“HISTORY OF THE DOGES OF VENICE”

            The author wrote soon after the death of Doge Pietro Ziani (d. 1229).  Here is the “official” Venetian version of events.  The text has translated from Monumenta Germaniae Historica Scriptores 14 (1883), pp. 72 and 92-93.

            “Since God almighty, from whom all good things come, always bestowed much grace and glory on the Venetians and made them famous throughout almost all the world with honor and wealth, we consider it honorable and proper to relate some of the many things which, back through many years, are known to have been done under the doges of Venice and by the doges of Venice, which we know by the testimony of those who have died and by what history tells of their deeds. …

            “Furthermore, the year of the lord 1201 arriving, in the month of March four powerful and noble great men--namely lord Baldwin the count of Flanders, lord Allard “de Bles,” the lord count of Champagne, and the lord count of St.-Pol—sent their messengers to Venice asking, for a price, from the lord doge 300 ships--among them transports, galleys, and regular ships—so that they could cross over to aid the Holy Land.  Therefore the benevolent doge, together with the devoted people of Venice, promised for transporting them 100 warships and 100 transport ships for 5000 knights and 8000 foot soldiers; and he graciously promised to give them for free 50 armed galleys with suitable equipment and provisions.  Indeed the Venetians promised to give for a full year at their own expense the fifty well supplied galleys for the service of God; under this condition, however, that whatever lands, castles, and other places, which the military force might capture with the help of God, they would give half to the Venetians without any treachery.  To these things the counts, their messengers having heard for them, completely agreed, and with a huge multitude of noble knights, foot soldiers, and others, they reached Venice and were received graciously by the doge and the people.  The galleys having been prepared, the ships and transports having been excellently fitted out in every way, the most gracious duke together with the aforesaid counts in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1202, in the month of October, with the fleet of 300 ships, exited the port of Venice, and entering on their way, part of the aforesaid army reached the city of Trieste, whose inhabitants promised to pay an annual tax of 50 barrels of wine to the doge and his successors. Then sailing to “Muglam,” the “Mugliani” similarly surrendered themselves and they promised to give twenty five barrels of wine in the aforesaid way, swearing fidelity to the doge and his people.

            “So now they were all sailing to Zara (now Zadar, Croatia) and, because of the harshness of the oncoming winter, council was taken among themselves and they decided to winter there because of the abundance of things to eat.  Inasmuch as this had become a rebel city in the time of his predecessor, the doge with his army alone, namely the military force of the Venetians fighting in manly fashion, took it by his power, throwing out the Hungarians dwelling there. He caused it to be destroyed and devastated down to its foundations, except for the churches and the bell towers.  The doge took revenge on all the traitors discovered, as it appeared suitable to him. …

            [Here the chronicler adds a history of the Byzantine empire, listing the travails and treacheries that had occurred after the death of Emperor Manuel…]

            “…After this, however, the emperor Isaac sent legates to parts of Turkey, ransoming his brother Alexius with money. Who, once he had been ransomed and brought back into the City of Constantinople, forgetful of the good deeds of his brother, led his brother into the wilderness for the sake of hunting and blinded him with his own hands, thereby obtaining power in the empire through violence.  Then with his own men he began to molest the Venetians, both in their persons and in their possessions.

            “The son of Isaac, Alexius by name, when he was twelve years old, fearing his father’s brother, went to his relative Philip, the king of the Germans, telling him what his unfaithful uncle had done.  Philip however, after he had taken council with the boy and with his own wife, sent deprecatory and honorable letters to the Doge of Venice, who was then wintering at Zara, commending Alexius to the marquis of Montferrat, his relative, who had been elected to the place [of leadership] that had been held by the count of Champagne, who had died.  The letter presented to the doge and the counts who were present the injuries and damages and so forth.  In regard to this Alexius promised that he himself would give to the army in the future the value of 1000 marks of silver.  Concerning this pact the father of the boy, namely Isaac, had been more grateful than many.  After the Easter feast in the year of the Lord 1203, the doge and the magnates with their ample army sailed to Constantinople, traveling on the direct route.  …”