The Byzantine Empire

• Constantinople: • Roman Emperor

capital city of Constantine became
Byzantine Empire; a Christian and
ancient Byzantium; stopped persecution
modern Istanbul of Christians
• Constantine: Roman • Moved capital city to
Emperor who moved Byzantium in eastern
capital to Byzantium empire, renamed it
Constantinople
 The Byzantine Empire
• Strait – narrow body • Citizens of
of water separating Constantinople were
two land masses still called Byzantines
• Bosporus – strait • Empire eventually split
in two – one capital in
separating Europe Rome (Holy Roman
and Asia; connects Empire), one in
Black Sea to Constantinople
Mediterranean • The eastern half of
empire was stronger
and wealthier
The Byzantine Empire
• Constantinople was at
crossroads of land
and sea trade routes
• Was located on the
Bosporus
• City charged taxes for
all goods passing
through the city –
grew wealthy
 The Byzantine Empire
• Justinian’s Code: • 476 Holy Roman
collection of Roman (western) Empire falls
laws and explanations • Justinian was a great
for them and their Byzantine ruler
use; became basis for • Main contribution was
many modern legal organizing laws in
systems Justinian’s Code
 The Byzantine Empire
• Greek Fire: Ancient • Emperors after
weapon that was a Justinian had to fight
substance that would many wars against
burn without going out neighbors
– even in water; • Greek Fire used to
formula now lost to defend themselves
history
 The Byzantine Empire
• Schism: Split – • Byzantines were
usually between two Christian
groups who originally • Celebrated differently
had similar beliefs from Christians in
West
• In 1054 founded their
own church: Eastern
(Greek) Orthodox
• Christians in West
were called Catholics
The Byzantine Empire
• Conflicts with Turks and
others weakened empire
• Catholic Christian
Crusaders and Muslims
often attacked empire
• 1453 force of 70,000
Muslim Turks laid siege
to Constantinople
• 7,000 defenders held out
for two months
The Byzantine Empire
• Empire fell in 1453
• Muslims took over,
rebuilt the city and
renamed it Istanbul
The Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire