How did the Byzantines first try to fix up their shaky empire?

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.

What was the Byzantine Empire and how did they rise to power?

The Byzantine Empire was originally the eastern part of the Roman Empire but broke off and became the dominant Christian power after the fall of Rome, which put it at odds with other powers – especially after the Great Schism, when the Roman Catholic Church of Italy and Greek Orthodox Church of Constantinople formally …

How did the Byzantine Empire became powerful and thrive?

Emperor Constantine I came to power as emperor in 306 CE. He made the Greek city of Byzantium the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. The city was renamed to Constantinople. Under Constantine, the Empire would thrive and become powerful.

Why was the Byzantine Empire unstable?

Over time, its economic and military might waned and along with it, the empire’s capacity to seize an opportunity. Add in civil unrest, natural disasters and powerful enemies such as the Arabs, Seljuk Turks, Bulgars, Normans, Slavs, and Ottoman Turks, and you can see why the Byzantine Empire eventually crumbled.

How did Icons excommunicate?

Icons cause controversy, and people began to riot against the use of them. When matters came to the head pope and the patriarch they excommunicated each other in a dispute over religious doctrine Christianity split between Rome and Constantinople.

What was the effect of the split Byzantine Empire?

The Empire gave rise to the Eastern Orthodox Church. This “Great Schism” created two separate branches of Christianity: the Roman Catholic Church in the West, and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the Byzantine East.

How was Byzantine Empire created?

The beginnings of the Byzantine Empire lie in the decision of Roman emperor Constantine I to relocate the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium on 11 May 330. The popular name Constantinople or ‘City of Constantine’ soon replaced the emperor’s own official choice of ‘New Rome’.

How did the Byzantine Empire contribute to the renaissance?

During the Byzantine Renaissance—from 867 to 1056—art and literature flourished. The exodus of these people from Constantinople contributed to the revival of Greek and Roman studies, which led to the development of the Renaissance in humanism and science.

How did the Byzantine Empire collapse?

The dwindling Byzantine Empire came to an end when the Ottomans breached Constantinople’s ancient land wall after besieging the city for 55 days. The fall of the city removed what was once a powerful defense for Christian Europe against Muslim invasion, allowing for uninterrupted Ottoman expansion into eastern Europe.