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Wintersbone7 t1_irfr9uh wrote

Also,the byzantine empire appealed to the pope for help against the rising power of the “infidel“ muslim forces. The emperor would learn that wasn’t a good idea.

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Vyzantinist t1_irhihx1 wrote

To be fair, Alexios I wasn't expecting anything like a crusade. He simply asked the Pope to encourage western knights to head east to help the Byzantines in their struggles against the Turk. Pilgrims like Robert III of Flanders had previously sent knights to help the Byzantines, so Alexios was probably expecting if the Pope made appeals for the desperate plight of Orthodox Christians more western European knights would be willing to head east to fight for the empire.

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Wintersbone7 t1_iri94dl wrote

That’s exactly it. Thank you. Be careful what you wish for, it just might come true.

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