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357
Religious Split
Eastern Christianity built its heritage on the works of early Church fathers. One was Saint Basil, who, around 357, wrote rules for the life of monks. Here, Saint Basil describes how monks and Christians should behave. -
400
Bishop of Constantinople
As bishop of Constantinople from 398 to 404, Chrysostom was the patriarch, or leading bishop of the East. -
532
"Holy Wisdom"
The crowning glory of his reign was Hagia Sophia, which means “Holy Wisdom” in Greek. A church of the same name had been destroyed in riots that swept Constantinople -
532
Constantinople's Hectic Pace
Two such fan groups sparked citywide riots called the Nika Rebellion. "Nika" transates to "Victory" as the mob would yell during the riot. -
542
The Plague
Historians estimate that in 542, the worst year of the plague, 10,000 people were dying every day. The illness broke out repeatedly until around 700, when it finally faded. By that time, it had destroyed a huge percentage of the Byzantine population. -
565
Life in New Rome
“The panel created a single, uniform code known as the Justinian Code. After its completion, the code consisted of four works. The Code contained nearly 5,000 Roman laws that were still considered useful for the Byzantine Empire.
The Digest quoted and summarized the opinions of Rome’s greatest legal thinkers about the laws. This massive work ran to a total of 50 volumes.
The Institutes was a textbook that told law students how to use the laws.
The Novellae (New Laws) presented legislation -
565
The Empire Falls
Justinian died in 565, and the empire suffered many setbacks. Such as riots, religious quarrels, and foreign dangers -
570
"Allah"
A belief in one god in Arabic; around A.D. 570, Muhammad was born- begun to preach publicly in Mecca -
572
A New Rome
In 527, a high-ranking Byzantine nobleman named Justinian succeeded his uncle to the throne of the Eastern Empire. -
Dec 1, 600
Crossroads of Trade
Trade routes began to connect Arabia to the major ocean and land routes- went past the peninsula to the Byzantine and Sassanid empires -
Dec 1, 600
Frankish Ruler
“By 600, the Church, with the help of Frankish rulers, had converted many Germanic peoples. These new converts had settled in Rome’s former lands. Missionaries also spread Christianity. These religious travelers often risked their lives to bring religious beliefs to other lands." -
Dec 1, 620
The Hijrah
By 622, Muhammad left Mecca after his followers were attacked- migration became known as the Hijrah -
Dec 1, 630
Mecca
“In 630, Muhammad and 10,000 of his followers marched to the outskirts of Mecca. Facing sure defeat, Mecca’s leaders surrendered. Muhammad entered the city in triumph. He destroyed the idols in the Ka’aba and had the call to prayer made from its roof -
Dec 1, 632
Caliphs
“In 632, Abu-Bakr became the first caliph (KAY•lihf), a title that means “successor” or “deputy." -
Dec 1, 656
Internal Conflicts
In 656, Uthman was murdered, starting a civil war in which various groups struggled for power. -
Dec 1, 730
Emperor Leo III
In 730, Emperor Leo III banned the use of icons, religious images used by Eastern Christians to aid their devotions. -
Dec 1, 750
Muslim Empire
“By 750, the Muslim Empire stretched 6,000 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indus River.” -
Dec 1, 750
Control over Continents
When the Abbasids came to power in 750, they ruthlessly murdered the remaining members of the Umayyad family. One prince named Abd al-Rahman -
Dec 1, 1019
Vladamir and His Son
“In 1019, Vladimir’s son Yaroslav the Wise came to the throne and led Kiev to even greater glory. Like the rulers of Byzantium, Yaroslav skillfully married off his daughters and sisters to the kings and princes of Western Europe." -
Dec 1, 1127
Song Rules Hangzhou
“The Song rulers established a grand new capital at Hangzhou, a coastal city south of the Chang Jiang. Despite its military troubles, the dynasty of the Southern Song (1127–1279) saw rapid economic growth. The south had become the economic heartland “of China. Merchants in southern cities grew rich from trade with Chinese in the north, nomads of Central Asia, and people of western Asia and Europe." -
Dec 1, 1199
Magna Carta
Henry was first succeeded first by his so Richard the Lion-hearted, hero of the 3rd Crusade. Richard died, his younger brother John took the throne, and he ruled from 1199. -
Dec 1, 1199
Magna Carta
Henry was first succeeded first by his so Richard the Lion-hearted, hero of the 3rd Crusade. Richard died, his younger brother John took the throne, and he ruled from 1199. -
Dec 1, 1240
Mongols
“In 1240, the Mongols attacked and demolished Kiev. They rode under the leadership of Batu Khan, Genghis’s grandson." -
Dec 1, 1386
Innovations
“New ideas and forms of expression began to flow out of the universities. At a time when serious scholars and writers were writing in Latin, a few remarkable poets began using a lively vernacular, or the everyday language of their homeland." -
Dec 1, 1480
Mongols and the Tribute
“In 1480, Ivan made a final break with the Mongols. After he refused to pay his rulers further tribute, Russian and Mongol armies faced eachother at the Ugra River, about 150 miles southwest of Moscow." -
Sui Dynasty
“Wendi declared himself the first emperor of the Sui (sway) Dynasty. The dynasty lasted through only two emperors, from 581 to 618. The Sui emperors’ greatest accomplishment was the completion of the Grand Canal. This waterway connected the Huang He and the Chang Jiang. The canal provided a vital route for trade between the northern cities and the southern rice-producing region of the Chang delta -
Dome of the Rock
“The Dome of the Rock, located in Jerusalem, is the earliest surviving Islamic monument. It was completed in 691 and is part of a larger complex, which is the third most holy place in Islam. -
Russia
Kiev Becomes Orthodox In 957, a member of the Kievan nobility, Princess Olga, paid a visit to Constantinople and publicly converted to Christianity. From 945 to 964, she governed Kiev until her son was old enough to rule. -
Trading Coinage Systems
“As traders moved from fair to fair, they needed large amounts of cash or credit and ways to exchange many types of currencies. Enterprising merchants found ways to solve these problems. For example, bills of exchange established exchange rates between different coinage systems."
