[Antoninus]

The immense losses sustained during these outbreaks of anti-western feeling resulted in Venetian claims for compensation were still unsettled in 1203.

Sadly, if Manuel I and Andronikos I had not driven out the Venetians and Alexios IV had paid the money he promised, this horrible atrocity may never have happened. As it was, the Byzantines became known as perfidous and thus unworthy of the sacrifices the crusaders were expected to endure on their behalf.

And really, the Latins made up for this sin later against the Turks. If it wasn't for Latin assistance during the 14th & 15th century, Constantinople would have been taken much sooner than AD 1453.

[horse_doc]

Alexios didn't HAVE the money. It was an absurdly-large amount that the Imperial Treasury could not possibly have covered, and he knew it from the start.

I detest historical revisionists, and always pull for the Outremere - but the Fourth Crusade was a total long-term disaster for the West. Nothing good, and plenty bad came out of it.