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330
Emperor Constantine Establishes Constantinople
Emperor Constantine took over the city of Byzantium and turned it into his new capital naming it Constantinople, after himself. This city would become the largest and wealthiest European cities. -
Period: 330 to Jan 1, 1453
Byzantine Timeline
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527
Justinian Becomes Emperor of the Byzantines
Justinian wanted to make Constantinople the greatest it had ever been. In the early parts if his reign he created his own set of laws from revised Roman law that would be called the Justinian Code. One of his most known projects is the beginging of rebuilding the Hagia Sophia after parts of it were destroyed. -
537
Hagia Sophia Completed
After the large parts of the Hagia Sophia was destroyed in riots, Justinian immediately ordered it to be rebuilt. The architechts Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletos most likely had strong mathematic influence from Archimdedes. The main structure, the main dome, is sometimes interperted as the dome of heaven. The architecture uses a complex system of vaults and semi-domes to support the massive 160 foot tall and 101 foot wide main dome. -
545
General Belisarius Military Compaigns
He was considered the body gaurd of Justinian. As a general he won many important battles for the Byzantines against Persia and the Ostrogoths. When he returned to Constantinople, he surpressed the NIke Revolt and was respected by the emperor for his undying loyalty. -
Jan 1, 700
Islamioc Conquests Parts of the Byzantine Territory
During this time large parts of the Byzantine empire were lost. Part of the reason the Muslims were so successful in their conquests is that the Byzantines and the Sassinids were financially and militarily exhausted from years of fighting one another. These conquests played a huge part in the spread of Islam into the Middle East. -
Jan 1, 1025
Emperor Basil II military conquests up to 1025
Emperor Basil II also known as Basil the Young and Basil the Slayer oversaw the Byzantine Empire become the largest it had been in 400 years sense the Islamic Conquests. One of his greatest achievemetns was was the final and complete subjugation of Bulgaria, the Byzantines foremost European foe. -
Jan 1, 1054
Great Schism
This was the split of Chalcedonian Christianity into Eastern (Greek) and Western (Latin) branches, Which became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Chuch. The split was caused because of ecclesiastical differences and theological disputes. The most common one, was the origin of the Holy Spirit. -
Jan 1, 1095
Emperor Alexios and Pope Urban II
Emperor Alexios sent a degcree asking to speak before Pope Urban II in 1095. Alexios made a formal plea to the Council of Piaccenza, for help in organizing military resoponse to the Turks conquests expansion towards Constantinople. After contemplating the pope along with many other bishops agreed to help, if not for other reasons possibly hoping to reunite the church -
Jan 1, 1204
Fourth Crusade
In what was meant to be an attemept to conquer Muslim conquered Jerusiaism the Crusaders of Western Europe attacked Constantinople. This is seen as one of the last events in the Great Schism seperating the churchs. This is a key turning point in the decline of Christianity in the Middle East. -
Jan 1, 1453
End of the Byzantines
The ottomans invaded Constantinople and captured the city. Commanded by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, the Ottomans seiged for seven weeks. The capture of Constantinople marked the end of the Roman Empire, which had lasted for 1500 years.
