History of the Byzantines

Byzantine Timeline

Period: 300 to Jan 1, 1500

Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzantine Capital

324

Constantine worked on the Greek city of Byzantium, which already been extensively rebuilt with Roman patterns. The city was founded in 324, renamed Constantinopolis.

Nika revolt

532

The Nika revolts took place over the coarse of one week. They were the most violent riots ever in Constantinople. Nearly half the city was destroyed by fire and thousands of people were killed. They were a result of bad governing by Emperor Justinian and the people were upset about heavy taxation

General Belisarius Military Campaigns

533

Belisarius was the regaining of the western Roman territories occupied by Germanic peoples. Despite some successes, Belisarius had difficulties with his unruly soldiers, and he was stripped of his command on charges of disloyalty

Hagia Sophia Completed

537

The Hagia Sophia was completed at Constantinople in 537. It is the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s greatest monuments. It has a huge 105 foot dome, and many great marble columns. It was considered one of the most beautiful engineering feats at the time.

Early Islamic military campains into Byzantine

634

The invasions began in 634, within two years the Arabs were able to score two impressive victories over the Byzantines. The Byzantines made a counteroffensive and, the various Arab armies’ abandoned their recent conquests in Syria. The Byzantines delayed their attack which lead to their demise.

Emperor Basil II military Conquest in Bulgaria

986

mperor Basil II military conquests of Bulgaria
Byzantine emperor Basil II lead an army of 30,000 men to Bulgaria's capital city, Sophia. The army laid siege to Bulgaria but was later ambushed and defeated. Then in 1000, Basil II lead another invasion to the center of Bulgaria. He captured 15,000 prisoners and killed many others.

Great Schism

1054

The Great Schism, was the rift that occurred within the Christian church in 1054. The church split into two sides: Western Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

First Crusade

1095

The First Crusade was the first attempt to regain the holy land from Islamic expansion.

Fourth Crusade

1200

The Fourth Crusade was a amphibious war in another attempt to regain the holy city of Jerusalem.

Fall of Constantinople

1453

The Byzantine Empire came to an end when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in May 1453. By the mid fifteenth century the Byzantine Empire been in heavy decline, only Constantinople held out behind its supposedly impenetrable walls. Initial attacks where a failure but eventually through simultaneous assaults from the sea and land Constantinople to Mehmed II.