Byzantine Empire

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Flag of the Byzantine Empire.

The Byzantine Empire (or Byzantium) was the predominantly Greek-speaking remnant of the Eastern Roman Empire throughout Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages.

History

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Belisarius, on the right, after his career as a general.

Known simply as the Roman Empire (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων, Basileia Rhōmaiōn) or Romania (Ῥωμανία, Rhōmanía) by its contemporaries, the empire was centered on the capital of Byzantium (later renamed Constantinople under Emperor Constantine) and was ruled by emperors in direct to the ancient Roman Emperors after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Late Antiquity

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Byzantine troops preparing to spray Greek Fire from a siphon onto the Arab Fleet invading Constantinople (717).

In this time and after, between the 4th and 10th centuries AD, the Byzantines recaptured vital territory in North Africa, the Balkans, and even Rome in Italy. This was due to a very strong Emperor, Justinian, and his wife Theodora. Justinian ruled from 527 to 548. During this time, Justinian restored the "Roman Empire" to its former glory, reformed legal and administrative systems, and ordered the construction of mosaics and churches to glorify his Empire (including the famous Hagia Sofia). Justinian was very keen on restoring the Roman Empire and, using the skill and proficiency of his General Belisarius, he reclaimed North Africa from the Vandals. Taking Italy from the Ostrogoths was his next task, which took until 540. However, they were not able to hold onto Italy and it fell back into Ostrogoth hands a few years after Belisarius left. After Justinian, multiple Emperors fought against the Persians in the east during the 6th and 7th centuries. Once Damascus and Antioch were taken, the Persians sacked Jerusalem and stole the Piece of the True Cross. But under the strong leadership of Emperor Heraclius, who regained strength, retook all lost territories, and even sacked the Persian capital of Ctesiphon, negotiated for the True Cross. But all of this proved useless as the threat of Arab invasion loomed. From 635 to 638, the Arab armies took Syria and Palestine. From 640 to 698, Byzantine North Africa came under assault and fell to more Arab forces. In the years from 674 to 717, the Arabs are finally defeated in one place: Constantinople. Siege after siege, the Arab armies were determined. However, the Byzantines giant walls, dedicated navy, and their secret weapon Greek Fire prevented the capital of their empire from falling. During the 9th century, the Byzantines and the Catholic Church argued over their religious views. This culminated in the Great Schism, in which the Catholic Church split from the Orthodox Church. This strained relations with Catholic Europe severely. During the tenth century, the Byzantine Empire suddenly recovered much of its lost territory. It recovered most of the Balkans, parts of Southern Italy, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia. They also defeated repeated incursions by the Bulgars under Basil "The Bulgar-Slayer" and the Pechengs. But these remarkable recoveries were soon darkened by two advancing tides: the Seljuk Turks and the Normans.

Early Middle Ages

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Robert Guiscard.

At the start of the Middle Ages, the Empire was the most powerful Christian Nation. Although it lost territory due to continued spread of Muslims, they defended their city of Constantinople against large Arab forces and recovered a lot of its territory in the 10th century. But, after repeated wars with the Norman Robert Guiscard and the loss of their Italian territories, the defeat of the Byzantine army (led by Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes) by the Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in 1071, and repeated Crusades moving through their territory starting from 1095, the Empire was crippled and never returned to its former glory. Robert Guiscard, leader of the Normans in Italy, attacked and disposed of the Byzantines in the area. The Seljuk Turks plagued the Byzantines since the tenth and eleventh centuries, taking a lot of the Byzantine's territory. They became so powerful that the Byzantines were forced to ask the Pope in Rome for aid, leading to the Crusades. These Crusades were meant to retake areas for the Byzantines, but instead the Crusaders took territory for themselves. Mistrust in the Byzantines even caused Crusaders to take some Byzantine territory. These attacks culminated in the Fourth Crusade in 1204. The Venetian Doge Dandalo, with the support of Catholic crusaders, sacked Constantinople after promising a disposed Byzantine Emperor that they would restore him. Instead, a Latin Kingdom held onto this territory until 1261. After retaking their capital, the Byzantine Empire declined rapidly, due to civil strife and a new foe: the Ottomans.

Late Middle Ages

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Mehmed entering Constantinople with his soldiers.

Without support from other Christian nations after years of mistrust, the Byzantine territories were being taken bit by bit because of the rising Ottoman Empire. Eventually, every Byzantine territory was taken by Ottomans and Constantinople was surrounded. Finally, after a last stand defense of Constantinople by the last emperor, Constantine XI Palaeologos, the capital and empire (technically) fell in 1453 due to the decisive siege conducted by Sultan Mehmed II. Although a few minor states survived, they quickly fell to the Ottomans in the following years. By 1511, the remnants of the Empire were still headed by the House of Palaiologos under Manuel Palaeologos.