316 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. city would be destroyed/ Accordingly there was considerable murmuring within the city. The many dynastic troubles within the experience of the inhabitants made them think lightly of a change of rulers. Alexis the Third had done nothing to make himself respected. He was now informed that if he did not deliver his subjects from the enemy, they would declare for the younger Alexis, and would make him emperor.' In spite, however, of these threats, I am disposed to think from the narrative of Nicetas, wlio knew better what went on within the city than any of the Western chroniclers, that the great mass of the inhabitants of Constantinople were indiffer- ent rather than hostile to the emperor. The majority of the inhabitants had long lost all interest in dynastic changes. The experience of the last generation had accustomed them to see one sovereign deposed and another placed on the throne, until they had come to look on depositions or attempts to obtain the throne as matters with which they had little concern. Apathy in regard to political changes very closely resembled that which exists now in Constantinople. I have been present in the city during the deposition of two sultans. The most striking characteristic in the circumstances attending these depositions was the utter indifference of the great body of the native, and especially of the Moslem, population to the change which was being made. There was a small but active party which took action, but beyond this there was comparatively very little excitement ; no resistance, no rioting, no expres- sion of dissatisfaction. When newspaper correspondents and foreigners generally were aware that a revolution was in prep- aration, it is impossible to believe that thousands of Turks and rayahs were in ignorance of the fact. The general feeling among the sultan's subjects was one of indifference. If the conspirators failed it would go hardly with them ; if they succeeded it would go hardly with the sultan. That business only regarded the parties concerned. Beyond a vague belief that any change could hardly be followed by a worse condi- ' Gunther, xiii. ^ Robert de Clari, 1.
