Download the byzantine empire

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE
330 A.D.-1453 A.D.
I. Constantinople
A Rich and Powerful City
• Emperor Constantine 330 A.D.
• Trade – cross roads of land and sea routes
• Secure - Construction of High Walls
Constantinople
High Walls
Byzantine Empire
Constantinople
Rich and Powerful
• Commanded key trade routes
• For Centuries, the cities favorable location
made it Europe’s busiest marketplace
• China – silks
• Egypt – wheat
• India – gems
• S.E. Asia – Spices
• Viking Lands - Furs
II. Justinian’s Accomplishments
525-565
A. Military Expansion
• Increased the holdings of the Byzantine
Empire to include:
• North Africa
• Italy
• Iberia (Spain)
• Tried to rebuild the Roman Empire
• Weakened his treasury – victory temporary
B. Rebuilds City
• Hagia Sophia – “Holy Wisdom”
• “Oh glory to God who has judged me worthy
of accomplishing such a work as this!”
• “O Solomon, I have surpassed you.”
Hagia Sophia
Inside
C. The Effects of Justinian’s Code
• Sets up commission to:
• collect, revise, and organize all the laws of
ancient Rome
• Corpus Juris Civilis or “Body of Civil Law”
• AKA – JUSTINIAN’S CODE:
• Laws passed by Roman assemblies, decrees from
emperors, legal writings from Roman judges, and
a handbook for students
• European Monarch centuries later model their
laws on its principles
D. Autocracy
• Emperor and Christ’s co-ruler on Earth
• Political power and spiritual authority
E. Powerful Military
• Strongest military force in the world
• Soldiers, navy fortresses protected the city
• “Greek Fire” – Napalm
F. Economic Power
•
•
•
•
•
Strong central government
Peasants worked the land –paying taxes
And providing soldiers
Cities – trade flourished
Healthy money economy – bezant
III. Byzantine Christianity
A. Differences Between East and West
•
•
•
•
•
Claims of authority – Patriarch v. Pope
Use of Icons – the debate over graven images
Marriage
Greek v. Latin
1054 – Great Schism – both excommunicate
each other
IV. Byzantine Empire Destroyed
A. Crisis and Collapse
•
•
•
•
•
•
Struggles over power and succession
Norman Conquest of Southern Italy
1090s - Seljuk Turks advance across Asia Minor
(Leading to First Crusade)
Conflict with Venice over trade (4th Crusade )
Ottoman Turks under Mehmet II – 1453
V. IMPORTANT DATES
• 330 A.D. – Emperor Constantine move capital to Byzantium
(Constantinople)
• 527 A.D. to 565 Reign of Justinian
• 532 – Riots and fire swept Constantinople – led to Hagia Sophia
• 600-700s – Byzantine Empire attacked Persians, Slavs, Vikings, Huns,
Turks, Arabs
• 1054 – Great Schism
• 1090s – Byzantium asks the West for help in defending Muslim
Turks
• 1260s – Byzantine reclaim throne from Venetians
• 1453 – Ottoman Turks take over Constantinople rename it Istanbul