HST 121 - Byzantium and Islam

Byzantium
I. The Byzantine Empire survived while western Roman Empire
   fell to the Germanic tribes [MAP] [MAP]
    A. Black Sea protected much of the eastern empire;
        - thus, main invasions directed at the west
    B. much more wealthy and populous than the west
    C. the east had strong rulers who possessed strong armies
II. Byzantine Government
    A. direct offspring of political system of Diocletian and Constantine
    B. Byzantine emperor was an absolute monarch
    C. the Senate became less and less powerful
        - it became more ceremonial in nature
    D. most government offices held by eunuchs (castrated men)
III. Byzantine Christianity
    A. influence of Diocletian: the Byzantine emperor was semi-divine
        - he was a sacred ruler appointed by God
    B. influence of Constantine: the Byzantine emperor was de facto head
        of the Christian Church
    C. from very early on there was a lot of tension between the churches
        of Rome and Constantinople
        1. Petrine Doctrine = pope is head of the church
        2. Byzantine emperor is sacred person appointed by God and head of the church
    D. various disputes between Rome and Constantinople, e.g., icons
            - Leo III; policy of iconoclasm
    E. the final split
        1. Leo IX became pope in 1049
        2. he began a reform program that emphasized the authority of the
            papacy within the church
        3. the Byzantine emperor and the patriarch of Constantinople
            refused to submit to pope's authority
        4. thus, the pope excommunicated the patriarch of Constantinople in 1054
            - and the patriarch excommunicated the pope
        5. this event signifies the final split between the western and eastern churches
        6. from this point on, the two churches develop on their own
            - this leads to many differences between the two churches
IV. The Decline and Fall of the Byzantine Empire
    A. the empire lost large amounts of land to the Muslims
        during the 7th century
    B. the empire retook some lands during the 9th - 11th centuries
    C. but the emperors had to make concessions to the aristocracy
        to ensure their support during the wars
    D. this weakened the position of the emperor, and his position
        was challenged by aristocrats who revolted against him
    E. this weakened the empire and it couldn't withstand future attacks
        1. Normans attacked and conquered southern Italy (11th c.)
        2. Crusaders pillaged Constantinople (13th c.)
        3. Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople (1453)
            - this signaled the end of the Byzantine empire
Islam
I. 6th-century Arabia [Map: Early Islam] [MAP: Islam, c. 750]
    A. most people were polytheistic nomads called bedouins
        who lived in tribes with chieftains called sheikhs
    B. caravan route developed in Arabia
    C. cities developed along the caravan route, 
        the greatest one being Mecca
II. Muhammad, founder of Islam
    A. born in Mecca around the year 570
    B. he was born into a lesser branch of Mecca's leading family
    C. he became a caravan trader
    D. during his travels, he came into contact with other religions
    E. in his thirties, he started meditating in the mountains
        around Mecca
    F. in his late thirties, he had a vision of a man who told him
        that he was the messenger of God
III. The faith of Islam
    A. Muhammad's communications with God were later written 
        down and became the holy book of the Muslim faith, the Koran
    B. he believed there was one god called Allah
    C. followers of Islam were supposed to surrender completely
        to Allah (Islam means surrender)
    D. those who surrendered joined the umma muslima
        (thus, followers of Islam were called Muslims)
    E. What other beliefs did Muhammad hold?
                1. treat others with justice and mercy
                2. charity to the poor was emphasized
                3. dietary regulations: no wine, no pork
                4. routine prayer observed 5 times a day
IV. from Mecca to Medina, and back to Mecca
    A. the Hegira: Muhammad left Mecca in 622 because he was not well-
        received by the locals 
    B. he went to Medina, converted those who lived there, became their leader, 
        returned to Mecca (630), conquering and converting the residents
    C. jihad = "striving in the way of the Lord"
    D. he then set about converting the rest of Arabia
V. Muhammad's successors (caliphs)
    A. conquered Syria and Israel (630s)
    B. conquered Egypt (by 641)
    C. conquered the Persian Empire (by 650)
    D. why were they able to do this so quickly?
        1. they were a united and cohesive state
        2. Muslim soldiers were inspired by a fervent faith
        3. the Byzantines and Persians were worn out from
            fighting each other
    E. conquered North Africa
    F. invaded Spain in 711
        1. Spain quickly fell to the Muslims
        2. Spain embroiled in dynastic disputes and civil wars
    G. occupied southern France in 720
    H. had reached Tours on the Loire River in 732
    I. but finally stopped when they were defeated at the Battle
        of Tours in 732 by Charles Martel
    J. large Muslim force attacked Constantinople in 717
    K. Leo III successfully defended the city and defeated the 
        Muslims in the following year