the Fourth Crusade

The Fourth Crusade was a historical event that occurred between the years 1202 and 1204. It was carried out by European Christians with the aim of reclaiming the Holy Land, particularly Jerusalem, from the Muslims. However, unlike previous crusades, the Fourth Crusade took an unexpected turn. Instead of heading directly to Jerusalem, the crusaders diverted towards Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire at that time. There, instead of fighting against the Muslims, the crusaders attacked and plundered the city. This deviation from the original route was largely due to political and economic rivalries among the leaders and the individual interests of the crusaders. The sack of Constantinople caused great resentment between Christians and Byzantines and is considered a disastrous event for the Byzantine Empire.