The leaders borrowed all that they could, and prevailed on their followers to do the same. At the same time they even had their private plate sent over to the Doge in lieu of money. “It was a wonderful sight to see the gold and silver table-services being carried to the Doge’s palace to make up the money due.” But it was to no avail, for even after the barons and lesser nobility had scraped together all that they could, they still remained 34,000 marks short of the sum that had originally been promised.[5]

Doge Dandolo could afford the luxury of a smile. He had the bulk of the Crusading army safely settled on the island of Saint Nicholas, where they could be supplied by boat—but only at his convenience. A large percentage of the money that had just been paid to him had actually been borrowed at high rates in Venice, thus giving the local money-lenders an enviable hold over the borrowers. At a conservative estimate the Doge of Venice had some 50,000 marks in the exchequer. (It is difficult to calculate the exact sum, since part of it had been paid in gold and silver plate.) He had immensely increased the sea-power of the Republic in galleys, merchantmen and transports, by putting all the local shipyards to work on the Crusaders’ commission. All the ships, which would in any case be Venetian-manned, would revert to the Republic on the conclusion of the campaign. Furthermore, he was now in the position—as he explained to the Council—to retain both money and ships unless the Crusaders could complete their part of the bargain.

“These people are unable,” he said, “to pay us any more. They are unable to keep the agreement they have made with us. So we for our part are fully entitled to retain the money that they have already paid us. No civilised state in the world would deny us our right to behave in this way. Neither we nor Venice would be blamed if that was what we did.” But he could afford to be magnanimous. “I say, though, that we should offer them terms…”

This speech by the Doge to his own people is reported by the Count de Villehardouin. Robert de Clari records his words to the assembled council of the Crusaders. “My Lords,” he said, “you have betrayed our trust. From the moment that your ambassadors first made this proposition about the fleet, I have ensured that every aspect of business throughout my territories should be directed to the sole aim of furnishing your Crusade. This for a year and a half, even more. But my people have now lost a great deal—and that’s the reason why they, and I too, are determined that you shall pay us the money you owe. And if you don’t, then let me tell you that you shall not move a foot from the island until we have been paid. Quite apart from which, you will not find anyone who’ll bring you anything to eat or drink.”

It is hardly surprising that the barons and the others who heard these words retired from the Doge’s presence, “distressed and very embarrassed”.

In a speech to his own council, Doge Dandolo now made his intentions plain. No doubt there were some who were already saying that the Doge had not only saddled the Republic with a vast weight of bad debts but that they also had a large and potentially hostile army on their doorstep. Any sceptics as to the ability of the Doge to produce the finest possible solution—finest possible for his city-state, that is—were silenced before they could even murmur a complaint.

“The City of Zara has been taken from us by the King of Hungary,” began the Doge. “It is, as we all know, one of the strongest cities in existence. With our own forces we have no hope of recapturing Zara. But what if we make use of the French? I suggest that we ask them to help us in this matter of Zara. If they do this, we will agree to postpone their payment of the 34,000 marks until they, and ourselves combined, have gained that amount of money by conquest.”

There could be nothing but assent to such a brilliant suggestion. At one blow the Venetians would eliminate the threat that Zara represented to their Adriatic communications and trade. At one blow they would be free of the Crusaders, and there still remained a good chance that they would get full payment for the use of their fleet through any successes the Crusading armies might have over the Moslems.

The Doge can hardly have been surprised at the overwhelmingly favourable reception accorded to his speech. Knowing the situation that they were in, perhaps he was hardly less surprised when the barons and the inner council of knights reacted with an almost equal enthusiasm.