The Fall and Influence of the Byzantines

Why is the empire going to fall?

• Military Changes• Crusaders• Split with Catholic Church• Iconoclasm• Renewed efforts from enemies of abroad• Devaluing of gold• Politics of Byzantines

Military

• Byzantines change army techniques – move from a citizen army to a campaigning army of primarily mercenaries.

• Army became a secondary concern after Basil II stopped campaigning regularly.

• Had always relied on strategy and administration which didn’t translate with smaller empire.

Iconoclasm

• During the 8th century, Emperor Leo III outlawed using venerated icons.

• This led to smashing of art and culture of the church

• The western church rejected this because it would mean they would have to smash their art.

• Resolved to use them but not venerate them but damage was done.

Split with Catholic Church

• By 1054 the Byzantines had split with the Catholic church over a variety of issues.– Iconoclasm in 700’s– Inadequate protection– Pope attempted to declare infallibility and

superiority to Orthodox Patriarch– Various religious doctrine issues.

• Leads to Latin Catholics attempting to gain sway over the Byzantines for souls/power.

Rise of New Enemies

• The Franks became great enemies in Europe, although at times they worked together.

• Seljuk Turks• Persians reborn• Islam, Islam, Islam, and more Islam

Influence of Islam

• The development of Islam in 622 had a profound effect on the empire.

• Islam is an aggressive religion that early on developed a policy of spreading the faith through conquest.

• Once Islam moves into Jerusalem and the holy land two major thins occur…– The Byzantines feel threatened in their existence– The Latin Popes worry for the safety of pilgrims

This leads to the….

• Crusades– At Council of Piasenza in 1095, Alexios I asked

Pope Urban II to send assistance to drive out Muslims from Christian lands.

– He expected an elite mercenary group to come…instead got 35,000 poorly trained and armed troops.

– Forces them to swear allegiance which the Latin's feel he breaks when he doesn’t come to help at Antioch.

– First Crusade successful (sort of)

Fourth Crusade

• Never makes it to the holy land – actually slated to go to Egypt. (not enough money to pay Venitians)

• Instead attacks port of Zara in Dalmatia – then moves onto Constantinople (Alexios III offered to pay for Egyptian attack)

• In 1204 they ransacked the city and burned most of it to the ground.

• They raped, pillaged, and stole priceless artifacts.• Byzantines went through three Emperors in a matter of

weeks and went into exile as three separate kingdoms• Even created a new emperor and patriarch

Partition After Fourth Crusade

Short lived reunification…

• Three states in exile – Empire of Nicaea, Despotate of Empirius, and Empire of Trezibond developed.

• Each fought against local Muslim incursions before Nicaea retook the city in 1261.

• Attempted to reunify and revive empire and was able to rebuild city.

• However crippling taxes really hurt reform effort.

Finally….

• The Ottoman Turks invaded in 1453 and despite pleas from new Emperor Constantine III, Rome sent no one.

• Fell to the Ottomans on May 29, 1453.

Influence on the Muslims and Russians

• Muslims– Claimed to inherit Rome– Incorporated much of the classical Roman and

Greek heritage into Muslim society.– Became a more secular state (Therefore Turkey)

• Russians– Adopted Byzantine religion, culture, and dress– Traded and fought with them for centuries– Claimed to become the center of Orthodoxy after

the fall of Constantinople

How were the Russians Converted….

• St. Cyril and St. Methodius were asked to translate the Orthodox bible into Slavic.

• Missionaries then took the book up the rivers to Russia and began converting them.

• Patriarchs claimed to have converted them by as early as 860 AD

• In Mid 900’s, Princess Olga converted to the faith, bringing it into the land

Vladamir The Wise• In 986 sent envoys around the Western world

to choose a new religion.– Rejected Islam because of circumcision and

restrictions on alcohol and pork– Rejected Judaism because of loss of Jersualem.– Rejected Catholics because of Latin– Embraced Orthodoxy because of beauty and

amazement with Hagia Sophia and culture.– Two conflicting stories on his baptism– When he returned he held a mass baptism in

Dnieper River

• Greek learning and book culture was adopted in Kiev and other centres of the country.

• Churches started to be built on the Byzantine model.

• Russian nobility forced to accept religion• Russian people became more comfortable with

an all powerful Emperor, like the Byzantines.• Led to the development of the Tsar after the

fall of Constantinople• After 1721 and the rise of Peter the Great, the

Orthodox Church passes into the hands of the emperor.