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The Bulgars, a turkic tribe from the Rivers Don and Volga suffered Constantines forces a severe humilation after a failed expedition in 680 prompted the tribe to facilitate deeper into Roman territory. What started as a routine disembarking of troops turned into a humilation. With Constantine apparently suffering a case of Gout, his forces reacted to this as him fleeing from battle, allowing the Bulgars cut down strg

Norwich puts it well

"Western civilization recognized its savior. It was not only the Khangan of the Avars and the Slav tribal leaders in the Balkans but also Lombard and Frankish princes who sent Constantine embassies of congratulations; assurances of peace were sent. He was, after all, the sole Emperor of the Christians:a ruler whom they might disagree on occasion, but whose precedence had shown him worthy oht.

Constantine was praised from his adversaries all throughout the West. The Lombards, Avars, and even Bulgars would send congratulatory wishes, this wouldnt change the fact they were still enemies...

The reign of Constantine IV would mark a period of transition. Since the early sixth century, the Arabs had harassed the Romans and in many instances came close to breaking the empires back. However, Constantine would hold them on the straits of the Bosphorus for nearly six years exhausting the willpower of the Saracens. They would turn back and for the first time, sought conquests elsewhere...

The battle seemed to be in the hands of a Roman victory but something happened and Michael became hesitant. It is not explained, but this led to the abandonment of Leos Armenians from the field, paving a way for a swift victory for the Khan. Michael I would listen to his wife's pleas and abdicate from the throne, his sons were castrated ending the Isaurian dynasty and Leo the Armenian becoming the new successor

He reopened negotiations with Charles on his title, claiming only that he was an Emperor, but not Emperor of the Romans a trend which would contiune after Charles death. In 813, he set out for Versinkia near Adrianople in a pitched battle against Krum....

While Staurakios would retain the right of Basileous, his obvious disabilities would leave further room for opportunity in the court by home. Michael I Rangabe would be endorsed by the Patriarch Nicephoros and also the untimely death of Staraukios. Michael I reign would prove to be too problematic. Dealing with the problems left by Nikephoros, he immediately began mobilizing to again, put a stamp Krums ambitions...

Nikephoros I was to be the first emperor since Valens in 378 to be defeated and killed in battle. His son Stauracius would suffer a life changing wound to his neck that would leave his paralyized for the next few months of his life. He would succeed his father whose fate wasnt lucky as, once his body was discovered. His head was severed and coated in silver to be used as a drinking device for the Khan...

In 811 Nikephoros launched a expedition into Bulgar territory with the aims of putting an end to Krums ambitions. He would capture their capital Pliska and with a merciless mentality plundered the city and its inhabitants. While on the road back to Constantinople, his army was trapped at the Varbista pass or "Greek Hollow". Once the trapped had been realized, Nikephoros and his men there was no escape.

During this time, he would inflict serious damage on Roman moral and spirit. Nikephoros I assumed the throne after a coup was arranged over fears of a marriage between Charles and Irene, which would've brought legitimacy to the Western claims of "Roman Successors" Nikephoros saw the threat that Krum had posed in 807 when Serdica along the Black Sea was seized...

To begin, Norwich goes into the fallout of Charlemagnes coronation and the subsequent emperors who failed to take advantage of the confusion in the West. Irene ended the Iconoclast controversy with a council restoring the practice of veneration. However, the Khangun Krum would also emerge riding the Balkans of the Avars and forming the First Bulgar Empire...

whatever work had been done to cooperate with the west had been undone with Andronicus. The author goes into the letters sent between Saladin about the rights of Christians in Palestine and Jerusalem. The invitation of Patriarch Leonitios visiting in 1177, with some mention of Andronicus becoming protector of Christians. This would fall through with the massacre of Latins in 1182, and the ascension of the anti Guy dL

Maria the Porphyrogentia and Renier of Monterferrat attempted to seize the throne from Manuels I son Alexios II, they ran into problems after most of their supporters were rounded up and arrested. They sent letters to Andronicus who was in his castle along the Black Sea. This would not be for their own benefit with Andronicus having already been a problem for the previous administration. Andronicus would seize the

The arabs for a brief time were in transition and the founding of the Uyymaid Caliphate occurs. The origins off Greek fire, invention by the chemist Callinicus are mentioned here. A siege by Muaywias forces on Constantinople lasts seven years before peace is settled and the arabs return home.Problems with the the Bulgars had begun and would continue as they officially settle along the Danube. A sixth council was held

Constans left 3 sons to squabble over the throne, Heraclius, Tiberius, and Constantine. Following the death of their father, factions throughout the city demanded that they should each rule over the empire of earth as the Trinity rules from heaven. However, plans would change in 681 when Constantine IV, looking for his son, Justinian II to inherit the throne, mutilated his brothers noses, had them deposed and exiled.

Constans II tenure in Italy was marked by glamorous moments and also times when the native populace was harassed by his goverment. Intially his court was welcomed into Sicily where for the first time since Sextus Pompey, a Roman ruled from Syracuse. However, while the welcome was warm, the next few years would change as his tax collectors often meddled with the populace. In 668, while taking a bath, Constans fell

The siege of Benevento had failed so Constans had no choice but to head towards Nepolis. It was at this time the emperor made a detour and routed instead for the Eternal City where he and his court were welcome by the residing Pope Vitalien. For the next tweleve days, he attended and spent time in the cities great churches; to the effect of striping the cities its valuables and sending it to Constantinople

It wouldn't be until spring 663 that Constans' and his court would cross the Adriatic and into Italy at their base in Tarentum. The Lombards who controlled much of the North had already begun harassing the emperors baggage trains. Preparations to besiege Benevento were under way which served as a choke point towards the Roman city of Nepolis, however the siege would fail when (Sesuald) warned the locals of an attack.

Up to this point Constans was extremely unpopular, having both inhumanly altered the lives of Pope Martin and Maximus. So when in 662 when he left Constantinople the populace seemed to have little care about his departure feeling he was only going to demontrate his power in the Western provinces from Saracen and Lombard sway. Before reaching Italy however he would spend a number of years in Thessalonica and Athens...

The empire in the this time was facing crisis on all fronts. With the Saracens closing in on the east with great speed, and the Slavs growing restless of the tribute being paid to the empire. The emperor looked for a new base to control affairs both east and west more suitable than Constantinople. His uncle Heraclius had already contemplated this juncture when the Persians were at the gates...

"Like Martin, Maximus the Confessor had been the spiritual leader of opposition to the Ekthesis and Typos. Indeed he had gone even further, maintaing the emperor as a layman had no rght to pronounce on theological matters. Maximus would be subjected to tortures for his defiance and considered the forerunner of the medieval church fathers to uphold the claims of the church against the state in the centuries to come."

Doge Vitale Michiel II in September 1171 sent a retaliatory fleet to raid the Aegean reaching as far as Euboea. However a prepared Byzantine fleet was assembled pushing them back with once again, pleas by Venice to renew their past trading rights. A patrician and future Doge apart of these raids named Enrico Dandolo held a spiteful grudge against the Greek actions, which would stay with him for the rest of his life.

The arrests were extremely popular in the favor of Manuel I, while the detainments were brief, it would be an action that Venice would not forget in the coming decades. According to J.H, the arrests were a response to either Venetian raids on the Genoese colony the decade prior and also during their joint attack on Norman Sicily, Venetian sailors getting hold of imperial regalia and staging a mock burlesque ceremony.

"In sharp contrast to his usual practice of conciliating western opinion, in spring of 1171 he secretly brought troops into Constantinople when on the 12th of March, he ordered the systematic arrests of all Venetian in the empire with remarkable efficiency. In total 10,000 Venetian inhabitants were rounded up and with properties confiscated and confined to prisons. All with much of Venice kept in the dark of this."

The privileges of the Italian merchants throughout much of the capital stirred much resentment among the local populace. Gang violence occurred in the streets with one instance occurring in 1162 by the Venetian's, Pisans and help of some local Greek staged an attack on the Genoese holdings attempting to drive them from the city. The apparent "pro-latin" Manuel was also becoming increasingly bothered by these actions.

The Byzantine empire was not, after all, a Greek national state. It was only to be expected that Christians of "all races" should be found in the service of the universal Christian emperor...other literary evidence from the period shows plainly that many Byzantine's regarded Latins as simply "fellow Christians."

Harris, J Byzantium and the Crusades p.123

John II attempted to withdraw the agreements made from his father in 1124, however Venetian fleet unprepared for this decided to raid several Greek cities in the Aegean to force the emperors hand. The attacks came without warning which meant that a fleet couldn't be assembled to defend the raids. He eventually gave in the demands and renewed the agreements in 1126.

The negative feelings came only when the Venetian, Genoans and Pisans who were allowed trading rights in the empire had been actively abusing their holdings within Constantinople often getting in disagreements with the local Greek populace. The historians Anna Komnene and Niketas Choniates were "paying fulsome tribute tot he loyalty and courage of Latins in byzantine service."

J.H leaves a counter argument why the anti-latin perception of the reign of Andronicus has been mostly a misconception from the matter of circumstance. Providing examples of the agreements that Alexios made with Venice and the marriages arranged by Manuel with his descendants with Latin royals. Scandinavians, Englishman, and even Normans had been employed in the armies.

September 24th, 1180 Manuel I Komnenos dies leaving a vacuum on the throne. Throughout most of Constantinople a rise in the anti-latin feelings was growing widespread. Even more so after Manuel had taken the exception of employing many latins in the imperial office, over the native Greeks. Andronicus, the cousin of Manuel according to J.H didn't necessarily believe in the movement, using it to promoted his campagin