The Byzantine Empire and Russia

The Byzantine Empire ► Objectives  Identify the factors that contributed to the growth & strength of the Byzantine Empire  Explain how the Christian church came to be divided  Analyze the cultural contributions made by the Byzantines  Explain the factors that contributed to the down fall of the Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire

Byzantine Empire ► Strong/Centralized Government ► Officials were skilled, efficient, well paid ► Created alliances through marriages ► Military forces well trained, weapons/armor well designed  Greek Fire- chemical weapon of the Navy, liquid that burst into flames ► Constantinople  Capitol, heart of Byzantine government, religion, culture  location allowed control of sea trade routes between Europe and Asia

Byzantine Culture ► ► Architecture   Built the Hagia Sophia…a church   Byzantines were the 1 st to solve the issue of putting a dome over a rectangular building

The Byzantine Empire ► Justinian and Theodora  Greatest rulers of the Byzantine Empire  Conquered and reunited parts of Western Roman Empire to Byzantine Empire  After Nika Revolt – began building program that made Constantinople the richest, most beautiful city in the world

The Byzantine Empire - Justinian ► Justinian  Ordered collection and organization of all Roman manuscripts and laws  Published book called the Digest which summarized Roman legal opinions  Established Law Institutes- to teach and guide for law students

Byzantine Empire ► Justinian Code was a collection of Roman laws  Justinian’s greatest achievement  Formed basis of Byzantine law  Provided framework for many European legal systems  Preserved Roman idea that people should be ruled by laws, not by leaders whims

Byzantine Empire - Theodora ► Co-Ruler/Wife of Justinian ► Encouraged Justinian to increase women's rights ► Altered divorce laws, allowed Christian women to own property ► Abolish the executions of women caught in adultery ► Created safe houses for former prostitutes

Byzantine Empire - Theodora ► Greatest Moment  Theodora’s courageous speech saved their throne and ended the Nika revolt

The Christian Church Roman CatholicEastern Orthodox ClergyNo Married PriestsMarried Priest allowed IconsNo icons allowed Icons rejected at first then later accepted Leadership Roman Pope was supreme church authority Patriarch of Constantinople TrinityAccepted Holy Trinity Believed God the Father was more important than the Son or Holy Spirit

The Christian Church ► ► Two united parts to Christian Church – Western Roman Catholic + Eastern Greek Orthodox ► ► The Great Schism, A.D ► ► Iconoclastic Controversy was a battle about the use of icons between Western Roman Catholics who were against icons and Eastern Greek Orthodox followers who were icons ► ► Main disagreement – Who rules Christian Church, the Pope from Rome or the Patriarch from Constantinople

The Decline of the Byzantine Empire ► ► After Justinian died the empire was weakened and taken over by various groups from different locations   The Seljuiq Turks capture of Asia Minor affected the empire because it was a source for food and soldiers.   Western Roman Empire helped regain Constantinople but later captured the city during the Crusade Era ► ► The Byzantine Empire fell, was conquered by the Ottoman Turks when the Constantinople fell in A.D

The Rise of Russia ► ► Objectives   Describe how Byzantine missionaries - sent to the city of Kiev – brought Orthodox Christianity and Byzantine culture to Russia   Describe how the Mongols [Golden Horde] influenced how Russia rulers ruled   Describe Ivan the Great incorporated Byzantine customs and traditions in his government

Geography of Russia ► ► Ural Mountains serve as a border between Europe and Asia ► ► The steppe covers the southern part of the great plains of Russia ► ► Rivers crisscross the plain to provide transportation ► ► Eastern Europe primarily populated by the Slavs ► ► Volga River and valley – location of first Russia cities - Kiev

Kievan Russia ► ► Cities of Kiev and Novgorod lie along the Viking trade route ► ► City of Kiev prospered- location as trade route between Constantinople and the Baltic Sea ► ► Kiev served as the capital of Russian Empire for 300 years

Kievan Religion ► ► Missionaries from the Byzantine Empire brought Christianity to the area ► ► Vladimir I- 1 st Russian ruler to convert to Christianity ► ► Ordered Kievan Russia to become Eastern Greek Orthodox Christian NOT Western Roman Catholic Christian ► ► Russia’s religious writings, singing, art, and architecture dominated by Byzantine Empire’s culture

Byzantine Culture ► ► Cyril and Methodius [Byzantine Missionaries] created the Cyrillic alphabet to teach the Bible to Slavs ► ► Byzantine Art copied by Russians   Religion was the main subject   Murals, Paintings, icons, and mosaics   Location of image important   Helped people look toward the afterlife

Russia and the Mongols ► ► Objectives   Identify the ways in which Mongol rule affected Kievan Russia.   Describe the effects of Moscow’s growing power and independence.

Attacks on Kiev ► ► Reasons for decline   Declined due to infighting among Kievan rulers   Competition with Italian city-states that developed new trade routes   The sacking of Kiev by various Russian rulers   Mongol Invasion – the Golden Horde conquered Russia

Kievan under the Mongols ► ► Ruled from 1240 to about 1500 ► ► Mongols [called Golden Horde] Gained wealth by taxing heavily ► ► Used peasants for labor for projects ► ► Mongol [Golden Horde] influence   Built roads to improve transportation   Customs, traditions, behavior, and some language entered Russian Society   How the Mongols ruled Russia was copied by later Russian Rulers – centralized, absolute power in hands of one ruler

Moscow – “Third Rome” ► Became the center of the Orthodox Church after the fall of Constantinople in A.D ► Made Russia more like the Byzantine Empire ► Elaborate dome churches and other types of Byzantine architecture ► Ivan the Great - thought churches would inspire people & make Russia the spiritual light to the whole world.

Rise of Moscow ► Prince Ivan I or Ivan the Great ► Head of the Orthodox Church moved to capitol of Russia from Kiev to Moscow ► Ivan the Great  Took control and power away from the Mongols  Established independent state of Russia  Began absolute monarchy in Russia  Copied Byzantine government structure, customs, and traditions