How Did The Crusaders Influence The Byzantine Empire

A long history of the Byzantine Empire inevitably means a long list of enemies. The Byzantines were constantly fighting in battle, whether it was within the empire or against surrounding nations. Forces from the Balkans were always an issue. The Persian Empire also brought heavy losses upon the Byzantines from the East. The Normans in Italy also presented problems for Byzantium. Later on in the empire’s existence, the Turks became a nuisance quite often. With the help of the theme military system, these enemies were held at bay just enough to keep the empire afloat for about a thousand years, even if it meant loss of land and connections. Two of the biggest threats to the empire were the Crusaders from the West and the Arabs. The Crusaders

The Crusaders, on the other hand, were not as much of an issue for the survival of the Byzantine Empire until the Fourth Crusade. Of course, the Crusades were quite an issue, but not as much compared to the Arabs. The First Crusade was not meant to harm Byzantium at all. Conversely, Pope Urban II organized a crusade in 1095 in order to free the Greek Christians from the oppression of the Turks. This First Crusade consisted of many Christians throughout Western Europe, so many that they also outnumbered the Byzantine army. Before marching to Jerusalem, the Crusaders were defending Constantinople. However, Alexius I saw the 35,000 Crusaders as a threat, and therefore kept them at a distance. After all, they probably could have easily overrun Constantinople if they tried. The Crusaders were his rivals, not his allies. Alexius may have contributed greatly to the animosity between the Greek East and the Latin West. Yet, the First Crusade was successful as they drove the Turks away from Antioch. The Second Crusade was much more of a failure, including “squabbling” between Byzantines and the Crusaders, even though Emperor Manuel I joined the expedition to

Byzantium lived on after the Fourth Crusade. As devastating as the Fourth Crusade was, Byzantium did not end with the Latin occupation of Constantinople. In some ways, the Crusades, like the first one mentioned above, aimed to assist the empire. With the help of the Crusaders, Byzantium was also able to reclaim part of Anatolia from the Turks. The Crusaders even tried to reunite the Eastern and Western churches, however futile of an attempt it was. There may have been more damage done, but at least the intentions were well. After the Fourth Crusade, Byzantine economy became less centralized, and this fostered growth in many cities like Thessalonica, Adrianople, Mistra, Trebizond, and Arta. The Fourth Crusade, and also the Italian Renaissance, sparked a cultural revival in Constantinople. Despite the fact that most of their Greek manuscripts were destroyed in the fire, Greeks were motivated to improve their art and uncover their past. The Crusaders’ defeat of Constantinople was tragic, and probably a precursor to the end of the Byzantine Empire, but there were also some positive