Byzantine Empire Religious & Political DifferencesSplit Christianity, Decline of the Empire

Religion • Emperors were supported by the

church because was part of the government. • It was a political and religious force.

• Constantine was the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire.• Until the 5th century, the pope was

the head of all Catholic Churches.• Numerous disagreements erupted

from the divide in the East(Orthodox) and West(Catholic) church.

West – Roman Catholic Church

•The Roman Catholic Church was more powerful than Western monarchs.

• It was not only a spiritual institution

but a strong political institution

•The pope was the centre of the Roman Catholic Church – virtually all power presided in the Pope and a hierarchy of bishops existed below the Pope

East – Greek Orthodox Church• Eastern Religious leaders (Patriarchs),

refused to recognize the Pope.

• Byzantine church leaders were consulted for political decisions.• Important political figures as well, this was

seen as a successful and wealthy career.

• Religion and the Byzantine Empire were strongly intertwined• The emperor was near divinity• High degree of theological authority

First Religious Disagreement •Nature of Jesus

•The pope: ▫Jesus had 2 natures: human and

divine

•The Monophysites:▫Jesus had one nature: divine

Council of Chalcedon•451 A.D. – Pope Leo I:

▫Jesus, although one person, had two natures.

•This did not satisfy the Eastern Orthodox Church. • They also didn’t like that the Pope had

made the decision for them.

•Eastern religious leaders refused to recognize this decision.

Second Religious Disagreement •Question of whether or not images, or

pictures and statues, were to be allowed in the church.

•Western church ▫Images were essential in helping people

to imagine the divine.

•They saw opposition to religious icons as a threat to traditional Christianity.

Eastern church opposed the use of images•Worship of images or icons was a pagan

belief

•Anything made by humans should not be worshiped

•They believed that only Gods should be worshipped • This philosophy was inspired in part of

the Islamic faith.

Religious Conflict • 726 – Pope Leo III:• Issued an edict forbidding the use of images

or icons of the sacred personages of Christianity including Christ and all the Saints• Rioting broke out in Constantinople• Eastern religious leaders again refused to

recognize this decision• 1054 A.D – Issue was the use of leavened

bread vs. unleavened bread in the communion service.• This caused both sides to excommunicate each

other which led to an open schism.• Churches permanently separated in 1054

The Great Schism of 1054

Map of the Religious Division

•This division between the two churches is known as schism

Decline

•The decline of the Empire lasted from 1056-1453

•While emperors, such as Justinian, had tried to expand the Byzantine Empire, their efforts were unsuccessful.

•Severe economic problems prevented the empire from developing a firm economic foundation.

Decline

•The empire faced some significant opposition in the form of the Seljuk and later the Ottoman Turks.

•The Christians of Western Europe succeeded in capturing Constantinople for a time

Battle fought during the decline• 1071: Seljuk Turks defeat Byzantines at the

Battle of Manzikert

• 1081-1118:  Alexius Comnenus – 1096-1099: The First Crusade

• 1204: Constantinople falls to Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade

• 1261: Constantinople is liberated from the Crusaders.

• 1453: Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Turks "Ottoman Empire" Chronology

Fall of Constantinople- Documentary