The alliance, however, was concluded, and the allies, with an immense
army, estimated at a hundred thousand, besides three hundred
ships-of-war, sat down before the city and besieged it by sea and
land. The incident that follows reads like a story from the history of
Amadis de Gaul. Gibbon says that he "trembles" to relate it. While
this immense host lay outside his walls; while thirty ships armed with
their engines of war menaced his long line of seaward defences in the
narrow strait, brave old John de Brienne, who had but one hundred and
sixty knights with their following of men-at-arms and archers---say
two thousand in all--led forth his little band, and at one furious
onset routed the besieging army. Probably it was mainly composed of
the Bulgarian hordes, undisciplined, badly armed, and, like all such
hosts, liable to panic. Perhaps, too, the number of the enemy was by
no means so great as is reported, nor were the forces of John de
Brienne so small.

Nor was his success limited to the rout of the army, for the citizens,
encouraged by their flight, attacked the ships, and succeeded in
dragging five-and-twenty of them within the port. It would appear that
the Bulgarians renewed their attempt in the following year, and were
again defeated by the old Emperor. It would have been well for the
Latins had his age been less. He died in the year 1237, and young
Baldwin, who was married to his daughter Martha, became sole emperor.
John de Brienne made so great a name that he was compared with Ajax,
Odin the Dane, Hector, Roland, and Judas Maccabæus. Baldwin, who came
after him, might have been compared with any of those kinglings who
succeeded Charlemagne, and sat in their palaces while the empire fell
to pieces.

His incapacity is proved, if by nothing else, by his singular and