AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
How did the Byzantine Empire, Outremer and the Latin West change and what…
Full specification wording
1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – consequence in this period through the following key questions:: How did the Byzantine Empire, Outremer and the Latin West change and what influenced relations between them?
Between 1071 and 1204, the Byzantine Empire shifted from a dominant regional power to a vulnerable state, culminating in the 1204 sack of Constantinople.
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 5 of 6
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Between 1071 and 1204, the Byzantine Empire shifted from a dominant regional power to a vulnerable state, culminating in the 1204 sack of Constantinople. Outremer evolved from fragile crusader conquests into established, yet constantly threatened, feudal states reliant on Western aid. The Latin West experienced a papal resurgence and economic expansion, driving crusading zeal. Relations between these three spheres were heavily influenced by religious schism, shifting military alliances, and economic competition.
For example: Byzantine-Latin relations deteriorated due to the 1182 massacre of the Latins and the failure of the Second Crusade, while Outremer's survival depended on navigating complex treaties with both Byzantium and the West.
What earns the marks
- Assess the political and territorial decline of the Byzantine Empire from Manzikert (1071) to the Fourth Crusade (1204).
- Evaluate the consolidation and subsequent vulnerability of the Crusader States (Outremer) in response to Islamic resurgence.
- Analyse the growth of papal authority and economic power in the Latin West, particularly the Italian maritime republics.
- Explain how religious differences, such as the Great Schism, and economic rivalries influenced deteriorating relations between Byzantium and the Latin West.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating the Latin West as a unified political entity.
Put it right: Recognise the distinct and often conflicting agendas of the Papacy, secular monarchs, and Italian city-states.
Assuming Byzantine-Outremer relations were always hostile.
Put it right: Acknowledge periods of pragmatic alliance, such as the joint campaigns under Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and King Amalric.
Ignoring the economic drivers of conflict.
Put it right: Integrate the commercial ambitions of Venice and Genoa as key factors in shaping relations with Byzantium and Outremer.
Exam tips
- Use specific treaties or conflicts, such as the Treaty of Devol (1108), to illustrate the complex power dynamics between Byzantium and Outremer.
- When discussing change, explicitly contrast the situation at the start of the period (c.1071) with the end (1204) to demonstrate chronological progression.
- Link the internal developments of the Latin West, such as the Gregorian Reform, directly to its changing foreign policy towards the East.
Try the lesson
The start of the 1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – consequence in this period through the following key questions:: How did the Byzantine Empire, Outremer and the Latin West change and what influenced relations between them? lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
How did the arrival of the First Crusade armies fundamentally alter the relationship between the Byzantine Empire and the Latin West?
Listen
Between 1071 and 1204, the Byzantine Empire shifted from a dominant regional power to a vulnerable state, culminating in the 1204 sack of Constantinople. Outremer evolved from fragile crusader conquests into established, yet constantly threatened, feudal states reliant on Western aid. The Latin West experienced a papal resurgence and economic expansion, driving crusading zeal. Relations between these three spheres were heavily influenced by religious schism, shifting military alliances, and economic competition. For example, Byzantine-Latin relations deteriorated due to the 1182 massacre of the Latins and the failure of the Second Crusade, while Outremer's survival depended on navigating complex treaties with both Byzantium and the West. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Assess the political and territorial decline of the Byzantine Empire from Manzikert (1071) to the Fourth Crusade (1204). Evaluate the consolidation and subsequent vulnerability of the Crusader States (Outremer) in response to Islamic resurgence. Analyse the growth of papal authority and economic power in the Latin West, particularly the Italian maritime republics. Explain how religious differences, such as the Great Schism, and economic rivalries influenced deteriorating relations between Byzantium and the Latin West. A common slip: Treating the Latin West as a unified political entity. Instead, recognise the distinct and often conflicting agendas of the Papacy, secular monarchs, and Italian city-states. Exam tip: Use specific treaties or conflicts, such as the Treaty of Devol (1108), to illustrate the complex power dynamics between Byzantium and Outremer.
Put the events in order
Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.
- 1. The sack of Constantinople culminates Byzantine decline
- 2. Manzikert marks the start of Byzantine political and territorial decline
- 3. The massacre of the Latins worsens Byzantine-Latin relations
- 4. The Treaty of Devol illustrates complex power dynamics between Byzantium and Outremer
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Political and territorial transformation
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Religious schism and unity
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Economic expansion and trade rivalries
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Diplomacy and military alliances
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Political and territorial transformation
- The Byzantine Empire shifted from a dominant regional power to a vulnerable state, culminating in the 1204 sack of Constantinople.
- Religious schism and unity
- Religious differences, such as the Great Schism, influenced deteriorating relations between Byzantium and the Latin West.
- Economic expansion and trade rivalries
- The Latin West experienced economic expansion, and economic rivalries influenced relations between Byzantium and the Latin West.
- Diplomacy and military alliances
- Relations between the three spheres were heavily influenced by shifting military alliances, and Outremer's survival depended on navigating complex treaties with both Byzantium and the West.
There is more to this lesson
The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge
Test your understanding of 1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – consequence in this period through the following key questions:: How did the Byzantine Empire, Outremer and the Latin West change and what influenced relations between them?
Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge