Alexios III Angelos

Alexios III Angelos was the Byzantine Emperor from 1195 to 1203. He came to power after deposing his brother, Isaac II, and ruled during a tumultuous period marked by political instability and threats from rival powers. His reign was characterized by poor governance and military failures, particularly against the advancing Crusaders and the growing presence of the Venetian Republic. Alexios III's inability to effectively respond to these challenges ultimately led to the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade in 1204, which marked a significant decline in Byzantine power and the city’s eventual looting.