{"id":11625,"date":"2026-07-04T17:53:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-04T15:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/4th-crusade\/"},"modified":"2026-07-04T20:33:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T18:33:34","slug":"4th-crusade","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/","title":{"rendered":"4th crusade"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"11625\" class=\"elementor elementor-11625 elementor-11582\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f64955 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3f64955\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8cae445 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8cae445\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11634\" alt=\"English 4th crusade header\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png 1024w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-300x142.png 300w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-768x364.png 768w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1536x729.png 1536w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade.png 1821w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c80f18 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9c80f18\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f71b1f2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f71b1f2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><br>Fourth Crusade (1202\u20131204)<br\/>The Knights Templar played only a very limited role in the Fourth Crusade. This is one of those moments in history that clearly demonstrates the Templars did not blindly participate in every crusade that was proclaimed. We deliberately remained largely detached from the events of the Fourth Crusade. <\/p><p>This crusade was proclaimed by Pope Innocent III. <br>The tragedy of the Fourth Crusade is that Pope Innocent III intended to launch a crusade to Jerusalem. Instead, he ended up with Constantinople.<br\/>When Innocent III became pope in 1198 at the young age of just 37, Jerusalem had already been under Islamic rule for many years. Following the Third Crusade, leaders such as:<br\/>\u2022 Richard I of England<br\/>\u2022 Philip II of France<br\/>\u2022 Frederick I Barbarossa<br\/>had achieved important victories, yet Jerusalem itself had not been recaptured. The young pope considered this unacceptable. He wanted to strengthen the Christian presence in the Holy Land by organizing a new crusade under direct papal leadership.<br\/>     <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-039c68d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"039c68d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e1cd98 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7e1cd98\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a68fa2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a68fa2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"678\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III-678x1024.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11620\" alt=\"Pope Innocent III\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III-678x1024.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III-199x300.jpeg 199w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III-768x1159.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III-1018x1536.jpeg 1018w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Innocentius-III.jpeg 1060w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6eec3de e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6eec3de\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19b96e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"19b96e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<pre> <\/pre><p>\ud83d\udc48\ud83c\udffb Pope Innocent III<\/p><pre> <\/pre><p> King Richard the Lionheart \ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udffb<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25878a5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"25878a5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d8dbbb6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d8dbbb6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"605\" height=\"756\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard-Lionheart.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1621\" alt=\"Richard-Lionheart\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard-Lionheart.jpg 605w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Richard-Lionheart-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-785cab6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"785cab6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7c79d9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c7c79d9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The original plan was never to march directly to Jerusalem. There was a strategic reason for this. The idea was to first defeat the powerful Islamic stronghold in Egypt. At that time, Egypt formed the heart of the Ayyubid Empire. Whoever controlled Egypt would be in a far stronger position to reclaim Jerusalem afterwards.   <\/p><p><br>In 1198, while the core of our military strength was already stationed in the Holy Land, Pope Innocent III proclaimed the Fourth Crusade. The strongest response came from French, Flemish and Italian nobles, together with ordinary crusaders, adventurers and knights who had taken the crusading vow. They gathered in Europe\u2014not in Acre, and not alongside the Knights Templar\u2014but in France, Italy and Venice.   <br>Venice played a crucial role. The crusaders required an enormous fleet to transport their army across the Mediterranean. For this purpose they concluded an agreement with the Republic of Venice. For months the Venetians built ships on an unprecedented scale. However, when the crusaders finally assembled, far fewer men arrived than expected. As a result, they were unable to pay the enormous sum they owed.<br\/>And that was where the real trouble began.    <\/p><p>The Venetian leader, Enrico Dandolo, proposed a solution:<br\/>&#8220;Help us capture Zadar first, and we will settle your debt afterwards.&#8221; The problem was that Zadar was a Christian city. Pope Innocent III explicitly forbade the attack. The crusaders attacked anyway. This was the first moment the Fourth Crusade departed from its original purpose.<br\/>But matters became even worse. Constantinople entered the picture. Prince Alexios Angelos promised:<br\/>\u2022 enormous sums of money;<br\/>\u2022 military assistance;<br\/>\u2022 the reunification of the Greek and Latin Churches;<br\/>if the crusaders would help him claim the imperial throne in Constantinople.<br\/>For an army burdened by overwhelming debts, the offer was extremely tempting.<br\/>Slowly but surely, what had begun as a crusade to Jerusalem was transformed into an expedition against Constantinople.        <br>The entire expedition gradually shifted from: &#8220;Liberate Jerusalem.&#8221; to: &#8220;Become involved in Byzantine politics.&#8221; That is precisely where we chose a different path.  <br>In the end, the Christian capital of Constantinople was captured and plundered in 1204.<br\/>Quite simply, it was a scandal. Churches were looted. Holy relics were stolen. Crusaders\u2014Christians\u2014were fighting fellow Christians.   <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d9be65 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5d9be65\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ea20c10 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ea20c10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Alexios_III_web.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0522162 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0522162\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9c63ce1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9c63ce1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<pre>\ud83d\udc46\ud83c\udffbPrince Alexios Angelos III<\/pre><pre>This fifteenth-century miniature depicts the Siege and Capture of Constantinople in 1203 during the Fourth Crusade. Crusaders and Venetian forces attack the city from the sea, storm its walls, and ultimately seize Constantinople. \ud83d\udc46\ud83c\udffb  <br><br><\/pre>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad98a59 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ad98a59\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6474aff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6474aff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Knights Templar were not only monks; we were also *milites*\u2014soldier-monks entrusted with a clear and unwavering mission. It soon became apparent that the Fourth Crusade had drifted away from its original purpose. Venetian commercial interests&#8230;financial debts&#8230; Byzantine dynastic struggles&#8230; the plundering of Christian cities&#8230; None of this was compatible with the mission for which our Order had been founded: to protect pilgrims, to defend the Holy Land and to fight the enemies of the Crusader States.  <br><br>The Knights Templar had a fixed mission.<br\/>An ordinary knight might think: &#8220;Perhaps Constantinople will make me wealthy.&#8221;<br\/>A Venetian merchant might think: &#8220;Perhaps Constantinople will expand our trade.&#8221;<br\/>A Templar asked only one question: &#8220;Does this help Jerusalem?&#8221; Because that was the very reason we had taken up the Cross. That single question shaped every decision we made. We would not have attacked Zadar. We would not have involved ourselves in Byzantine wars of succession. We would have continued directly towards the Holy Land.   <br><br>Pope Innocent III was furious. He had explicitly forbidden the attack on Zadar and had never authorised an assault on Constantinople. When Constantinople was finally plundered in 1204, he condemned the sack. By then, however, the damage had already been done. There was no way to undo what had happened.    <br><br>The Fourth Crusade therefore consists of two very different stories.<br\/>The Pope&#8217;s plan: liberate Jerusalem &#8211; apply pressure through Egypt &#8211; strengthen Christian unity.<br\/>What actually happened: debt to Venice &#8211; the attack on Zadar &#8211; Byzantine dynastic conflict &#8211; the sack of Constantinople.<br\/>In summary:<br\/>\u2022 The Pope proclaims a crusade.<br\/>\u2022 The Knights Templar are already stationed in the East.<br\/>\u2022 The crusading army departs from Europe.<br\/>\u2022 The army becomes entangled in debt and politics.<br\/>\u2022 Constantinople is plundered.<br\/>\u2022 The Holy Land gains virtually nothing from this enormous undertaking.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ccb9d2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1ccb9d2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fb132f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2fb132f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0298b97 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0298b97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel-1024x778.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11621\" alt=\"Constantinopel\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel-1024x778.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel-300x228.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel-768x584.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel-1536x1167.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Constantinopel.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cde4694 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cde4694\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59e7f02 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"59e7f02\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"486\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/plattegrond-Acco.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11622\" alt=\"map Acco\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/plattegrond-Acco.jpeg 1006w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/plattegrond-Acco-300x182.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/plattegrond-Acco-768x466.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ba6838 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3ba6838\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d66688 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d66688\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<pre>Constantinople on the left, Acre (Akko) beside it. <br>Below: Jerusalem.<\/pre>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df79082 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"df79082\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bfdcd8b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bfdcd8b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scherm\u00adafbeelding-2026-07-04-om-17.51.46-1024x404.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11623\" alt=\"Heavenly Jerusalem\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scherm\u00adafbeelding-2026-07-04-om-17.51.46-1024x404.png 1024w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scherm\u00adafbeelding-2026-07-04-om-17.51.46-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scherm\u00adafbeelding-2026-07-04-om-17.51.46-768x303.png 768w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Scherm\u00adafbeelding-2026-07-04-om-17.51.46.png 1109w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a11bff8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a11bff8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e155bec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e155bec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For the Knights Templar, this was extremely problematic. In 1198, we were holding the line in Acre, Palestine and Syria against Islamic powers. That was where our attention belonged. Then Pope Innocent III called for a Fourth Crusade to support the Holy Land.<br\/>So you expect reinforcements. You expect men. You expect money for provisions, horses, supplies and everything else that is needed. And then you hear: &#8220;They have attacked the Christian city of Zadar.&#8221; Later: &#8220;They are on their way to Constantinople.&#8221; And later still: &#8220;They have plundered Constantinople.&#8221; Meanwhile, you are still standing in Palestine. \ud83d\ude33 &#8220;Hello, brothers&#8230; Jerusalem is in the other direction!&#8221;<\/p><p>Looking back, the Fourth Crusade was a disaster for the crusading movement.<br\/>Instead of reclaiming Jerusalem: <\/p><p>\u2022 a Christian capital was plundered;<br\/>\u2022 lasting hatred grew between East and West;<br\/>\u2022 the Byzantine Empire was severely weakened.<\/p><p>A weakened Byzantium ultimately also meant less support for the Christian presence in the East. <br>In summary, the Fourth Crusade was exactly the kind of crusade for which the Order had not been founded. That explains why, in the sources around 1204, we hear far less about the Knights Templar than we do during the First, Third or later crusades. <\/p><p>One of the most fascinating things about the Fourth Crusade is this: the more the Knights Templar disappear from view, the further the crusade drifts away from its original purpose. That does not prove they could have prevented everything.<br\/>But it does show how differently their compass was set compared with that of many secular leaders.<br\/>Here again, the Fourth Crusade becomes one of the strongest arguments against the clich\u00e9 image of the Knights Templar as reckless warriors. If there was ever a moment when a large part of the crusading movement drifted away from its true purpose, it was here &#8211; and precisely there, we do not see the Knights Templar at the helm.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b657b3a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b657b3a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-817afeb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"817afeb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"482\" src=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippe-du-Plessis-in-de-Lavant-1024x617.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-11361\" alt=\"Philippe du Plessis in the Lavant\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippe-du-Plessis-in-de-Lavant-1024x617.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippe-du-Plessis-in-de-Lavant-300x181.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippe-du-Plessis-in-de-Lavant-768x463.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Philippe-du-Plessis-in-de-Lavant.jpeg 1534w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e83f51 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0e83f51\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fourth Crusade (1202\u20131204)The Knights Templar played only a very limited role in the Fourth Crusade. This is one of those moments in history that clearly demonstrates the Templars did not [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11625","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fourth Crusade (1202\u20131204)The Knights Templar played only a very limited role in the Fourth Crusade. This is one of those moments in history that clearly demonstrates the Templars did not [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Nederlandse Tempeliers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-04T18:33:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"486\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/\",\"name\":\"4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-04T15:53:59+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-04T18:33:34+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"4th crusade\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Nederlandse Tempeliers\",\"description\":\"The Black Knights Templars of Solomon\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Nederlandse Tempeliers\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dutch-order-v2.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dutch-order-v2.png\",\"width\":687,\"height\":686,\"caption\":\"Nederlandse Tempeliers\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers","og_description":"Fourth Crusade (1202\u20131204)The Knights Templar played only a very limited role in the Fourth Crusade. This is one of those moments in history that clearly demonstrates the Templars did not [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/","og_site_name":"Nederlandse Tempeliers","article_modified_time":"2026-07-04T18:33:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":486,"url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/","url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/","name":"4th crusade - Nederlandse Tempeliers","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png","datePublished":"2026-07-04T15:53:59+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-04T18:33:34+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Engels-4th-crusade-1024x486.png"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/4th-crusade\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"4th crusade"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/","name":"Nederlandse Tempeliers","description":"The Black Knights Templars of Solomon","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#organization","name":"Nederlandse Tempeliers","url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dutch-order-v2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/Dutch-order-v2.png","width":687,"height":686,"caption":"Nederlandse Tempeliers"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11625"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11637,"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11625\/revisions\/11637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nederlandsetempeliers.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}