Changes

In the approximately 1000 years of the existence of the Empire, Constantinople had been besieged many times; it had been captured only once, during the [[Fourth Crusade]] in 1204. The crusaders, however, had not originally set out to conquer the Empire but once they saw the Queen of Cities in all its glory, they could not help themselves but loot it and put it to sword. However, the Byzantines re-established themselves in the city in 1261. In the following two centuries, the much-weakened empire retreated, step by step, before a new and unstoppable invader, the Ottomans. This transfer of skills also played a part in the final downfall of the empire.