Byzantine Empire

Roman Empire at its height 117 C.E.

Fall of Rome

• Rome was besieged by various tribes from modern day Germany and France.

Dark Ages part 1Byzantine pt. 1

Constantine324-337 CE

• Emperor• Converted to

Christianity spread it throughout

• Founded Constantinople

Byzantine Empire in the EastAKA Eastern Roman Empire

• Center at Constantinople;

• Embraced Greek culture & language

• Lasted nearly 1,000 years

Justinian527-565 CE

• Great Emperor of Eastern Roman Empire (Byz.)

• Re-took parts of old Roman Empire from barbarians (Italy, Spain)

Justinian’s Empire at its Peak

Cont’d..

• Absolute power• Improved

Constantinople:– Rebuilt the city– Built Churches

(more on this in a sec…)

• Justinian’s Code…

Justinian’s Code• Single, uniform code to regulate

Byzantine Empire• Taken from Roman law• Decided legal ?s that regulated whole

areas of Byzantine life:– Marriage, slavery, property, inheritance

• Lasted in Empire for 900years!!

Rebuilding…

• Churches = connection b/n church & state = J’s gr8est passion..

• Hagia Sophia = crowning glory of his reign!

• Many thought it was the “most splendid church in the Christian world!”

Church of Hagia Sophia [Holy Wisdom in Greek]

Interior of the Church of Hagia Sophia

…and Greco-Roman learning

• Byz. families valued education• Studied Classics & subjects from

Roman Empire• Preserved great works of Ancient

Greece & Rome = we have them today!

Fall of the Byzantine Empire

• 1) Justinian Plague: 10,000ppl/day!! 40% of Constantinople’s pop!

• 2) Attacks from both sides:– Persians– Arabs– Russians, and… – OTTOMAN TURKS!!

Why do we care??

• Lasted for 1000ish years• Preserved Greek culture• Location of Constantinople (today-

Istanbul)• Orthodox Christianity– we learn

about tomorrow…

Christian Schism Between East & WestWestern Roman Church Eastern Orthodox

Church•Very centralized with Pope

•Priests celibate

•Services & Bible in Latin exclusively

•Unleavened bread for communion

•Very localized with patriarchs

•Priests may marry

•Services may be given in the vernacular

•Leavened bread accepted•Differences over importance and use of icons

•Both want control over the Balkans•Had alternate conceptions of the Holy Trinity

The East-West Schism (1054)

• Patriarch rejects Roman Papal authority

• Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius exchange

proclamations of excommunication

• Creates Roman Catholic & Easter Orthodox Churches; schism remains to

this day

Art

Last thing about the Byzantines..

• Converted Slavs to Orthodox Christianity…

• Missionaries invented “Cyrillic Alphabet”– 4 Slavs 2 read!! (the Bible, of course!)

• Why is that imp?: Slavic languages & Russian are written in that language today AND Slavs became Christian… (More on Russia tomorrow)

Periodization

Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250 - 1500

Europe in the 6c

The Medieval Catholic Church filled the power vacuum left from

the collapse of the classical world.

monasticism:Benedictine Rule of poverty,

chastity, and obedience. provided schools for the children of

the upper class. inns, hospitals, refuge in times of

war. libraries & scriptoria to copy books

and illuminate manuscripts. monks missionaries to the

barbarians. [St. Patrick, St. Boniface]

The Power of the Medieval Church

bishops and abbots played a large part in the feudal system.

the church controlled about 1/3 of the land in Western Europe.

tried to curb feudal warfare only 40 days a year for combat.

curb heresies crusades; Inquisition

tithe 1/10 tax on your assets given to the church.

Peter’s Pence 1 penny per person [paid by the peasants].

A Medieval Monk’s Day

A Medieval Monastery: The Scriptorium

Illuminated Manuscripts

Romanesque Architectural Stylee Rounded Arches.

e Barrel vaults.e Thick walls.e Darker, simplistic interiors.e Small windows, usually at the top of the

wall.

Charlemagne: 742 to 814

Charlemagne’s Empire

Pope Crowned CharlemagneHoly Roman Emperor: Dec.

25, 800

The Carolingian Renaissance

Charlemagne’s Empire Collapses:

Treaty of Verdun, 843

FeudalismA political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

Pyramid social structure

In Practice Things Were Not so Simple• System relied heavily on subinfudation;

a particular vassal may have multiple loyalties

• Power was maintained through the granting of fiefs, or manors; most kings

relied on vassals for military support

Carcassonne: A Medieval Castle

Parts of a Medieval Castle

The Road to Knighthood

KNIGHT

SQUIRE

PAGE

Chivalry: A Code of Honor and Behavior

The Medieval Manor

Life on the Medieval Manor

Serfs at work

Village Church

Village Bakery

Peasant Home

Manorialism & Its Decline After Plague

• Manor system provided feudal lords with wealth; peasants serfs were forced to work the land in exchange for food

and shelter; near slave labor

• Serfs typically could not leave the manor freely; had few rights and little

economic opportunity

• Trade expansion & plague would disrupt this system; serfs could dictate wages and labor opportunities would open up

in the cities c.1350

William the Conqueror:Battle of Hastings, 1066

(Bayeaux Tapestry)

Evolution of England’s Political System

Henry I: William’s son. set up a court system. Exchequer dept. of royal finances.

Henry II: established the principle of

common law throughout the kingdom.

grand jury. trial by jury.

Quiz 11 A.

1. Identify “Crusades”2. What is the Truce of God?3. What were the results of the 1st

Crusade?4. What is a subsistence economy?5. What is the story of Eleanor of

Aquitaine?

Quiz 11 B.

1. Identify “Crusades”2. What was the result of the 2nd Crusade?3. What was the advantage of using a

horse?4. What were the effects of coinage?5. What were the cultural effects of the

Crusades?