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Period: 300 to Jan 1, 1500
Byzantine Empire
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330
Emperor Constantine
Roman emperor Constantine shifted their base to the eastern Mediterranean. He rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantine and renamed it after himslf. He called this rebuilt city Constantinople and it became the new capital of the empire. The eastern Roman empire became know as the Byzantine empire. -
527
New Emperor Justinian
Justinian ruled from 527 to 565. He was determined to bring back ancient Rome by recoveing the lands that had been taken over by foriegn invaders. He rebuilt the church of Hagia Sophia to restore Roman glory after the fire that destroyed Constantinople. He also created the Justinian Code which was a massive collection of laws brought together from Roman assemblies, Roman judges, or Roman emperors. -
533
General Belisarius
He was loyal to Emperor Justinian's big project of reconquering much of the former Western Roman Empire. He was eventually given the name ¨The Last Of The Romans.¨ He is debated to be one of the best generals of the Byzantine Empire. -
537
Hagia Sophia Completed
The Hagia Sophia was built to restore Roman glory. Hagia Sophia means Holy Wisdom. Its immense arching domes improved on Roman architecture. The interior glowed wiht colored marble and embroidered silk curtains. -
Jan 1, 600
Islamic Conquests
Arab armies gradually gained control of the Mediteranean. Constantinople witheld thes attacks and Byzantine still controlled the Balkans and Asia Minor -
Jan 1, 1025
Emperor Basil II Military Conquests
Coquered Bulgaria and expanded the Byzantine empire. He led many powerful miltary groups to take over other Asia Minor counties until his death in 1025 -
Jan 1, 1054
The Great Schism
The split between eastern and western christianity was known as 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 contacts between the two churches became guarded and distant. They treted eachother as rivals rather than two branches of the same faith. -
Jan 1, 1095
Emperor Alexios I and Pope Urban II
The inherited a collapsing empire and were faced with constant warfare during his reign against both the Seljuq Turks in Asia Minor and the Normans in the western Balkans. -
Jan 1, 1204
Fourth Crusade
Venetian merchants persuaded knights to attack Constantinople. For three days, the crusaders burned and destroyed the city, spending much treasure westward. -
Jan 1, 1453
The End of the Byzantines
The Ottoman forces surround Constantinople. They brought cannons and broke through the city's walls.the last emperor said "God forbid that I should live an emperor without an empire. He chose to die fighting against the turks after the 2 month long invasion.
