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

Greatest accomplishment of Justinian’s reign Most splendid church in Christian world

Hagia Sophia

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