250 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Clari,' told the Crusaders plainly, " If yon do not pay, under- stand well that you will not move from this island, nor will you find any one who will furnish you meat and drink." It was upon this threat that the leaders had borrowed what they could to pay their jailers. It was after a second collection for payment, in July, 1202, that there was still about one third of the freight, or, according to Eobert de Clari, 36,000 marks, unpaid. Shortly afterwards the Crusaders were persuaded to accept a compromise, which, on the whole, could not be con- sidered as unfair. Dandolo was understood to have proposed that out of the share of the first spoil which fell to the Cru- saders in fighting the common enemy — that is, the Moslems — the sum due to the Venetians should be deducted. This proposition was gladly accepted. Subsequently this promise was changed into a proposal for an attack upon Zara. This city lies on the oppo- madetothe sitc coast of the Adriatic to Venice, was the capital of Dalmatia, and belonged to the King of Hungary, who had himself sent aid to the Crusaders. It had been rising in importance for many years. The Venetians alleged that its inhabitants had often of late made piratical attacks upon their ships. Possibly the charge was true, but the real reason of the hostility felt towards it was a jealousy of its commer- cial prosperity. The non-official versions represent the Zara expedition as forced on the Crusaders. The ofiicial versions represent the Crusaders as gladly consenting to pay the Vene- tians out of the spoils taken at Zara falling to their share. The story of Villehardouin is not at variance generally with those of other contemporary winters. Its chief fault is a sup- pression of disagreeable facts. His object in writing the story of the crusade was to show that the expedition had not been 1 "La Prise de Constantinople," by Robert de Clary, or Clari, is by far the most valuable contemporary account which modern research has brought to light on the Latin conquest. The MS. was printed in 18G8 by Count Riant, but only for private circulation. It was not really pub- lished until 1873, wiien Charles Hopf brought out his "Chroniques Greco-Romanes." Robert de Clari was present at the conquest of Con- stantinople.
