Constantinople in 1203: Inside a Fading Empire
The fall of Constantinople in 1203: Inside a fading empire is labelled as the continuous decline of the ancient Roman world. It also symbolises the rise of a new power called the Ottoman Turks. The city of Istanbul, as it is called in the modern world, had another name in medieval times. The name was Constantinople or Byzantium. Emperor Constantine the Great named the city after declaring it as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was the place where Orthodox Christianity thrived and prospered. Seljuks: The Invading Turks. The city of Constantinople was at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Therefore, it served as the major trading hub between the two continents. Hence, it was one of the wealthiest and most prosperous cities of ancient times as well as medieval times. But as time passed, constant warfare, plagues, internal politics, and conflict weakened the Byzantine Empire . During the late 11th century, things looked miserable inside the empire's government. The Byzant...
