out of the book "Byzantium: The Surprising Life of a Medieval Empire" by Judith Herrin. give a fact that the byzantium empire has internal conflict

Answer 1

One significant fact about the Byzantine Empire's internal conflicts is the famous Iconoclasm controversy that lasted for over a century. Iconoclasm was the opposition to the use of religious images, arguing that they violated the Second Commandment against idol worship. This led to intense debates and clashes within Byzantine society between the iconoclasts, who sought to destroy religious images, and the iconodules, who defended the veneration of icons. The conflict not only caused deep divisions within Byzantine society but also had political implications, leading to the deposition and exile of multiple emperors. The Iconoclasm controversy only came to an end with the triumph of the iconodules in 843 CE.