Imperial and Patriarchal Court of Constantinople
Welcome to Constantinople - Capital of the Roman Empire
Byzantium was founded by Greeks in the mid-600's B.C. It became part of the Roman Empire in the 100's B.C. In A.D. 306, Constantine the Great became emperor of the western half of the Roman Empire. He became emperor of the entire Roman Empire in 324. In 330, Constantine made Byzantium the capital of the empire because the eastern section had become more important than the western area. The capital was renamed Constantinople.
In 395, after the death of Emperor Theodosius, the empire was permanently divided into two parts. Germanic invaders gradually took over the western section during the 400's. This area, called the West Roman Empire, collapsed in 476.
The Roman Empire reached its greatest size under Emperor Justinian I, who ruled from 527 to 565. Justinian was determined to bring back the grandeur of the Roman Empire by regaining territory in the west. Under his leadership, Italy, the southeastern coast of Spain, and much of northern Africa were reconquered. The empire had already included Asia Minor (now Turkey), the Balkan Peninsula, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.
The Romans organized many laws of the ancient Romans. This collection of laws became known as the Justinian Code and ever since has been the basis of the legal systems of many countries. Justinian also built Hagia Sophia, the empire's largest and most splendid Christian church. Today, this famous cathedral attracts large numbers of visitors to Istanbul.
Trade thrived during Justinian's reign, and Roman art and architecture flourished. But the empire's funds were used up by the high cost of the wars and improvements that took place under Justinian. As a result, the empire was bankrupt when he died in 565.
Invasion and conquest. After Justinian's death, barbarians attacked the empire on all fronts. Lombards from Germany seized parts of Italy, and Slavs and Avars invaded the Balkan Peninsula. Persian invasions weakened the empire during the late 500's and early 600's. Heraclius, who became ruler in 610, temporarily stopped the collapse by defeating the Persians.
A new enemy attacked the weakened empire in 634, when Muslim Arabs invaded its Middle Eastern territory. By 642, the Arabs had conquered Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. By the early 700's, the empire consisted only of Asia Minor, the Balkan coast, Crete and other Greek islands, southern Italy, and Sicily. In the 700's and early 800's, Byzantine emperors tried to end the worship of images of Jesus Christ and the saints. Churches in the western part of the empire opposed this action. The dispute nearly split the empire.
During the 800's, the empire began to expand again. Roman armies drove the Arabs back on several fronts. From 867 to 1025, under Emperor Basil I and his descendants, the empire achieved another major period of success. Basil began work on a new code of laws. Leo VI, who came to power in 886, completed the code and encouraged artists and scholars. Constantine VII, the ruler from 913 to 959, continued to encourage the arts. He also wrote handbooks on government. Basil II, who became emperor in 976, regained territory in eastern Asia Minor and reconquered Bulgaria. Trade grew in addition to this expansion, and the empire prospered.
A quarrel with the West began in 1054. That year, a dispute over the pope's authority in the empire led to a break between the churches in the western and eastern sections.
The decline and end of the empire. The Roman Empire began to collapse again during the 1000's. By 1071, the Normans had taken southern Italy. That same year, in Asia Minor, the Seljuk Turks defeated a Byzantine army in the Battle of Manzikert. This defeat began the decline of Byzantine control of Asia Minor. Emperor Alexius Comnenus, who came to power in 1081, asked the Christians of Western Europe to help defend the empire against the Turks. The Turks had invaded the Holy Land in addition to the Roman Empire. The military expeditions of the Christians against the invaders of the Holy Land became known as the Crusades. During the First Crusade, from 1096 to 1099, crusaders regained the coastal regions of the Holy Land.
Later crusades resulted in increased tension between the Romans and the West European Christians. In 1204, during the Fourth Crusade, religious hatred played a key role in the capture of Constantinople by Western forces. This conquest occurred partly because merchants from the Italian city of Venice wanted to gain control over trade in the Middle East. The Venetians and the crusaders established a new empire and kept the government in Constantinople.
Members of the court of the defeated Romans established bases in Asia Minor. The Romans recaptured Constantinople in 1261. But Ottoman Turks soon invaded Asia Minor, and the Serbs advanced in the Balkans. Civil wars also weakened the empire.
The empire currently sits in a state of decline. No longer a great power, it struggles on. Perhaps under it's new leadership, it will once again flourish. Or is it doomed to fade into the annals of history...?
Welcome to Constantinople - Capital of the Roman Empire
Byzantium was founded by Greeks in the mid-600's B.C. It became part of the Roman Empire in the 100's B.C. In A.D. 306, Constantine the Great became emperor of the western half of the Roman Empire. He became emperor of the entire Roman Empire in 324. In 330, Constantine made Byzantium the capital of the empire because the eastern section had become more important than the western area. The capital was renamed Constantinople.
In 395, after the death of Emperor Theodosius, the empire was permanently divided into two parts. Germanic invaders gradually took over the western section during the 400's. This area, called the West Roman Empire, collapsed in 476.
The Roman Empire reached its greatest size under Emperor Justinian I, who ruled from 527 to 565. Justinian was determined to bring back the grandeur of the Roman Empire by regaining territory in the west. Under his leadership, Italy, the southeastern coast of Spain, and much of northern Africa were reconquered. The empire had already included Asia Minor (now Turkey), the Balkan Peninsula, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.
The Romans organized many laws of the ancient Romans. This collection of laws became known as the Justinian Code and ever since has been the basis of the legal systems of many countries. Justinian also built Hagia Sophia, the empire's largest and most splendid Christian church. Today, this famous cathedral attracts large numbers of visitors to Istanbul.
Trade thrived during Justinian's reign, and Roman art and architecture flourished. But the empire's funds were used up by the high cost of the wars and improvements that took place under Justinian. As a result, the empire was bankrupt when he died in 565.
Invasion and conquest. After Justinian's death, barbarians attacked the empire on all fronts. Lombards from Germany seized parts of Italy, and Slavs and Avars invaded the Balkan Peninsula. Persian invasions weakened the empire during the late 500's and early 600's. Heraclius, who became ruler in 610, temporarily stopped the collapse by defeating the Persians.
A new enemy attacked the weakened empire in 634, when Muslim Arabs invaded its Middle Eastern territory. By 642, the Arabs had conquered Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. By the early 700's, the empire consisted only of Asia Minor, the Balkan coast, Crete and other Greek islands, southern Italy, and Sicily. In the 700's and early 800's, Byzantine emperors tried to end the worship of images of Jesus Christ and the saints. Churches in the western part of the empire opposed this action. The dispute nearly split the empire.
During the 800's, the empire began to expand again. Roman armies drove the Arabs back on several fronts. From 867 to 1025, under Emperor Basil I and his descendants, the empire achieved another major period of success. Basil began work on a new code of laws. Leo VI, who came to power in 886, completed the code and encouraged artists and scholars. Constantine VII, the ruler from 913 to 959, continued to encourage the arts. He also wrote handbooks on government. Basil II, who became emperor in 976, regained territory in eastern Asia Minor and reconquered Bulgaria. Trade grew in addition to this expansion, and the empire prospered.
A quarrel with the West began in 1054. That year, a dispute over the pope's authority in the empire led to a break between the churches in the western and eastern sections.
The decline and end of the empire. The Roman Empire began to collapse again during the 1000's. By 1071, the Normans had taken southern Italy. That same year, in Asia Minor, the Seljuk Turks defeated a Byzantine army in the Battle of Manzikert. This defeat began the decline of Byzantine control of Asia Minor. Emperor Alexius Comnenus, who came to power in 1081, asked the Christians of Western Europe to help defend the empire against the Turks. The Turks had invaded the Holy Land in addition to the Roman Empire. The military expeditions of the Christians against the invaders of the Holy Land became known as the Crusades. During the First Crusade, from 1096 to 1099, crusaders regained the coastal regions of the Holy Land.
Later crusades resulted in increased tension between the Romans and the West European Christians. In 1204, during the Fourth Crusade, religious hatred played a key role in the capture of Constantinople by Western forces. This conquest occurred partly because merchants from the Italian city of Venice wanted to gain control over trade in the Middle East. The Venetians and the crusaders established a new empire and kept the government in Constantinople.
Members of the court of the defeated Romans established bases in Asia Minor. The Romans recaptured Constantinople in 1261. But Ottoman Turks soon invaded Asia Minor, and the Serbs advanced in the Balkans. Civil wars also weakened the empire.
The empire currently sits in a state of decline. No longer a great power, it struggles on. Perhaps under it's new leadership, it will once again flourish. Or is it doomed to fade into the annals of history...?
