302 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

they were bribed to divert the crusade to the support of the cause of Alexis. Henceforward some of the chief opponents became the firm supporters of Alexis.^ The pilgrim host had now been changed from a crusading army into a filibus- tering expedition, and its history in the future is that of their adventures in sacking the noblest and richest city of the Mid- dle Ages. As soon as the convention of Zara was ratified, the leaders lost no time in hurrying on the preparations for embarkation. The quicker the evil deed could be done the better. charter by wbicli in 120-i Boniface ceded the island of Crete to the Ve- netians he includes the sum of 100,000 marks formerly promised to him by Alexis. iVillehardouin,p. 284.