The Massacre of the Latins occurred in Constantinople , the capital of the Byzantine Empire , in 1182 . It was a large-scale massacre of the " Latin " ( Roman Catholic ) merchants and their families , who at that time dominated the city 's maritime trade and financial sector . Although precise numbers are unavailable , the bulk of the Latin community , estimated at over 60,000 at the time , was wiped out or forced to flee . The Genoese and Pisan communities especially were decimated , and some 4,000 survivors were sold as slaves to the Turks
Massacre of the Latins
Massacre of the Latins
Sectarian violence among Christians