The Latin crusaders consolidate their new empire of Constantinople, which they call Romania, while Theodore Lascaris consolidates the remnants of Greek imperial power and erects a new empire centered upon Nicaea in Asia Minor, with Ionian and Balkan holdings.

Aside from Nicaea, the Greek imperium lives on in the Empire of Trebizond, based on the former empire’s Crimean and southern Black Sea holdings; the Despotate of Epirus in northwestern Greece; in the area around Monemvasia in the eastern Peloponnese; and in the mountain fastness of the Taïyetos in Achaia and Arcadia.

The leaders of Epirus and Trebizond vie with Theodore for the right to the imperial title.

The Venetians, as a consequence of the Fourth Crusade and the Latins’ conquest of Constantinople, gain most from the enterprise by appropriating the principal harbors and islands on the trade routes.

Pope Innocent III, a primary organizer of the Venetian-backed Fourth Crusade—composed largely of Frenchmen, Venetians, and other Italians, collectively called Franks or Latins—has been unable to prevent its diversion, by the Venetians, to capture Constantinople.

Constantinople’s new coemperors, Isaac II Angelos and his son Alexios IV are unable to pay their debts to the West or to unite the two churches.

They have inspired little confidence among the people of Constantinople in their efforts to defend the city from the Latins and Venetians, who are restless and riot when the money and aid promised by Alexios IV is not forthcoming.

The courtier Alexios Doukas Mourtzouphlos, related to the imperial Doukas family, emerges as a leader of the anti-Latin movement and personally leads some skirmishes against the crusaders.

Heavy taxation, as well as wanton behavior on the part of the crusaders in Constantinople, causes a national revolt at the end of January 1204, when the populace of Constantinople rebels and tries to proclaim a rival emperor in Hagia Sophia.

The emperors barricade themselves in the palace and entrust Doukas with a mission to seek help from the crusaders.

Instead, Doukas uses his access to the palace to arrest the emperors, imprisoning both Alexios IV and his father on the night of January 27-28, 1204.

Alexios V Doukas, crowned in early February 1204, has Alexios IV strangled on February 8.

Isaac II dies soon afterwards, his death variously attributed to fright, sorrow, or foul play.

The reign of Queen Tamar represents the peak of Georgia's might in the entire history of the nation.

From 1194 to 1204, Tamar's armies have crushed new Turkish invasions from the southeast and south and launched several successful campaigns into Turkish-controlled Southern Armenia.

As a result, most of Southern Armenia, including the cities of …

…Karin, …

…Erzinjan, …

…Khelat, …

…Mush and …