Boniface and Baldwin. As the Venetians were to elect the same number of representatives as the Crusaders, as Boniface evidently distrusted Dandolo, as the followers of Baldwin were sure to succeed in carrying a certain number of representatives out of the six to be chosen by the host, it had become evident to Boniface that his election was by no means safe. Accordingly, during the fortnight before the electors were chosen, negotiations went on with the object of securing somethinor to Boniface in case he should fail in beins: elected. A compromise was at length made. To the original conditions for the election of an emperor an additional article was added, to the effect that the one of the two candidates who was not elected should receive the Peloponnesus[1] and the provinces in Asia Minor still belonging to the empire. The latter part of the concession was in reality very slight, because, as events showed, the Greeks were still sufficiently strong to hold their own against the Crusaders in those places in Asia Minor where the continually advancing tide of Turkish conquest had not already overwhelmed them. Even when this arrangement had been made Dandolo appears to have anticipated opposition on the part of Boniface in case the election should go against him. Guards were placed over the Bacoleon, and everything arranged so that the city should be given over to the emperor named by the electors.[2]
At length each party had chosen its electors. The Venetians named six nobles ; the Crusaders chose six ecclesiastics.[3] The electors named by the Venetians were Vitale Dandolo, chief of the marines with the fleet, Querini, Contarini, Navagiero, Pantaleon Barbo and John Basegio, or, according to some writers, Michielo. Those named by the Crusaders were the bishops of Ilalberstadt, Soissons, and Treves, the Papal Legate and titular Bishop of Bethlehem, the Archbishop-Elect of Acre, and Abbot Peter of Lucedio.
