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From 867 to The Ottoman Conquest
Byzantine Empire - 867-1453, Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire: Under the Macedonians, at least until the death of Basil II in 1025, the empire enjoyed a golden age. Its armies regained the initiative against the Arabs in the East, and its missionaries evangelized the Slavs, extending Byzantine influence in Russia and the Balkans. And, despite the rough military character of many of the ...
The Last Years of Justinian I
Byzantine Empire - Justinian I, Constantinople, Legacy: After about 548 Roman fortunes improved, and by the mid-550s Justinian had won victories in most theatres of operation, with the notable and ominous exception of the Balkans. A tour of the frontiers might begin with the East. In 551 the fortress of Petra was recovered from the Persians, but fighting continued in Lazica until a 50 years ...
Diocletian, Constantine, Reforms
Byzantine Empire - Diocletian, Constantine, Reforms: The definition of consistent policy in imperial affairs was the achievement of two great soldier-emperors, Diocletian (ruled 284-305) and Constantine I (sole emperor 324-337), who together ended a century of anarchy and refounded the Roman state. There are many similarities between them, not the least being the range of problems to which ...
The Age of Iconoclasm
Byzantine Empire - Iconoclasm, Religion, Empire: For more than a century after the accession of Leo III (717-741), a persisting theme in Byzantine history may be found in the attempts made by the emperors, often with wide popular support, to eliminate the veneration of icons, a practice that had earlier played a major part in creating the morale essential to survival. The sentiment had grown ...
The Successors of Justinian: 565-610
Byzantine Empire - The successors of Justinian: 565-610: Until Heraclius arrived to save the empire in 610, inconsistency and contradiction marked the policies adopted by the emperors, a reflection of their inability to solve the problems Justinian had bequeathed his successors. Justin II (565-578) haughtily refused to continue the payment of tribute to Avar or Persian; he thereby ...
Andronicus II
Byzantine Empire - Andronicus II, Palaiologos Dynasty, Constantinople: Michael's son Andronicus II (reigned 1282-1328) unwisely attempted to economize by cutting down the size of the army and disbanding the navy. Unemployed Byzantine sailors sold their services to the new Turkish emirs, who were already raiding the Aegean islands. The Genoese became the suppliers and defenders of ...