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…
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
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.
The Ottoman Empire was one of the longest running empires in history, spanning 624 years. The women of the Ottoman empire were often limited to the household of their husband’s and held back by Ottoman lawmakers and authorities. The point of view of outsiders was varied, but there were both positive and negative views.
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.
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.
This would allow their allies to safely sail into the ports with money and other goods. The Byzantines main trade hub were located in their capital of Constantinople.” A dizzying array of goods circulated in the Byzantine Middle East” (Williams). they would receive immense amounts of goods and money. This would allow the Byzantine Empire to become one of the wealthiest nations in Medieval age Europe. Although the Byzantines were promised goods from their allies, most times they were not given. Goods like food and money would be promised to the Byzantines. Only after the promise of such goods, was the promise broken for reasons unknown. “Promised Food and shelter for defeating the Turks.” (Google
Western Medieval Europe and the Byzantine Empire were originally part of the Roman Empire. It was not until the Middle Ages, they started to become very different even though they shared several common traits. The Byzantine Empire had surpassed much of Western Europe by the 300's, not only in trade and economics, but also in politics even while both argued over religion.
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.
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.
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.
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.