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Byzantine Stuff
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Emperor Constantine reunited the Byzantine empire in 324. He acknowledged that the capital city, Byzantium, was important because it was on the European side of the Strait of Bosporus, good for trading, thus naming it the capital city, Constantinople.
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The Nika Riots started on January 13 of 532, where members of the separated factions, Blue and Green, were ordered to be hanged because of previous disturbance. The hanging was interrupted and two men survived. During the races of the Hippodrome, people began to ask Justinian for mercy, where they began to chant "Long live the merciful Blues and Greens!" and then Nika (conquer) began.
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In 535 Belisarius set out on his first campaign against the Ostrogoths in Italy. He conquered Sicily, and then Naples, then Rome and Ravenna (where they took King Witigis as prisoner).
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The Hagia Sophia is one of the most interesting architectural wonders of the Eastern Roman Empire. When it was first built, it was named Megale Ekklesia (Big Church); however, after the fifth century, it was referred to as the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom). The church was the place in which rulers were crowned. The first two structures were burned down in riots in 404 and 532. The third was then rebuilt and reopened in 537.
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Syria was the first territory to be taken over. Egypt was next. Then Mesopotamia and Persia.
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In 986, war broke out between Byzantium and Bulgaria. Basil II asked for help from the Venetian's to help protect the Dalmation Coast. Finally, he got to the capital and defeated them, conquering Bulagria, being called "Slayer of the Bulgars".
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The Great Schism was also known as the East-West Schism, and was caused by a disputed between the Roman Pope and the four eastern patriarchs. The pope believed he had power over the patriarchs and the patriarchs believed that the Primacy of the Patriarch of Rome was only honorary. This caused a dispute and the Schism began, splitting the empire into two halves.
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I March of 1095, Emperor Alexios I went to Pope Urban II and asked him for help against the Turks. On November 27, 1095, Pope Urban II called for a crusade to free people in Jerusalem.
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On April 13, 1024, Christians sacked Constantinople. 200 ships set sail from the lagoon of Venice. Doge Enrico Dandolo led the ships as an 80 year old who was almost blind. The whole point of the crusade was to win back Jerusalem. The first step of the interesting strategy was to hit Egypt, but they accidentally ran into Constantinople and hit them instead.
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An army of the Ottoman Empire lead by Mehmet that was a 53 day siege that begun in April, 1453. They led their ships deeper and deeper into the empire, causing them to fall back and weaken, where they finally got in and destroyed them.
