This is probably one of the most bizzare games I have seen yet. I started in 1080 and unlike all my other games the Byzantines never managed to recover, they just got hammered by the Sultanate of Rum, Normans in Sicily, and civil wars at home. The Komnenoi took power, but were hampered by constant civil wars eventually after three empeors they were overthrown by these Norman vassals House Duergont who happened to be Cathari, then the Empire completely imploded now the Duergnot Emperors hold court on Chios, and barely maintain control of Crimea and Athens. The Orthodox Duke of the Aegean Islands rose up in civil war and currently holds Constantinople and some assorted territory, the muslims control the rest. Too bad my claim on the Byzantine throne expired a generation ago otherwise I would totallyclaim the throne and become the Byzantine Emperor of Italy, I would throw the pope out and claim Rome too! (actually this is my new goal)
Also the Muslims have just been destroying everyone while the HRE has captured North Africa Maurentia has sacked Al Andalus and moved into France, I think this is because the HRE has been in turmoil and civil wars this entire game, the Salinas lost control to the Von Luxembourgers and of course my constant meddling.
Also of note I am so happy to have actually broken off from the HRE it was the hardest fight I have had so far, even in the middle of a civil war it took 50 years of stockpiling gold for mercenaries beefing up my conscription laws, and caused the deaths of pretty much every mercenary in the western hemisphere along with at least 100,000 levy troops over a 8 year period.