| Alexius IV Angelus | |
| Emperor of the Byzantine Empire | |
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| Reign | 1203 – 1204 |
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| Full name | Alexius IV Angelus |
| Born | circa 1182 |
| Died | February 8, 1204 |
| Predecessor | Alexius III Angelus |
| Successor | Nicolas Canabus |
| Dynasty | Angelus |
| Father | Isaac II Angelus |
| Mother | Irene |
Alexius IV Angelus or Alexios IV Angelos (Greek: Αλέξιος Δ' Άγγελος) (c. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Alexios III Angelos ( Greek: Αλέξιος Γ' Άγγελος (c Nicolas Canabus was elected Emperor of Byzantium on 25 or 27 January 1204 by an assembly of the Byzantine Senate, priests and the mob of Constantinople The Angelus ( Latin for Angel) is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. Isaac II Angelos or Angelus ( Greek: Ισαάκιος Β’ Άγγελος Isaakios II Angelos) (September 1156 &ndash January 1204 was Byzantine Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly 1182 – February 8, 1204) was Byzantine Emperor from August 1203 to January 1204. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. This is a list of the Emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire by modern historians He was the son of emperor Isaac II Angelus and his first wife Irene. Isaac II Angelos or Angelus ( Greek: Ισαάκιος Β’ Άγγελος Isaakios II Angelos) (September 1156 &ndash January 1204 was Byzantine His paternal uncle was Emperor Alexius III Angelus. Alexios III Angelos ( Greek: Αλέξιος Γ' Άγγελος (c
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Prince in exile
The young Alexius was imprisoned in 1195 when Alexius III overthrew Isaac II in a coup. In 1201, two Pisan merchants were employed to smuggle Alexius out of Constantinople to the Holy Roman Empire, where he took refuge with his brother-in-law Philip of Swabia[1], King of Germany. Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in Philip of Swabia (1177 &ndash June 21, 1208) was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV. This article lists the German monarchs, ruling over the territory of Germany from the creation of a separate Eastern Frankish Kingdom in 843 until the end of monarchy
While there he met with Marquis Boniface of Montferrat, Philip's cousin, who had been chosen to lead the Fourth Crusade, but had temporarily left the Crusade during the siege of Zara to visit Philip. Boniface of Montferrat (Bonifacio del Monferrato Βονιφάτιος Μομφερρατικός Vonifatios Momferratikos) (c The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. The Siege of Zara ( Croatian - Zadar) ( November 10 - November 23, 1202) was the first major action of the Fourth Crusade. Boniface and Alexius discussed diverting the Crusade to Constantinople so that Alexius could be restored to his father's throne; in return, Alexius would give them 10,000 Byzantine soldiers to help fight in the Crusade, maintain 500 knights in the Holy Land, the service of the Byzantine navy (20 ships) in transporting the Crusader army to Egypt, as well as money to pay off the Crusaders' debt to the Republic of Venice with 200,000 silver marks. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica Additionally, he promised to bring the Greek Orthodox Church under the authority of the pope. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Alexius accompanied Boniface back to the Crusader fleet, which had moved on to Corcyra, and the Venetians were in favour of the plan when they learned of it. Corfu (Κέρκυρα Kérkyra, ˈkʲe̞ɾkʲiɾa Κέρκυρα or Κόρκυρα Corcyra Corfù is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea In 1202 the fleet arrived at Constantinople. Alexius was paraded outside the walls, but the citizens were apathetic, as Alexius III, though a usurper and illegitimate in the eyes of the westerners, was an acceptable emperor for the Byzantine citizens.
Emperor
On July 18, 1203 the Crusaders launched an assault on the city, and Alexius III immediately fled into Thrace. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe The next morning the Crusaders were surprised to find that the citizens had released Isaac II from prison and proclaimed him emperor, despite the fact that he had been blinded to make him ineligible to rule. The Crusaders could not accept this, and forced Isaac II to proclaim his son Alexius IV co-emperor on August 1. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman
Despite Alexius' grand promises, Isaac, the more experienced and practical of the two, knew that the Crusaders' debt could never be repaid from the imperial treasury. Alexius, however, had apparently not grasped how far the empire's financial resources had fallen during the previous fifty years. Alexios did manage to raise half the sum promised (100,000 silver marks), by appropriating treasures from the church and by confiscating the property of his enemies. He then attempted to defeat his uncle Alexius III, who remained in control of Thrace. The sack of some Thracian towns helped Alexius' situation a little, but meanwhile hostility between the restive Crusaders and the inhabitants of Constantinople was growing.
In December 1203 violence exploded between the Constantinopolitans and the Crusaders. Enraged mobs seized and brutally murdered any foreigner they could lay hands upon, and the Crusaders felt that Alexius had not fulfilled his promises to them. Alexius refused their demands, and is quoted as saying, "I will not do any more than I have done. " While relations with the Crusaders were deteriorating, Alexius had become deeply unpopular with the Greek citizenry, and with his own father. Blinded and nearly powerless, Isaac II resented having to share the throne with his son; he spread rumors of Alexius' supposed sexual perversity, alleging he kept company with "depraved men". The chronicler Nicetas Choniates dismissed Alexius as "childish" and criticized his familiarity with the Crusaders and his lavish lifestyle. Niketas Choniates ( Greek: Νικήτας Χωνιάτης c 1155 &ndash 1215 or 1216 sometimes called Acominatus, was a Byzantine Greek Historian At the beginning of January 1204, Alexius IV retaliates against the Crusaders by setting fire to 17 ships and sending it against the Venetian fleet, but the attempt fails.
Deposition and death
At the end of January 1204, the populace of Constantinople rebelled and tried to proclaim a rival emperor in Hagia Sophia. Nicolas Canabus was elected Emperor of Byzantium on 25 or 27 January 1204 by an assembly of the Byzantine Senate, priests and the mob of Constantinople Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Αγία Σοφία " Holy Wisdom " Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia) is a former patriarchal Basilica, later Alexius IV attempted to reach a reconciliation with the Crusaders, entrusting the anti-western courtier Alexius Ducas Murzuphlus with a mission to gain Crusader support. However, Alexius Ducas imprisoned both Alexius IV and his father on the night of January 27-28 1204. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Isaac II died soon afterwards, possibly of old age or from poison, and Alexios IV was strangled on February 8. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Alexius Ducas was proclaimed emperor as Alexius V. During Alexius IV's brief reign, the empire lost its territories along the Black Sea coast to the Empire of Trebizond. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Empire of Trebizond ( was a Byzantine Greek successor state of the Byzantine Empire founded in 1204 as a result of the capture of Constantinople
Notes
- ^ Philip was married to Irene Angelina, a sister of Alexius IV. Irene Angelina (1181 &ndash 1208 was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos by his first wife Herina
References
- Angold, Michael, The Fourth Crusade (London and New York, 2004).
- Brand, C. M. , 'A Byzantine Plan for the Fourth Crusade', Speculum, 43 (1968), pp. 462-75.
- Harris, Jonathan, Byzantium and the Crusades (London and New York, 2003).
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, 1991. The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (often abbreviated to ODB) is a three volume book by the Oxford University Press.
- Phillips, Jonathan, The Fourth Crusade And The Sack Of Constantinople (London and New York, 2004).
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Alexius IV Angelus
Angelid dynasty
Born: unknown 1182 Died: 8 February 1204 |
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| Preceded by Alexius III Angelus |
Byzantine Emperor 1203–1204 with Isaac II Angelus |
Succeeded by Alexius V Ducas |
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