MAHOMET THE CONQUEROR } _from painting by Bellini_. } _Between } pages_ 388–9 MAHOMET THE CONQUEROR } _from medallion by Bellini in the British Museum_. } MAPS MAP ILLUSTRATING PROGRESS OF TURKS DURING THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH, AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES _Facing p._ 1 MAP OF BYZANTINE CONSTANTINOPLE 237 SKETCH MAP SHOWING THE DISPOSITION OF TURKISH TROOPS DURING THE LAST DAYS OF SIEGE; MAY 1453 335 [Illustration: Map illustrating Progress of Turks during 13th., 14th., & 15th. Centuries.] DESTRUCTION OF THE GREEK EMPIRE CHAPTER I THE LATIN EMPIRE (1204–1261) AND ITS STRUGGLES WITH AND FINAL OVERTHROW BY THE GREEKS OF NICAEA The later Roman Empire and its capital Constantinople never recovered from the blow inflicted by the Fourth Crusade in 1204. A huge filibustering expedition had been gathered together at Venice under pretext of making an attack upon the Saracens in Egypt. Under the leadership of Boniface, Marquis of Montferrat, and Dandolo, the famous doge of Venice, the expedition had been diverted from its purpose, and, in spite of the strongest possible protests by Innocent the Third, had attacked Constantinople. The strength of the empire had been weakened by a hundred and fifty years’ resistance to the hordes of Asia, during which it had served as the bulwark of Europe. Its reputation had been lessened by thirty years of dynastic wars, during which the government had allowed its fleet to decay so that it was unable to resist the Venetians and Crusaders. The result was that, for the first time in its long history, the city was captured. There then followed the plunder and division of its enormous wealth--a large part of which found its way to the West, while perhaps a still larger portion was destroyed--the appointment of a Latin emperor in Constantinople, and the partition of such portions of the empire as could be occupied among the conquerors. [Sidenote: Baldwin, 1204–1205.] [Sidenote: Difficulties regarding division of empire.]