Latin Empireball

Latin Empireball was a Crusader state in Greeceball, Turkeyball, and Bulgariaball. It is known for weakening the Byzantine Empire giving the Turks an easy opportunity to expand into Europe. It along with its vassals had fought against other nearby neighbors such as Second Bulgarian Empireball and Empire of Nicaeaball.
==History==
The city-states of Veniceball and their other rivals such as Genoa, possess very powerful navies and they have refined shipbuilding skills. Their seapower was rivaled that of Byzantium but the Romans forged an alliance with them ensuring to trade spices with them. In exchange, Venice and Genoa will provide the Byzantines naval support when war erupted. This alliance proved effective, as while the Byzantine Army and their navy was busy dealing with the empire's enemies in Europe, Venice and Genoa's navy will stop Muslim raiders from Asia and Northern Africa to ransack Byzantine coastal settlements. Venice and Genoa, due to the alliance, also get to acquire Byzantium's secret trump card, the "Greek Fire" which is the grandfather of modern flamethrowers but unlike today's flamethrowers, it's incendiary, meaning, even when in water, the fire is still alive.
However, in 1182, Byzantine-Venetian relations soured as many in the empire were jealous of the Venetian's privileges, including sexy trading deals, their huge power and had a lot of influence in politics. In the same year, Romans ignited an Anti-Western Riot, targeting Latins and the Venetians. This angered the republic because aside from the massacre of Venetians, they also ransacked Venetian property and their owners imprisoned or banished.
In 1204, the Crusaders contacted Venice to construct ships for them. The Venetians happily agreed, however, the Crusaders was only able to provide half the men they were supposed to have and the Venetians were angry, as they worked hard to construct the ships. To make matters worse, the Crusaders were only able to pay half the money they were supposed to pay and the Doge (ruler) didn't allow them to leave the city and collect funds to pay back Venice. So the doge decided to impose a task to the crusaders. He ordered them that if they captured the city of Zara(in modern-day Croatiaball), the ships will already be fully paid. The crusaders successfully captured Zara, however, this angered the pope, as the crusaders attacked a Christian state instead of a Muslim state, so the pope excommunicated them. However, the Crusaders didn't care and continued their way to the Levant by marching all the way from the Balkans. Along with them is a former prince of Byzantium, Alexios IV Angelos. Before the Fourth Crusade happened, Alexios was exiled to Germany and contacted the Crusaders for support to dethrone his uncle and install him to the throne. In exchange, Alexios will pay them vast amounts of money. The crusaders agreed and the knights defeated the Byzantine army and installed Alexios to the throne as his uncle, Alexios III ran away from Constantinople. 
During Alexios' short reign, he confiscated church property and sacrificed precious artworks and melted them to make silver. However, the Byzantines were angry and a riot killed Alexios. Alexios was only able to pay the crusaders half of the supposed money they'll receive and so, they pillaged Constantinople. A lot of Romans were left homeless and the crusaders commited warcrimes such as rape, massacres and more. Because of the sacking, it weakened the Byzantine Empire a lot and Byzantine clay were partitioned between the crusaders and established the Latin Empire.
== Relationships ==
=== Friends ===
* Republic of Veniceball - A father of mine. He conquered the Greek barbarians and gave Constantinopleball to me.
* Papal Statesball - he supported me against Byzantines, but failed. Still, good old Catholic friend!
* Kingdom of Thessalonicaball, Duchy of Athensball, Principality of Achaeaball, and Duchy of the Archipelagoball - My vassals children who also like Catholicism and hate Greeks like me.
* Kingdom of Jerusalemball - He is my brother and is Crusader like me.
=== Enemies ===
* Byzantineball - Remove Byzantine infidel! Only I can into real East Rome!
* Empire of Nicaeaball - Half-brother who sided with the barbarians and killed me for it..!! I will take revenge!!!
* Empire of Trebizondball - Another barbaric half-brother I don't like because he's Greek..., but at least he didn't bother me much.
* Second Bulgarian Empireball - He saved me from Despotate of Epirusball, but he also sided with Empire of Nicaeaball when he killed me.
* Despotate of Epirusball - Barbaric brother that almost murdered me, but was stopped from Bulgarian Empire.
* Cumansball - Random Nomads who worked with Bulgaria and captured a few cities for them. REMOVE!!!
== Gallery ==
File:Byz-Crusade.png
Category:Historical Countryballs
Category:Europe
Category:Catholic
Category:Turkeyball
Category:Greeceball
Category:Empire
Category:Christian
Category:Red Yellow
Category:Latin Speaking Countryball
Category:Greek Speaking Countryball
Category:Cross
Category:Latin