Reasons for the decline of the Byzantine Empire
Diplomacy
Internal power struggles
Orthodox Christianity
1180: Death of Manuel I --> Alexius II succeeded him
Alexius was a minor = factionalism
Losing Control of land
1182: Anti Western riots in Constantinople by Greeks
Coups
1182: Alexius overthrown by Andronikus I
1185: Andronikus I overthrown by Isaac II Angelus
1180s: lost control of North East Balkans and Serbia to the Second Bulgarian Empire
1184: Lost control of Cyprus and cities in Asia Minor and Central Greece
1185: Thessalonica briefly occupied by Scicilians
Relationship with West
1189-90: Isaac II conflicts with Frederick Barbarrossa
Frederick takes Thrace forcing Isaac to give him safe passage
April 8 1195: Isaac deposed by brother Alexius (he was blinded and imprisoned
1195-1198
HRE Henry VI demands tribute from Alexius III
Threatens Alexius w/ his control of Scicily and Cyprus = Alexius pays
1198: Alexius stops payment upon Henry's death
1201-1203: Alexius III's nephew Alexius Angelus wants support from crusaders to remove uncle and place him on throne
1203: Alexius Angelus is crowned joint emperor w/ father Isaac
November 1203: riots vs Angelus by Greek anti westerners
27 Jan 1204: Murzuphlus emperor instead of Alexius
8 Feb: Alexius Angelus murdererd
12 April 1204: Constantinople falls to the Latins
Western attitudes to Byzantium
no united attitude in this period
Many Western states traded happily with Byzantium
Religious differences between Orthodox and Catholic churches
But roman and greek clergy did coexist
Byzantine Foreign policy caused resentment as they competed with West for trade
Many western sources portrayed Byzantines as devious
They were prejudiced against Byzantium but this is not the reason why they attacked Constantinople
Alexius III found it difficult to pay Henry VI reparations for Isaac's treatment of Frederick Barbarossa
he was a weak ruler and his tax system was in decline b/c had lost tribute paying lands in 1180
Achiements of Manuel I
recovered the Empire from defeats in Italy, Asia Minor, Syria and the Balkans
Reasserted control in Asia Minor
Establishes internal stability and good economic conditions for trade
Gold currency
clear tax system
centralised bureaucracy
used to pay for army
good diplomatic links
From Sahara to Persian Gulf to Baltic and Atlantic
Constantinople was richest Christian city in the world and very multicultural (included westerners)
Underlying problems
Manuel relied on family members more than state officials
power focused on the ruler rather than a strong government system
Manuel relied on Army more than civilians to defend Byzantium's frontiers
Successors relied on outsiders for military functions = needed to be paid
losing tribute paying lands = less taxes --> not enough money for army
Good economy made it attractive to outsiders
Many greeks opposed Manuel's pro-western policy --> Isaac's alliance w/ Saladin