DECLINE OF BYZANTINE EMPIRE DISPERSED BYZANTINE EMPIRE 1204
DECLINE OF BYZANTINE EMPIRE
DISPERSED BYZANTINE EMPIRE (1204 -1261 AD) Division of Byzantine Empire among conquerors, after the conquest of Constantinople by Crusaders: o Latin Empire of Constantinople: Constantinople & ¼ of the former Empire (Baldwin of Flanders) Venetians: ¾ of Constantinople & ½ of the remaining territory, mainly important marine & commercial points � Venetian domination of sea & marine trade Rest Crusaders: Division of remaining territory into smaller states, according to the power of defenders � Governors & type of governing absolutely alien to local population (e. g. Kingdom of Thessaloniki, Ducat of Athens, Principality of Achaea, etc. ) o o
DISPERSED BYZANTINE EMPIRE (1204 -1261 AD) o o o Greek states in the geographical area: Empire of Nice Despotate of Epirus Empire of Trabzon o
DISPERSED BYZANTINE EMPIRE (1204 -1261 AD) Constant conflicts among new states Empire of Nice & Despotate of Epirus, at that moment the only hope of “reconquista” Latin Empire of Constantinople functioning as a barrier against Nice ’s enemies (Latin, Slavs, etc. ) 1261 AD: Re-conquest of Constantinople by Empire of Nice
LAST ATTEMPT OF RESTORATION (1261 -1321 AD) Disruption of Latin Empire of Constantinople Exposition of Byzantine Empire to northern & western enemies Further need of financial & military means Aims of Byzantine Empire: Survival from dangerous enemies Re-conquest of territories that belonged to the Empire before Latin conquest o o
LAST ATTEMPT OF RESTORATION (1261 -1321 AD) Defensive policy based on diplomacy � Diplomatic split of enemy alliances Main enemy: Charles of Anjou, King of Naples (dreamer of restoration of Byzantine Empire under his hold) Reduction of military force Necessity of external enforcement from the West �Attempt to gain Pope ‘s help by accepting subordination of Eastern to Western Christian Church �Civil conflict between Unionists & Anti. Unionists
CIVIL WARS & FALL (1321 -1453 AD) Defense based on mercenary troops – Complete lack of fleet No income of transporting trade, because of Italian privileges Low monetary credit, because of continuous devaluation of byzantine currency Social polarization between wealthy landowners & poor peasants or workers
CIVIL WARS & FALL (1321 -1453 AD) Civil wars among defenders of byzantine throne Expansive plans & invasion of Greek mainland by Serbians under the leadership of Stefan Dusan (dreamer of a Serbian-Greek Empire) Expansion of Ottoman Turks (1354 AD in Europe) � 1422 AD: First siege of Constantinople New attempts to obtain military help from the West
CIVIL WARS & FALL (1321 -1453 AD) Almost unconditional acceptance of union of the two Christian Churches (1438 – 1439 AD Council of Ferrara-Florence) Civil conflicts Hatred against Catholic West & Pope Enforcement of Greek national feeling
CIVIL WARS & FALL (1321 -1453 AD) o o Territories of last Byzantine Empire: Limited area around Constantinople Chalkidiki Despotate of Mystras Last Emperor, Constantine 18 th Paleologos
CIVIL WARS & FALL (1321 -1453 AD) o o April of 1453 AD: Beginning of last & fatal siege of Constantinople 29 th May 1453 AD: Conquest of the city by Ottoman Turks End of Byzantine Empire http: //qed. princeton. edu/main/M G/Empires/Byzantine_Empire
CRITICAL REVIEW During a period of more than 1. 000 years, Byzantine Empire: Was the eastern frontier of Europe Combined hellenistic, western & eastern cultural elements to one culture Offered a complicated model of a most organized administrative system Instituted political system of despotism in the name of God Offered the basis of European law system (especially with Justinian & Theodosian codes)
CRITICAL REVIEW Enforced Christian religion (Orthodox centre) – Set clearly the dogmatic bases of Christian religion in Ecumenical Synods Set the bases of (orthodox) monastic life (Sinai Peninsular, Mount Athos, Cappadocia, Desert of Nitria in Egypt, etc. )
CRITICAL REVIEW Enlightened Christian-Greek culture to other European & especially to Slavic nations, nevertheless respecting their own language & culture Developed byzantine secular (mainly inherited through folk songs) & religious (hymns, chants, etc, all chanted only by human voice, without any instrumental accompaniment) music (https: //www. youtube. com/wa tch? v=Iomxv. OTf-So)
CRITICAL REVIEW Preserved Hellenistic Common (Koine) Greek Language (based on attic dialect) & developed it to Medieval Greek Language Simpler oral language (secular) Appointed Greek language as official language of Byzantine Empire since the 7 th c. AD Complicated written language (“attikizousa”)
CRITICAL REVIEW Set the bases of Modern Greek Literature (chivalrous poetic novels, Saga of Digenis Akritas, folk songs, etc. ) Replaced capital letters with small ones in manuscripts since the 9 th c. AD Developed calligraphy & miniature painting Preserved & commented Classical Literature & Holy Tradition in manuscripts
CRITICAL REVIEW Formed various byzantine architectural rates of churches (basilica, basilica with dome, cruciform church, etc) Developed hagiography (painting of Saints & scenes of Holy Bible or abstract decoration in churches and chapells, during War on Icons)
CRITICAL REVIEW Developed arts of metallurgy, mosaic, etc. (usually in connection with religion) & enlightened it to the West
CRITICAL REVIEW ALTHOUGH: Many civil conflicts disrupted inner peace Political & religious power had sometimes been inappropriately & “dangerously” mixed Strong (or even fanatic) Christian faith of some emperors harmed previous ancient civilization (e. g. closure of Philosophical School of Athens by Theodosius the Great)
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