Philipinbestowingimmunitiesuponhissubjects，andJohninhavingthemforcedfromhim。TheemissariesofthePopethereforepliedtheminvain；——butasinthefirstandsecondCrusades，theeloquenceofapowerfulpreacherincitedthenobility，andthroughthemacertainportionofthepeople，Foulque，BishopofNeuilly，anambitiousandenterprizingprelate，enteredfullyintotheviewsoftheCourtofRome，andpreachedtheCrusadewhereverhecouldfindanaudience。
Chancefavouredhimtoadegreehedidnothimselfexpect，forhehadingeneralfoundbutfewproselytes，andthosefewbutcoldinthecause。Theobald，CountofChampagne，hadinstitutedagrandtournament，towhichhehadinvitedallthenoblesfromfarandnear。
Upwardsoftwothousandknightswerepresentwiththeirretainers，besidesavastconcourseofpeopletowitnessthesports。InthemidstofthefestivitiesFoulquearriveduponthespot，andconceivingtheopportunitytobeafavourableone，headdressedthemultitudeineloquentlanguage，andpassionatelycalleduponthemtoenrolthemselvesforthenewCrusade。TheCountdeChampagne，young，ardent，andeasilyexcited，receivedthecrossathishands。Theenthusiasmspreadrapidly。CharlesCountofBloisfollowedtheexample，andofthetwothousandknightspresent，scarcelyonehundredandfiftyrefused。Thepopularphrensyseemedonthepointofbreakingoutasinthedaysofyore。TheCountofFlanders，theCountofBar，theDukeofBurgundy，andtheMarquisofMontferrat，broughtalltheirvassalstoswellthetrain，andinaveryshortspaceoftimeaneffectivearmywasonfootandreadytomarchtoPalestine。
Thedangersofanoverlandjourneyweretoowellunderstood，andthecrusadersendeavouredtomakeacontractwithsomeoftheItalianstatestoconveythemoverintheirvessels。Dandolo，theagedDogeofVenice，offeredthemthegalleysoftheRepublic；butthecrusaders，ontheirarrivalinthatcity，foundthemselvestoopoortopayevenhalfthesumdemanded。Everymeanswastriedtoraisemoney；thecrusadersmelteddowntheirplate，andladiesgaveuptheirtrinkets。
Contributionsweresolicitedfromthefaithful，butcameinsoslowly，astomakeitevidenttoallconcerned，thatthefaithfulofEuropewereoutnumberedbytheprudent。Asalastresource，DandoloofferedtoconveythemtoPalestineattheexpenseoftheRepublic，iftheywouldpreviouslyaidintherecaptureofthecityofZara，whichhadbeenseizedfromtheVenetiansashorttimepreviouslybytheKingofHungary。Thecrusadersconsented，muchtothedispleasureofthePope，whothreatenedexcommunicationuponallwhoshouldbeturnedasidefromthevoyagetoJerusalem。Butnotwithstandingthefulminationsofthechurch，theexpeditionneverreachedPalestine。ThesiegeofZarawasspeedilyundertaken。Afteralongandbravedefence，thecitysurrenderedatdiscretion，andthecrusaderswerefree，iftheyhadsochosenit，tousetheirswordsagainsttheSaracens。Buttheambitionofthechiefshadbeendirected，byunforeseencircumstances，elsewhere。