Byzantine Timeline (300 AD-1500 AD)

Emperor Constantine I Founded the Byzantine Capital

330

Emperor Constantine I understood the importance of Byzantium, as it was proved as a very valuable city due to its location on the European side of the straight of Bosporus. He saw how much the Greeks and Romans benefited from this city, and upon reuniting the empire he built his new capital here, known as Constantinople.

Nika Revolt (Riots)

532

The Nika revolt took place against Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople. The immediate cause of these riots was due to conflict over chariot racing, but their root cause had more to do with popular anger about Justinian’s policies. These riots involved fire being set to the Praetorium and the Hippodrome itself. Due to such violent actions 30,000 rioters were killed.

General Belisarius Military Conquest

533

Belisarius got his first command of the army when Emperor Justinian I, his successor, died. Belisarius put down the nika uprising in Constantinople in 532 AD, he was sent against Persia in 533 AD, he was sent to Italy where he took Sicily, Naples and Rome in 536 AD. Belisarius again ordered his troops and crushed the Bulgars when they attempted to invade the Byzantine Empire. He is considered a military genius as he’s demolished the Ostrogothic army twice with only 4000 men.

Hagia Sophia Completed

537

Hagia Sophia, also called Church of the Holy Wisdom was built at Constantinople under the direction of the Byzantine Emperor. It took about six years to be completed and contains a 105 foot main dome which is supported by pendentives and two semi-domes. By general consensus, Hagia Sophia is considered the most important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments.

Early Islamic Military Campaigns into Byzantine Territory

632

The Muslim community spread throughout the middle east into the Byzantine Empire through conquest. This military conquest was inspired by religion, but it was also motivated by greed and politics. These motives combined to form a process that forged Islamic and Arab ideals and communities into a fast growing religious and political identity.

Emperor Basil II Military Conquests of Bulgaria

986

In 1986 Basil’s first and worst conquest occurred when he suffered a resounding loss to the forces of Samuel and Bulgaria at Trajan’s Gate. Due to this loss Basil was relentless, after years of campaigns in both summer and winter he won back Greece for Byzantium (997
AD), and then Pliska (1000 AD), Skopje (1004 AD) and Dyracchion (1005 AD) amongst many other cities. In 1014 AD Basil finally won a great victory against the Bulgars.

Great Schism

1054

This event was the final separation between the Eastern Christian churches and the Western church. The political cause of this was the splitting of the Roman Empire. There were also religious differences which caused the separation as well. The Effect resulted with the Byzantine church becoming the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western church becoming the Roman Catholic Church.

Emperor Alexios I contacts Pope Urban II

1095

Byzantine Emperor Alexios I made a special appeal to Urban for help after the Turks threatened to invade the Byzantine Empire. Urban seized this opportunity to unite Christian Europe under him as he fought to take back the Holy Land from the Turks. Pope Urban made a very influential speech giving rise to the crusades by calling all Christians in Europe to war against Muslims.

Fourth Crusade

1204

After nine centuries of withstanding all comers, Constantinople was brutally attacked. Surprisingly the perpetrators were not any of the traditional enemies of the Byzantine Empire, but instead the Western Christian army of the Fourth Crusade. The great city of Constantinople has fallen along with many of its religious icons and relics.

Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks

1453

On May 29th, Mehmed launched simultaneous assaults from the sea and land sides of the city. The Ottomans poured into the city through one of the gates that was forced open, and killed the emperor as he attempted a counterattack with his remaining defenders. After ten centuries of wars, defeats and victories , the Byzantine Empire came to an end when Constantinople fell.