Constantinople
Keep Calm and Love Constantinople!
Map And Timeline
1054: The Great Schism: The Latin Roman Church and the Greek Orthodox Church excommunicate each other.
1087: Byzantines defeated in Thrace.
1095: Alexius appeals to Urban II at Council of Piacenza for help against the Turks. The First Crusade is proclaimed at Council of Clermont.
1096: Crusaders arrive at Constantinople. The Crusaders are successful, but eventually withdraw from cooperation with the Byzantines.
1121: Reconquest of southwestern Asia Minor.
1179: Byzantine Army defeated by the Sultanate of Rum at Myriokephalon. Hopes of regaining Asia Minor are lost.
1202: Fourth Crusade is assembled at Venice.
1204: Fourth Crusade captures Constantinople. The Latin Empire of Constantinople is formed as well as many Byzantine successor states. The capture of Constantinople in 1204 was a blow from which the Byzantines never fully recovered.
1261: The successor state of Nicaea recaptures Constantinople and restores the Byzantine Empire.
1453: Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans. End of the Byzantine Empire.
Government
The political life was a copy of Rome. The city operated under Roman laws and rules. Officials took charge of building roads, bridges, wells, and caravan shelters. Army followed Roman military customs. The poor received free bread. Circuses and chariot races were put on by the government.