Post on 18-Dec-2015
The Byzantine Empire
Empire known as Eastern Roman EmpireCapital is Constantinople
Present-Day Istanbul
Most important Byzantine
Emperor Ruled with absolute power;
headed state and church After 13 years in office he has
reclaimed all of the Old Roman Empire
Byzantines control this territory for about 15 years, lose it about 5 years after Justinian’s death in 550
Emperor Justinian
Code served Byzantine Empire for 900
years A code of laws that people can actually
read and know what the law is Prevented oppression from leaders of
making new laws Still used in north Africa and southern
Europe today Consisted of 4 works
Code – 5,000 Roman laws Digest – legal opinions Institutes – how to use the laws Novellae – New Laws
Justinian’s Code2nd Accomplishment
Most powerful woman in
Byzantine history. Advisor to her husband As empress, she passed laws and
built churches
Theodora, Justinian’s Wife
Church Divides - Schism
Western Empire becomes Roman Catholic
Pope supported Icons Pope ordered
excommunication of a Byzantine emperor
Conduct services in Latin
Head of Church is the Pope
Eastern Empire becomes Eastern Orthodox
Leo III – banned icons (viewed them as idol worship)
Conduct services in Greek/local languages
Head of Church is Patriarch and Bishops
Spread Christianity to Slavs
Missionaries from the Orthodox Church took
their form of Christianity to the Slavs Two missionaries, Saint Methodius and Saint
Cyril, invented an alphabet for the Slavic languages.
The Cyrillic Alphabet – allowed Slavs to read the Bible in their own languages.
Cyrillic Alphabet
Russia grows out of a blending of Slavic and
Byzantine cultures and adopts Eastern Orthodox traditions.
Russia
Emergence of Russian Culture
Byzantium trades with Slavs – groups living north of Black Sea
Eventually Slavic and Greek traditions produce Russian culture
Slavs and Vikings In 800s, Vikings settle among Slavs; move to Kiev Vikings and Slavs mix cultures, become one
Russia’s Birth
Princess Olga of Kiev visits Constantinople;
converts to Christianity Her grandson, Vladimir, becomes leader of
Kiev around 980 In 989, Vladimir has all Kiev citizens convert to
Byzantine Christianity and baptized in Dnieper River
Beliefs and traditions of Orthodox Christianity flourish in Kiev
Kiev Becomes Orthodox
Kievan Russia
Vladimir expands Russia into Poland, and north to Baltic Sea
Vladimir’s son, Yaroslav the Wise, rules Kiev in 1019 Forges alliances, creates legal code, builds churches
Keiv’s Decline Yaroslav divides realm between his sons (instead of
following the custom of passing on the throne to the eldest son); this causes civil war.
Kiev’s commerce is further weakened by the Crusades The Crusades – clash between Christians and Muslims
over Holy Lands
Kiev’s Power and Decline
The Mongols Mongols, nomads from central Asia, begin
conquests in early 1200s Kiev falls in 1240 to Genghis Khan’s grandson,
Batu Khan Mongols rule much of Russia for the next 200 years
Mongol Rule in Russia Mongols give Russians many freedoms, but
demand obedience, tribute Russian nobles such as Alexander Nevsky
support Mongols (he advised his fellow princes to cooperate with the Mongols).
Mongol rule isolates Russia from rest of Europe
The Mongol Invasions
The Rise of Moscow
Moscow founded in 1100s (crude village protected by a log wall) Located near three major rivers: Volga, Dnieper, and Don. Imp
because it was a strategic location, a prince of Moscow who could gain control of all 3, could control nearly all of European Russia – be able to challenge Mongols!!!!
Moscow’s Powerful Princes Moscow’s princes grow strong under Mongol rule throughout the
1300s An Empire Emerges
Late 1400s Ivan III becomes prince of Moscow; challenges Mongol rule.
Takes the name czar, Russian for “Caesar”, and vows to restore Russia
Russian and Mongol armies face off at Ugra River in 1480 Both armies retreat and Russia marks this bloodless standoff as
their liberation from Mongol rule
Russia Breaks Free
Turkish people convert to Islam and establish
new empires that renew Muslim civilization
Turkish Empires Rise in Anatolia
Decline of the Abbasids
Powerful Abbasid Empire face many attacks during 700s and 800s.
Persians conquer Abbasid capital, Baghdad in 945 The Conquering Seljuks
Turks are a nomadic group living along western border of China 10th century –growing number of Turks began converting to
Islam and slowly migrating into the weakened Abbasid Empire. One of the first of these migrating Turkish groups was known
as – the Seljuks – seizes Baghdad in 1055 from the Persians In 1071 Seljuk sultans crush Byzantine Empire at Battle of
Manzikert Within 10 years, Seljuks take most of Anatolia; bring Turks
close to Constantinople
The Rise of the Turks
The Turks Secure Persian Support
Turks seek support of Persians and embrace Persian culture
Give Persians key posts, include that of vizier, or prime minister
Adopt Persian language and religion – Islam Malik Shah was one of the most famous Seljuk
rulers, or shahs He and other shahs support Persian artists;
build mosques
The Rise of the Turks
In 1092, Malik Shah dies; ruled as the last of
the strong Seljuk leaders; after his unexpected death in 1092, no capable shah replaces him
Seljuk Empire disintegrates into loose collection of minor kingdoms
Seljuks Confront Crusaders and Mongols
The Seljuks and the Crusaders
Pope Urban II launched the First Crusade in 1095 – Christians drive Turks out of Anatolia and recover Jerusalem from Muslim rule
In 1099, Crusaders capture Jerusalem; massacre Muslims and Jews
Fragment of Seljuk Empire fights back, Muslims recover Jerusalem in 1187
Saladin and his Western opponent King Richard I of England sign a true.
Agreement gives Jerusalem to the Muslims but granted Western pilgrims access to Christian holy places
Seljuks Confront Crusaders and Mongols
Remember: Mongols were a nomadic clan
that grew into a unified force under the rule of Genghis Khan and swiftly conquered China
Mongol armies under leader Hulagu capture Baghdad (ruled by Seljuks) in 1258
Hulagu, Genghis Kahn’s grandson, burns palace, kills Abbasid caliph (an Islamic religious or political leader)
Ends Turkish rule with much bloodshed
Seljuks Face the Mongols