PERSIAN Chart

Pre AP World History Chapter 9: Byzantine Empire and Eastern Europe

POLITICAL
O Leaders, Elites
O State Structure
O War
O iplomacy, Treaties
O Courts, Laws

It is not surprising that the word 'byzantine means intricately complex, Ior the
Byzantine political system consisted oI a bureaucracy and an intricate legal system
copied aIter the old Roman law codes that contained many obscure types oI
punishments, crimes, etc that were simpliIied by Justinian`s Code.
The Byzantine Empire originally the split eastern halI oI the Roman Empire; Constantine
decides to strategically move the capital Irom Rome to Byzantium in 320s CE; 330CE
dedication oI Constantinople
AIter the last Roman Emperor is deposed in 476CE, Constantinople is the set capital oI
the newly established surviving Eastern Roman Empire
Threat oI invasion remains very high; incursions into the Baltic territories and close to
Constantinople are constant.
New emperor Justinian (rule 527-565CE) has an ambitious goal oI resurrecting Rome`s
lost glory. Rapidly conquers most lost AIrican and Italian territories but overextends his
borders and drains the treasury; opens the way Ior new wave oI invasions.
Wars with the Sassanid; Arabians sweep in and destroy Sassanid Persia
The Arabians consistently harass Byzantine territories, culminating in loss oI Egypt and
Syria in the 7
th
Century
Assault on Constantinople beaten back in 717 CE by Greek Iire used by Byzantine ships;
continual harassment and trade tariII imposition through capturing oI Crete.
Basil II manages to absorb Bulgaria into the Empire
Series oI Strong and weak emperors; 9
th
, 10
th
, and 11
th
centuries are met with a cycle oI
success and Iailures, such as the disastrous Battle oI Manzikert in 1071 against the
Turks. Most oI Anatolia is lost to the Seljuk Turks; slow limping along oI Byzantine
Empire Ior the next 4 centuries
The new Ottoman Turks led by Mehmet II storm Constantinople and sack it, ending the
long lasting Byzantine Empire Ior good in 1453CE and opening the way Ior the
Ottomans to push deep into Eastern Europe (gunpowder based army); Istanbul is the new
name Ior the Iormer golden age city.

Meanwhile, the Slavic migration into the Kiev region causes the springing up oI the Kiev
Rus` state in the 9
th
Century, closely copying the Byzantine centralized idea and religious
customs (Eastern Orthodox Church)
Fundamental split between Catholic Western Europe and Eastern Orthodox Europe
because oI the central religious authority; Western Europe Iails to help Byzantine Empire
in Iighting oII Turks, but Venetian merchants greedily decide to divert crusaders to sack
Constantinople in 1204CE

ECONOMIC
O Type of System
O Technology, Industry
O Trade, Commerce
O Capital/Money
O Types of Businesses

Trade based economic system with Iar Ilung trade routes along the Silk Road and Spice
Trade
No real technologies except Greek Iire to deIend against naval invaders Irom Arabia and
occasionally

RELIGIOUS
O Holy Books
O Beliefs, Teaching
O Conversion
O Sin/Salvation
O eities

Religion is Eastern Orthodox version oI Christianity; Split Irom Catholicism because oI
the diIIerence in religious hierarchy oI clergymen (the Pope vs. the Byzantine emperor)
The icons in the church are the images oI worship; hence the term iconoclast used to
reIer to one who destroys church icons and goes against accepted values.

SOCIAL
O amily
Merchant class bulges in number but still not highly regarded in the social ladder
Still a patriarchal society
Remarkably similar to Chinese Society with its stratiIication and centralized
O Gender Relations
O Social Classes
O Inequalities
O Life Styles

authoritative Iigure backed by religion (in this case the Emperor as the bridge between
spiritual and earthly worlds)
Large peasant class taxed to provide Ior the elaborate system oI keeping Iood prices low


INTELLECTUAL, ARTS
O Art, Music
O Writing, Literature
O Philosophy
O Math & Science
O Education

Early on there are architectural Ieats such as the Hagia Sophia with the largest dome in
the world; Constantinople becomes a center Ior learning and mingling oI ideas Irom all
over the empire and its outside inIluences
Latin never revived as a language but rather was changed to Greek
Academies oI Greek philosophy and learning are built, attracting many scholars
Centered on Hellenistic achievements

NEAR: GEOGRAPHY
O Location
O Physical
O Movement
O Human/Environment
O Region

Constantinople strategically located on the Bosporus Straits controlling access between
the Black Sea and Mediterranean Seas and the buIIer zone between East and West;
Crucial access point to invade Western Europe is through Byzantine Empire and gives
the Ottomans an advantage in empire building
Trade is controlled by whoever controls Constantinople (Istanbul)

NOTES: