What factors contributed to the decline of the byzantine empire? select all that apply. a. legal reforms b. disloyal military c. foreign invasions d. economic struggle e. religious dissent f. spread of disease

The correct options are: A - C - E

The eclive of the Empire It occurred in the period from 1056-1261. After the period of splendor that brought the Macedonian Renaissance, in the second half of the eleventh century began a period of crisis, marked by its weakness at the appearance of two powerful new enemies: the Seljuk Turks and the Christian kingdoms of Western Europe; and by the growing feudalization of the Empire, accentuated by the forced Comneno emperors to make territorial transfers (called pronoia) to the aristocracy and members of their own family.

On the eastern border, the Seljuk Turks, who had so far focused their interest in defeating Fatimid Egypt, began to make inroads into Asia Minor, where most of the Byzantine soldiers came from. With the unexpected defeat in the battle of Manzikert (1071) of Emperor Roman IV at the hands of Alp Arslan, Sultan of the Seljuk Turks, culminating the Byzantine hegemony in Asia Minor. The subsequent attempts of the Commenos emperors to reconquer the lost territories will be totally unsuccessful. Moreover, a century later, Manuel I Comneno suffered another humiliating defeat against the Seljuks in Miriocephalus in 1176.

Byzantine power became permanently weakened. At this time, Serbia, under Esteban Dushan, of the Nemanjić Dynasty, was strengthened by taking advantage of the collapse of Byzantium, initiating a process that would culminate when the Serbian Empire was formed in 1346.

Three Greek states inheriting the Byzantine Empire remained outside the orbit of the recently created Latin Empire: the Empire of Nicaea, the Empire of Trebizond, and the Despotate of Epirus. The first, controlled by the Palaeologus dynasty, reconquered Constantinople in 1261 and defeated the Epirus, revitalizing the Empire, but paying too much attention to Europe when the increasing penetration of the Turks in Asia Minor was the main problem.

"the royal proclamation of 1763"