Fourth Crusade Ep 2: When Crusaders attacked and burned Constantinople

Fourth Crusade Ep 2: When Crusaders attacked and burned Constantinople

May 18, 2026 · 1h 39m

About this episode

The episode discusses the shocking assault and sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, highlighting the unexpected turn of events and its consequences.

The story of how Constantinople was assaulted and sacked by the army of the Fourth Crusade is horrifying. Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, and it was full of Eastern Christians. So how did the army of the Fourth Crusade, who thought they were going to fight Muslims and reconquer Jerusalem, end up looting churches and assaulting nuns? A naive prince, a cunning Venetian Doge, and two emperors who fled into the night are part of the spiral that leaves French knights fighting the Varangian Guard. The shocking attack on the city was a turning point: it redefined the potential targets for crusader violence, which would soon be unleashed in France, and it shattered the power of the Eastern Roman Empire. Support this podcast on Patreon and get ad-free episodes, live video Q&A with Eva Schubert, and immediate access to our continuously growing library of special member-only bonus episodes. More info at https://www.patreon.com/evaschubert If you enjoyed this, check out my series on the First, Second, and Third Crusades, available in both your podcast player and on YouTube... 1st Crusade…

People in this episode

Host: Eva Schubert

Topics covered

Sponsors

Patreon

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Patreon

Places: Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire

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