Hagia Sophia Interior

Tomb of Enrico Dandolo

Tomb of Enrico Dandolo

Enrico Dandolo, notorious also for his brutality during the fourth Crusades was a Venetian Doge who took the full advantage of Alexios Angelos’ offer to help him overthrow his uncle. After occupying Constantinople with a navy, Crusaders, plundered the city during three days, under the leadership of Enrico Dandolo. Interestingly enough, Dandolo was about 90 years old and almost blind when Venetians founded a Latin Empire that would survive about 60 years.

Tomb of Enrico Dandolo in Hagia Sophia.

Enrico Dandolo was buried in Hagia Sophia. However, when the Byzantines took over the city again,  they threw his bones away and later, his tomb was sacked by Ottomans in the hope of a valuable article. Today, there is a lid of sarcophagus on which his name is written, located in the upper south gallery.

 

About the author

hagiasophiatr

Hagia Sophia Research Team (HSRT) consists of a group of people who likes to research Byzantine Heritage in Turkey by visiting and taking photos of the historical places.

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2 Comments

  • Didn’t the Ottomans throw his bones to the dogs, not the Byzantines? Horrible how most conquerors – whether Byzantine or Ottoman, etc. – desecrated the tombs of the dead.