4-Timeline+of+the+Fourth+Crusader+Initiative

=__​ Events Preceeding The Fourth Crusade__= - Amalric of Lusignan, Guy's brother, is named successor. - Henry VI of the Holy Roman Empire invades Italy and is crowned king. (Aug) - Pope Innocent III calls for a Fourth Crusade to recapture Jerusalem. - Foundation of the Teutonic Order. (Dec) - A special tax on churches is created for the purpose of funding the Fourth Crusade. (April 6) - Richard the Lion Heart dies, succeeded by his brother John. (Dec) - Taxation of the Church for Crusaders instituted. (Nov.) - Christians on the Fourth Crusade arrive in Venice. (Nov.24) - In order for the Christian Crusaders to pay for their transportation, the Venetians offer to ship them if they capture cities for Venice. The Christians begin with the capture of Zara (a Christian city). - Pope Innocent III excommunicates the Fourth Crusade for this act of aggression against a Christian city. - Alexius Angelus, son of Emperor Isaac II, offers the Crusaders money and a re-unification of the Byzantine Church with Rome if they capture Constantinople for him. (April 6) - Crusaders launch attack on Constantinople. (July 17) - Constantinople falls to the Crusader forces from Western Europe. -Isaac II resumes his rule alongside his son, Alexius IV. -Thomas Morosini of Venice is installed as patriarch of Constantinople. -The Crusaders are never paid money by Alexius. (Feb.) - Byzantine nobility, infuriated by the actions of the Christian Crusaders, imprisons Isaac II and strangles Alexius IV. -Alexius V Ducas takes the throne. (April) - After not being paid and infuriated at the execution of their ally Alexius, Christian soldiers of the Fourth Crusade attack Constantinople again. -Pope Innocent III ordered them not to attack fellow Christians again, but the papal letter was suppressed by the clergy. -Fourth Crusaders capture and sack Constantinople and establish the Latin Empire. Notes to consider: Pope Innocent III and the Templars criticize this Crusade because it diverts the Crusaders from aiding Palestine. -Pope Innocent III does accept the formal reunion of the Greek and Latin Churches. (May) - Baldwin of Flanders becomes the First Latin Emperor of Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire. -Boniface of Montferrat, leader of the Fourth Crusade, goes on to capture the 2nd largest Byzantine city of Thessolonika and founds the Kingdom of Thessolonika.
 * __ 1193 CE __** (March) - Saladin dies.
 * __ 1194 CE __** (May) - Guy de Lusignan dies.
 * __ 1195 CE __** - Alexius III deposes his brother, Emperor Isaac II Angelus of Byzantium.
 * __ 1196 CE __** - Berthold, Bishop of Buxtehude, launches first armed conflict of the Baltic Crusades when he sets a Crusading army against local pagans in Livonia.
 * __ 1197 CE __** - Henry VI of the Holy Roman Empire dies.
 * __ 1198 CE __** (March 5) - The Teutonic Knights are re-formed as a military order in a ceremony at Acre in the Palestine.
 * __ 1199 CE __** (Feb 19) - Pope Innocent III issues a bull which assigns the uniform of a white tunic with a black cross to the Teutonic Knights.
 * __ 1200 CE __** - Network of preceptories within Europe allow the Templars to become a major European economic power.
 * __ 1202 CE __** - Albert, Bishop of Buxtehude, establishes the Knightly crusading order known as the Fratres militiae Christi or the Livonian Brothers of the Sword.
 * __ 1203 CE __** - Crusaders abandon the city of Zara, move to Constantinople.
 * __ 1204 CE __** - Albert, Bishop of Buxtehude recieves approval from Pope Innocent III for his Crusade in the Baltic region.
 * __End of the Fourth Crusade__**