Latin Empire

The Latin Empire was a feudal crusader state. It was created during the Fourth Crusade on the land captured from the Byzantine Empire. Originally, the crusaders were told to retake the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem. Instead of doing that, the crusaders looted and captured Constantinople.

Latin Empire Imperium Constantinopolitanum Imperium Romaniae Imperium Romanorum
1204–1261
Attributed arms
The Latin Empire with its vassals (in yellow) in 1204
Capital	Constantinople
Common languages	Latin, Old French (official) Greek (popular)
Religion	Latin Catholic (official) Greek Orthodox (popular)
Government	Feudal Christian Monarchy
Emperor
• 1204–1205	Baldwin I
• 1206–1216	Henry
• 1216–1217	Peter
• 1219–1228	Robert I
• 1229–1237	John
• 1228–1261	Baldwin II
Historical era	High Middle Ages
• Sack of Constantinople	1204
• Joint Nicean-Bulgarian campaign against Empire	1235
• Disestablished	1261
Area
1204 est.	179,000 km2 (69,000 sq mi)
1209 est.	206,000 km2 (80,000 sq mi)
1228 est.	47,000 km2 (18,000 sq mi)
1260 est.	14,000 km2 (5,400 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire (Angelos dynasty) Byzantine Empire (Palaiologos dynasty) Principality of Achaea Duchy of Athens Duchy of the Archipelago
Today part of	Turkey Greece Bulgaria

History

Fourth crusade

In 1202, Pope Innocent III called for the crusaders to retake the Holy Land from the Abbasid. Due to financial problems, the crusaders were not able to reach their original goals. Crusaders and the Venetians attacked and looted the Catholic city of Zara, Croatia. Soon after this, they were excommunicated by the pope.

Crusaders and the Venetians later decided to go to Constantinople. In 1203, the Crusaders besieged Constantinople. A year later they looted and captured the city.

Latin Empire

In 1204, Baldwin IX of Flanders was crowned the Latin Emperor of Constantinople in Hagia Sophia. Baldwin did not reign for long. He was captured in the Battle of Adrianople while fighting the Bulgarians.