Byzantine Empire: Constantine, Justinian and Constantinople

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The Byzantine Empire:

Section 1- Constantine Creates a "New Rome"

The Roman Emperor, Constantine, rebuilt the city of Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople. The center of the empire was Constantinople. It was located on the shores of a strait that linked the Mediterranean and Black seas. It had an excelled harbor and was guarded on three sides by water which took place in its defense mechanism. Constantinople also commanded key trade routes that linked Europe and Asia. Overall the city of Constantinople was full of riches and the people lived luxurious lives.

Section 2- Byzantium Flourishes Under Justinian

The Byzantine empire reached its peak under the emperor Justinian. He was determined to revive ancient Rome by recovering lands that had been overrun by invaders. They ended up reconquering North Africa, Italy, and the southern Iberian Peninsula. However, the fighting exhausted Justinian's treasury and weakened his defenses so the victories were only temporary. Justinian's successors would lose the bitterly contested lands, one after another. To restore Justinian's glory, Justinian launched program to make Constantinople grander than ever. His great triumph was rebuilding the Hagia Sophia, which means "Holy Wisdom Dome." Even more important then rebuilding the its capital and expanding the empire was Justinian's reform of the law. He set up commission to collect, revise, and organize all the laws of ancient Rome and called it "Justinian's Code." The collection included laws passed by Roman assemblies or decreed by Roman emperors, as well as the legal writings of Roman judges and a handbook for students. Justinian used the law to unify the empire under his control. He ruled as an autocrat, or a sole ruler with complete authority. The Byzantine emperor also had power of the Church. His control was aided by his wife, Theodora, a shrewd politician who served as his advisor and co-ruler to Justinian and even pursued to create her own policies regarding women. The empire flourished under a strong central government, which exercised strict control over a prosperous economy. Peasants formed the backbone of the empire, working the land, paying taxes, and providing soldiers for the military. The Byzantine also created one of the strongest military forces in the world. Its secret weapon was called Greek fire, a liquid that probably contained petroleum and if thrown at an enemy, it could not be put out by water.

Section 3- Byzantine Christianity

Christianity was as influential in the Byzantine empire as it was in Western Europe. The way Christianity was practiced differed in the two regions. Over time, these differences became known and caused increasing friction. Since early Christian times, differences had emerged over Church leadership. Although the Byzantine empire was not a priest, he controlled Church affairs and appointed the patriarch, or highest Church official in Constantinople. Byzantine Christians rejected the pope's claim to authority over all Christians. The two branches of Christianity grew further apart. A dispute over the use of icons, or holy images, contributed to the split. Many Byzantine Christians used images of Jesus, the Holy Mary, and saints in their worship. A Byzantine Emperor outlawed the veneration of icons which set off violent battles within the empire. A schism in the Church came between the Western and Eastern Christianity. The Western became known as the Roman Catholic and the Eastern was the Greek, Orthodox Church. They treated each other as rivals rather than branches of the same faith.

Section 4- The Empire Suffers Crisis and Collapse

By the time of the schism, the Byzantine empire was in decline. As the empire faltered, its enemies advanced. During the later crusades, however, trade rivalry sparked violence between the empire and Venice. The Venetian merchants persuaded knights on the Fourth Crusade to attack Constantinople. For three days, crusaders burned and plundered the city. Venetian merchants gained control of the trade, draining the wealth of the empire. The Byzantine defenders had stretched a huge chain across the harbor to protect against invaders by sea but the Turks hauled their ships overland and then launched them into the harbor. Forces led by Ottoman ruler, Mehmet II, entered the city in triumph. The ancient city was renamed Istanbul, Hagia Sophia was turned into an Islamic house of worship, and Istanbul soon emerged as a great center of Muslim culture.

Pictures:

map- http://www.mrswiesehistory.com

Hagia Sophia- http://www.teslasociety.com/

Greek fire- http://www.reformation.org

East vs. West- http://www.theamericanconservative.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_2E0RxVHH4 (Enclavar)