W. C a r e w H a z l i t t Coinage of the European Continent

Descriptive Outline of the Coinages of Eziro&e 367
VII. THE LATIN EMPIRE OF THE CRUSADERS
An interesting and extensive body of coins in gold,
silver, and copper, but principally in the lower metal, owes
its origin and existence to the Fourth Crusade, when the
decadent empire of the East was finally destroyed in 1204
by the fall of Constantinople after a protracted siege and
the partition of the entire Greek territory and the Holy
Land among the Venetian and other sharers of the spoils
of war. Only a certain proportion of this immense
dominion lay within the European continent ; and, again, of
some of the states which arose under these circumstances
no numismatic memorials have been hitherto identified.
The types employed were either those to which the new
ruler had been accustomed in his own country or such as
were generally acceptable and familiar ; the Byzantine and
Venetian coinages were largely copied.
By virtue of this arrangement Greece was parcelled out
among a crowd of adventurers ;
and under the nominal
suzerainty of the Latin emperors of Constantinople we
find-
The Kings of Saloniki (Thessalonica), which comprehended Macedonia
and part of Peloponnesus.
The Princes of Achaia and Despots (regult) of Romania, including
Corinth, Corfu, etc.
The Dukes of Athens (Attica and Eubcea).
The Barons of Patras, etc., in the Peloponnesus or Morea.
The Three Despots (tertiarit) of Negropont or Eubcea.
The Despots of Epirus and Phocaea.
The Dukes and other proprietary lords of the Archipelago.
The Seigneurs of Mitylene and parts of Thrace.
The Venetian, Genoese, and Neapolitan lords of the Ionian Isles,
etc.
The Greek dynasts of Rhodes.
And in addition to these there was the Venetian assumption
of sovereignty over three-fourths of the empire (including
the Asiatic portion) and the Genoese colonies at Pera and
Caffa.