Transcript The Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire
The Split of Rome and the
foundations for Russia
Eastern Europe: Heir to the Byzantine
Empire What was the geography of Eastern
Europe?
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Who are the people that make up this
area?
Kievan Russia: What is that all about?
What impact did the Mongols have on
Russia?
The Byzantine Empire
Out of Rome Into Russia
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The Byzantine Empire was the eastern
half of the Roman Empire, which
survived for a thousand years after the
western half had crumbled into various
feudal kingdoms and which finally fell
to Ottoman Turkish onslaughts in
1453.
The city of Byzantium grew from an
ancient Greek colony founded on the
European side of the Bosporus.
The Empire at it’s Height
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565-1000
The empire withstood attacks from the
Persians, Slavs, Arabs, Vikings, Mongols
and the Turks
The empire was able to hold on to the
Balkans and parts of Asia minor.
The strong central gov’t helped keep the
empire in tact.
Where exactly was this empire?
Geography & History Questions
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The empire generally is known to last from
about 500 AD-1500.
Built on the Eastern portion of the Roman
Empire. While the west was falling, the
east maintained the culture of Rome.
The major city was Constantinople.
Age of Justinian
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527-565
He rebuilt the Hagia Sophia
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Byzantium
The Byzantine emperor Justinian (527-565
CE) is best remembered for organizing
ancient Roman laws into a collection of civil
laws known today as Justinian's Code. It
was so successful, that later rulers only
added to it or updated it periodically.
Justinian's Code became the foundation of
medieval law, and was even used by the
Roman Catholic Church. Today,
international law still uses some concepts first
assembled by Justinian.
Code of Laws
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Corpus Juris Civilis “Body of Civil Law”
Included Roman ideals
This sets the foundations for civil and
church laws
Law was meant to unite an empire (one
law for all people)
Classical Contributions to the Development of Law
Greece
first direct democracy
defined roles of
citizen in government
Rome
Laws of the
Twelve Tables
first law code that
applied to all people
Byzantium
Justinian's Code
foundation of
medieval law
Justice is the set and constant purpose which gives to every man his
due. jurisprudence is the knowledge of things divine and human,
the science of the just and the unjust....
The precepts of the law are these: to live honestly, to injure no one, and
to give every man his due. The study of law consists of two branches,
law public and law private. The former relates to the welfare of the
Roman State; the latter to the advantage of the individual citizen. Of
private law then we may say that it is of threefold origin, being
collected from the precepts of nature, from those of the law of nations,
or from those of the civil law of Rome.
The law of nature is that which she has taught all animals; a law not
peculiar to the human race, but shared by all living creatures,
whether denizens of the air, the dry land, or the sea. Hence comes
the union of male and female, which we call marriage; hence the
procreation and rearing of children, for this is a law by the knowledge
of which we see even the lower animals are distinguished. The civil law
of Rome, and the law of all nations, differ from each other thus.
Christianity in the Empire
The Byzantine emperor was the highest ranking
person in the church (but not a priest)
 There was a rejection of the Pope’s role and rule.
 The clergy could marry
 Easter is the MOST important holiday.
 Greek was the language…not Latin.<in church>
 The great “schism” or split happened in 1054
-This split the Eastern Orthodox & Roman Catholic
Church.
Eastern Orthodox is the primary religion of Eastern
Europeans…(Russians, Ukrainians…)
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Impacts on the Region
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Laws
Strong trading economy
Learning
Fosters the growth of Russia (Kiev)
Eastern Europe: Heir to the Byzantine
Empire What was the geography of Eastern
Europe?
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Who are the people that make up this
area?
Kievan Russia: What is that all about?
What impact did the Mongols have on
Russia?
The Geography of Russia
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There are 3 ZONES:
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1. NORTHERN FORESTS
SOUTHERN FERTRILE LANDS (UKRAINE-THE BREAD
BASKET OF RUSSIA)
SOUTH- STEPPE
STEPPE- OPEN GRASSY TREELESS PASTURES THAT
WERE GOOD FOR NOMADIC FARMERS.
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THE RIVER NETWORKS SERVED AS EXCELLENT
TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE AND GOODS…
THE DNIEPER AND THE VOLGA WERER THE 2 MAIN RIVERS.
Growth of Kiev
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Earliest peoples: The Slavs- clanlike
people that lived in small villages.
The Varangians/Vikings- from Scandanavia
Tremendous Byzantine influence- Religion,
Language
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Religion- Eastern Orthodox
Language- Cyrillic
Art- Domes
Mongol Conquest of Russia
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By 1200 the Golden Horde came through
Russia and conquered all in their path.
Ghenghis Kahn…
During his conquest he allowed for locals
to practice their religion and language for
HEAVEY TRIBUTES/TAXES
There was absolute control of the
Russians…this RETARDED their growth!
By 1050 Wars with the Khans & internal problems
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The Mongols (Golden Horde) interact w/ Russia
The Mongols allow Russia to keep her religion
for heavy taxes or tributes
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The system of feudalism is established
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By 1240-1500 The “Dark Ages of Russia”
Look at the dates what is going on in Western
Europe?
The Emergence of the Ivans
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Ivan I: 1328 Prince of Moscovy (appointed grand
prince by the Khan)
Ivan the Moneybags (he collect the $ from the
peasants that was given to the Kahn)
Ivan II & III see the weakening of the Kahn in Russia
Ivan III unified most of the territories against the
Kahn/Mongols
He refuses to pay tributes
He is known as Ivan the Great
The term TSAR or CZAR is used for Caesar
Ivan IV “The Terrible”
He gave power to the nobles and made life for the
serfs worse. (this is at a time when serfdom in
Western Europe was coming to an end) pp.228-230