Byzantine history

  • 330

    Founding of Constantinople

    Founding of Constantinople
    Emperor Constantine I founded and named Constantinople the capital of the Roman empire. Constantinople grew and was well defended until many attacks in a hort amount of time led to its fall in 1453.
  • 532

    Nika Revolt

    Nika Revolt
    Nika revolt, took place over the course of a week in Constantinople. Nearly half the city was burned or destroyed and tens of thousands of people killed.
  • 532

    Hagia Sophia

    Hagia Sophia
    The Hagia Sophia, meaning Holy Wisdom,from 537 until 1453, it served as an Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople, It had the biggest completed dome in all of Rome and still stands today as a museum.
  • Feb 17, 600

    General Belisarius military campaigns

    General Belisarius military campaigns
    Justinian I made Belisarius an army general, Belisarius won many battles Justinian sent him too. He even made peace with some of them until Justinian thought he was getting too popular and sent him to prison.
  • Feb 17, 629

    Early Islamic military campaigns

    Early Islamic military campaigns
    Arabs launched many raids, in about a 50 year period, into the Byzantine Empire and threatened Constantinople twice. At first the Byzantines avoided battles but around 700 AD they started to start their own battles against the Arabs as well.
  • Feb 17, 976

    Emporer Basil II military conquests

    Emporer Basil II military conquests
    Basil II got together a 300 man army to battle Bulgaria but had to retreat. The Battle of Kleidion (the win) Byzantine army captured 15,000 prisoners, 99 out of every 100 was blinded and the 100th was spared one eye to guide the rest back to their homes. The Bulgarians resisted until 1018 when they finally submitted to Basil II's rule.
  • Feb 17, 1054

    Great Schism

    Great Schism
    More commonly know as the East-West Schism, was a break between Eastern Christian church and the Western chruch. Not agreeing on the ways of eachothers churches they divided and never really healed.
  • Feb 17, 1095

    Alexios I contacts Pope Urban II

    Alexios I contacts Pope Urban II
    Pope Urban gave a speech that rose the Crusades to power by calling Christians the go to war against Musliums. That all happened because Alexios Emperor asked him to and Urban thought it was a good oppertunity to reunite Christians.
  • Feb 8, 1204

    Fourth Crusade

    Fourth Crusade
    The Fourth Crusade was an attack on Constantinople, in February the Crusaders killed Alexios IV, new emporer. By April the Crusaders had taken over Constantinople, and set up a new Latin Empire.
  • May 29, 1453

    Fall of Constantinople

    Fall of Constantinople
    The Ottoman Turks Commanded by Mehmad II took over Constantinople in a 53 day seige of the town begining on April 6th. The capture marked the end of the Roman Empire that lasted nearly 1500 years.