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330
Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzatine Capital
The city was founded in 324 and dedicated in May of 330 and was renamed to Constantinopolis. Special commemorative coins were produced to honor the event. The figures of old gods were replced or assimilated into a framework of Christian symbolism. Constantine built a new church called, Church of the Holy Apostles on the site of a temple to Aphrodite. -
527
Justinian Becomes Emperor of the Byzantines
Justinian's reign was from 527 to 565. In that time he tried to get the empire rolling again and to reconquer the western half of the Roman Empire. Due to the fact that Justinian had restoration activities, he was sometimes called the "Last Roman". Among some Eastern Orthodox Christians, Justinian is considered a saint, and is also remembered by some in the Luthern Church on November 14th. -
537
Hagia Sophia Completed
On February 23rd, 532AD, Justinian had an idea to build one more basilica, more grand and majestic than its predecessors. Justinian had brought material from all over the empire, such as green marble from Thessaly, black stone from the Bosporus region, and yellow stone from Syria. It was finally completed on December 27th, 537AD. Due to many natural causes and battles, the Hagia Sophia was abused quite often. Justin II immediately restored the church. -
545
Genreal Belisarius Military Campaigns
From 533-534, Justinain was awarded by Belisarius to do a land and sea expedition against the Vandal Kingdom. The pro-Roman Vandal king, Hilderic, had been murdered by Gelimer. Justinian had also wanted control of the Vandal territory, which at the time was one of the wealthiest providences in North Africa, which was the breadbasket in Western Roman Empire. This was also crucial for Romans, as it guaranteed access to the western Mediterranean. In the late summer of 533, Belisarius sailed to -
545
General Belisarius Military Campaigns Cont. (1)
Africa and met Gelimer at the Battle of Ad Decimum, September 13, 533. Later in the war, Gelimer was distracted because of the death of his brother. Belisarius took advantage and won the war. Later, there was another battle: The Battle of Tricamarum. Belisarius also won this war. Against the Ostrogoths in 535 Justinain told Belisarius to attack against the Orstogothic Kingdom in Italy. He crossed into mainland Italy and captured Naples in November in December 536. In 537-538, Belisarius -
545
General Belisarius Military Campaigns Cont (2)
successfully defended Rome against the Goths and moved north to capture the capital city of Ostrogoth, Ravenna. This was where the king, Witiges, was captured in 540. In Belisarius's last campaign, he deafted the Kutrigurs and drove them back. -
Jan 1, 700
Islamic Conquests Parts of the Byzantine Territory
The Muslims conquered Syria, Armenia, Egypt, North Africa, and Cyprus. -
Jan 1, 1025
Emperor Basil II Military Conquests
The Bulgars had been raiding the Byzantines since 976AD, that in 986AD, Basil formed an army of 30,000 men and lead them to Bulgaria and besiege Sredets. Basil suffered loses and went back to Thrace where he got demolished at the Battle of the Gates of Trajan. By 987AD, Aaron had been eliminated by his brother Samuel. In 992AD, Basil formed a treaty with Pietro Orseolo II. In 1000, the Byzatine Generals, took the old Bulgarian capital of Great Preslav and the towns of Lesser Preslav and Pliskova -
Jan 1, 1025
Emperor Basil II Military Conquests Cont.
. In 1009, the Bulgarians tried to do a counterattack but were defeated at the Battle of Kreta. On July 29th, 1014, Basil defeateed the Bulgarian army at the Battle of Kleidion. In 1016, the Byzantine armies attacked the Crimea . Later in 1021, he secured the cession of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan by the King, Seneqerim-John, in return for the estates in Sebasteia. On December 15th, 1025, Basil II was dead. -
Jan 1, 1054
Great Schism
The Great Schism was between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Christians. It focuses on the political, cultural and theological factors which transpired over centuries. -
Jan 1, 1095
Emperor Alexios I and Pope Urban II
Alexios I was the son of John Komnenos and Anna Dalassena and the nephew of Isaac I Komnenos. He waz born in 1048. Pope Urban II was born in 1042 and died July 29th, 1099. They were both involved in the First Crusade. -
Jan 1, 1204
Fourth Crusade
The 4th Crusade was from 1202-1204. The primarily purpose was to conquer the Muslim-controlled Jerusalem in an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the capital city of Constantinople of the Byzantine Empire. This was one of the last acts in the Great Schism between the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church. It was also a key factor that lead to the decline of the empire and Christianity in the Near East. -
Jan 1, 1453
End of the Byzantines
On April 2nd, 1453, Sultan Mehmed's army of 80,000 men charged toward the city of Constantinople. Along the way there was one more last small defense of 7,000 Christians waiting to make a miracle happen. Sultan's army easily defeated them and Constaninople finally fell to the Ottomans after 2 months of the siege on May 29th, 1054.
