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Emperor Constantine I was the first christian ruler of the Roman empire. He renamed the Greek city Byzantium to Constantinople, after himself, which became the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
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Justinian's reign begins and he conquers part of the Western Empire which includes Italy, Africa, and Spain. During his reign, he put all the previous laws into an organized body of law named Justinian's Code. Many countries today use this as a basis for their governments. Also during Justinian's reign, the Hagia Sophia was completed.
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The Hagia Sophia was a great architectural accomplishment during Justinian's reign. The inside is very colorful. It is decorated with mosaic patterns and marble floors. It has played many roles in many religions. It has been a Greek Orthodox church, a Roman Catholic cathedral, a mosque, and is currently a museum.
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General Belisarius was the leading Byzantine general during Justinian's reign. He won crucial battles especially against the Persians, the Ostrogoths, supressed the Nike Revolt, and was unbelievably loyal to his emperor as his bodyguard.
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After Muhammed was born in Mecca, Arabia in 570, his Islam quickly spread beyond his tribal grroups of Arabia. The 7th century was slightly terrified of his new militant religion. It conquered many places in just a span of 100 years. Syria fell in 634; Jerusalem in 637; Egypt in 638; Persia in 640; North Africa in 689; and Spain in 711.
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A month short of a 50 year reign, Emperor Basil II spent a big part fighting a civil war against powerful generals from the Anatolian aristocracy. After their submission, he saw the expansion and stabalization of the Byzantine's Empire. He was nicknamed the Bulgar-slayer after the complete subjugation of Bulgaria which was a prolonged struggle. Although, most of the time there was warfare, Basil also showed himself as capable administrator that reduced the power of land owning families.
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The Great Schism was the final separation of the eastern and western churches. This happened when the Eastern Christian Churches that were led by the patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius and the Western Church, led by Pope Leo IX excommunicated each other.
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Alexios I was not the founder of the Komnenos dynasty but he was in reign when that dynasty gained full control. He inherited a collapsing empire but he managed to stop the Byzantine decline and begin the military, financial, and territorial recovery. Pope Urban II helped Alexios defeat the Turks by uniting Christian Europe under him as he fought back to take the Holy Land or Jerusalem back from the Turks. When he helped Alexios, he also helped himself. He reinforced the power of the papacy.
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The Fourth Crusade was when the Crusaders attacked Constantinople and took it over. The Crusader state in Constantinople was one of the several under the spiritual authority of the pope of the Latin Church of Western Europe.
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The end of the Byzantines was caused by the fall of the Byzantines to the Ottoman forces. The attack started on April 6th, 1453 and ended when the Ottomans fully conquered the Byzantines on May 29th, 1453.
