Tapping your knowledge

1
Byzantine Empire
2
Constantinople

• Constantine molded the new capital after Rome
• Often referred to as New Rome
• City was heavily fortified
• Water on threes side plus a wall was built to
  protect the fourth side
• Multi-ethnic city
• Greeks, Egyptians, Syrians, Persians, Italians,
  Turks, Slavs, Armenians, and Jews
• The citizens spoke Greek, but Latin was the
  official language

3
The Church Divides

• Christianity developed differently in the Eastern
  and Western Roman Empires
• The two churches disagreed over many issues,
  including the use of icons
• Icons are religious images used to aid in prayer
• Leading bishop of Eastern Christianity is known
  as the patriarch
• The Pope and patriarch excommunicated each other
  over religious doctrines
• Eastern and Western churches officially split in
  1054 (The Great Schism)
• The West was Roman Catholic, spoke Latin and was
  located in Rome The East was Eastern Orthodox,
  spoke Greek and was located in Constantinople

4
Byzantine Society

• Byzantine leaders were closely linked to the
  Eastern Orthodox Church
• Emperors were regarded as Gods representatives
  on Earth
• Byzantines spread Christianity by creating
  monasteries and sending missionaries out to
  neighboring areas
• Trade, agriculture and arts were important to the
  Byzantine economy

5
Byzantine Art

• Art was focused on religion.
• Icons Religious portraits, very important in
  the Eastern Orthodox faith
• Mosaics Pictures made of smaller stones or
  pieces of glass
• Illuminated Manuscripts Books decorated in
  elaborate designs, beautiful lettering and
  miniature paintings

6
The Rule of Justinian

• Justinian was the most famous emperor of the
  Byzantine Empire.
• He had been a general in the army, and was
  educated in law, music, architecture, and
  theology.
• As Emperor
• He chose those who served under him based on
  ability, not wealth.
• He was leader of the army navy, made laws, led
  the government church, and was the supreme
  judge.
• Developed the Justinian Code
• Combined the Greek and Roman legal traditions
• Formed the basis for civil law in Western
  civilization
• He even inspired the spelling of the word justice

7
Justinians Conquest

• He wanted to reunite the eastern and western
  parts of the empire and return it to what Rome
  once was.
• Reorganized the armies and developed new tactics
  that strengthened their striking ability.
• Greek Fire was developed and used very
  effectively by the Navy.
• It was a chemical mixture that ignited when it
  came into contact with fire.
• His conquests took Italy and lands in Spain and
  North Africa.

8
Justinians Contributions

• Justinian launched programs to beautify the
  capital at Constantinople
• Justinian had many construction
  projects-churches, bridges, roads, monasteries,
  forums, and forts
• The most famous was the Hagia Sophia
• Byzantines preserved Greco-Roman culture and
  learning
• City became a trading hub with major marketplace
• Giant Hippodrome offered chariot races and other
  entertainment

9
Theodora

• Theodora was Justinians wife and she aided in
  many of his decisions.
• Justinian changed the marriage law to marry her.
• She convinced Justinian that women could own
  land.
• She also helped him to subdue rebellions in the
  empire.

10
Fall of the Byzantine Empire

• Bubonic plague repeatedly swept through the
  empire
• The Byzantines were attacked by invading armies
• Lombards, Slavs, Avars, Bulgars, Persians and
  Arabs
• The Turks soon followed and caused the most
  damage.
• During the Crusades, Western European (Roman
  Catholic) soldiers invaded Constantinople
• In 1453, Constantinople was captured and the
  Byzantine Empire ended
• But it lasted almost 1,000 years after the fall
  of Rome.

11
The Russian Empire

• Byzantines traded with Slavs, groups north of
  Black Sea
• Eastern Orthodox missionaries converted many
  Slavs
• Missionaries created Cyrillic alphabet, which is
  the basis of many Slavic languages
• Eventually Slavic and Greek traditions combined
  to produce Russian culture
• In the 800s, Vikings settled among Slavs and
  moved to Kiev
• In 900s Kiev royalty visited Constantinople and
  converted to Christianity and in 989 all Kiev
  citizens were baptized
• Beliefs and traditions of Orthodox Christianity
  flourished in Kiev

12
Kievs Power and Decline

• Russia expanded into Poland, and north to the
  Baltic Sea
• Forged alliances, created legal code, and built
  churches
• The realm was divided between two royal sons,
  which caused a civil war
• Kievs commerce was further weakened by the
  Crusades

13
The Russians and the Mongols

• Mongols, nomads from central Asia, conquered Kiev
  in the 1240
• Mongols ruled much of Russia for the next 200
  years
• Mongols gave Russians many freedoms, but demanded
  obedience and tribute
• Mongol rule isolated Russia from rest of Europe
• Moscow was founded in 1100s, located near
  Russias three main rivers, eventually became an
  important center of the Eastern Orthodox Faith
• In the late 1400s Ivan III became prince of
  Moscow and challenged Mongol rule
• He took the name czar, Russian for Caesar, and
  vowed to restore Russia
• Russian and Mongol armies faced off in 1480
• Both armies retreated and Russia gained freedom
  from Mongol rule

14
Turkish Empires Rise in Anatolia

• The powerful Abbasid Empire faced many attacks
  during 700s and 800s
• Persians conquered the Abbasid capital,
  Baghdad, in 945
• Group led by Turkish family, the Seljuks,
  seized Baghdad in 1055
• Turks are a nomadic group living along western
  border of China
• 1071 Seljuk sultans crushed the Byzantine Empire
• Seljuks take most of Anatolia which brought
  Turks close to Constantinople
• Turks sought support of Persians and embraced
  Persian culture
• Persians had key posts, including vizier, prime
  minister
• Adopted Persian language and religion, Islam

15
Seljuks Confront Mongols and Crusaders

• Seljuk Empire disintegrated into minor kingdoms
  around 1100
• Crusades began in 1095
• Christians drove Turks out of Anatolia
• 1099 Crusaders captured Jerusalem and massacred
  Muslims and Jews
• Fragment of Seljuk Empire fought back and the
  Muslims regained Jerusalem
• Saladin (Turk) allowed Western pilgrims access to
  the Christian holy places
• Mongol armies captured Baghdad in 1258, burned
  the palace and killed the Abbasid caliph
• This ended Turkish rule