The Sack of Constantinople 1204AD post Mortem

the Sack of Constantinople at 1204ad can be considered the end of the centralized and perpetuating bureaucratic organism that remained since the fall of Rome. The seizing of the most irreplaceable assets of the city, its highly skilled professionals cannot be recreated until the colonial era.

Population before the Sack: 1M to 700k
Gross Annual Income of the Capital: est 50,000 marks (GURPS $32M)
Total Movable Asset Liquidation: est 800,000 marks (GURPS $512M)
Total Technological Assets (in Artisans) siezed:

• Ship Builders
• the Byzantine Mint
• Luxury Textile Industry
• Weapons Manufacturing Industry
• Basic Tech Infrastructure Industry
• Loss of Port Rights to the Genoese and Venetians
• TL4 Administration destroyed

Special Notes

• 800 years worth of assets
• All Tech advantages of the city destroyed, those tied to physical assets transplanted.

4th Crusade
Final total for the Venicians Services 85,000 marks (13.6M english silver pennies; around 1M hyperperions; GURPS $54.4M)

Treated to Service

• 4,500 Knights
• 9,000 Squirers
• 34,000 Infantry with horses

Only less than half attended, creating a huge debt to the Venetians.

useful benchmarks and comparisons:

Constantinople before the Sack of 1204

Wealth Multiplier of x4,000 (Wealth Status V-4.5)

Around GURPS $32M per year

Competence-11

There was a very steep decline after the murder and destruction Comnenian dynasty

Constantinople in its revival under Alexius in 1095

Wealth Multiplier of x 5,000 (Wealth Status V-5)

Competence-13

The empire and resources as a whole is a separate matter.

Constantinople under Justinian

Wealth Multiplier of x 5,000 (Wealth Status V-5)

Competence-15 (Tribonian)

Source:

The Teaching Company: Era of the Crusades by Professor Kenneth Harl