F ROM J USTINIAN TO THE C RUSADERS 1

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 AD) Attacks of old and new enemies on the Byzantine Empire Penetration into the inland Empire Transformation of temporary plunders to permanent settlements Institution of new states in the geographical area Land -limitation of the Empire Lingual, religious & cultural homogeneity 2

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 AD) Lombards  Conquest of Italy & institution of the Lombard Kingdom o Limitation of the byzantine lands in Italy o Institution of the byzantine Exarchates of Ravenna & Africa (= administrative regions) 3

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 AD) Avars o Movement to the Northern Balkans, while forced by other tribes o Temporary plunders of the Empire o Final settlement North of the Balkan Peninsular Slavs o Movement with the Avars to the Northern Balkans, forced or by their own will o Settlement of their majority in the Northern Balkans o Invasions in the Empire, many times followed by peaceful settlement (“sklavinias”)  Gradual assimilation in the following centuries 4

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 ΑD) Bulgarians o Movement to the Northern Balkans o Settlement & institution of the 1 st Bulgarian State in the area between Danube & Hemus Mountain 5

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 ΑD) Persians o Constant invasions in the eastern part of the Empire o Conquest of Jerusalem & snatch of the Holy Cross (614 AD)  Victorious war against them and recapture of the most important Christian symbol by Heraclius o Siege of Constantinople by the Avars & Persians (626-7 AD)( “Akathistos Hymnos”) 6

N EW ENEMIES (565 – 717 AD) Arabs o Conquer of Persia & the former byzantine prefectures of Palestine, Syria &Egypt o Invasion in Northern Africa, Spain & Minor Asia o Evolution into also a marine force 7

P ERIOD OF R EORGANIZATION (717 – 867 AD) Dynasty of the Isaurians Victories against the Bulgarians & the Arabs (East: 717AD unsuccessful siege of Constantinople – West: 732AD Poitiers) – use of the “liquid fire” War on Icons ( AD)  Social conflicts Christianization of the Slavs in Moravia by Cyril & Method (9 th century AD) Glagolitic script Christianization of the Bulgarians by Vardas (9 th century AD) Further cultural influence of the Byzantium on the new christian nations 8

P ERIOD OF P ROSPERITY (867 – 1025 AD) Dynasty of the Macedonians Increase of the Bulgarian threat during the reign of Simeon (dreamer of the Holy Roman Empire of the Bulgarian Nation) – Byzantine victory & annexation of the Bulgarian state to the Byzantine Empire Attempt to confront the social inequality between the poor & the wealthy (“dynatoi”)  Law of “Allilegion” Enforcement of “themata”, in order to protect the eastern areas of the Empire Christianization of the Russians (10 th century AD) Independency of the Byzantine Orthodox Church Photius the Patriarch  1 st Schism (9 th century AD – “filioque”) // “Myriobiblos” or “Library”- “Lexeon Synagogi” 9

P ERIOD OF S UBVERSION (1025 – 1081 AD) Inefficient emperors New enemies: o Hungarians, Pechenegs & Cumans in the Northern Balkans o Seljuk Turks in Minor Asia (1071 AD, byzantine defeat in Manzikert ) o Normans in Italy Final Schism (1054 AD, Michael Cerularius )  Beginning of hatred between Western & Eastern Christian Churches 10

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) Dynasty of the Comnenians Temporary invasion of the Normans in Epirus & West Macedonia Regain of independence for the Bulgarians (1187 AD) Byzantine defeat in the battle of Myriokephalon by the Seljuk Turks Byzantium looses its former prestige (Byzantine Emperor  “Rex Graecorum”) 11

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) 12

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) 1 st Crusade ( AD) Agreement between the Byzantines & the Crusaders about the supplies of the army & the conquered areas Re-conquest of West Minor Asia 13

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) 3 rd Crusade ( AD)  Conquest of Cyprus by the British Crusaders ( Richard the Lionhearted) 4 th Crusade ( AD) (Boniface of Montferrat) o Change of the first plan, in order to help Alexius 3 rd Angel to regain the byzantine throne 14

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) Conquest of Constantinople by the Crusaders The city is conquered for the 1 st time in its history. The Crusaders plundered the city for 4 constant days & nights  Many works of art were ruined or transferred to the West. Only two Byzantine- Greek states remain in the place of the former Byzantine Empire: o Despotate of Epirus o Empire of Nicaea 15

L AST “ DAZZLING ” (1081 – 1204 AD) 16