Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE

1. c. 280- Diocletian divided the Roman Empire in half c. 312- Constantine built a new capital city in the eastern half Diocletian thought it would be easier to govern an eastern and a western half Constantine named his city Constantinople (modern- day Istanbul) Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE

2. 476 – fall of the Western Roman Empire Eastern Empire continued to grow and prosper became known as the Byzantine Empire capital city of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE

6. Byzantine Empire was geographically important Constantinople was located between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea located along trade routes between WE, EA, AF, and SWA Silk Road & Gold Road passed through the Byzantine Empire Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE

9. Constantinople was located on a peninsula that stuck out into Bosporus Strait • The Bosporus Strait connects the Black and Mediterranean Seas • Due to this strategic location, the Byzantine became a very wealthy empire

10. Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE • Christianity in the Eastern Empire was different than Christianity in the Western Empire • Byzantines rejected the authority of the Pope in Rome • Byz. priests had the right to marry • Language of the Byz. Church was Greek, not Latin

11. Byzantine Empire c.280-1453 CE • 1054-Great Schism: Byzantine Church broke away from the Roman Church (Schism =split) • First permanent split in the Christian Church • Created two branches of Christianity: Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox

12. 1517- Protestant Reformation Martin Luther-- German priest who broke away from the Catholic Church to form the Protestant Church Other splits occurred in Christianity

13. Importance of the Byzantine Empire • When the Western Roman Empire fell in 476, libraries and places of learning were destroyed. • knowledge gained from Greek and Roman civilizations was lost to WE • Byzantine Empire preserved Greek and Roman achievements • 1090’s--Crusading armies passing through Byz. Emp. brought Greek and Roman knowledge back to WE

14. 530 CE Emperor Justinian, the Byzantine's greatest emperor Preserved and improved Roman laws and justice codes Justinian’s Code is the basis for modern law systems Importance of the Byzantine Empire

15. 530 CE Church of Hagia Sophia built in form of a cross huge dome rests on massive columns Byzantine architecture was a synthesis of Greek, Roman, and SWA architecture Importance of the Byzantine Empire

19. minarets were added by Muslims who invaded Constantinople in 1453 • Hagia Sophia was converted from a church to a mosque • Minarets are used to call Muslims to prayer

21. What caused the fall of the Byzantine Empire? • 1000 – migration of Seljuk Turks from SWA to EE • Muslims began a massive out-migration from the Arabian Peninsula after Islam was established in the 630’s ACE

22. What caused the fall of the Byzantine Empire? • 1200-attacks by Crusading armies marching from WE to SWA • 1090’s- Crusades began • Religious wars between Christians and Muslims over control of Jerusalem in the Holy Land

23. What caused the fall of the Byzantine Empire? • 1453-invasion of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks under 24 year old Sultan Mehmet II • The city was renamed Istanbul • Hagia Sophia became a mosque • Istanbul became a center of Muslim culture