Greek history - Byzantium - Late Byzantine period – Byzantium and the West after the 4th Crusade

The antagonism between Byzantium and the West gradually turned into open conflict, which ended tragically with the diversion of the Fourth Crusade and the takeover of the Byzantine Empire by the Crusaders. The imperial territory was parceled out among the Latin sovereigns, forming a feudal state based on the corresponding Western systems and headed by the Latin emperor of Constantinople. Among those involved in the Fourth Crusade, a particularly significant role was played by the Venetians, who gained considerable territories that were vital to their commercial interests, including Crete, Metoni, and Korone. The presence of Western Europeans in Byzantium, alongside the pre-eminently Greek population, led to a corresponding osmosis of artistic forms. With the conquest of Constantinople and other large centers, the Crusaders came into direct contact with Byzantine art in all its forms of expression. Western artists worked in the Crusader states of the East and were strongly influenced by the powerful Byzantine tradition. Meanwhile, the circulation of Western manuscripts in the area and the daily experience of the Byzantines with the Latins in their midst provided new elements that enriched the work of Byzantine artists.