Flashcards
Byzantine Empire
Cards in this deck (10)
- 1What made Constantinople a vital center of the empire?Located on the shores of Bosporus, a straight that links the Mediterranean and Black seas. It had an excellent harbor and was guarded on three sides by water. Emperors after Constantine built elaborate land defenses . Constantinople was also the center for trade. It commanded key trade routed linking Europe and Asia.
- 2What is an autocrat? How did the Byzantine emperors differ from a king?An autocrat is a sole ruler with complete authority. The Byzantine emperors differed from kings because they had power over the Church. He was deemed Christ's co-ruler on Earth. Unlike feudal monarchs in Western Europe, he combined both political power and spiritual authority.
- 3Describe the strength of the Byzantine economy.The Byzantine economy flourished under a strong central government which exercised strict control over a prosperous economy. Peasants formed the backbone of the empire by working the land, paying taxes and providing soldiers. In the cities trade and industry flourished. In Western Europe the use of money declined. Byzantines made their own coin called the Bezant with the emperor's face. It was acceptable from Europe to China.
- 4Describe the strength of the Byzantine military.Byzantine built one of the strongest military forces in the world. Soldiers, ships, and sailors protected the empire and fortifications protected it's capital. The also had a secret weapon known as "Greek Fire." It was a liquid that most likely contained petroleum. When thrown towards the enemy, it would ignite on contact and could not be put out with water.
- 5What lead to the decline and eventual destruction of the Byzantine Empire?The crusades. The Bzantines asked for help from the Western Christians and that became the first Crusade. During later crusades, trade rivalry sparked the violence between the Byzantine empire and Venice. The venetian merchants convinced the knights of the fourth crusade to attack Constantinople. Western Christians defeated them and ruled the empire for 57 years. Although eventually they recovered Consantinople, it never recovered. Eventually the Turks attacked the city with cannons and Constantinople fell to the Turks.
- 6What were Icons and what effect did they cause in history?Icons were holy images such as mosaics or paintings of religious figures. They contributed to the split of Christianity because there were mixed views about whether they should be allowed in churches. They helped the illiterate people to understand the stories and they teachings of Christianity. One emperor attempted to ban the use of icons. It created resentment towards the pope and set off violent battles. Later the use of icons were restored.
- 7What was the Great Schism?The great Schism was the split between eastern and western Christianity. Byzantine became the Greek orthodox and the western became the Roman Catholic Church. Pope and Patriarch excommunicated each other. Contacts between the Churches became guarded and distant. They became rivals rather than two branches of the same Church.
- 8What was Justinian's code?Justinian set up a commission to collect, revise, and organize all the laws of ancient Rome. It was a massive collection that included laws passed by Roman assemblies or decreed by Roman emperors and all the legal writings of Roman judges. It also contained a handbook for students. It guided legal thinkers centuries later.
- 9Who was Theodora? What did she do that was so different for that era?She was Justinian's wife and co-emperor. She was a shrewd politician and even pursued her own policies. She was the daughter of a bear-keeper and came from a family low in the social class. Before meeting Justinian she was an actress. She encouraged her husband to make laws that were fairer to women. These included laws that let parents leave property to their daughters and more laws that fought for women's rights..
- 10What is the Hagia Sophia?The Hagia Sophia, or "Holy Wisdom," stands at a cultural and geographic crossroads. Istanbul - once called Constantinople - is located where Europe meets Asia and Islam meets Christianity. Despite warfare and invasions, the Hagia Sophia has remained intact, a prize for whoever controlled thee city. It has served as a Cathedral of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, a Roman Catholic cathedral, and an Islamic mosque.
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- Flashcards on Byzantine Empire, created by nmurphy on 11/10/2015.
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- nmurphy
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