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There was no single reason for the fall of Rome, but historians point to a number of problems that combined to bring its fall. Two of the major reasons were political instability and economic and social problems. Finally in 330 CE, emperor constantine took a step that changed the future of Rome. He moved the capital to Byzantium, and was later called Constantinople.
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The Byzantine Empire straddled two continents, Europe and Asia. The Byzantine Empire was the contiunation of the Roman Empire. After Constantine's reign, control of the huge empire was usually divided between two emperors. One was in Rome and the other one was in Constantinople. The east and the west shared a christian faith, but the east developed in its own way. The Eastern Orthodox church. One of its greatest Byzantine emperors was Justianian. He rebuilt the city after the fighting
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The feudal system provided people with protection and safety by establishing a stable social order. After the Roman Empire collapsed, life was dangerous and difficult. They worked hard to survive and needed protection. Feudalism were to help the people and empire establish order. There were four different levels of people, monarch, lords, knights, and peasants. Serfs were peasants who were not allowed to leave the lord's land.
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In 1054, the two churches finally split because the two parts of the Roman Empire had a conflict. Constantine the emperor moved the capital to Byzantium, because the west was mainly destroyed by the fighting and the batttle. The Eastern Orthodox church was built as another church for the east. The eastern half had many cities and much greater wealth. The weatern half was mostily rural and not nearly as wealthy.
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Four nobles led the First Crusade. 30,000 crusaders fought their way through Anatolia and headed south toward Palestine. By 1098, the crusaders laid siege to the city of Antioch in Syria. A traitor led them through a opening in the city walls. Antioch fell to the Christians. Next June, crusaders surrounded Jerusalem. In July, 1099, the city surrendered. Survivors were sold into slavery. Crusaders massacred Muslims and Jews.
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In June 1215, angry barons forced a meeting with King John. They insisted that John put his seal to the Magna Carta, or Great Charter. The charter was an agreement between the barons and the king. The barons agreed to observe common law and the traditional rights of barons and the church. The magna Carta protected the rights and privileges of nobles. It took on a much broader meaning as people in England came to regard it as one of the foundations of their rights and liberties.
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Between 1337 and 1453, England and France fought a series of wars over the control of lands in France. This long conflict helped to weaken feudalism in England and France. English kings had long claimed lands in France. French kings disputed these claims. Despite being outnumbered, the English won most of the early battles of the war. The English had longbows and light armor. Even though the French had a lot more people, they had crossbows and heavy armor.
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One reason of the decline of feudalism is the Bubonic Plague. Historians think the plague began in central Asia. It probably carried to Italy on a ship. It spread north and west through the continent of Europe. It was also called the Black Death because black and clue botches appered on the victims skin. The population was reduced by a lot during 1200 and 1393. People who had it, had no choice but to die. It was carried around by fleas that fed on rodents and rats. City streets were dirty too.
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In 1429, Joan led a French army to victory in the Battle of Orleans, then the Maid of Orleans but was captured by allies of England. After the war, it contributed to the decline of feudalism by helping to shift power from feudal lords to manarches and common people. Monarchs on both sides had collected taxes and raised large professional armies.. The kings no longer relied on nobles to supply knights for the army.
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The Byzantine Empire lifted its ban on icons in 843.The dispute over iconoclasm had cause a major split between the east and the west. There were many conflicts between Cerularius and Leo. Finally, the two churches split. Now the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Rpman Catholic Church are separate churches. In 1453, the Byzantine Empire was conquered by the Ottoman Turks.
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Muslims gradually gave up more and more territory. By 1248, only the kingdom of Granada was in the hands of the Muslims. In 1492, the city fell, and Muslims lost their last strong.
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The most important leader of the Franks was Charlemagne's. He ruled for over 40 years. Legend has it that he read very little and couldn't write, but he encouraged education and scholarship, making his court a center of culture. Most improtantly he unified nearly all the Christian lands of Europe into a single empire. Charlemagne built his empire with the help of Leo, rhe leader of the Catholic Church in Rome. Church was a central part of society during this time.
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