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When the original leader of the Fourth Crusade, Count Thibaud III of Champagne, died in 1201, Boniface was chosen as its new leader. Boniface's family was well-established in the east; his oldest brother William was the father of King Baldwin V of Jerusalem, and his brother Conrad was active in the Third Crusade.

Boniface had a claim to Thessalonika through another brother, Rainier, a son-in-law of Manuel I Comnenus. This may have influenced his appointment as leader of the Crusade.

Boniface was a cousin of Philip of Swabia, who was married to Irene, a sister of the deposed Byzantine emperor Isaac II Angelus. After the Crusade was diverted to Zara, Boniface travelled to SwabiaSwabia (German Schwaben is a historic region in Germany and a language area. The area consists largely of the present-day state of Baden-Wurttemberg, as well as the Bavarian administrative district of Swabia. In the Middle Ages, most of modern Switzerland to meet with Philip, and while there also met with Alexius Angelus, Isaac II's son, who had escaped from the custody of his uncle Alexius III AngelusAlexius III Angelus Byzantine emperor, was the second son of Andronicus Angelus, nephew of Alexius I. In 1195, while his brother Isaac II was away hunting in Thrace, he was proclaimed emperor by the troops; he captured Isaac at Stagira in Macedonia, put o. It was here that the idea of diverting the Crusade further to restore Alexius as Alexius IV was likely first discussed. Both Boniface and Alexius travelled separately to Rome to ask for Pope Innocent IIIInnocent III ne Lotario de Conti ca. 1161 June 16, 1216), was Pope from January 8, 1198 until his death. He was the son of Count Trasimund of Segni and nephew of Pope Clement III, born at Anagni, Italy. His father was a member of the famous house of Conti's blessing for the endeavour; however, Boniface was specifically told by Innocent not to attack any Christians, including the Byzantines.

After the conquest of ConstantinopleConstantinople (Roman name: Constantinopolis; Greek: Konstantinoupolis or ) is the former name of the city of Istanbul in Turkey. Its original name was Byzantium ( Greek: Byzantion or Bυζαντιο&nu pronounced roughly B in 1204Events February Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. April 12 The Fourth Crusade take Constantinople by storm, and pillage the city for three days. End of the Fourth Crusade. May 16 Baldwin, Coun, Boniface was assumed to be the new emperor, both by the western knightsFor the chess piece, see knight (chess). In former times, a knight was a warrior or nobleman; today a knight is a person who has been given a royal recognition. In the United Kingdom the knight is styled Sir''. The female styling is usually Dame''. Roots and the conquered Byzantine citizens. However, the VenetiansVenice ( Italian Venezia German Venedig , the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto, population 271,073 (2001). The city stretches across numerous small islands in a marshy lagoon along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy. The saltwater l vetoed him, believing that he already had too many connections in the Empire (and, likely, felt that they would not have as much influence in the new Empire if Boniface was in control). Instead, they chose Baldwin of Flanders. Boniface founded the Kingdom of Thessalonica and also held territory in Crete, though he later sold Crete to the Venetians. He was killed in an ambush by the Bulgarians on September 4, 1207, and his head was sent to Bulgarian Tsar Kaloyan.