History of the Byzantine

Byzantine Timeline

Period: 300 to Jan 1, 1500

Founding of the Byzantine Capital

330

Constantine wanted a new city different from his predecessors. He settled on building his capital on the site of old byzantium. This new location for his capital had many advantages, the city was geographically in the center of the empire, it was surrounded by water which was easy to defend, and had a very easy to access harbor.

Nika revolt

532

A angry population met at the Hippodrome for the races while Justinian watched the races from his palace. The people said insults to him all day. Later on, the crowds broke up and they started to attack the palace for the next five days.

General Belisarius Military Campaigns

535

Belisarius was sent to North Africa to reclaim provinces that were taken over by the Vandal Kingdom. He reclaimed the provinces in a year, and returned to Constantinople

Hagia Sophia Completed

537

The third Hagia Sophia was completed after the second was burnt down in the Nika revolt. In years to come, the church would be struck with earthquakes that weaken the dome that would eventually collaspe.

Islamic military campaigns into byzantine territory

638

The Islamic campaigns brought an end to the Sassanid Empire and great loss of territory for the the byzantines. The reason the Islamic campaigns did so well is because the Sassanid and the Byzantines were already very weak from fighting with each other.

Emperor Basil II military conquests of Bulgaria

990

Basil II focused on expanding his authority at home and abroad. Year after year, Basil II fought his way closer to the capital of Bulgaria. When he captured the capital, it was brought into the Byzantine Empire.

Great Schism

1054

This was an event that divided the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches. The cause of this the the splitting of Rome.

Emperor Alexios I contacts Pope Urban II

1095

Alexios asks Urban II for help against the Turks. Urban II agreed to help and preached the first crusade.

Fourth Crusade

1204

The goal of the expedition was to win back the holy city of Jerusalem. 15 years before the Doge's fleet sailed, Jerusalem fell to the Muslim Saladin.

Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks

1453

Mehmed began making preparations to reduce the Byzantine capital of Constantinople . The city eroded after the city capture in 1204 during the fourth crusade . To help Constantine help defend Constantinople he asked for aid from pope Nicholas IV but the aid never came