Byzantine Empire

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1.

Constantinople was a vital center of the Byzantine empire because it commanded key trade routes linking Europe and Asia. It was located on the shores of a strait that links the Mediterranean and Black seas. Constantinople also had an excellent harbor and was guarded on three sides by water. Emperors built an elaborate system of land and sea walls to bolster defenses.

2.

The Byzantine empire had a strong central government, became wealthy from trade, and had a good money economy. Peasants were the backbone of the empire, working the land, paying taxes, and providing soldiers for the military. The Byzantine empire preserved a healthy money economy, as their coin, the bezant, circulated from England to China. They also had one of the strongest military forces in the world at that time. For centuries, Greek fire was an effective and terrifying weapon of the navy.

3.

During the Middle Ages, the two branches of Christianity drew farther apart. The use of icons contributed to the split. A Byzantine emperor outlawed the veneration of icons, saying it was violating God because it was a form of worship. The ban set off violent battles within the empire. Later, more controversies provoked the Great Schism. The Byzantine church became known as the Eastern, or Greek, Orthodox Church. The western branch became known as the Roman Catholic Church. The two churches were guarded and distant. They treated each other as rivals rather than branches of the same faith.

4.

In 1453, Ottoman forces surrounded the city of Constantinople. They brought cannons to attack the city's walls. The Turks hauled their ships overland and then launched them into the harbor. After a siege lasting two months, the Turks stormed Constantinople's broken walls. Forces led by an Ottoman ruler entered the city in triumph. The ancient city was renamed Istanbul and became the capital of the Ottoman empire. Hagia Sophia was turned into an Islamic house of worship, and Istanbul was soon a great center of Muslim culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWa8vOjmiMs (Enclavar)

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire