The Byzantines

300 AD to 1500 AD

Period: 300 to Feb 17, 1500

Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzantine Capital

330

Constantine thought it would be best to locate his new city at the site of old Byzantium, calling it to be a New Rome. There were many reasons why he chose that location. It was close to the center of the Empire. It was also surrounded almost completely by water. That way it could be easily defended by placing a chain acrros the bay.There was excellent harbor due to the Golden Horn. Last but not least, an quick access to the Danube River region and the Euphrates frontier.

General Belisarius Military Campaigns

532

In 532 AD, Belisarius put down the Nika uprising in Constantinople, killing around 25 thousand people. A year later, Justinian sent him against Persia, which he defeated effortlesly. In the same year, he was sent to recover back African provinces to the Byzantine Empire. He was also sent to Italy agaist the Orstrogoths and won astonishsing victories once again.He first conquered Sicily, then Rome and Naples, the Ravenna. He was one of the greates generals in Byzantine Empire.

Nika revolt

532

The Byzantine government started to become corrupt and form a bureaucracy. It divided into the poor VS. the rich. It first began as sports and opposing competing teams. The poor started robing the rich declaring that God made all men equal. Religion also became an argument topic, leading to the dislike of the throne holder. It became a fight betwen the Protestants and Cathlics. Mobs started forming and turned to a unified Nika, meaning Win or Conquer.They assulted the palace for 5 days.

Hagia Sophia completed

537

Church of the Holy Wisdom, or the Hagia Sophia, was built in the 6th century. Justinian I ordered it to be built under his directions. Its construction took six yeras ending in 537 Ad. It's considered one of the world's great monuments and the most important Byzantine structure. The building plan is almost square, with columns seperating three aisles. Great marble piers support the dome. The columns have gallaries above them.

Emperor Basil II military conquest of Bulgaria

Jan 1, 986

Emperor Basil II of Byzantine was best known for his successful military campaigns of Bulgaria. It was under the ruler tsar Samuel. From 986 until 1014 there was war between Byzantium and Bulgaria. Basil II received help from the Venetians to protect their land from the Bulgarions. However, slowly Basil started conquering Samuel's territory during summer and winter. He first conquered the northern and central Bulgaria, then finally the Capital, coming out as the victor.

Great Schism

Jan 1, 1054

The Great Schism was the first permanent division of the Christian community. It started at the division of the Roman Empire at the finish of the third century. Which lead to the Eastern and the Western parts of the Roman world to be managed separately. Their differences increneced culturally and economicly. In the fifth century, the Western empire declined, while the Eastern empire continued to flourish.

Early Islamic military campaigns into Byzantine territory

Jan 1, 1071

The Islamic military campaigns into Byzantine territory in 1071, crushing them. The Ottomans started the conquest of Byzantine. However, the Turkish peoples completed the conquest of Constantinople.They created an empire and a caliphate on Byzantium's ruins that lasted until 1924. The Seljuqs and the Ottomans were the ones that carried the banners of Islam farther into Christendom. They were the only ones that conquered as that much land and spread Islam.

Emperor Alexios I contacts Pope Urban for military help in Middle East

Nov 1, 1095

Alexius I, Emperor of Byzantine, asked for military help from Pope Urban II, in order to fight of the Seljuks. Pope Urban asked Western Christians to help the Byzantines to get back Jerusalem from the Muslim Invaders, at the Council of Clermont in November of 1095. European Christians were eager to stop the Muslim threat at once. Also, the hope of divine guidance and forgiveness increased the amount of Christian Crusaders.
This was the start of the Crusades.

Fourth Crusade

Jul 5, 1204

The purpose of the crusades was to take back the Holy Land, Jerusalem, from the Muslims. Pope Urban II was the one who started the crusades, calling the French Knights to free Jerusalem and promising them remission of all their sins. Prince Alexius, a Greek claimant to the throne of Byzantine, offered to help the fourth crusade if they conquered Constantinople for him. Emperor of Constantinople withdrew his army before a war broke out, allowing the Prince to become emperor of Constantinople.

The Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks

Jan 1, 1453

Ruler of the Ottoman Turks, Sultan Mehmed II, led the attacks to bring down Constantinople, in 1453.10,000 men defended the city, however the Turks had between 100,000 and 150,000 soldiers. The attacks were occuring for fifty days. Th turks used cannon, warships, and extensive infantry. They destroyed the walls, inundated the city, and cut the city's sea defenses. The Turks eventually won, taking over Constantinople. Government rules were chnaged and Islam became the main religion.