Actually, it’s easy. TK were there to force pagans to get baptised. After last pagan country got baptised, their job was done in that part of the world, however they stayed there and acted more as an imperial state rather then humble servants of God.
> ...stayed there and acted more as an imperial state rather then humble servants of God.
The managed to stay there some centuries. This would not have been possible were the inhabitants subdued. I guess the people back then didn’t care a lot to whom they paid their tenth as life must have been hard already.
BTW, I have nothing against remembering the past, the fallen and all that but this pathos over some battle 600 years ago is ridiculous.