Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

87

Byzantine Empire

Byzantine empire

in 565 ce, the Byzantine empire

stretched from Spain in the west

to Syria in the east. By 1350, the

empire had shrunk to a fragment

of its former area.

Marble floors

in 330 ce, the roman emperor conStantine built a new city on

the site of the old Greek town of Byzantium. it was called constantinople

(now istanbul) after him, and it became the capital of the eastern part of

the roman empire. as the western provinces of the empire were overrun

by the Germanic tribespeople, the eastern half remained prosperous, and

constantinople became the main political center of the roman empire.

When the Western empire collapsed in the late 5th century, the eastern

empire (which became known as the Byzantine empire) survived

and even expanded. christianity became the state religion, and

constantinople became a christian center. artists and scholars from all

over europe and the middle east came there to study. Under emperor

Justinian i, the Byzantine empire regained much of the territory of the

old roman empire. trade, art, and architecture thrived. But

the empire suffered many attacks. By 642, muslim arabs

had overrun Byzantine territories in north africa

and the middle east. Gradually, the empire

lost its lands in asia minor (turkey) and

southeast europe. in 1453, the ottomans

captured constantinople,

and the Byzantine

empire ended.

haGia

Sophia

Justinian i

(483-565) built

hagia Sophia (church

of holy Wisdom) in the

center of constantinople. it was

the largest christian church in the

eastern world and was intended to

provide a spiritual center for the Byzantine

empire. after 1453, the church became

a mosque (muslim house of worship).

today the hagia Sophia is a museum.

conStantine the Great

in 314, constantine the Great (288-337)

became roman emperor. at that time

christianity was forbidden, but in about 312

constantine himself was converted, some say

by the sight of a cross in the sky. christianity

became the official religion of the Byzantine

empire, and within a century the traditional

pagan temples were abandoned.

SieGe of

conStantinople

By the year 1453, the

ottoman turks had

overrun the entire

Byzantine empire and

reached the gates of

constantinople. Under

the leadership of Sultan

mehmet, the ottomans

besieged the city and

captured it after two

months. the christian

inhabitants of

constantinople were

allowed to remain in the

city, which became the

capital of the muslim

ottoman empire.

Byzantine

empire

395 roman empire splits

into east and West, with

constantinople as the capital

of the eastern empire.

476 the Western roman

empire collapses.

527-65 During the reign of

Justinian i, the Byzantine

empire reconquers much

of the old roman empire.

635-42 Byzantine empire loses

control of the middle east and

north africa to the arabs.

1071 Byzantine empire loses

asia minor to the turks. calls

in help from europe.

1334 ottoman turks gain a

foothold in europe and begin

to encircle constantinople.

1453 constantinople falls to the

ottoman turks; the Byzantine

empire comes to an end.

Spain

Egypt

Syria

ita ly Constantinople

Central dome measures

100 ft (31 m) across.

Find out more

christianity

ottoman empire

roman empire

US_087_Byzantine_Empire.indd 87 20/01/16 4:34 pm