only eight years of age. Though dear to the barons of Romania, they saw the impolicy of investing a child with the purple in such a critical situation of affairs, and therefore conferred that honour on John de Brienne, the titular king of Jerusalem; on condition that Baldwin should marry his second daughter, and succeed, at a mature age, to the throne of Constantinople.

The age of Brienne exceeded fourscore years, nor had time impaired his faculties, or diminished the military reputation of his youthful years. Yet the commencement of his reign was spent in tranquil repose, till he was aroused by the formidable alliance of Vataces, emperor of Nice, and of Azan, king of Bulgaria. At the head of his army, the aged hero sallied from the walls of his capital: the hosts of his enemies fled before the lightning of his sword; and the citizens, animated by his example, boarded the hostile galleys near the walls, and dragged twenty-five of them into the harbour of Constantinople. The following year witnessed other triumphs over the same enemy; and the last moments of the veteran monarch were dedicated to religion in the habit of a Franciscan monk. He swayed the sceptre about nine years, and left it to his son-in-law, Baldwin.

A. D.

The life and reign of Baldwin were 1237. unprofitably wasted in soliciting the cold compassion of the princes of Europe: but the Christians of the West beheld with frigid indifference the expiring empire of the East; and either dealt their bounties with a sparing hand, or churlishly denied them. Even the Roman pontiff confined his liberality to the proclamation

proclamation of a crusade, and the cheap proffer of indulgences, which already began to sink in the public estimation. Yet superstition had not essentially lost its force: Constantinople was still in possession of the identical crown of thorns, as it was believed, which had been placed on our Saviour's head at the time of his crucifixion; and this relic was of such reputed value, that it was pledged to the Venetians for 70001. sterling, and 10,000 marks of silver were afterwards given to Baldwin to complete the purchase, on the part of the king of France.

Vataces in successive campaigns had triumphed over the Bulgarians, and reduced the limits of their sovereignty. The kingdom of Thessalonica was added to the empire of Nice; but the restoration of the Greeks was suspended by the death of Vataces, the fugitive reign of his son Theodorus, and the helpless infancy of his grandson John. That young prince indeed was oppressed by the inordinate ambition of Michael Palæologus, who possessed all the virtues and vices that qualify a man for rising to sovereign power.

Intent on the conquest of Constantinople, his designs were promoted by the Genoese, the rivals of the republic of Venice: the Latins were gradually driven from their last possessions in Thrace; the suburb of Galata was assaulted; and in the ensuing spring his favourite general, Alexius Strategopulus, passed the Hellespont, and reinforcing his army with rebels and outlaws, advanced in the night with a select detachment to the gates of Constantinople. At this times the bravest of the French and Venetians were absent: the scaling ladders were

applied;

applied; and part of the volunteers were conducted, by a subterraneous passage, into the heart of the city. The air soon resounded 1261. with a general acclamation of "

A. D.

Long

life and victory to Michael and John, the august emperors of the Romans!" and Baldwin, in consternation and dismay, escaping to the sea-shore, was conveyed to Italy, and spent the remainder of his life in vainly attempting to rouse the catholic powers to join in his restoration. Thus the Latin empire of the East, which commenced under a Baldwin, terminated under an emperor of the same name.

CHAP.

261]

CHAP. XXX.

From the Restoration of the Greek Empire, to the final Conquest of Constantinople by the Turks.

PALEOLOGUS, who had effected this revolution at Constantinople, was son of the elder sister of the wife of Theodorus Lascaris, and had the law of female descent been strictly observed, might have urged her superior pretensions to the throne. In fact, the descent of Palæologus, and the imprudence of his adherents, had exposed him to the suspicion of aiming at the sovereignty in the reign of Vataces. To exculpate himself from this, he was advised by the archbishop of Philadelphia, a dexterous courtier, to accept the judgment of God in the fiery proof of the ordeal :-namely, to bear a red hot ball of iron three times from the altar to the rails of the sanctuary, without artifice and without injury. The reason of Palæologus was too strong to become the dupe of such an imposture; but he eluded the experiment with sense and pleasantry. "I am a soldier," said he," and will boldly enter the lists with my ac66 cusers; but a layman like myself, and a sinner, "is not endowed with the gift of miracles. "Your piety, most holy prelate, may deserve "the interposition of Heaven, and from your "hands I will receive the fiery globe, the pledge "of my innocence." The archbishop was confounded, the emperor smiled, and the pardon

of

of the ingenious Michael was sealed by new rewards.

In the succeeding reign of Theodorus, Palæologus had alternately known disgrace and favour; but the dying breath of the prince recommended to him the protection of his infant son-a trust which he little deserved. Being elevated to the rank of regent, he employed the royal treasures in corrupting the guards; and by himself or his emissaries, he endeavoured to persuade every rank of subjects, that their prosperity would rise in proportion to the scope which was given to his own power. He courted popularity by diminishing the weight of taxes, and by prohibiting ordeals and judicial combats. The clergy he honoured with every mark of external respect; flattered the multitude with the idea of liberty; and represented to the nobles, the necessity of a mature and vigorous govern

ment.

In consequence of these manœuvres, he was first invested with the title and prerogatives of despot, which gave him the second rank in the empire; soon after he was associated to the purple, and in compliment to his age and merit obtained the honours of precedence. His general Strategopulus now obtained the rank of Cæsar, and the obligation was repaid by restoring Constantinople to the authority of the Greeks.

Twenty days after the expulsion of the Latins, Michael made his triumphant entrance into the capital. He immediately set about reinstating the nobles, calming the fears of the inhabitants, encouraging the industry and confirming the privileges of strangers, and repeopling the half

deserted