From the years 1395 until 1402, Ottoman Sultan Biazid, the Thunderbolt, laid siege to Constantinople.

But the last fragments of the once mighty Byzantine Empire would survive.

Because from the east, a nomadic conqueror known to history as Amir Timur,

Timur, Tamerlein or simply Timur, would put a check to Ottoman power and, in a way, save Constantinople.

This Timur was a powerful man who created an empire that would stretch from India to Syria,

from the Russian Step to Arabia. His armies were deemed invincible, his cities the grandest

in the world, and he himself remembered as one of the most brutal conquerors who has ever lived.

And I want to investigate this all. If this intrigues you, then check out the Timur Podcast,

a podcast that covers the life, conquests and character of Timur. The show can be found in most

places you find your history podcasts or head on over to Timurpodcast.com for more information.

And with all that said, let's return to the history of Byzantium.

Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 217, diverging paths.

Last time we watched on as the Crusaders left Nysia and wound their way up onto the Anatolian Plateau.

They were immediately ambushed by Kilijasland's men, but dug deep to survive the onslaught.

Once the Turks had routed, the military balance of power in the region shifted.

The nomads retreat not only allowed the Crusaders a clear path across Anatolia,

but it also gave the Byzantines the opportunity to move in on the cities of the West Coast.

As you may recall, during the Civil Wars, which culminated in Alexias' rise to the throne,

the West coast of Anatolia had fallen under Turkic rule.

Komninos' rivals Melisinos and Votanyatis had withdrawn Roman troops from Anatolia,

leaving these cities in the care of Turkic mercenaries.

Naturally though, when their Byzantine paymasters failed to return,

...