Author Archives: thehistoryofbyzantium

Episode 261 – The Sack

Posted on February 7, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

St Mark’s Square – an imitation of a Byzantine forum. St Mark’s Basilica is prominent with the bronze horses taken from the Hippodrome.

The ‘Pillars of Acre’ (from the Church of St Polyeuktos) and the Porphyry statue of the Tetrachs. Both sit outside St Mark’s Basilica in Venice and both were taken from Constantinople.

We discuss what happened once the Latins started looting. How were the Byzantines treated? What was taken and what has survived?

Period: 1204

Pic: The Colossus of Barletta. Most likely this is the Emperor Leo I (457-74 AD)

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Episode 260 – The Fourth Crusade (Part 2)

Posted on January 31, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

‘The Taking of Constantinople’ by Palma Le Jeune (1544–1620)

‘Conquest of Constantinople’ by David Aubert (1449-79)

Fire Damage at Constantinople 1203-4 from Michael Angold’s book ‘The Fourth Crusade Event and Context’

The Latins assault the city and Alexios Angelos Komnenos flees. Alexios Angelos becomes Emperor and empties the treasury into the Crusaders’ hands. But when he runs out of money the two sides face an inevitable confrontation.

Period: 1203-4

Pic: Alexios V Doukas – “Mourtzouphlos.” (Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras))

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Episode 259 – The Fourth Crusade (Part 1)

Posted on January 24, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

The Crusaders camped opposite the Blachernae Palace (above)

Pope Innocent calls for a new Crusade to retake Jerusalem. A group of French Knights decide to form an expedition to Egypt and make a deal with Venice to transport them. But when they can’t pay the bill the mission goes awry and ends up at Constantinople.

Period: 1198-1203

Pic: Dandolo brings the plan for the Fourth Crusade to the people of Venice (by Gustave Dore)

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Episode 258 – Almost Ungovernable

Posted on January 18, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

Alexios Angelos faces down one internal rebellion after another as the Roman Empire continues to contract. The biggest threat to his throne comes from disgruntled aristocrats and the people of Constantinople.

Period: 1195-1202

Pic: Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor, who demanded money from the Romans to fund his Crusade (from the Codex Manesse, c. 1304)

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Episode 257 – What Could Be More Trustworthy than a Brother?

Posted on January 10, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

Isaac Angelos does his best to secure his position and confront the Bulgarians. But he is overthrown by his brother at the head of a coalition of aristocratic families.

Period: 1189-95

Pic: Alexios III Angelos (Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras)

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Episode 256 – The Third Crusade (part 2)

Posted on January 3, 2023 by thehistoryofbyzantium

Frederick Barbarossa leads his contingent across Anatolia. He must confront the Turks along the way and capture Iconium. Meanwhile the Kings of England and France land in the Holy Land and take on Saladin.

Period: 1188-89

Pic: The death of Frederick Barbarossa by H.Vogel (19th century)

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Episode 255 – The Third Crusade (part 1)

Posted on December 28, 2022 by thehistoryofbyzantium

The routes of the German, French and English Kings during the Third Crusade (from erenow.net)

As soon as news reached the West that Jerusalem had fallen a new Crusade was called. The German, French and English Kings all led armies East but only Frederick Barbarossa went by land. He led a large army across the Balkans towards Constantinople and Isaac Angelos had to decided whether to treat him as friend or foe.

Period: 1188-89

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Episode 254 – Saladin the Strategist with Ben Duval

Posted on December 21, 2022 by thehistoryofbyzantium

I speak to author Ben Duval, author of the book: “Saladin the Strategist: How the Crusaders Lost the Holy Land.”

We go through Saladin’s career starting with how he captured Egypt. Then how he built the coalition which defeated the Crusaders. Finally we watch on as he traps them at Hattin and then sweeps across the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Buy the book here, follow Ben on twitter @byzantinemporia and find out more about his work here.

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Episode 253 – The Second Bulgarian Empire

Posted on December 13, 2022 by thehistoryofbyzantium

Isaac Angelos begins his reign by defeating the Normans and making as many alliances as he can to secure his position. Unfortunately he rejects an offer from two Vlach Chieftains Peter and Asen. They turn on the Romans and found the Second Bulgarian Empire north of the Haemus Mountains.

Period: 1185-87

Pic: Isaac II Angelos (Miniature portrait from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of the History by Joannes Zonaras)

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Episode 252 – The Sack of Thessalonica

Posted on December 6, 2022 by thehistoryofbyzantium

Killing of Stephen Hagiochristophorites by Isaac Angelos, c. 1473, miniature by Jean Colombe in Les Passages d’outremer, BNF.

A 15th century depiction of the death of Andronikos. Original in the Bibliothèque Nationale, France.

Andronikos continues to terrorise his relatives. Many leave Byzantium seeking help from foreign courts. One arrives in Sicily and calls on the Normans to help him. They launch an invasion and sack the city of Thessalonica.

Period: 1184-85

Stream: The Sack of Thessalonica

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