Pope Innocent III's Papal Influence over the Fourth Crusade
Innocent III 's Papal Influence over the Fourth Crusade
Research Paper
Brandon Rosty
The Crusades-HIST-239
Prof. Moran Cruz
For much of history, the papacy has been viewed as a driving force behind
the Crusades, the papacy of Innocent III being a particularly good example. Ever since
the days of Gregory VII from 1073-1085, and his early ideas of Crusades, and Urban II’s
call for the First Crusade in 1095, the papacy has served as an instigator of plans that
have often gone awry. The Fourth Crusade is the perfect example of this. Following his
election to the papacy, Innocent III, or Lothar of Segni, began preaching a message of
crusade to once again take back the Holy Sepulcher. What would follow his calls for
crusade was a series of setbacks that would culminate not in the recapture of the Holy
Land, but the sack of Constantinople. What was the actual extent of Innocent III and the
papacy’s influence in this crusade? How could the papacy control the events of a foreign
venture from Rome? Was Innocent III’s inability to control the crusaders a contributing
factor to the failure of reaching the Holy Land? The extent of Innocent III’s influence in
the Fourth Crusade must be investigated to gain a sense of how and why the crusade
transpired as it did.
Innocent III can be credited as the sole source for the Fourth Crusade, as he
himself called for the crusade. Innocent first mentioned the idea of crusade to the
patriarch of Jerusalem following his ascension to the papacy in January of 1198, when he
announced his intention to strive to deliver the Holy Land from the infidels. By August
1198, Innocent had officially proclaimed the Fourth Crusade and declared himself the
crusade’s leader. Innocent took the precedent of personal involvement of the pope from
his predecessor, Gregory VII, who hoped to have Emperor Henry IV defend Rome, as he
worshipped at the Holy Sepulcher.
Research Paper
Brandon Rosty
The Crusades-HIST-239
Prof. Moran Cruz
For much of history, the papacy has been viewed as a driving force behind
the Crusades, the papacy of Innocent III being a particularly good example. Ever since
the days of Gregory VII from 1073-1085, and his early ideas of Crusades, and Urban II’s
call for the First Crusade in 1095, the papacy has served as an instigator of plans that
have often gone awry. The Fourth Crusade is the perfect example of this. Following his
election to the papacy, Innocent III, or Lothar of Segni, began preaching a message of
crusade to once again take back the Holy Sepulcher. What would follow his calls for
crusade was a series of setbacks that would culminate not in the recapture of the Holy
Land, but the sack of Constantinople. What was the actual extent of Innocent III and the
papacy’s influence in this crusade? How could the papacy control the events of a foreign
venture from Rome? Was Innocent III’s inability to control the crusaders a contributing
factor to the failure of reaching the Holy Land? The extent of Innocent III’s influence in
the Fourth Crusade must be investigated to gain a sense of how and why the crusade
transpired as it did.
Innocent III can be credited as the sole source for the Fourth Crusade, as he
himself called for the crusade. Innocent first mentioned the idea of crusade to the
patriarch of Jerusalem following his ascension to the papacy in January of 1198, when he
announced his intention to strive to deliver the Holy Land from the infidels. By August
1198, Innocent had officially proclaimed the Fourth Crusade and declared himself the
crusade’s leader. Innocent took the precedent of personal involvement of the pope from
his predecessor, Gregory VII, who hoped to have Emperor Henry IV defend Rome, as he
worshipped at the Holy Sepulcher.
Cited: Andrea, Alfred J. "The Registers of Innocent III." Contemporary Sources for the Fourth Crusade. Leiden: Brill, 2000. 11-12, 17-33, 39-52, 55-61, 69, 73-88, 90-91, 98-115, & 160-163. Print. Clari, Robert De, and Edgar Holmes McNeal Cole, Penny J. The Preaching of the Crusades to the Holy Land, 1095-1270. Cambridge, MA: Medieval Academy of America, 1991. 81-83. Print. Gress-Wright, David Richard Joinville, Jean, Geoffroi De Villehardouin, and Caroline Smith. "Chapter 1: Preparations for the Fourth Crusade." Chronicles of the Crusades. London: Penguin, 2008. 1, 16-21, 61-68, 391-398. Print. O 'Brien, John Maxwell Packard, Sidney Raymond. "The Crusades." Europe and the Church under Innocent III,. New York: H. Holt and, 1927. 82. Print. Queller, Donald E Sayers, Jane E. Innocent III: Leader of Europe, 1198-1216. London: Longman, 1994. 171-175. Print. -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Innocent, Othmar Hageneder, and Anton Haidacher. Die Register Innocenz ' III.... Graz, Köln: H. Böhlaus Nachf, 1964. 18-20. Print. [ 2 ]. Sayers, Jane E. Innocent III: Leader of Europe, 1198-1216. London: Longman, 1994. 171. Print [ 3 ] [ 4 ]. Cole, Penny J. The Preaching of the Crusades to the Holy Land, 1095-1270. Cambridge, MA: Medieval Academy of America, 1991. 81-83. Print. [ 5 ]. Andrea, Alfred J. "The Registers of Innocent III." Contemporary Sources for the Fourth Crusade. Leiden: Brill, 2000. 11-12. Print. [ 6 ]. Queller, Donald E. The Fourth Crusade: The Conquest of Constantinople, 1201-1204. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1977. 1. Print. [ 7 ]. Joinville, Jean, Geoffroi De Villehardouin, and Caroline Smith. "Chapter 1: Preparations for the Fourth Crusade." Chronicles of the Crusades. London: Penguin, 2008. 1. Print. [ 16 ]. Gunther, and Alfred J. Andrea. The Capture of Constantinople: The Hystoria Constantinopolitana of Gunther of Pairis. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1997. 38-39,57-77, 90-91. Print. [ 19 ]. Clari, Robert De, and Edgar Holmes McNeal. "The Text." The Conquest of Constantinople. New York: Octagon, 1966. 38-42. Print. [ 25 ]. Gress-Wright, David Richard. The Gesta Innocentii III: Text, Introduction and Commentary. N.p.: n.p., 1981. Ch. 84. Print. [ 43 ]. Packard, Sidney Raymond. "The Crusades." Europe and the Church under Innocent III,. New York: H. Holt and, 1927. 82. Print.