AH Challenge: Latin Empire Survives

For those who don't know what I am talking about, the Latin Empire was a Crusader State built from the ashes of Byzantium after the second sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. IOTL it lasted barely 50 years, but what if it lasted longer? How could this be achieved, and what might result from this?

I would think that one of the main problems lies in the Empire's neighbours in both Europe and Asia Minor. In Asia Minor the Empire of Nicaea, whilst initially fairly weak, managed to eventually gain enough strength to take all Latin territories in Asia Minor. In Europe the Empire had to deal with both Bulgaria and a Byzantine successor state, the Despotate of Epirus. These were significantly tougher than Nicaea in the early years of the Latin Empire and posed real threats to its vassals in Thessalonica and Athens. Not to mention the fact that the native Greek populations were restless and the Crusaders were too few to handle all issues at the same time.

How, with such a troubled beginning, could the Empire survive the test of time? This is certainly a difficult challenge, but challenges were never meant to be easy. And even if it survives, what effects might be likely? Is it possible that Pope Innocent III might try and unify the two churches under Roman leadership, despite the inevitable difficulties that might create?

What do you think?
 
I see a few main things that may give them a chance:
If Ivan Asen II had enough time to be aware of the incomeing Bulgarians
If John III Doukas Vatatzes joined the Latins rather than the Bulgarians
** If the Ottoman Turks wern't coming about 20-30 years later.
 
Improve the success of the later Latin Emperors and you could improve their authority over their vassals in the Balkans.
Add in more support from Sicily/Naples and they could stand against Nicaea and Epirus
 
I think the only way to keep a Latin Emperor on the throne in Constantinople is to have him convert to Orthodoxy, at which point he's hardly a Latin emperor any more. And wouldn't get support from the West any more.

If you want to go the 'union of churches' route, I think the only way you're going to get a successful union is if the West makes MAJOR concessions. Since I simply can't imagine the Pope dropping his claims of functional supremacy, it would have to be just about everything else - starting with the filioque clause.
 
Improve the success of the later Latin Emperors and you could improve their authority over their vassals in the Balkans.
Add in more support from Sicily/Naples and they could stand against Nicaea and Epirus

I agree. Also, if the Latin Emperors are somehow able to conquer Epirus outright and gain themselves bases on the Adriatic, this will help a great deal, since they'll be a lot closer to Naples, Rome and Venice, where natural support can come from. Also, religious toleration for Orthodox Christians would help a lot, but since this is Crusaders we're talking about, I think this is very unlikely indeed!
 
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