Today in History: The Fourth Crusade

On this day (April 12) in 1204, the knights of the Fourth Crusade breached the walls of Constantinople, leading to their conquest of another Christian power which certainly wasn’t what they had sworn to do when they took the cross. It was an important sign that there was something wrong with the crusading concept. (Another such sign would be the “successful” Sixth Crusade led by Emperor Frederick II who was suffering under the penalty of excommunication.)