The Levellers: got their name for knocking down (leveling) the Parliament building. called for the strengthening of freedom and democracy at a time when those principles were seen as possibly contributing to anarchy. opposed a written constitution on the grounds that it institutionalized social inequality. proposed to abolish Parliament. claimed the world was flat or level.

nothing certain is known about what happened, but it seems that the country declined gradually, perhaps due to bad government, or, more likely, due to a series of bad harvests, which resulted in widespread and recurrent famine.

attacks by the seljuk. a devastating blow to the entire byzantine world was dealt by christian crusaders from the west. the venetians were eager to destroy byzantine power and offered the crusaders money, ships, and part of the spoils of war.

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