Official Name: Empire of the Romans
Commonly Used Name(s): Byzantine Empire
Government Type: Absolute Monarchy
Current Ruling Party (if applicable): n/a
Capital: Constantinople
Head of State: Basileus Ioannes XXXVI
Cultures: Greek and Coptic
Languages: Greek
Religions: Greek Catholic
Population: 235 Million
Founding Date: 324 AD
Location: Greece, Asia Minor and Levant
Flag:
Official Name: Holy Kingdom of Rome
Commonly Used Name(s): Rome
Government Type: Semi-Absolute Monarchy
Current Ruling Party (if applicable): Conservatives
Capital: Rome
Head of State: King Antonius XXI
Cultures: Latin
Languages: Latin
Religions: Roman Catholic
Population: 67 Million
Founding Date: 480 AD
Location: Italy
Flag:
History: After the Last Western Emperor was deposed in 476 AD, Odacer proclaimed himself King of Rome. However, a Roman named Antonius Brutus raised an army to depose him with the help of the Eastern Empire- on the condition that the new King be a vassal of the Emperor of Constantinople. After a four year long bloody war, Antonius slew Odacer himself in the ruins of Rome. He took the new crown of Rome, but was subject to the Eastern Empire. He repaired most of Rome and built new defenses and Churches, but left the original forum ruins as historic monuments. He stabilized the region of central and southern Italy, and his area of control extended to Ravenna. However, Barbarian petty Kingdoms and states carved up the North Italian peninsula. He united his territory as the Romans, keeping the Latin language alive. King Antonius knew the North would be his project. He began construction of a wall and series of fortifications on the Rubricon and across the penesula. It was ambitious and costly, taking much of Antonius's personal wealth as a state. The project was stalled, not being completed until his grandson, Antonius III, in 542. Antonius I passed away peacefully on March 15, 500 AD. He died leaving a secure vassal of the Byzantines who were the "Emperors of Rome" again, at leastde facto.
Meanwhile the East prospered. With the Kingdom of Rome their loyal vassals and part of their Empire ,the Emperors turned their attention Eastward. Now instead of focusing campaigns Westward they focused Eastward, building defenses, securing borders, training defensive armies. Thus though challenging they held their territories. The city of Constantinople grew in strength and power. The Persian cultures continuously bashed the Eastern borders, but the Byzantine Armies continued to hold them back. The Great Persian War with the Byzantines, lasting from 579-582, saw the city of Antioch besieged 4 times, though none were successful. The war left the Byzantines weaker then before, though they did recover. However, they lost Lybia from their control. The hardest challenge for the Byzantines would be the rise of the Islamic Empire in the eighth century. The Islamic armies would march north from the Arabian Peninsula in 645, attacking Israel and Egypt. This started the great Byzantine-Islam war(called by the Byzantines), from 645-659. The West largely did not now as a nearly twenty year long war began. From to the war lasted, taking severe tolls on the Byzantines. the Byzantines initially kept them in check, a stalemate. However the tides were blowing in favor of the Islamic Empire were hard pressed in, being pushed back to Alexandria in 657. The Emperor called for aid from the brilliant commander Julius I, called the great, King of Rome, who had conquered Northern Italy. When his forces arrived, Alexandria had been under siege for several months and nearly given in. Gaza had fallen, and armies were marching north towards Jerusalem. He first lead his forces to break the siege of Alexandria, before marching up north and recapturing Gaza. He defeated the Islamic army outside Jerusalem, driving them back. He was going to press on to Mecca, but he was assassinated on July 15 659. His armies returned home, and neither the Islamic Empire or the Byzantine Empire had the will to continue fighting. Thus ended the war, with the Byzantines holding the the Palestine region, Egypt, and Syria. However, the Islamic Empire had conquered much of Persia and eastward towards India. The Byzantines rebuilt their forces, and while minor wars continued, the Byzantines held on to it until till the Century of Strife.
After the death of Julius the Great, his son Julius II was only 3 years old. Julius's brother, Crispis III, proclaimed himself King. This led to a civil war between the forces of Crispis and Julius. Julius's forces held most of central and southern Italy, while Crispi's held northern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and small pockets around Naples, Ravenna and Pisa. Early on Crispis, who shared his brother's military talents. dominated, capturing South Italy and pushing a hole through Spoleto, splitting a hole in Julius' territory. However, after soundly defeating Julius's forces in Assisi, he planned an attack on Rome. However, he suffered a stroke during the night, killing him. His forces were thrown into disary, and his territory split apart by various leaders and factions. When Julius came of age, he reconquered Sicily and most of Italian Peninsula, but lost Corisca, Sardinia, and Most of Northern Italy, which split up into many tiny countries- mainly the Republic of Venice and the Kingdom of Lombardy. These would be major problems in the future, but now the Romans stayed behind the Wall of Antonius, and bolstered their defenses.
Meanwhile, there was no Great Schism and the Catholic Church remained undivided. The problem was averted by the fact that Rome politically was vassals and allies, and the Council of Bologna in 974, where it decided that each culture may have its own approved rite. As of now, the main rite is the Latin Rite, though a Byzantine Rite, Coptic Rite, and Persian Rite are being used. Iconoclasm was stamped out before it became a problem in the East. The Pope was not as politically involved in European politics, not having as much temporal power. The Cardinal of Colleges was comprised of Latin Cardinals, while each Rite having a Patriarch. The Patriarchs were subject only to the Pope, but there was only one Patriarch ever called out like this, in 1231. The Patriarch of Constantinople, named Michael, started preaching Arian ideas. He refused to recant, and was excommunicated. He later reconciled. With this being the exception, they were given significant freedom.
More or less, things remained this way for several centuries. There were attacks, but they held on. For the next century, Rome was weakened, but it recovered. It never expanded again, but it developed internally. Asia Minor remained Greek. The Christian Middle Eastern culture which developed on the coast were known as "Coptic". Byzantium held on, despite constant attacks. Rome always assisted them when needed, and most of its armies fought for the defense of Byzantium. However, during the 18th Century, things took a turn for the worse.
The 1700's for Byzantium is called the century of strife. To the World, Byzantinum was outdated. Sure, with the help of Rome, they had developed gunpowder and tried to keep the most up to date military possible. However, things began to take a turn for the worse. In 1729, King Maximus VIII Brutus, called "the terrible", a tyrant and hated by his subjects, declared independence from Byzantium. The Pope told him this was a bad idea, so he locked the Pope away in a dungeon. He put up an Anti-Pope in his place, causing discontent. The break was made, the war of had begin. Without help, the East was in a shaky position. Then came the famine. The famine caused rebellions, which put a strain on the Byzantines. The final battle of Gallipoli in 1736 ended the war of Independence. Though Maximus the Terrible was deposed after a fierce rebellion and his brother Julius V took over later and the anti-Pope was deposed, it was too late. Rome had split off. And though the Byzantines had many problems, the miraculously held on to their territories.
There is still an Emperor in Constantinople, and a King in Rome. Viewed as ancient, these countries are respected, though not close to superpowers. They are shadows of what they once were. There have been other wars revolutions, challenges not mentioned here. This is but a brief history.
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