Transcript Byzantine Empire Notes

Although there were Dark Times in Western Europe, the Byzantine
Empire grew and shrank and leads up to our defining event of the
Middle Ages – The Crusades…
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When last we left the Byzantines, Rome was
falling to the Germanic tribes and they did
nothing to stop it. The Western Empire was
overrun. 
Part of the reason for that is that the Eastern
Roman Empire now saw itself as completely
separate from Rome itself, and did not want to
share its fate.
The thinking was better to take care of ½ the
Empire than let the whole thing be taken over…
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B.E.was a crossroads for trade with all of
Western Europe.
Merchants from the Middle East and
China came to trade in Constantinople,
was very wealthy and powerful.
Was the center of Mediterranean trade
and controlled most of the big trading
cities.
Eventually stole silkworms from China
and began their own silk production.
Constantinople too important to risk
fighting barbarians, felt like they had to
protect the trade first, even if it cost the
Roman Empire in the process. 
Trade came with a huge cost: Illnesses
also came with trade, including
Justinian’s Plague, the original name for
Bubonic Plague. This travesty will
destroy huge parts of Europe and will be
brought home by Crusaders returning
home from Constantinople.    
Byzantine coins were found in
Venice, Italy 1338
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Even though much of the knowledge of the Greeks and Romans
was lost when Rome fell, they kept some of the knowledge of
Rome and Greece in the cities like Constantinople.
Rulers like Justinian and his wife, Theodora, championed
education for children and rights for woman at the height of the
Byzantine Empire.
Knowledge about science, art, math, religion, engineering,
philosophy, and history was kept in the libraries of
Constantinople and throughout the lands of the Middle East.
Lost for hundreds of years, information will filter back into
Western Europe carried by returning Crusaders going home.
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After Rome fell, the Byzantine Empire grew and found a strong
faith in Christianity.
One of its kings, Justinian, would work to unite his kingdom and
keep it safe from barbarian invaders.
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United Empire – with the Justinian Code, new law code based
on Roman Law and individual rights, making Greek official
language.
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Helped preserve the ideas of both Rome and Ancient Greece.
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Beautified Constantinople – Built Hagia Sophia, roads, walls,
public baths, law courts, underground reservoirs, supported art,
sculptures, mosaics, etc.
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Autocratic Rule – The Byzantine Emperor became the sole
ruler of the government and the Church – had absolute power
and selected the Patriarchs, or heads of the Christian Church in
Constantinople. (4 of them!)
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The Byzantine Empire adopts Christianity: as official
religion before Rome does, in 320.
Leads to Division of Christian Church
• Eastern Roman Empire establishes their own popes called
a “Patriarchs” in 451 C.E. Created another Christian
church when it split from Rome. Wanted a “Clean Break”
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This is called the Great Schism – 1054 C.E. - East &
West Church formally split. Both Christian but very
much rivals.
• West: Roman Catholic Church
• East: Eastern Orthodox Church
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ROMAN CATHOLIC
Western Part
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern part
CLERGY
No married priest allowed
Married priest allowed
ICONS
Veneration, or holiness of
Mary, accepted
Veneration initially
rejected, later accepted
LEADERSHIPS
Roman pope was supreme
church authority
Reject supremacy of
Roman pope over local
leaders
TRINITY
Accepted the view that the
Holy Spirit combines both
Father and Son
Maintained supremacy of
the Father in the Trinity
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As Europe began to struggle and fight for kingdoms, the Byzantine
Empire tries to take back what was lost when Rome fell.
It succeeded in taking over some of these lands under Justinian, but
could not keep them for long.
Much like Rome, Byzantines expand too much and can not govern all
the lands they claim to have claim to control…
Problems and Decline of the Byzantine Empire
•Internal Struggles create familiar problems…
•Rich vs. poor ( just like Rome)
• poor farmers had their land taken by the powerful nobles, who
turned them into serfs (Feudalism taken from the West)
•Emperor vs. Nobles
•Power Struggles result in civil wars, conflicts between
Christians for who was in charge.
•External Struggles
•Ottoman Turks invade and start to conquer large parts of their
territory
•B.E. does not have large enough army to defend all of its territory
•Ottomans Turks eventually conquer Constantinople in 1453, renamed
the capital city Istanbul…not Constantinople. 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWa
8vOjmiMs