 total casualties
The sack of Constantinople was one of the most shameful episodes of the Crusades: a holy war against Muslims that ended in the pillage of the Christian East. It shattered the Byzantine Empire, deepened the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, and fatally weakened the great bulwark that had long shielded Europe from the east.
Life Journey
Timeline
c. 1107
🌅 Birth
Born into the Venetian patriciate
1192
📍 Posting
Elected Doge of Venice
April 1204
⚔️ Battle
Leads the sack of Constantinople
1205
✝️ Death
Dies and is buried in the Hagia Sophia