What happened to Hagia Sophia during the Fourth Crusade in 1204?

During the Fourth Crusade, the Hagia Sophia suffered significant desecration when the city of Constantinople was sacked by the Crusaders on April 12–13, 1204.12

Following the capture of the city, the Crusaders systematically looted the structure, violating its status as a holy sanctuary. In accordance with their pre-arranged plans, the clergy of the party that did not include the newly elected Latin emperor were tasked with overseeing the Hagia Sophia and selecting a patriarch. Consequently, the Venetian Thomas Morosini was installed as the Latin patriarch of the church.12

This event was part of a broader, destructive campaign in which the Crusaders defiled, destroyed, or stole valuable items from the city's sanctuaries. The sack of the cathedral and the city remains a historical example of the profound betrayal that deepened the schism between the Catholic West and the Orthodox East.12