Changes

While taking on offensive position to "reunite" with the west under Justinian in the 500's, for the most part the position of the Empire was defensive in nature, having little desire to increase its borders.  For years the cultured Byzantine Empire was the protector of Dark Age Europe, repelling Islamic armies that would stretch to control lands from Morocco to India via Hungary.  The secure and lasting nature of the Empire was changed forever when treachery led their defeat to Islamic armies at the [[Battle of Manzikert]] in 1071.  They lost all of Anatolia to the invaders.  Even when they retook the land, much of the population had perished with many of the survivors having fled.  Areas that once allowed armies of 120,000 men to be raised for the defense of the Empire had now become barren.  The Empire was forced to rely on mercenaries for the bulk of their army from that point forward.<ref>Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979</ref>

While taking on offensive position to "reunite" with the west under Justinian in the 500's, for the most part the position of the Empire was defensive in nature, having little desire to increase its borders.  For years the cultured Byzantine Empire was the protector of Dark Age Europe, repelling Islamic armies that would stretch to control lands from Morocco to India via Hungary.  The secure and lasting nature of the Empire was changed forever when treachery led their defeat to Islamic armies at the [[Battle of Manzikert]] in 1071.  They lost all of Anatolia to the invaders.  Even when they retook the land, much of the population had perished with many of the survivors having fled.  Areas that once allowed armies of 120,000 men to be raised for the defense of the Empire had now become barren.  The Empire was forced to rely on mercenaries for the bulk of their army from that point forward.<ref>Encyclopedia of Military History, Dupuy & Dupuy, 1979</ref>

The Empire was dealt another blow in 1204 when forces from Western Europe in the [[Fourth Crusade]] sacked Constantinople in 1204, the first time that had ever happened, instead of going to the [[Holy Land]].  They set up their own "Latin" Empire, so called because of their attempts to make Latin the official language of the Empire rather than Greek, which lasted until the Byzantine reinstatement in 1261. On their arrival in Constantinople, the Latins, mostly Franks and Ventians, were astonished at the power and positions held by "Eurochs" - men who, as children, had been castigated so that they would have no children and hence be no threat to the ruling Imperial dynasty.

The Empire was dealt another blow in 1204 when forces from Western Europe in the [[Fourth Crusade]] sacked Constantinople in 1204, the first time that had ever happened, instead of going to the [[Holy Land]].  The Pope had ordered Constantinople to be sacked, because it was widly believed that the Orthodox heretics were Sodomites.They set up their own "Latin" Empire, so called because of their attempts to make Latin the official language of the Empire rather than Greek, which lasted until the Byzantine reinstatement in 1261. On their arrival in Constantinople, the Latins, mostly Franks and Ventians, were astonished at the power and positions held by "Eurochs" - men who, as children, had been castigated so that they would have no children and hence be no threat to the ruling Imperial dynasty.

The Byzantine Empire never truly recovered from the blow dealt to it by the Crusaders.  On May 29 1453, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell to the [[Ottoman Turks]] after a long cannon bombardament - though by this time, following the fall of the city to the Latins in 1204, the Empire had been reduced to a mere shell of its former self. It is believed by some that the last indirect descendant of Constantine Palealogous XXI, the last Emperor of Byzantium, was Lady Joanna Constantine, who died in Northampton, England, in October 1859.  

The Byzantine Empire never truly recovered from the blow dealt to it by the Crusaders.  On May 29 1453, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell to the [[Ottoman Turks]] after a long cannon bombardament - though by this time, following the fall of the city to the Latins in 1204, the Empire had been reduced to a mere shell of its former self. It is believed by some that the last indirect descendant of Constantine Palealogous XXI, the last Emperor of Byzantium, was Lady Joanna Constantine, who died in Northampton, England, in October 1859.