December 1242
The sergeants of Baron Francois DE Provence were the first to notice. A dust tornado rolled toward the border of Constantinople across the Thracian plain. A wave of sweat from ten thousand lathered horses assaulted his nostrils. The distant hill trembled, an avalanche of brown riders. Terrible thing happened. The Tartars came.
Ashes Of Rome
A terrible thing happened ... Emperor Baldwin II stood on the balcony of the dilapidated Palace and did not know what to do. The thousand-year-old Constantinople mocked him with its burned-out eye sockets. Eastern Rome bowed to the Franks 38 years ago. And they couldn't hold him.
How to keep the air smoked with malice...
In 1204, the 4th crusade instead of the Arabs fell on the last civilization of the West — the Byzantine Empire. Incited by greedy Venice, the crusading Franks stormed the eternal city. 400 000-th Constantinople, and twenty thousand of the crusaders ravaged the month.
The entry of the crusaders into Constantinople (Eugene Delacroix, magnify)
Since the IV century, the emperors of Rome and the businesses of Byzantium collected and treasured here priceless. Now the monuments of classical art and the shrines of Apostolic times have perished or scattered in European chests. A third of the city was in ruins, and completed the pogrom a huge fire that destroyed the Central part of Constantinople.
When in the XV century the capital will take the Turks, they will not get 20% of the grandeur that was stolen and destroyed Christian brothers...
On the ashes of Byzantium, the Franks and Venetians will choose from 3 leaders of the crusade Emperor Baldwin, count of Flanders. Thus arose the Latin Empire, called in the annals of Romania. The stolen Byzantine land of Asia Minor and Greece will be divided by the Venetian Doges and Frankish barons.
There will be vassal kingdoms, Duchies and principalities. Each Frankish knight will receive a knight's flax - his piece of land...
Latin Empire and vassals at the peak of power (Fill/sin), enemies-neighbors
Cattle
Conquered the Greeks, no respect, they are just animals. Army, privilege, and power only from the Latins. The grief of the Greeks, the desecration of their shrines, the humiliation of an enlightened people resounds with pain throughout the Orthodox East. Hatred raises tolerant to everything Orthodoxy.
The punishing sword will be the Bulgarian Kingdom. At the battle of Adrianople, king Malayan will destroy 300 knights, and Baldwin will rot in his dungeon. In Asia Minor, the Byzantines would create the Nicene Empire. There will rush the Greeks, eager for revenge. The Nicaea are attacking the Latins on the East Bank.
The death of the best Emperor Henry in 1216 would be a great misfortune for the Latin Empire. During his short reign, he returned the captured. In the fighting knocked out of the world of the Bulgarians and nakatsev. It is a short Latin dawn. And then everything goes to hell again.
Battle of the Nicene army (left) and the Latins (right, seen the coat of arms of the Empire on the shield)
The new Emperor, cousin of the king of France, Peter Courtesy. He will be crowned with pomp in Rome and at the head of a select French army of 160 knights and 5,500 sergeants will sail to Constantinople. But Venice will persuade him to turn in his Albanian colony of Du razz, captured by the despot of Virus.
Emperor Peter will perish with the entire army on mountain pass, so and not having reached until throne...
What is
The death of his cousin and his best knights would shatter king Philip Augustus's dreams of a new France on Byzantine soil. Military power in the East is no more. And although the widow Isolate in Constantinople will give birth to Baldwin II, hopelessness will capture the Latin hearts.
Latin Empire to 1240 (black), captures and strikes Orthodox enemies
The Empire is trying to hold on to what it has. But soon enough the Latin Empire would shrink to one province of Constantinople. The Nicaea will take Asia Minor. The Bulgarians and the separatists Greece. No land, no peasants, no money. All that remains — to ask for help from their patrons.
And sell the last priceless treasures of Rome. The need in Constantinople reached the point where the Emperor sold the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ...
Baldwin II
Since 1236, the young Baldwin II in Europe in search of money and troops. Pope Gregory will issue a bull calling for knights who have taken a crusade vow to serve in Constantinople for the remission of sins. The richest monarch, the French king Louis Saint generously provide the Emperor of the Eastern Franks with money and knights.
The knights of France are the main support of the Latin throne in Constantinople...
But Baldwin doesn't want to go home. Why would he want a poor Empire? In Europe, he bathes in the glorious halo of the Crusader Emperor. 4 years from court to court Baldwin II walks on feasts, hunts with Louis. He gives blessings and promises lands he doesn't have.
Meanwhile, in Constantinople, the copper roofs of the surviving churches and palaces are being melted into coins. Break on firewood ceilings and floors of Roman estates. Hungry gangs under the city Rob everyone indiscriminately. This is what greedy Catholics have brought the Eastern capital of Rome to.
In 1240, Baldwin II returned to Constantinople with a huge army. 700 knights of France/Spain / Italy, 30,000 cavalry and infantry. How to cope with the tired Mongols of Batu Khan with such power?