History of Byzantine

Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzantine Capital

330

Emperor Constantine I moved their capital city, rebuilding it over the city of Byzantium and dubbing it Constantinople after himself. 'New Rome' spirals from this turn of events, and the Byzantine Empire long outlasts its western counterpart.

Nika Revolts (Riots)

532

The people in Constantinople were divided into factions, the most famous of them being the Blue and Green, who held races using horses and chariots against each other. After a particularly vicious fight between the two, Justinian ordered the capture and death of the leaders of both factions and a few others, angering their brotherhood. For the first time in history, the Blues and Greens teamed up to besiege the Great Palace for five days. Justinian ordered the end of the riot, thousands dying.

Hagia Sophia

532

An architectural feat created by Justinian during the Byzantine Empire, it was built to be a church, holding great importance to the Romans, later to become and important monument for the Ottoman Turks during the Ottoman empire, being converted into a mosque. Now it serves as a museum in Turkey.
With an immense, arching dome that far out-does it's predecessors, Hagia Sophia means Holy Wisdom, built to bring glory back to the Romans after a period of devastation.

General Belisarius Military Campaigns

536

Belisarius was given control of the army by Justinian I during the Nika Revolts, effectivly executing the downfall of the rioters. Belisarius was sent again repeatedly by Justinian I to win battles and wars for the Byzantine Empire, and Belisarius proved his loyalty and brilliant mind as he defeated the Persians and did many other notable deeds. Belisarius grew popular, and Justinian replaced him. His campaign ended when he was suspected of being apart of a ploy to take the emperor's life.

Emperor Basil II military conquests of Bulgaria

1014

Basil the Bulgarian Slayer
Basil II began his reptuation as a soilder fairly early in his life, and he attempted to campain against the Bulgarians, the Byzantine's northern enenimes in 986, which proved a failure. In 1990, Basil began once more, and 25 years of war followed. Basil was able to wear the Bulgarians down, and crippled them, effectvly winning

Great Schism

1054

The Great Schism is dubbed as the permanent split between Christianity, the two sides being the Byzantine Church, dubbed as the Eastern Orthodox Church, and in the west the church became known as the Roman Catholic Church. After the Great Schism, differences in the two sects of Christianity became more prominent.

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

1095

The Turks took control of Jerusalem, barring Christen's from the Holy Land, otherwise known as the Middle East. Previously, the Christians could enter the land freely. The Turks threatened to invade the Byzantine Empire and take Constantinople, the Alexios I asks Urban II for help, and in response he makes an inspirational speech to call all Christians in Europe to war against the Muslims (the Turks) to take control of the Middle East.

The Fourth Crusade

1204

The goal of the Fourth Crusade was to win back the holy city of Jerusalem, and to unite the forces of Christendom against Islam, who held the territory. However, they were divided and ended up fighting among themselves, and the Crusaders captured and looted Constantinople . Constantinople declined in strength after the Fourth Crusade and ended up losing to the Ottoman Turks, who conquered the remaining territory of the Byzantine Empire and the capital city in 1453.

Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks

1453

Mehmed II, the leader of the Ottoman Turks beseiged Constantinople with a force of 75,000 to 100,000 troops, and any attempts to negitiate a(or) surrender was futile. Mehmed II won the battle, with 5,000 Byzantine losses and not many Turk losses. He was titled the "Conqueror" and Constantinople was named his capital, claiming to be the successor to the Roman Empire.

Islamic Military Campaign into Byzantine Territory

1453

The Christian Crusaders from the Byzantine Empire and the Muslims in the Middle East had frequent power struggles against each other, locked in a series of mini-wars for a period of time. The Byzantine Empire had lost many lands, and the Fourth crusade exhausted them additionally. The empire declined futher, and finally fell to the Ottoman Turks who were directed by Mehmet II.