No sacking of Constantinople

In 1204 the crusaders attacked Constantinople. What if this had never taken place? It would have meant a stronger Byzantine Empire in the following centuries, but would it have been enough to stop the Turks from eventually taking control of the Empire?

(paradoxically it seems that the attack by the crusaders might in fact have helped the Muslim Ottomans spreading Islam)
 
So the POD is either Isaac II lives or Alexios IV simply pays the debt to the crusaders and they go off to go do something else. Though that still leaves the Byzantine Empire full of riots and disloyal court members, contractually obligated to assist in the crusade (the Crusaders had learned the lessons of the last three crusades that the Byzantines could not be trusted to keep their promises unless it was at sword point), and short a large amount of money, with two pretty incapable emperors.

Still, thats still better than a 57 year civil war. Though with the situation being as extremely unstable as it is, they might end up with a different civil war, or a later sacking anyways. Alexios might even need to keep the crusaders around to garrison the city just to prevent his opponents (ie pretty much everyone) from murdering him.
 
The better PoD would have been a victory at Myriokephalon. Manuel policy towards Latin was really successful, at the point of not only having a good reputation among them, but to make Crusader States actually acknowledge byzantine suzerainty.

It wouldn't have immediate results on the geopolitical situation, but could lead Alexios II to be maintained on the throne. (It would help to have someone else than Mary to be regent. Maybe Alexios).

Maintained links with westerners (as relative to French kings, by exemple), maintained authority above Crusaders, and no slaughter of Latins in 1182 would be a good step.
 
I've wondered about what would happen if the 4th crusade had gone to Egypt as planned

Seeing how it was planned and organized? Most probably a failure.

In fact, it may have an impact on later crusades (as in either organize it better, or more likely not trying anymore until some time)
 
Seeing how it was planned and organized? Most probably a failure.

In fact, it may have an impact on later crusades (as in either organize it better, or more likely not trying anymore until some time)

A surviving kingdom of Jerusalem needs Egypt in Christian hands.
IMHO the 4th crusade may not have been the best organised one (as if any crusade was really well organised) but it has a reasonable chance to get the delta of the Nile, with Alexandria and Damietta.
 
A surviving kingdom of Jerusalem needs Egypt in Christian hands.
Probably. But this objective was unreachable : crusader expeditions were too limited in men and ressources to really hold control of Upper Egypt.

IMHO the 4th crusade may not have been the best organised one (as if any crusade was really well organised) but it has a reasonable chance to get the delta of the Nile, with Alexandria and Damietta.

To get into the Delta was possible, indeed. Controlling it, conquering it and holding it...
More organized and planned (yes there were, you can generally see them at their, even if limited, success) failed to do so.

And 4th Crusade was...well, let's say context didn't helped at all.
- War in France, Germany and England. A good part of the traditional recruiting ground was unavaible. (Admittedly, they still managed to gather, something around 20 000 men)
- No real financial support, making them obligated to Venice (that was determined to at least use them in Adriatic, hence plunder of Zara and therefore half of the party just giving it up, and pope excommunicating the whole expedition)

Crusaders had quite a stroke of luck, having a pretext and a limited support thanks to Byzantine inner conflicts, allowing them to stay in Byzantium before just sacking the city.

10 000 men, going directly in Egypt while excommunicated (without forseeable reinforcements) aren't going to do much on themselves, directly attacking and attacked by Ayyubids. A threat, granted, but not likely to conquer parts of Egypt.
 
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