THE BYZANTINES COLLAPSE

THE BYZANTINES COLLAPSE

1. Justinian I's contributions to the collapse

   • Constant wars
   • Spend tons of gold repairing Constantinople
   • Byzantine army was thinly spread out
   • The bubonic plague killed millions
     • Weakened military
     • Weakened economy

2. Invading groups

   • Slavs and Avars
   • Sassanids
   • Arabs

3. The Macedonian dynasty strengthens the empire

   • Begins with Basil I
     • Ends with Basil II
   • Regained former Byzantine lands
   • Strengthened military
   • Improved economy
   • Supported arts and literature
   • Weakened the Powerful
   • Sent missionaries to the Slavs and Serbs

4. The Powerful spread government corruption

   • Depleted all armies loyal to the emperor

5. Emperor Alexius Angelus promised to help the crusaders

   • Pay for their warships
   • In exchange for driving out the emperor...
     • ...so he could become emperor
   • Angelus' deal with the crusaders was discovered
     • The Byzantines killed him before he could pay the crusaders
       • Crusaders were enraged
         • Crusaders severely damage Constantinople
           • Constantinople never fully recovered
         • Captured Constantinople
           • Michael VIII later got it back from the Crusaders

6. The Ottomans conquer the empire

   • The new Ottoman Empire spreads to ancient Mesopotamia
     • Under the sultan Suleyman I, the empire reached the height of its power and prestige
   • Culture changes
     • Their territory became predominantly Muslim
     • Women played a different role in society
     • Different social classes
       • Ruling class
         • Lower class
           • Slaves
           • Craft workers and peasant farmers
         • Wealthy land owners, military and religious leaders
       • No middle class
   • Renamed Constantinople Istanbul