Justinian I

Mini Books: p. 320-324

http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/1320Hist&Civ/slides/05space/justinian.jpg

• In 527, Justinian became emperor; best!– good general– trained in law, music, architecture, & theology– chose people b/c of ability, not wealth or class

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Justinian.jpeg

• Justinian:– controlled the army and

navy– made laws– headed the Church– was supreme judge

• The church taught that the emperor’s acts came from God, therefore he could not be questioned.

http://www.livius.org/a/turkey/istanbul/justinian_cyriacus_ancona.jpg

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Theodora

•Justinian’s wife

•Interested in politics

•helped Justinian rule

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• Gave women more rights:

– wife could own land and keep wealth she brought to the marriage

– widows could kept their children w/o government interference

– converted a palace into a shelter for young girls

• In 532, senators organized a revolt & planned to crown a new emperor

• Against the advice of all others, Theodora urged Justinian to stay & fight

• Thanks to her, Justinian crushed the uprising & became an even stronger ruler

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Law & Public Works• Justinian wanted to update laws

• chose 10 people to update them, headed by a legal scholar named

Tribonian

• became known as “The Justinian Code”

http://www.lawbookexchange.com/images/43474.JPG

• Justinian had the church, Hagia Sophia, rebuilt

• means “Holy Wisdom”

• later called St. Sophia

• still stands today

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• gold altar

• marble walls

• mosaics

• huge dome w/windows– at night, oil lamps shone

through & could be seen for miles http://www.kimlaird.com/images/turkeyhagia1.jpg

Conquest• Justinian wanted to reunite the eastern &

western parts of the empire and restore the glory of Rome

• had Belisarius lead the Byzantine army

http://img68.imageshack.us/i/crusaders01td8.jpg/

• secret weapon: Greek fire, a chemical mixture that ignited when it touched water

• burned skin & hard to put out

• so secretive that ingredients are still unknown

http://media.photobucket.com/image/fire/Backdash/fire.jpg

• Byzantines gained control of a portion of the Mediterranean, Italy, and North Africa.

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