Question

Which of these was NOT a contributing factor to the fall of the Byzantine Empire?

A) empathy for the surrounding Muslim territories
B) the Crusades
C) constant strain of in-fighting among the Byzantines
D) the Ottomans

Answer 1

The option 'empathy for the surrounding Muslim territories' was not a contributing factor to the fall of the Byzantine Empire. Key factors included the Crusades, internal political struggles, and the rise of the Ottoman Turks.

Step-by-step explanation:

The fall of the Byzantine Empire was caused by several factors, but empathy for the surrounding Muslim territories is not historically noted as one of them. Significant contributing factors to the empire's decline included:

• The Crusades, especially the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the sacking of Constantinople and deep-seated hostility between the Orthodox and Catholic Christians.
• Constant infighting among the Byzantines, which weakened the empire from within and often led to political instability and fragmented power.
• The rise of the Ottoman Turks, who gradually conquered Byzantine territories, leading to the eventual capture of Constantinople in 1453.

By contrast, there is no record of the Byzantine Empire garnering empathy for the Muslim territories around them that would have been a factor in its decline.