Chapter 10 Byzantine & Muslim Civilizations

Section 1 The Byzantine Empire

Constantinople •  Capital of Byzantine Empire –

Constantinople –  Protected by Greek Fire

–  Controlled by: Roman Empire Christians Byzantines Muslim Arabs Turks

Constantine •  Ruled Roman Empire •  Made 2 Changes:

–  Became Christian – stopped persecution

–  Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium •  Built expensive city •  Fortified capital •  Renamed it Constantinople

–  Early 500’s city – successful –  People lived there – Byzantines

•  When Roman Empire fell – split –  East – strong – military & trade

Trade •  Constantinople on Bosporus – straight

– narrow channel links 2 bodies of water –  Black Sea & Mediterranean Sea

Europe & Asia met there = riches

Middle Ages •  Period from fall of Roman Empire, AD

476 to 1500 – Middle Ages – also known as medieval – exist during Middle Ages –  During this period – Byzantines remained

strong

Justinian •  One of the greatest rulers

–  Always completed everything –  Listened to everyone –  Created – Code of Justinian – organized

collection and explanation of Roman laws for use by the Byzantine Empire

•  Became basis for legal system in most European countries

•  Byzantine scholars kept and copied Greek works

After Justinian’s Death •  565 – empire decline

–  Emperors fought over religious & political arguments with: Turks & Persians (East) Arabs (South) Germanic (North & West)

Religion Problem •  Most were Christian

–  Byzantine Christians rejected: Pope – leader of the Church of

Rome –  Emperor got to choose the Patriarch –

leader of the Church in Constantinople •  Greek spoken in Byzantine Church •  Latin spoken in Roman Church

–  2 Churches grew apart –  Christians prayed to holy people or saints

represented by icons – paintings of people •  700’s Byzantine Emperor outlawed icons –

Pope disagreed and banished emperor from the church

Religion Problem •  Byzantines thought Pope did not have

authority to do it = schism – split = Roman Catholic Church – West Eastern Orthodox Church - East

Second Golden Age •  900-mid 1000’s trade, population grew

–  Reign of Basil II (976 -1025) best period since Justinian – regained land

Fall of Constantinople •  Late 1100’s – Turks taking land away •  1171 – disagreement with Venice

overtrade = war •  1200’s – Constantinople attacked by

Christian Crusaders – ruled city for 50 years

•  1261 – regain city – empire gone •  1453 – 70,000 Turks surrounded

Constantinople –  7,000 defenders held out for 2 months –  When city fell – renamed Istanbul – capital

of Ottoman Empire

Section 2 Beginnings of Islam

Arabian Peninsula •  Mainly a desert

–  No major rivers –  Little rainfall

Bediouns •  Nomads – people who have no

permanent home but move from place to place in search of food, water, & pastures –  Traveled on camels from oasis to oasis for

water for them and their animals –  Herded sheep, camels, & goats (pg. 298)

•  Acted as guides for caravans – traders who traveled across the desert in large groups

Mecca •  One of the most important and busy

trading centers on Arabian peninsula –  Goods went from there to Syria to

Mediterranean Sea and to Yemen

Muhammad •  Born 570 into a poor family

–  Worked on caravans –  At 40 years old

•  610 he went into a cave to pray –  Voice of an angel from God told him there

was one God – created people, - God would teach his people, told Muhammad he would be Gods messenger

Muhammad •  People who accepted the teachings of

Muhammad came to be known as Muslim – “person who submits”

•  Many Arabs prayed at the Kaaba –  Many people feared Muhammad, they

thought he was threatening their old gods and would try to gain political power

•  622 people invited Muhammad and his followers to Yathrib – N of Mecca

Muhammad •  People thought he was a Prophet – this

movement or hijra – “the migration” – 622 year 1 on Muslim calendar –  Also – Yathrib became Medina

•  630 – Muhammad returned to Mecca –  When he died, 2 years later, Islam spread

over the Arabian Peninsula

Muslim Beliefs •  Muezzin – calls Muslims to worship 5

times a day •  Mosque – house of worship – face

Mecca

5 Pillars of Islam •  Basic Muslim Beliefs

Quran •  The holy book of Islam

–  Contains messages God gave to Muslims –  Many have memorized it

•  Many have learned Arabic

–  Similar to Torah or Bible •  Believed in 1 God •  Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, & Jesus –

important people in religious history •  Saw himself as the last prophet in a long line of

prophets

–  Muhammad called Jews & Christians “people of the book”

Role of Women •  Quran taught men & women were

spiritually equal –  Right to inherit property –  Get an education –  Could not be forced to marry –  Get a divorce

Split Among Muslims •  656 – Uthman – leader of the Muslim

community – assassinated –  Caused a split in Muslim world –  Disagreed who would be the next leader

•  2 Groups –  Shiites (small)

•  Said ruler should be direct descendant of Muhammad

•  Would be inspired by God, like Muhammad should explain meanings of messages received from God

Split Among Muslims –  Sunnis (large)

•  Said any true Muslim an could lead •  No man should tell what God’s message meant •  Muslim scholars could best explain the Quran

–  Today 85% of Muslims are Sunnis

Section 3 Muslim Civilization

Islam Spreading •  150 years after Muhammad’s death

Islam spread to: –  Spain –  North Africa –  India –  China

•  As traders traveled to North Africa & Asia, they took their religion

•  Arab armies conquered new territories

Islam Spreading •  By 732 Arab forces were defeated by

European soldiers at the Battle Tours (France)

•  They were able to be successful because Rome, Persia, & Byzantine Empires were not as powerful

•  Under their Rule –  People practice own religion –  Have own business –  Non Muslims:

•  Pay extra tax •  Not allowed to serve in military

Golden Age •  800-1100 – advances in math, science

& literature •  Muslim leaders – caliphs – created an

empire and made it rich •  Baghdad, natural center of trade, was

capital of Muslim Empire –  Caliph was Muhammad successor

•  Math –  Khwarizmi – helped create algebra =

greater discoveries in astronomy, chemistry, & physics

Golden Age •  Science

–  Philosopher – Ibn Sina – organized medical knowledge

•  Literature –  Sufis – Muslims who believed they could

draw close to God through prayer, fasting, and a simple life

–  Sufis missionaries helped spread Islam

Ottoman Empire •  1258 Mongols killed last caliph •  Muslim world now controlled by

Mongols and Turks •  Muslim Turks – the Ottomans

expanded the sultan – Ottoman ruler held: –  Most of Southern Europe –  North Africa –  Middle East

Ottoman Empire •  They tolerated the many Christian

Groups who lived there = strength •  1683 European nations grew stronger

= Ottoman Empire began decline