Game Session 2: Debate on Attack

Goals for this session (November 10th)

• students will practice voicing their opinions in support or against the idea of attacking Constantinople

• all students are expected to speak briefly (description or debate), but ONE member of each faction must prepare and present a formal statement each debate

  • the Imperial faction is excepted from this rule. Since Boniface is leading the discussion, they do not need offer a formal presentation in the game. The other imperial character (Count Oberto) must offer two formal statements during the game

• all students will prepare notes in answer of at least ONE of the sub-questions to be debated each class

Context

In the first phase of the game, the characters meet together in a council of war. This takes place in the Crusader camp in the town of Galata, located across the Golden Horn from Constantinople. As leader of the Fourth Crusade, Marquis Boniface of Montferrat presides over that meeting. He moderates the debate and makes sure that members of each faction get a chance to speak.

Moderator:

Marquis Boniface of Montferrat

Because Boniface of Montferrat is the nominal leader of the Crusade, he is also fully in charge of the podium, but his choices on speaking order may be highly political.

Questions:

The first major debate of the game revolves around whether or not the army of the Fourth Crusade should attack Constantinople. Embedded in this debate are two ‘big picture’ issues:

• the idea of just war, and

• the question of what is a crusade, and if a crusader sworn to fight Muslims in the Holy Land can raise a sword against fellow Christians in Constantinople in the process.

• Mixed in with these issues, characters will also discuss practicalities of supplies and logistics, and the geopolitics of the Mediterranean in the period. Or put more simply, how should the army attack?