Constantinople was considered a wealthy city during its time. Constantinople was located right next to the sea and was a bridge between Asia and Europe; with the sea surrounding most of the city, it provided a useful source of oversea goods and services. The ruler of Constantinople, Constantine, understood the appeal of Constantinople to other rulers. So, to keep his power and his city safe, “Constantine paid gold to his enemies in an attempt to keep the peace” (The Siege of Constantinople, 2011). The problem with this method was that soon Constantine ran out of money. As the city because bankrupt, it also became the capital due to the fall of Rome. This was a perfect time for an invasion, and that is exactly what the Ottomans did. The Ottomans …show more content…
were “interested in circumventing the overland trade routes to Asia as early as 1420”, and before taking over Constantinople they had invaded Venice, Gorduba, Rome, and Alexandra (Addis, C). The Ottomans leader, Mehmed, wanted Constantinople to complete his empire, Constantinople was the last place he needed to fulfil a powerful empire. Since Rome fell and Constantinople was weakened, it was the perfect time for the Ottomans to attack, so they did. Ottoman was advance compared to other armies during that time. The Ottomans used state of the art weaponry, one of them being a cannon. The Ottomans were also strategic when planning attacks. When word was out that Constantine could no longer pay his enemies, the sultan Mehmed built a fortress in the winter of 1451 that cut off Constantinople’s shipment supplies (The Siege of Constantinople, 2011). Another moved that was made against Constantine was the firing of cannons. There was a point during battle that the commander had the people who were controlling the cannons to aim all of them to the wall that they were trying to knock down. The wall collapsed quickly, and it was after the people invaded through the wall that the Ottomans officially claimed Constantinople. As far as its opponent, the Byzantine did not seem like fighters. Their leader, Constantine, was someone who wanted to avoid conflict at all cost. That is why he paid his enemies and why he tried to reason with the sultan Mehmed to not invade his land. It was stated in the film that Constantine “sent gifts to the sultan and promised to increase the gold shipments” (The Siege of Constantinople, 2011). In the end, even though the Ottomans were more strategic and the Byzantine more peaceful, one similarity that both parties had was loyalty towards their people. When the sultan Mehmed declined Constantine’s offer, Constantine wrote a final letter to him stating that he will stand for city and people until he dies. Constantine did not want to give up his place or his city because of the rich history and religious views that were imbedded in Constantinople, he owed it to his people to try and fight for it. As for the Ottomans, there were moments during battle that seemed like they would not win. During the first battle, “Mehmed troops were turned back so the first victory went to Constantine” (The Siege of Constantinople, 2011). Due to this first lost the sultan changed his strategy, he did not give up on his people and his people did not give up on their ruler. When compared the sultan Mehmed and the Muslim leader Salah al-Din, there are personal characteristics that set them apart.
Salah al-Din was described as an honorable man; “he was able to remain humble with the humble, even after he had become the most powerful of the powerful” (Maalouf, A., pg.177-178). Salah al-Din shred tears when people passed away, whether they were blood related or not, and he always gave to people. He gave to people so often, whether that was through aid or money, that it was stated that “Saladin’s generosity sometimes bordered on the irresponsible” (Maalouf, A., pg.179). When Salah al-Din took over Jerusalem though, you could see the parallels between Salah al-Din and Mehmed fighting style. There was a point during the time when Salah al-Din was trying to take over Jerusalem that he strategic planned his attacks from all sides of Tiberias. During that time, Tiberias was a dry stretch of land, there was only one main water source, but that source was limited. When Salah al-Din had the army attack from every corner against the Frankish army, it weakened their opponents. “Franj were exhausted, dying of thirst, that they had neither the strength nor the time to cut themselves a passage to the lake before dark, and that they would therefore have to spend the night without a drop to drink” (Maalouf, A., pg.191). This type of strategies made it easy for his army to fight against the Frankish army, and when we think back to the strategies that of the sultan Mehmed they are similar. Another similarity is the use of weaponry. Salah al-Din army used catapults against his enemies. On November 1183, it was stated that Salah al-Din ordered his army to “set up catapults around the citadel of Karak” so that they would disrupt a wedding that was taking place inside (Maalouf, A., pg. 187). Although both rulers have similar fight styles, one thing that should not be forgotten is how they treated their enemies. The Sultan Mehmed did not show may remorse to
Constantine, in fact it was even stated in the video that Constantine’s grave was never established. There was speculation that a headless body found near a church could have been Constantine’s body due to its attire, but nothing was ever proven. Salah al-Din however was more sympathetic in the way he treated people, even his enemies. As stated before, Salah al-Din connected with people differently, he was honorable and kind unlike some previous rulers. This type of behavior is something that was not unheard of, even towards an enemy. It was stated that “Saladin would never refuse a request from a man of honor, even the fiercest of his enemies” (Maalouf, A., pg.197). This was demonstrated when Salah al-Din talked with Balian; at the time Salah al-Din was ready to take over a city and kill Balian, but after hearing Balian’s pleas they made a deal and he was spared. Overall, both Salah al-Din and the sultan Mehmed were unique rulers. Both got what they wanted, Jerusalem and Constantinople, in their own way.
They invaded the city over and over again taking the young children and turning them into slaves and humiliating them in front of the entire city. They wanted to get rid of Christianity completely in a short amount of time. The turks felt victorious every time that they captured a new group. This shows how this time period was at a constant war. There was never peace among cities.
Chronicle of the First Crusade is an excerpt from Gesta Francorum Jherusalem peregrinantium, written in three installments, 1101, 1106, and 1124–27, by Fulcher of Chartres, a French chaplain and chronicler of the First Crusade. Born in approximately 1059, and educated for the priesthood in Chartres, in what is now France, Fulcher attended the Council of Clermont, accompanying his overlord, Stephen of Blois, to southern Italy, Bulgaria, and Constantinople in 1096, following the call to action instigated by Pope Urban II as response to a request for assistance from the Byzantine emperor Alexius I. In June 1097, Fulcher became chaplain to Baldwin of Flanders, with whom he remained, traveling with him to Jerusalem in the winter of 1099. Fulcher, who remained in Jerusalem for the remainder of his life, dying there in approximately 1127, provides, as an eyewitness to the events, the Christian perspective of the Siege of Jerusalem.
Did Justinian impact life as we know it because he is such a great ruler, or is he just a follower who keeps trying to hold on to the loose threads of a fallen empire? Some might say that without Justinian, humanity is a step further back. Others may argue evermore that Justinian is a two-faced liar who you cannot trust (Doc. 2). Contrary to many beliefs, Justinian creates a new Byzantine Empire after the fall of Rome that is influential to many different cultures, more advanced and educated than Rome, and more economically thriving than the Roman Empire.
The First Crusade is often cited as one of the most damnable consequences of religious fanaticism. A careful inspection of the circumstances and outcomes, however, will reveal a resultant political restructuring of Europe under the banner of Christendom. The purpose of this investigation is to investigate Pope Urban II’s motives in initiating the First Crusade, with a particular focus on the consolidation of the Western Church’s influence in Europe. Among the primary sources that will be consulted are the letter sent by Patriach Alexios of Constantinople to Urban, and an account of Urban’s speech at Clermont. Relevant excerpts from both of these primary sources, as well as contextual evidence and a wide array of historiography, will be taken
Roman Emperor Constantine I founded the Byzantine Empire in 330 CE as a continuation of the Roman Empire in the east. The characteristics of the empire led to the modern definition of “Byzantine,” which means “strangely complicated.” This was true, as in the Byzantine Empire was very chaotic, complex, and strange at times, but it was very massive and influential worldwide. The empire heavily influenced modern religion, laws, and engineering making it worthwhile learning about the empire.
In the 16th century, the Mesopotamia had served as an intermediate for trade between Europe, Africa, and Asia. It was also an important supplier on food goods on foreign trade, especially silk and cotton. Other than the Ottoman Empire who had control over it, they also had there competitive rivals, the Persian Safavids who also had control over it. The Persians Muslim faith clashed with the Ottoman’s devotion to Sunnism. Both groups had fought economically for the control over the western trade routes to the East. The Ottomans had captured Europe’s largest city, Constantinople, in May 1453. After it was captured, the Ottoman’s had renamed it Istanbul, as it became the city capital of The Ottoman Empire.
Despite their differences, the Islamic Caliphate and the Byzantine Empire were remarkably similar. They shared similar governments, they declined under good leaders, were based off Greek ideals and had trade-based economies. Yet, their intellectual achievements were not equal and the way their trade focused economies worked were polar opposites. These empires did rise and fall in very similar ways that were not touched upon. The back and forth sharing of ideas between the empires must have been the cause for so much similarity.
How did the Crusades affect the Christians, Muslims, and Jews? The crusades impacted them all greatly for they were all a key part of the Crusades. Occasionally A religion may get a positive consequence but most of the time it was a negative one. Why did they all want Jerusalem? They all wanted it because it had a religious value to them. For the Jews, it was their spiritual city where the great temple once stood. For the Christians, it was where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. Last but not least for the Muslims it was where Muhammad rose to heaven during the night journey.
Constantinople was the newly established capital of the once glorious Roman Empire, center of Roman religion, and was heavily influenced by the Roman culture. Then the Schism in 1054, cultural diffusion, and the change in women’s rights altered the day-to-day life of Constantinople’s inhabitants. Despite the intensity of the political changes over the long period of 400 C.E. to 1473 C.E., such as the Schism in 1054 and cultural diffusion, continuities such as classical learning and Justinian’s Code were more influential for they prevented Constantinople from declining before 1473 C.E.
The First Crusade from 1095 to 1099 has been seen as a successful crusade. The First Crusaders carefully planned out their attacks to help promote religion throughout the lands. As the First Crusade set the example of what a successful crusade should do, the following crusades failed to maintain control of the Holy Land. Crusades following after the First Crusade weren’t as fortunate with maintaining the Holy Land due united forces of Muslims, lack of organization, and lack of religious focus.
They began to take rent from the people who lived there, place taxes on local markets and tollbooths were placed at the entrance to the cities. This all helped to create the fiscal-military state which made it possible for rulers to pay their armies and guards with cash. It was the conquering of the Byzantine Empire that helped to make money more accessible to the Ottoman Empire, the Byzantine Empire was part of the Roman Empire which was the longest lasting Empire and most likely more advance than some of the smaller Empires. Metals such as silver, lead, and iron were necessary to keep enough money to pay the armies their salaries. The Ottomans took over the silver, iron and lead mines in Serbia and Bosnia making them the masters of metal production. Both the Habsburgs and the Ottomans used large amounts of gold and silver to purchase firearms, cannons and ships to conquer the world.
former capital of the Byzantine Empire and of the Ottoman Empire , since 1930 officially called Istanbul (for location and description, see Istanbul ). It was founded (AD 330) at ancient Byzantium as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine I, after whom it was named. The largest and most splendid European city of the Middle Ages, Constantinople shared the glories and vicissitudes of the Byzantine Empire, which in the end was reduced to the city and its environs. Although besieged innumerable times by various peoples, it was taken only three times—in 1204 by the army of the Fourth Crusade (see Crusades ), in 1261 by Michael VIII, and in 1453 by the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad II. Defended by Greek fire , it was also well fortified. An early inner wall was erected by Constantine I, and the enlarged Constantinople was surrounded by a triple wall of fortifications, begun (5th cent.) by Theodosius II. Built on seven hills, the city on the Bosporus presented the appearance of an impregnable fortress enclosing a sea of magnificent palaces and gilded domes and towers. In the 10th cent., it had a cosmopolitan population of about 1 million. The Church of Hagia Sophia , the sacred palace of the emperors (a city in itself); the huge hippodrome, center of the popular life; and the Golden Gate, the chief entrance into the city; were among the largest of the scores of churches, public edifices, and monuments that lined the broad arcaded avenues and squares. Constantinople had a great wealth of artistic and literary treasures before it was sacked in 1204 and 1453.
In 1095, a series of medieval battles, also known as the crusades, began between the Christians and Muslims. Pope Urban II delivered an influential speech to the knights and soldiers to fight and win the “Holy Land” back. He used convincing language as he supports the benefits of war. He states that by doing this, they will be doing God’s desire, giving them a sure passage into heaven, he also says that if whoever kill anyone that is not Christian, will be rewarded; therefore he is using religious ideals to motivate the citizens to battle. After his speech, a large amount of people started their journey to the Holy Land. The main motive behind the crusades was financial gain, but was also religious principles and prizes in the background.
While the western half of the divided Roman Empire collapsed from foreign invaders, the surviving eastern side thrived and excelled way longer in the city of Constantinople. Influenced by external Greek and Latin civilizations, the Eastern Roman Empire transformed all aspects of their culture including government structure. Once a new capital was established by Emperor Constantine I, the empire slowly gained power and flourished into a strong civilization overtime. The foreign effects of many countries have shaped the Byzantine Empire’s governing system pattern and consequently helped with further expansion at the cost of many revolts and rebellions.
During the early 700s, the Byzantine Empire was in turmoil and chaos. As Leo III took power, Constantinople was being attacked by Avars, Bulgarians, and Arabs. The Arabs from the Middle East were a main concern for Leo III because of their large conquests in the Asia Minor. The Arabs advanced to spread their faith of Islam and control resources. The Arabs slowly acquired land until their siege on Constantinople itself. Leo III made brilliant defense moves to stop the invaders. His military forces attacked the Arabs from the rear successfully while naval forces were repelled with Greek Fire. Greek Fire was the empire's secret weapon that may have saved them from the Arab siege. Arab ships would burst into flames from contact with the "liquid fire." Fighting continued for a year until the Arabs retreated. Constantinople was defended successfully, but the empire suffered heavy losses and continued to loose land.