LIX.

CHA P. acts of violence and blood. Some adventurers, who dif graced the enfign of the crofs, compenfated their want of pay by the plunder of the Mahometan villages: nineteen Syrian merchants, who traded under the public faith, were defpoiled and hanged by the Chriftians; and the denial of fatisfaction juftified the arms of the fultan Khalil. He marched against Acre, at the head of fixty thousand horfe and one hundred and forty thousand foot: his train of artillery (if I may ufe the word) was numerous and weighty; the feparate timbers of a single engine were tranfported in one hundred waggons; and the royal hiftorian Abulfeda, who ferved with the troops of Hamah, was himself a fpectator of the holy war. Whatever might be the vices of the Franks, their courage was rekindled by enthusiasm and defpair; but they were torn by the difcord of feventeen chiefs, and overwhelmed on all fides by the powers of the fultan. After a fiege of thirty-three days, The lofs of the double wall was forced by the Moflems; the principal tower yielded to their engines; the Mamalukes made a general affault; the city was ftormed; and death or A. D. 1291. flavery was the lot of fixty thousand Christians. May 18.

Acre and

the Holy Land,

The con

vent, or rather fortrefs, of the Templars refifted three days longer; but the great mafter was pierced with an arrow; and, of five hundred knights, only ten were left alive, lefs happy than the victims of the sword, if they lived to fuffer on a fcaffold in the unjust and cruel profcription of the whole order. The king of Jerufalem, the patriarch, and the great master of the hospital, effected their retreat to the fhore; but the fea was rough; the vessels were infufficient; and great numbers of the fugitives were drowned before they could reach the Ifle of Cyprus, which might comfort Lufignan for the lofs of Palestine. By the command of the fultan, the churches and the fortifications of the Latin cities were demolished: a motive of avarice or fear still opened the holy fepulchre to fome devout and defenceless pilgrims; and a mournful and folitary filence prevailed along the coaft which had fo long refounded with the WORLD'S DEBATE (109).

(109) See the final expulfion of the Franks, in Sanutus, 1. iii. p. xii. c. 11-22. Abulfeda, Macrizi, &c. in de Guignes, tom.iv.p. 162. 164. and Vertot, tom. i. 1. iii. p. 407-428.

CHAP.

CHA P. LX.

Schifm of the Greeks and Latins.-State of Conftantinople. Revolt of the Bulgarians.-Ifaac Angelus dethroned by his Brother Alexius-Origin of the Fourth Grufade.-Alliance of the French and Venetians with the Son of Ifaac.-Their naval Expedition to Conftantinople.-The two Sieges and final Conqueft of the City by the Latins.

THE

LX.

Schifm of

the Greeks.

HE restoration of the Western empire by Charle- CHA P. magne, was fpeedily followed by the feparation of the Greek and Latin churches (1). A religious and national animofity ftill divides the two largest communions of the Chriftian world; and the fchifin of Conftantinople, by alienating her most useful allies and provoking her moft dangerous enemies, has precipitated the decline and fall of the Roman empire in the Eaft.

fion to the

Latins.

In the course of the present history, the aversion of the Their averGreeks for the Latins has been often vifible and confpicuous. It was originally derived from the difdain of fervitude, inflamed, after the time of Conftantine, by the pride of equality or dominion; and finally exafperated by the preference which their rebellious fubjects had given to the alliance of the Franks. In every age, the Greeks were proud of their fuperiority in profane and religious knowledge: they had first received the light of Chriftianity; they had pronounced the decrees of the feven general councils: they alone poffeffed the language of fcripture and philofophy; nor fhould the Barbarians, immerfed in the darkness of the Weft (2), prefume to argue on the high and mysterious queftions of theological fcience. Thofe Barbarians defpifed VOL. VI.

I

in

(1) In the fucceffive centuries, from the 9th to the 18th, Mofheim traces the fchifm of the Greeks, with learning, clearnefs, and impartiality: the filioque (Inftitut. Hift. Ecclef. p. 277.), Leo. III. p. 303. Photius, p. 307, 308. Michael Cerularius, p. 370, 371, &c.

(2) Ανδρες δυσσεβεις και αποτροπαιοι, άνδρες εκ σκοτες αναδυντες, της Vap ECTEDLY peopics ÚTYP XOV VεvVÝμæra (Phot. Epift. p. 47. edit. Montacut.). The Oriental patriarch continues to apply the images of thunder, earthquake, hail, wild-boar, præcurfors of Antichrift, &c. &c.

LX,

Ghoft.

CHA P. in their turn the reftlefs and fubtle levity of the Orientals, the authors of every heresy; and bleffed their own fimplicity, which was content to hold the tradition of the apoftolic church. Yet in the feventh century, the fynods of Spain, and afterwards of France, improved or corrupted the Nicene creed, on the myfterious fubject of the third perfon Proceffion of the Trinity (3). In the long controverfies of the Eaft, of the Holy the nature and generation of the Chrift had been scrupuloufly defined; and the well-known relation of father and fon feemed to convey a faint image to the human mind. The idea of birth was lefs analogous to the Holy Spirit, who, instead of a divine gift or attribute, was confidered by the Catholics, as a substance, a perfon, a god; he was not begotten, but in the orthodox ftyle he proceeded. Did he proceed from the father alone, perhaps by the Son? or from the Father and the Son? The firft of these opinions was afferted by the Greeks, the fecond by the Latins; and the addition to the Nicene creed of the word filioque, kindled the flame of difcord between the Oriental and the Gallic churches. In the origin of the difpute, the Roman pontiffs affected a character of neutrality and moderation (4) they condemned the innovation, but they acquiefced in the fentiment, of their Tranfalpine brethren : they feemed defirous of casting a veil of filence and charity over the fuperfluous research; and in the correspondence of Charlemagne and Leo the third, the pope affumes the liberality of a statesman, and the prince defcends to the paffions and prejudices of a priest (5). But the orthodoxy of Rome spontaneously obeyed the impulfe of her temporal policy; and the filioque, which Leo wifhed to erafe, was tranfcribed in the symbol and chaunted in the liturgy of the Vatican.

(3) The myfterious fubject of the proceffion of the Holy Ghost, is difcuffed in the hiftorical, theological, and controverfial fenfe, or nonsense, by the Jefuit Petavius (Dogmata Theologica, tom. ii. 1. vii. p. 362-440.).

(4) Before the fhrine of St. Peter he placed two fhields of the weight of 944 pounds of pure filver; on which he infcribed the text of both creeds (utroque fymbolo), pro amore et cautelâ orthodoxæ fidei (Anastas. in Leon. III. in Muratori, tom. iii pars i. p. 208.). His language mostly clearly proves, that neither the filioque, nor the Athanafian creed, were received at Rome about the year 830.

(5) The Mifli of Charlemagne preffed him to declare, that all who rejected the filioque, at least the doctrine, must be damned. All, replies the pope, are not capable of reaching the altiora myfteria, qui potuerit, et non voluerit, falvus effe non poteft (Collect. Concil. tom. ix. p. 277-286.). The potuerit would leave a large loop-hole of falvation !

LX,

ecclefiaftical

Vatican. The Nicene and Athanafian creeds are held as CHA P. the Catholic faith, without which none can be faved; and both Papifts and Proteftants must now sustain and return the anathemas of the Greeks, who deny the proceffion of the Holy Ghost from the Son, as well as from the Father. Such articles of faith are not susceptible of treaty; but the Variety of rules of difcipline will vary in remote and independent difcipline. churches; and the reafon, even of divines, might allow, that the difference is inevitable and harmless. The craft or fuperftition of Rome has impofed on her priests and deacons the rigid obligation of celibacy; among the Greeks, it is confined to the bifhops; the lofs is compenfated by dignity or annihilated by age; and the parochial clergy, the papas, enjoy the conjugal society of the wives whom they have married before their entrance into holy orders. A queftion concerning the Azyms was fiercely debated in the eleventh century, and the effence of the Eucharift was fuppofed in the Eaft and Weft, to depend on the use of leavened or unleavened bread. Shall I mention in a serious hiftory the furious reproaches that were urged against the Latins, who, for a long while remained on the defenfive? They neglected to abftain, according to the apoftolical decree, from things ftrangled, and from blood: they fafted, a Jewish obfervance! on the Saturday of each week: during the first week of Lent they permitted the use of milk and cheefe (6); their infirm monks were indulged in the tafte of flesh; and animal grease was fubftituted for the want of vegetable oil: the holy chrifm or unction in baptifm, was referved to the epifcopal order: the bifhops, as the bridegrooms of their churches, were decorated with rings; their priests shaved their faces, and baptized by a fingle immerfion. Such were the crimes which provoked the zeal of the patriarchs of Conftantinople; and which were juftified with equal zeal by the doctors of the Latin church (7),

Bigotry

(6) In France, after fome harsher laws, the ecclefiaftical discipline is now relaxed milk, cheese, and butter, are become a perpetual, and eggs an annual, indulgence in Lent (Vie privée des François, tom. ii. p. 27-38.). (7) The original monuments of the fchifm, of the charges of the Greeks against the Latins, are depofited in the Epiftles of Photius (Epift. Encyclica, ii. p. 47-61.) and of Michael Cerularius (Canifii Antiq. Lectiones, tom. iii. p. i. p. 281-324. edit Bafnage, with the prolix answer of cardinal Humbert).

СНАР.
LX.

Photius,patriarch of

Bigotry and national averfion are powerful magnifiers of every object of difpute; but the immediate cause of the Ambitious fchifm of the Greeks may be traced in the emulation of quarrels of the leading prelates, who maintained the fupremacy of the old metropolis fuperior to all, and of the reigning capital, Conftanti-inferior to none, in the Chriftian world. About the midnople, with dle of the ninth century, Photius (8), an ambitious laythe popes, man, the captain of the guards and principal fecretary, 857-886. was promoted by merit and favour to the more defirable

A. D.

office of patriarch of Conftantinople. In fcience, even ecclefiaftical fcience, he furpaffed the clergy of the age; and the purity of his morals had never been impeached : but his ordination was hafty, his rife was irregular; and Ignatius, Iris abdicated predeceffor, was yet fupported by the public compaffion and the obftinacy of his adherents. They appealed to the tribunal of Nicholas the first, one of the proudest and most aspiring of the Roman pontiffs, who embraced the welcome opportunity of judging and condemning his rival of the Eaft. Their quarrel was embittered by a conflict of jurisdiction over the king and nation of the Bulgarians; nor was their recent converfion to Christianity of much avail to either prelate, unless he could number the profelytes among the fubjects of his power. With the aid of his court the Greek patriarch was victorious; but in the furious contest he depofed in his turn the fucceffor of St. Peter, and involved the Latin church in the reproach of herefy and fchifm. Photius facrificed the peace of the world to a fhort and precarious reign: he fell with his patron, the Cæfar Bardas; and Bafil the Macedonian performed an act of justice in the restoration of Ignatius, whofe age and dignity had not been fufficiently refpected. From his monaftery, or prifon, Photius folicited the favour of the emperor by pathetic complaints and artful flattery; and the eyes of his rival were scarcely closed, when he was again restored to the throne of Conftantinople. After the death of Bafil, he experienced the viciffitudes of courts and the ingratitude of a royal pupil: the patriarch was again depofed, and in his laft folitary hours he might regret the freedom of a fecular and ftudious life. In

(8) The 10th volume of the Venice edition of the Councils, contains all the acts of the fynods, and history of Pontius: they are abridged, with a faint tinge of prejudice or prudence, by Dupin and Fleury.