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The eastern roman empire moved their capital from Rome, to the city of Byzantium in 324 AD, under the rule of Emporer Constantine the Great. The city was later Constantinople, after Emporer Constantine on the 11th of May, 330 AD.
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Justinian becomes Emporer after his uncle, the Emporer at the time, Justin I, His rule was characterized by profound efforts to reclaim the western part of europe, which was part of the earlier Roman Empire. His modest orgins, however, resulted in lasting tesnsions with Byzantine nobility.
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The Hagia Sophia (translated "Holy Wisdom") was finally completed in 537 AD after a series of riots destroyed the original building. The interior was decorated with costly marbles, and ornamental stone inlays.
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General Belisarius was the leading military figure dure the rule of Emperor Justinian, as well as one of the last important figures in Roman military tradition. He led his armies against the Persian Empire, the Vandal Kingdom of North Africa, the Ostrogothic regime of Italy, and the barbarian tribes that were marching in upon Constantinople.
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The Islamic conquests of 700 AD brought a great territorial loss for the Byzantine Empire. Historians agree that the loss in this territory is partly due to the fact that the Byzantine Military was physically and economically exhaused from fighting the Sassinid Empire.
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During his reign, Emporer Basil extended imperial rule in the Balkans, notably Bulgaria, Mesopotamia, Georgia, and Armenia. He was also considered one of the more outstanding of all the Byzantine Emperors.
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The Schism of 1054 AD, also known as the East-West Schism, was the event that precipitated the final separation between the Eastern Christian Churches, and the Western Church. The mutual excommunications were not lifted until 1965, over 900 years later.
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Before Emperor Alexios rose to power, the Byzantine empore was on the verge of collapse. The Turks had overrun Anatolia, and had blocked the pilgrimage routes to the Holy Land. Alexios wrote a letter to Pope Urban II to assistance in opening the routes back up. On November 27th, Pope Urban Convinced a council ecclesiastics and nobles from across Europe to answer Alexius’ call and the First Crusade was launched.
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The Fouth Crusade was originally intended to take control of the city of Jerusalem, as a means of and invasion into Egypt. Instead, the Western Crusaders invaded and sacked the Orthodox Christian city of Constantinople. This is seen as the final act of the Great Schism of 1054
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The Ottoman Empire commanded by Mehmed II, defeated an army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI, thus resulting in the fall and loss of the great Byzantine Empire, and as such, the Roman Empire, an imperial state that had lasted nearly 1,500 years.
