Latin Empire of Constantinople

The Latin Empire of Constantinople was a short-lived Crusader state established from 1204 to 1261 after Western European Crusaders captured Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire’s capital. It aimed to create a Western Christian-controlled empire on Byzantine territory but faced strong Byzantine resistance and internal instability. The empire had limited power and connections to Western Europe, and it struggled to maintain control over the region. In 1261, the Byzantines re-took Constantinople, ending the Latin Empire and restoring Byzantine rule. This period significantly weakened Byzantine influence and highlighted the fragile nature of Crusader-ruled states in the Eastern Mediterranean.