DBQ: The Decline and Fall of the Byzantine Empire In 1071, the Byzantium army was overtaken by the

Seljuk Turks at Manzikert during the Crusades. From there the empire fell in 1450. The Crusades, although a small part of Byzantium's decline, merely served as a catalyst for their decline. These holy wars were influenced by Alexius, ruler of the Byzantium Empire. The Crusades altered the population and land size of the Byzantium Empire, and changed the size and structure of Constantinople, Byzantium's capital. Alexius I, the ruler of Byzantium throughout some of the decline, feared his conquerors (Doc 1), the Turks and Patzinaks, and tried to escape when he heard word of their arrival. He petitioned for help from Count Robert of Flanders to help them fight off their enemies. Alexius ordered his soldiers not to keep any amount of fortune they may receive from their conquests, and instead asked them to give them to him (Doc 2). Unfortunately, the soldiers did not agree with this plan and were rebellious. During his reign, invaders, after shattering the political empire of Byzantium, proceeded to desecrate Byzantium's churches, and recklessly burn their objects of worship (Doc 5). All of these events that occurred under Alexius' rule present an overview of his manner of ruling. It appears that he may not have been a commendable ruler and that during his reign; Byzantium may have already been in the stages of internal decline. The author who wrote about Alexius military policies (Doc 2) was his daughter and chronicler. In that position, she may have had a slight inclination toward Byzantium's side (the side of her father) and may perceive them as righteous since she was part of them, but instead as his chronicler, reported the facts and truths of the time with minimal inclinations. Alexius himself, the author of document 1, was living in fear of invasion by the Turks. As a result, he felt very fearful and spoke in an urgent tone because he was to save this doomed city. Byzantium's decline affected most people of Byzantium and altered the size of Byzantium, destroying it completely. People in other Eastern European countries were affected by the Crusades as well. The German people went to fight in the Crusades for different reasons. Many Germans went in search of wealth and riches. Some were poor, or oppressed by debts (Doc 3). Even

Byzantium's leaders of the time had varying motives, such as a desire for more land and a Roman Catholic empire (Doc 6). Alexius offered the soldiers extensive land, a copious amount of money, and national military protection in return for participation in the war (Doc 4). All of these events affected the people of Byzantium and caused some to fight in vain. The Crusades also affected the total land size of the empire, decreasing and dividing it significantly. Before the wars, Byzantium was easily a considerable force, having obtained the greater part of Eastern Europe (Doc 8). However, later on when the Crusades had ceased, Byzantium lost a large amount of that land, becoming vulnerable to decline instantly (Doc 9). The Crusades were not a big part of Byzantium's decline, rather just an incendiary for its abatement (Doc 10). Other factors included declining economy, high taxes for peasants, control of peasant's lands, and expensive mercenaries. All in all, the impact of the Crusades was not that great and definitely was not the only cause of Byzantium decline. It merely pushed the empire to its last limits, leaving basically the capital left. Constantinople, the capital, was greatly affected as well. It was sacked by the Crusaders and many of the places of worship within its borders were destroyed to bits (Doc 5). On the other side, the Crusaders were rejoicing and marveled at their victory (Doc 7). Although all of these documents were beneficial in some aspects, one piece that would have made the impact of the Crusades more evident was the addition of a quote or piece from someone living at that time. That piece would describe the day-to-day life of a Byzantium citizen and really show the impacts of the Crusades on the Byzantine people. In conclusion, the Crusades were not really a major part of Byzantiums decline; they merely served as an impetus to speed up Byzantium's fall. The Crusades were influenced by Alexius I, influenced Byzantium's size and people, and transposed the size and structure of Constantinople. This event in European history ended the Byzantium Empire, and caused the Byzantium land to assimilate into the Turkish conquests in 1453.