History of the Byzantines

Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzantine Capital

330

Byzantium took on the name (Constantinople) after it was under the power of Roman emperor Constantine I. Although attacks on numerous occasions by various countries, the military of Constantinople proved invulnerable for nearly nine hundred years.

General Belisarius Military Campaings

505

Belisarius was inspired by the Emperor Justinian's ambitious and risky project of conquering much of the Mediterranean territory. Belisarius was formerly a general of the Byzantine Empire.

Nika revolt (riots)

532

The Nika revolt took place against Emperor Justinian I and took place over the course of a week in Constantinople in 532 AD. The green and blue factions united and demanded that the city release the prisoners, setting fire to the Praetorium when he did not. The fire spread and others were set the next day, beginning the Nika revolt.

Hagia Sophia Completed

537

The Hagia Sophia combines a beautiful basilica and a centralized building together. It was constructed by Justinian and his wife Theodora in there long reign as Roman leaders. Hagia Sophia, also called Church of the Holy Wisdom or Church of the Divine Wisdom.

Early Islamic military campaigns into Byzantine territory

634

The Muslim conquests brought the fall of the Sassanid Empire and a great territorial loss for the Byzantine Empire. The reasons for the Muslim success are hard to reconstruct in hindsight, because so much about how they won is unknown.

Emperor Basil II military conquests of Bulgaria

970

A series of conflicts between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire led to the gradual conquest of Bulgaria. Bulgarian resistance was led by the Cometopuli brothers.

Great Schism

1054

The Great schism was the break of a trusted bond between what are now the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. This was a result from a variety of political, cultural and theological factors which arouse over centuries.

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

1095

Pope Urban gave a speech and gave permission for the rise of the Crusades by calling all Christians in Europe to war against Muslims in order to reclaim the Holy Land. Between 60,000 and 100,000 people responded to Urban’s call to march on Jerusalem.

Fourth Crusade (attack on Constantinople)

1201

In October 1202, a fleet of 200 ships set sail from the lagoon of Venice. The goal of this trip, the Fourth Crusade, was to win back the holy city of Jerusalem.

Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks (official end to Byzantines)

1435

Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire was one of the most heavily fortified cities in the world. Sultan Mehmed II, ruler of the Ottoman Turks, led the assault. The city was defended by almost 10,000 men.