Question

After Justinian died in A.D. 565, the Byzantine Empire suffered from many wars and conflicts with outside powers. The first crisis actually began before Justinian's death. It was a disease that resembled what we now know as the bubonic plague. This horrifying illness hit Constantinople in the later years of Justinian's reign. The plague probably arrived from India on ships infested with rats. In 542, at its peak, it is estimated that 10,000 people were dying every day. The illness broke out every 8 to 12 years until around 700, when it finally faded out. By that time, it had destroyed a huge percentage of the Byzantine population.
The smaller population left the empire exposed to its enemies. To the east there was war with the Persians. The Lombards, a Germanic tribe, settled in Italy. The Avars and Slavs invaded the Balkan Peninsula. The Muslim Empire conquered Syria, Palestine, and much of North Africa. By A.D. 650 the Byzantines had lost many lands.
The powerful Sassanid Persians attacked relentlessly in the east. The Persians and Avars struck against Constantinople itself in 626. With the rise of Islam, Arab armies attacked the city in 674 and once again in 717. Russians attempted invasions of the city three times between 860 and 1043.
As their first line of defense, the Byzantines used bribes, diplomacy, and political marriages to prop up their shaky empire. These strategies, however, were not enough. So, in the 7th century, Emperor Heraclius reorganized the empire along military lines. Provinces became themes, or military districts. Each theme was run by a general who reported directly to the emperor.
In spite of these measures, the Byzantine Empire slowly shrank under the impact of foreign attacks. By 1350, it was reduced to the tip of Anatolia and a strip of the Balkans. Yet thanks to its walls, its fleet, and its strategic location, the city held out for another 100 years.
During the A.D. 1000s the Seljuq Turks, a nomadic people from central Asia, captured much of Asia Minor. This region was an important source of food and soldiers for the empire. Next the Turks prepared to attack Constantinople. The Byzantine emperor asked the West to help defend Constantinople. From A.D. 1096 to A.D. 1099 a western European army seized and eventually returned western Asia Minor to the Byzantines. In A.D. 1204, however, Western forces turned against the Byzantine Empire and captured Constantinople.
In A.D. 1261 the Byzantines recaptured Constantinople. The Byzantine Empire lasted for almost 200 more years. However, it never regained its former strength. In the A.D. 1300s a rising Asian power, the Ottoman Turks, began to threaten Byzantine territory. By the mid-1300s the Ottomans had begun to move into the Balkans. In A.D. 1361 they took Adrianople, one of the empire's leading cities. With the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in A.D. 1453, the Byzantine Empire finally came to an end.


1. What religion dominated western and eastern Europe in 1050? What religion dominated northern Africa and southwest Asia? (Map)
2. What Christian city was closest to Muslim lands in Asia? (Map)
3. In the 7th and 8th centuries, which invading groups were the Byzantines able to defeat? (Map)
4. Based an analysis of the map, explain why the Byzantine Empire important to Western civilization.
5. List 5 enemies that took Byzantine territory.
6. Why was the Seljuq Turk invasion of Asia Minor so harmful to the Byzantine Empire?
7. Why do you think the Western forces turned on the Byzantine Empire?
8. Describe the non-violent ways that the Byzantines tried to prop up their empire; why don’t you think these methods were successful?
9. The Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Ottoman Turks, a Muslim force, in C.E. 1453. How do you think this influenced the Orthodox Church?
10. In your opinion, which of the following factors doomed the Byzantine Empire: the plague, the fact that the Empire was surrounded by enemies, Western forces turning against the Byzantines, or the Seljuk Turk invasion of Anatolia? Explain your answer in at least 3 sentences.

Answer 1

Here are the answers to your questions based on the information provided:

1. **What religion dominated western and eastern Europe in 1050? What religion dominated northern Africa and southwest Asia?**
- Christianity dominated western and eastern Europe in 1050, while Islam dominated northern Africa and southwest Asia.

2. **What Christian city was closest to Muslim lands in Asia?**
- The Christian city closest to Muslim lands in Asia would be Constantinople.

3. **In the 7th and 8th centuries, which invading groups were the Byzantines able to defeat?**
- The Byzantines were able to defeat the Avars and Slavs during these centuries.

4. **Based on an analysis of the map, explain why the Byzantine Empire was important to Western civilization.**
- The Byzantine Empire served as a buffer between Western Europe and invading forces from the east and south, preserving Christianity and classical knowledge. It also facilitated trade and cultural exchange between the east and west and acted as a repository of Roman law and governance that influenced emerging European states.

5. **List 5 enemies that took Byzantine territory.**
- 1) Sassanid Persians
- 2) Lombards
- 3) Avars
- 4) Slavs
- 5) Seljuq Turks
- 6) Ottoman Turks (also valid)

6. **Why was the Seljuq Turk invasion of Asia Minor so harmful to the Byzantine Empire?**
- The Seljuq Turk invasion of Asia Minor was harmful because this region was crucial for the Byzantines as it was a significant source of food and soldiers. Losing this territory weakened the empire's military and economic strength, making it more vulnerable to further attacks.

7. **Why do you think the Western forces turned on the Byzantine Empire?**
- The Western forces may have turned on the Byzantine Empire due to a combination of mistrust, desire for power, and competing interests. The capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade likely stemmed from the fractious political relations between the Latin West and the Greek East, as well as opportunism in the face of the weakened Byzantine state.

8. **Describe the non-violent ways that the Byzantines tried to prop up their empire; why don’t you think these methods were successful?**
- The Byzantines used bribes, diplomacy, and political marriages to secure alliances and maintain stability. These methods may not have been successful due to the increasing pressures of external invasions and internal divisions within the empire, as well as the shifting balance of power which often made such diplomatic efforts less effective against determined military aggressors.

9. **The Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Ottoman Turks, a Muslim force, in C.E. 1453. How do you think this influenced the Orthodox Church?**
- The fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks likely led to significant challenges for the Orthodox Church, as it lost its political and spiritual capital. The church had to navigate repression under Muslim rule, which may have led to a shift in focus towards maintaining religious identity and practices among Orthodox Christians, while also fostering a renewed sense of diaspora among believers.

10. **In your opinion, which of the following factors doomed the Byzantine Empire: the plague, the fact that the Empire was surrounded by enemies, Western forces turning against the Byzantines, or the Seljuk Turk invasion of Anatolia? Explain your answer in at least 3 sentences.**
- I believe that the fact the Empire was surrounded by enemies ultimately doomed the Byzantine Empire. Continuous invasions and pressures from various formidable powers such as the Persians, Avars, and later the Seljuq and Ottoman Turks eroded its territories and military strength. While the plague and the internal betrayal by Western forces were significant, the ongoing military threats and loss of territory created a situation that the Byzantines could not recover from, leading to their eventual collapse in 1453.