of the desecration of the Great Church, writes
with the utmost indignation of the barbarians who were incapable of
appreciating and therefore respecting its beauty. To him it was an
"earthly heaven, a throne of divine magnificence, an image of the
firmament created by the Almighty." The plunder of the same church in
1453 by Mahomet II compares favorably with that made by the crusaders
of 1204.

The sack of the city went on during the three days after the capture.
An order was issued, probably on the third day, by the leaders of the
army, for the protection of women. Three bishops had pronounced
excommunication against all who should pillage church or convent. It
was many days, however, before the army could be reduced to its
ordinary condition of discipline. A proclamation was made throughout
the army that all the booty should be collected, in order to be
divided fairly among the captors. Three churches were selected as
depots, and trusty guards of crusaders and Venetians were stationed to
watch what was thus brought in. Much, however, was kept back, and much
stolen. Stern measures had to be resorted to before order was
restored. Many crusaders were hanged. The Count of St. Paul hanged one
of his own knights with his shield round his neck because he had not
given up the booty he had captured. A contemporary writer, the
continuator of the history of William of Tyre, forcibly contrasts the
conduct of the crusaders before and after the capture. When the Latins
would take Constantinople they held the shield of God before them. It
was only when they had entered that they threw it away, and covered
themselves with the shield of the devil.

The Italians resident in Constantinople, who had returned to the city
with their countrymen, were conspicuous in their hostility to the
Greeks. Amid this resentment there were examples, however, that former
friendships were not forgotten. The escape of Nicetas himself is an
illustration in point. He had held the position of grand
logothete,[49] but he had been deposed by Mourtzouphlos. When the
Latins entered the city he had retired to a small house near Hagia
Sophia, which was so situated as to be likely to escape observation.
His large house, and probably his official residence, which he is
careful to tell us was adorned with an abundant store of ornaments,
had been burned down in the second fire. Many of his friends found
refuge with him, apparently regarding his dwelling as specially