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330
Emperor Constantine Founded Constantinople
German invaders attacked the Roman Empire in the west so Emperor Constantine moved their base to the eastern Mediterranean. There he rebuilt the Greek city of Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople. Constantinople became the capital of the eastern Roman Empire, which became known as the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople sat along many land and sea routes, and it became Europe's busiest marketplace. -
Period: 527 to 565
General Belisarius Military Campaigns
General Belisarius was a Byzantine general for Emperor Justinian I. His military career started in 527 with an attack on the Sassanians. Although he lost the war against the Sassanians, Belisarius was an important figure in the Roman military who led many victorious military campaigns. He led imperial armies against Persia, the Vandal kingdom of North Africa, the Ostrogothic regime of Italy, and the people of the Nika revolt. Belisarius died in 565. -
532
Nika Revolts
Chariot races were popular in Constantinople and the Blue and Green chariot teams rivaled against each other. But Blue and Green united in 532 when Emperor Justinian killed both teams' ringleaders. At the next chariot race everyone in the crowd yelled "nika," meaning "conquer." For five days rioters surged through the city, burning churches and buildings. They demanded a new emperor, but Justinian fought back with soldiers. Some 30,000 citizens of Constantinople were killed duing the revolt. -
537
Hagia Sophia Completed
After a devastating fire that ruined parts of Constantinople, Emperor Justinian decided to rebuild the church of Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia, which means "Holy Wisdom" was completed in 537. It was an elegant church with an immense, arching dome, and an interior filled with marble and silk. -
Period: Jan 1, 634 to Jan 1, 1291
Early Islamic military campaigns into Byzantine territory
Early Islamic military campaigns included the Byzantine provinces of Egypt, Syria, Persia, and North Africa. The Muslim's power over the Holy Land caused major conflict between them and the Byzantine Empire. -
Jan 1, 1054
The Great Schism
Differences and controversies between the Byzantine Christians in the east and Roman Catholics in the west led to the Great Schism, the permanent split between eastern and western Christianity. The Byzantine Christian Church became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church. In the west, the Church became known as the Roman Catholic Church. -
Jan 1, 1095
Emperor Alexios contacts Pope Urban II for help
The Seljuk Turks were a serious threat to the Byzantine empire. The Seljuks, who were Islam, disrupted travel to the Holy Land and the conflict threatened the survival of the Byzantine empire. In 1095, the Byzantine emperor Alexius I asked Pope Urban II for Christian knights to help him fight the Muslim Turks. Urban agreed to help despite the fact that Roman popes and Byzantine emperors were rivals. -
Period: Jan 1, 1202 to Jan 1, 1204
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade started when Pope Innocent III decided to attack the Egyptians. Venice helped the Crusaders, but they were unable to pay the Venetians back for their service. Instead of paying the money, the crusaders helped the Venetians capture and loot Constantinople. -
Jan 1, 1453
Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks
The Fourth Crusade left the Byzantine empire very weak. As the empire continued to decline, it faced a threat from the Ottoman Turks. Mehmet II led his Turk forces to victory at Constantinople, and in 1453, the Byzantine empire came to an end. -
Period: to Jan 1, 1015
Emperor Basil II military conquest of Bulgaria
Basil II was an emperor of the Byzantine Empire. One of his goals as leader was to conquer Bulgaria. His first attempt to conquer Bulgaria in 986 was a failure. In 990, Basil resumed his attack on Bulgaria, which became the prime target of his military efforts. Basil eventually wore down King Samuel of Bulgaria after 25 years of war, and he annexed Bulgaria into the Byzantine empire.
