Constantinople • Capital of Byzantine Empire –
Constantinople – Protected by Greek Fire
– Controlled by: Roman Empire Christians Byzantines Muslim Arabs Turks
Constantine • Ruled Roman Empire • Made 2 Changes:
– Became Christian – stopped persecution
– Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium • Built expensive city • Fortified capital • Renamed it Constantinople
– Early 500’s city – successful – People lived there – Byzantines
• When Roman Empire fell – split – East – strong – military & trade
Trade • Constantinople on Bosporus – straight
– narrow channel links 2 bodies of water – Black Sea & Mediterranean Sea
Europe & Asia met there = riches
Middle Ages • Period from fall of Roman Empire, AD
476 to 1500 – Middle Ages – also known as medieval – exist during Middle Ages – During this period – Byzantines remained
strong
Justinian • One of the greatest rulers
– Always completed everything – Listened to everyone – Created – Code of Justinian – organized
collection and explanation of Roman laws for use by the Byzantine Empire
• Became basis for legal system in most European countries
• Byzantine scholars kept and copied Greek works
After Justinian’s Death • 565 – empire decline
– Emperors fought over religious & political arguments with: Turks & Persians (East) Arabs (South) Germanic (North & West)
Religion Problem • Most were Christian
– Byzantine Christians rejected: Pope – leader of the Church of
Rome – Emperor got to choose the Patriarch –
leader of the Church in Constantinople • Greek spoken in Byzantine Church • Latin spoken in Roman Church
– 2 Churches grew apart – Christians prayed to holy people or saints
represented by icons – paintings of people • 700’s Byzantine Emperor outlawed icons –
Pope disagreed and banished emperor from the church
Religion Problem • Byzantines thought Pope did not have
authority to do it = schism – split = Roman Catholic Church – West Eastern Orthodox Church - East
Second Golden Age • 900-mid 1000’s trade, population grew
– Reign of Basil II (976 -1025) best period since Justinian – regained land
Fall of Constantinople • Late 1100’s – Turks taking land away • 1171 – disagreement with Venice
overtrade = war • 1200’s – Constantinople attacked by
Christian Crusaders – ruled city for 50 years
• 1261 – regain city – empire gone • 1453 – 70,000 Turks surrounded
Constantinople – 7,000 defenders held out for 2 months – When city fell – renamed Istanbul – capital
of Ottoman Empire
Bediouns • Nomads – people who have no
permanent home but move from place to place in search of food, water, & pastures – Traveled on camels from oasis to oasis for
water for them and their animals – Herded sheep, camels, & goats (pg. 298)
• Acted as guides for caravans – traders who traveled across the desert in large groups
Mecca • One of the most important and busy
trading centers on Arabian peninsula – Goods went from there to Syria to
Mediterranean Sea and to Yemen
Muhammad • Born 570 into a poor family
– Worked on caravans – At 40 years old
• 610 he went into a cave to pray – Voice of an angel from God told him there
was one God – created people, - God would teach his people, told Muhammad he would be Gods messenger
Muhammad • People who accepted the teachings of
Muhammad came to be known as Muslim – “person who submits”
• Many Arabs prayed at the Kaaba – Many people feared Muhammad, they
thought he was threatening their old gods and would try to gain political power
• 622 people invited Muhammad and his followers to Yathrib – N of Mecca
Muhammad • People thought he was a Prophet – this
movement or hijra – “the migration” – 622 year 1 on Muslim calendar – Also – Yathrib became Medina
• 630 – Muhammad returned to Mecca – When he died, 2 years later, Islam spread
over the Arabian Peninsula
Muslim Beliefs • Muezzin – calls Muslims to worship 5
times a day • Mosque – house of worship – face
Mecca
Quran • The holy book of Islam
– Contains messages God gave to Muslims – Many have memorized it
• Many have learned Arabic
– Similar to Torah or Bible • Believed in 1 God • Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, & Jesus –
important people in religious history • Saw himself as the last prophet in a long line of
prophets
– Muhammad called Jews & Christians “people of the book”
Role of Women • Quran taught men & women were
spiritually equal – Right to inherit property – Get an education – Could not be forced to marry – Get a divorce
Split Among Muslims • 656 – Uthman – leader of the Muslim
community – assassinated – Caused a split in Muslim world – Disagreed who would be the next leader
• 2 Groups – Shiites (small)
• Said ruler should be direct descendant of Muhammad
• Would be inspired by God, like Muhammad should explain meanings of messages received from God
Split Among Muslims – Sunnis (large)
• Said any true Muslim an could lead • No man should tell what God’s message meant • Muslim scholars could best explain the Quran
– Today 85% of Muslims are Sunnis
Islam Spreading • 150 years after Muhammad’s death
Islam spread to: – Spain – North Africa – India – China
• As traders traveled to North Africa & Asia, they took their religion
• Arab armies conquered new territories
Islam Spreading • By 732 Arab forces were defeated by
European soldiers at the Battle Tours (France)
• They were able to be successful because Rome, Persia, & Byzantine Empires were not as powerful
• Under their Rule – People practice own religion – Have own business – Non Muslims:
• Pay extra tax • Not allowed to serve in military
Golden Age • 800-1100 – advances in math, science
& literature • Muslim leaders – caliphs – created an
empire and made it rich • Baghdad, natural center of trade, was
capital of Muslim Empire – Caliph was Muhammad successor
• Math – Khwarizmi – helped create algebra =
greater discoveries in astronomy, chemistry, & physics
Golden Age • Science
– Philosopher – Ibn Sina – organized medical knowledge
• Literature – Sufis – Muslims who believed they could
draw close to God through prayer, fasting, and a simple life
– Sufis missionaries helped spread Islam
Ottoman Empire • 1258 Mongols killed last caliph • Muslim world now controlled by
Mongols and Turks • Muslim Turks – the Ottomans
expanded the sultan – Ottoman ruler held: – Most of Southern Europe – North Africa – Middle East