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Emperor Constantine I founded the capitol of Byzantine by rebuilding the Greek city of Byzantium and called it Constantinople, renaming it after himself. The city is located on a strait that links the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Constantinople was also on trade routes that linked Europe and Asia
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General Belisarius is one of the most well known generals in the Byzantine Empire. He is known for leading military campaigns against the Empires rivals,the Sassanian Persians. He also led troops to reconquest western Roman territories that were held by the Germanic people which included the attack against the Vandals in North Africa, the Ostrogoth's in Italy, and the Southern Iberian Peninsula.
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The Nika Revolt were riots that caused more than ten thousand people to die and about half of the Byzantine Capitol of Constantinople to be burned down over a five day period. The cause of the riots was between two chariot racing teams that went against each other. The Green team and the Blue team. There was also at the time a resentment over higher taxes in Constantinople which was also a cause for the riots.
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The Hagia Sophia is a church that was rebuilt after the Nika Riots in 532. Hagia Sophia means "Holy Wisdom". The building is a large arching dome shape that has colored marble and embroided silk curtains in the interior.
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In the sixth and seventh century, the Islamic military took over the Byzantine territories of Egypt and Syria before trying to take over Constantinople, but the Muslims were not successful in the take over of Constantinople because the city resisted the advance of them.
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The war of Bulgaria lasted over 25 years between King Samuel of Bulgaria and Emperor Basil II, but eventually Emperor Basil II and his military ended up taking over Bulgaria after many battle victories and bold strategy.
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The Great Schism was the split between Christianity. The Byzantine or the East became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the West became known as the Roman Chatholic Church. The main reason for the split was that the Byzantines did not believe in the pope's authority as the highest Church official.
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Byzantine Emperor Alexios asks Pope Urban II for Christian kights in order to take control of the Holy Land from the Muslim Turks. The Holy Land is where Christians believe Jesus was born and preached.
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During the Fourth Crusade, instead of attacking the Muslims, the crusaders were told by Pope Innocent to attack Constantinople, the Byzantine Capitol. The crusaders were successful by capturing and stealing the possessions of people in Constantinople.
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In 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople under the command of Sultan Mehmed II. Thus ending the Byzantine Empire.
