SAVERA ALI HAMNA

FA22-BFA-031
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY

THE DECLINE OF BYZANTIUM EMPIRE

The Byzantine Empire’s last years were marked by stress and beauty. The empire faced enemies seeking
alliance and was always of its impending end. Despite this, Byzantine art and architecture flourished like
sparks from a burning forest. The world’s most magnificent palaces, with their wealth, beauty, and
sacredness, were the envy of the people from Iceland to China. Eventually, the dazzling city of
Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell. This small, beautiful church is the heart of the
court, named after the great old court church of Constantinople, St. There is not much left except for the
image of Christ on the wall and a marble fragment. The Church has been completely stripped out.
However, the real treasure is in Constantinople St. The true treasure lies on the floor, and that purple
stone, like Imperial Porphyry, is the real gem. The magical stone from Byzantium hadn’t been mined for
a thousand years when this church was built. There was a plague spreading in northern Italy. To escape
from the danger, the emperor and his followers rode over the mountain and down to the central plain
of the loop. West of Byzantium, help was desperately needed. Rome caused riots, and Italian priests
were insulted in the city’s churches. Unfortunately, Western Europe did not offer any aid. The cross of
our lord on the holy throne of Byzantium was the centre of the world. To the left, there was a good
paradise where all lords and ladies of Byzantium gathered, pressing through the pearly gates. On the
right, there were Turks and others who were struggling to get out. There were good and bad, plus and
minus, past and future, with heaven above. Probably the most important single cause of Byzantium's
collapse was its recurrent debilitating civil wars. Three of the worst periods of civil war and internal
fighting took place during Byzantium's decline. Byzantine towns of Thrace suffered from a lack of
victuals. While civil war was exhausting Byzantium, the Turks conducted frequent [naval] incursions
from Asia with the help of monemes, making their way with impunity into Thrace, especially during
harvest season, seizing livestock, carrying off women and children into slavery, and causing such evils
that these regions afterwards remained depopulated and uncultivated. That was one of the reasons for
the famine that the Byzantines had to endure.

The Byzantine Empire: A Civilization in Decline

The last years of the Byzantine Empire were marked by turmoil, external threats, and internal
challenges. The Empire's capital, Constantinople, stood as a symbol of wealth, beauty, and sacredness.
The Prelude to the End
The Crusaders' invasion and the encroaching Turkish forces spelled doom for Byzantium. The Byzantine
emperors, including Constantine XI Palaiologos, moved their palace and the icons of their faith to the
city walls in a last stand.
St. Saviour's Church: The Last Masterpiece
St. Saviour's Church served as the repository of Byzantium's greatest icons. The artwork inside the
church reflects the Byzantine belief in the resurrection and the value of humankind.
St. Sophia: A Church Named After the Great Old Court
Notable features include Christ on the wall and marble fragments. Significance of the double-headed
eagle, a symbol of Byzantine emperors. The remarkable treasure of Imperial porphyry and its historical
importance.
The Rise of the Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks' origins as nomadic shepherds from Central Asia. Conquest of Byzantine territories
and Southeast Europe. Establishment of Edirne as a thriving Ottoman capital.
Edirne: A Multinational Hub
Educational institutions in Edirne and their diverse influences. The transformative impact of Edirne's
multicultural environment on Byzantium.
Emperor John VIII's Desperate Plea for Aid
Emperor John VIII's journey to seek assistance from the West. The Council of Florence and its role in
Byzantium's fate. The significance of the Act of Union signed in Florence Cathedral.