The Byzantine Empire, Kievan Rus, and the Eastern Orthodox Church

Divergent Forms of Christianity Rapid spread of Islam in 7 th -9 th centuries formed pockets of Christianity Nestorians – Focused in Persia, spread into Central Asia and China Coptic – Lived in Egypt under Muslim rule Ethiopia – Isolated from Christian world by Muslim expansion

Division of the Roman Empire

Byzantine Empire ( CE) Emperor ruled from Constantinople after 330 CE – Caesaropapism: ruled on political and religious matters Saw themselves as continuation of Roman Empire – Maintained Roman law, science, philosophy, engineering Greek became the official language Complex bureaucracy and elaborate court rituals – Aristocrats trained in Greek philosophy and literature

Byzantine Expansion Powerful navy and army – Used Greek fire to defeat invading navies More urbanized than in the West Strong trade connections between the West and China, the Middle East – Luxury goods like silk, carpet, spices Increased taxation to fund military – Crippled peasants, strengthened aristocratic landowners

Byzantine Expansion

Revival of Roman Greatness Emperor Justinian (r CE) Code of Justinian – Rewrote and standardized Roman law Reconquered North Africa, the Balkans, parts of Italy Built churches

Hagia Sophia

Byzantine Decline Repetitive attacks in the East from Persians and Muslims, in the West from Bulgars and Slavs Battle of Manzikert (1074 CE): Seljuk Turks defeated Byzantine army – Began Turkish settlement in Anatolia Fourth Crusade (1204 CE): Western crusaders sacked Constantinople

Christian Controversies Differing ideas within Christianity – Arianism: Christ was created from nothing – Nestorianism: Mary birthed Jesus the man, not Jesus the divine Church Councils convened to decide on orthodox doctrines – Heresy: beliefs opposed to orthodox beliefs

Byzantine Art

The Great Schism Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) Churches disagreed over several ideas – Use of leavened or unleavened bread in the Eucharist – Primacy of the Pope over other Christian leaders – Role of Constantinople in ruling Christianity – Clerical celibacy Both sides excommunicated each other in 1054 CE

Kievan Rus ( CE)

Kievan Rus Slavic tribes migrated from Central Asia into Russia – Mixed with Scandinavians Animistic belief system Organized into loosely-organized tribes and villages – Ruled by various princes Traded with Scandinavia and Byzantines along the Dnieper and Volga Rivers and Black Sea

Vladimir the Great (r CE) Prince of Kiev who took increasing control over other princes Considered converting to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism – Wanted to unite his subjects Converted to Eastern Orthodoxy in 988 CE – Forced his subjects to convert

Byzantine Impact on Russia Borrowed architectural styles, monasticism, icons, imperial control of the Church Cyril and Methodius sent as missionaries to Kievan Rus Began conversion and created Cyrillic alphabet