Christian Civilizations in Eastern Europe: Byzantium

& Orthodox EuropeChapter 9

Byzantine Empire

• The Byzantine Empire with territory in the Balkans, the Middle East, and the eastern Mediterranean, maintained very high levels of political, economic, and cultural life between 500 and 1450 C.E.

• The Byzantine Empire, once part of the greater Roman Empire continued flourishing from an eastern Mediterranean base after Roman decline

• The empire continued many Roman patterns and spread its Orthodox Christian civilization through most of eastern Europe.

Emperor Constantine in the 4th c. established capital at ConstantinopleGreek became the official language after the 6th c. The empire benefited from the high level of civilization in the former Hellenistic world (Alexander the Great) and from the region’s prosperous commerce

Important New CenterConstantinople– “Second Rome”

Located on a strait that linked Mediterranean and Black SeasKey trading route linking Europe, Africa and Asia– Buffer between

Western Europe and Asia

Hellenistic culture – After Alexander’s death, Greek art, education, and culture merged with those in the Middle East

Byzantine HeritageBuilt on the Hellenistic culture– Christian beliefs– Greek science, art and

literature– Roman engineering

Byzantine Empire-(Eastern Roman Empire)

The Age of Justinian 527-565

Byzantine empire reached greatest sizeWanted to recover what had been lost during the fall of Rome

• Justinian rebuilt Constantinople in classical style; among the architectural achievements was the huge church of Hagia Sophia

• Body of Civil Law – Justinian’s codification of Roman law; reconciled Roman edicts and decisions; made Roman law a coherent basis for political and economic life; Justinian’s greatest achievement

• The revived empire withstood the 7th c. advance of Arab Muslims, although important regions were lost along the eastern Mediterranean and the northern Middle East

• Hagia Sophia – Great domed church constructed during the reign of Justinian

During Middle AgesDispute over use of icons (Holy Images) contributed to splitByzantine Emperor outlawed prayer to iconsTwo branches of Christianity grew further apart1054 provoked a permanent split between Byzantine, Eastern (Greek) Orthodox and Roman Catholic ChurchIconoclasm – refers to policies or people who oppose the religious use of images and advocate the destruction of such images

CHRISTIANS DIVIDED!Divisions in the Church

West - RomePope in RomeLatin LanguageMost important holy day = Christmas

East - ConstantinoplePatriarch in the Byzantine - rejected Pope’s authorityClergy could marryGreek LanguageMost important holy day = Easter

West vs. East

• The final break between the two churches occurred in 1054 over arguments about the type of bread used in the mass and the celibacy of priests

• The long decline began in 11th c.

• Muslim-Turkish (Seljuk Turks) invaders seized almost all of the empires of Asian provinces, removing the most important sources of taxes and food

• Crusaders took Constantinople in 1204 (4th Crusade)• A smaller empire struggled to survive for another two centuries• In 1453, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople

What happened to the Byzantine?

Crusades– Byzantine emperor called for help to fight the

Muslims headed for JerusalemMuslims took control of northern territories– Muslims eventually took Constantinople

and renamed it Istanbul

Rise of RussiaUral Mountains provide a physical boundaryWanted Moscow to be the “Third Rome”3 regions helped shape early Russian life– North - Lumber and hunting– South - Fertile land for

farming– Steppe - treeless grassland

Open to nomads from Asia and Europe

“Steppe Areas”Great “Highway”Rivers linked Byzantine to Russia

• Vladimir I – ruler of Kiev (980-1015) converted kingdom to orthodox Christianity

• Russian Orthodox – Russian form of Christianity brought from the Byzantine Empire

First CivilizationKiev in Present day UkraineHome of vital trading networksWould become the center of the first Russian stateBoyars – Russian landholding aristocrats; possessed less political power than their western European counterparts • Kiev – Commercial city in

Ukraine established by Scandinavians in 9th c.; became the center for a kingdom that flourished until the 12th c.

Kiev and the Byzantine EmpireTrade helped Kiev enter the Byzantine empire957 Princess Olga of Kiev converted to Byzantine Christianity– Grandson spread religion which gained strength – Later Prince Vladimir married the Byzantine

emperor’s sister for political reasons, thus he accepted Eastern Orthodox Christianity for himself and his people

Russians started to adapt religious art, music, and architecture

Onion DomesTtype of architectural dome that frequently adorns Russian Orthodox Churches.

                              

The domes are often brightly painted; the colors symbolize different aspects of religion. – Green, blue, and gold domes represent

the Holy Trinity, the Spirit of God, and Jesus, respectively.

Mongol “Influences”Mongols - Nomadic people from central Asia; United by Chinnghis KhanLooted and burned city of KievRussian princes had to pay money to rule without Mongol interferenceMongol rule cut off Russian contacts with Western Europe which were making advances in art and scienceRussian Orthodox grows stronger due to religious tolerationTatars – Mongols who conquered Russian cities during the 13th c.; left Russian church and aristocracy intact

Moscow Takes LeadWith their location near trading rivers, Moscow steadily increased their power Head of Russian Orthodox church made Moscow capitalMoscow became political and spiritual center of Russia

“Ivan the Great” - Ivan IIIRecovered Russian territories that were lost to invadersTried to limit the power of boyars (landowning nobles)Took on the title of Czar (Russian for Caesar)

“Ivan the Terrible” - Ivan IVGrandson of Ivan IIINobles granted land for military serviceTied serfs to landIntroduced Russia to extreme absolute power in Eastern Europe

RecapByzantine:Greek languageClaimed right to appoint the head of the churchDid not accept Pope as leader of the churchTaxes provided money to run a government & army

Western Europe:Latin language in churchesPope had power and the people acceptedTrade, town life and learning declined after the fall of Rome

Shaping Eastern EuropeGeography makes the area a “cultural crossroad”Crusades will bring in Muslims to area

The Least You Need to Know

Byzantine Empire a crossroads of trade and a center of cultural diffusion between the East and the WestByzantine missionaries spread Orthodox Christianity to the Slavic and Germanic tribes

Continued

The East Slavs migrated to Kiev to form an independent city-state which was later conquered by the MongolsThe principality of Moscow overthrew the Mongols and maintained a strong tie with Byzantine culture, identifying itself by extension with the tradition of imperial Rome