To understand what are the causes of the fall of the Byzantine Empire, a brief digression into history should be made. In 395, after the death of the ruler Theodosius I and the collapse of the great Roman state, its western part ceased to exist. In its place formed the Byzantine Empire. Before the collapse of Rome, its western half was called "Greek", since the main part of its population was Hellenes.
general information
For almost ten centuries, Byzantium was the historical and cultural successor of Ancient Rome. The composition of this state included incredibly rich lands and a large number of cities located in the territories of present-day Egypt, Asia Minor, and Greece. Despite the corrupt management system, excessive taxes, slave-owning economy and constant court intrigues, the Byzantine economy has long been the most powerful in Europe.
The state traded with all former western Roman possessions and with India. Even after the conquest of some of its territories by the Arabs, the Byzantine Empire remained very rich. However, the financial costs were high, and the well-being of the country aroused envy among the neighbors. But the decline in trade, which was caused by the privileges granted to the Italian merchants, the capture of Constantinople (the capital of the state) by the crusaders, as well as the onslaught of the Turks, caused the final weakening of the financial condition and the state as a whole.
Description
In this article we will tell you what are the reasons for the fall of Byzantium, what prerequisites were for the collapse of one of the richest and most powerful empires of our civilization. No other ancient state has existed for such a long time - 1120 years. The fabulous riches of the elite, the beauty and exquisite architecture of the capital and large cities - all this took place against the backdrop of the deep barbarism of the peoples of Europe, in which they were in the heyday of this country.
The Byzantine Empire lasted until the middle of the sixteenth century. This powerful nation had a great cultural heritage. During its heyday, she owned vast territories in Europe, Africa and Asia. Byzantium occupied the Balkan Peninsula, almost all of Asia Minor, Palestine, Syria and Egypt. Her possessions also covered part of Armenia and Mesopotamia. Few people know that she owned and possessions in the Caucasus and the Crimean peninsula.
History
The total area of the Byzantine Empire was more than one million square kilometers with a population of approximately 35 million people. The state was so large that its emperors in the Christian world were considered supreme overlords. Legends were told about the unthinkable riches and splendor of this state. The peak of the Byzantine art flourished in the reign of Justinian. It was a golden age.
The Byzantine state included many large cities in which a literate population lived. Due to its excellent location, Byzantium was considered the largest trading and maritime power. From her ran the way even to the most remote places at that time. Byzantines conducted trade with India, China, about. Ceylon, Ethiopia, Britain, Scandinavia. Therefore, gold solid - the monetary unit of this empire - has become an international currency.
Although Byzantium intensified after the Crusades, however, relations with the West worsened after the Latin massacre. This became the reason that the fourth crusade was already directed against herself. In 1204, its capital, Constantinople, was captured. As a result, Byzantium broke up into several states, including the Latin and Achaean principalities created in the territories occupied by the crusaders, the Trebizond, Nicene and Epirus empires, which remained under the control of the Greeks. The Latins began to suppress the Hellenistic culture, and the dominance of Italian merchants prevented the revival of cities. The reasons for the fall of the Byzantine Empire cannot be summarized. They are numerous. The collapse of this once flourishing state was a huge blow to the entire Orthodox world.
Economic reasons for the fall of the Byzantine Empire
On points they can be represented as follows. It was economic instability that played a decisive role in weakening, and subsequently, the death of this richest state.
- The main internal causes of the fall of the Byzantine Empire are the economic decline that has come about everywhere. It was observed both in villages and in cities; the financial situation of peasants and residents of large settlements was significantly worsened.
- The crash was accelerated by the penetration of foreign merchants, mostly Italian. They gradually captured all areas of the economic system of Byzantium. With their vigorous activity, foreign traders hindered the further development of productive forces in the country. The policy of protecting him from the state system has become one of the prerequisites for the death of this civilized state. Like a wormhole, the merchant capital of the Venetian and Genoese merchants undermined the Byzantine Empire from within, depriving it of vitality and wealth. They inflicted irreparable damage on the country's trade and craft industries, and as a result the state weakened.
- Soon its dominance at sea collapsed.
Disunited society
There were not only economic, but also other internal reasons for the fall of the Byzantine Empire. The ruling feudal and church circles of this once flourishing state did not succeed not only in leading their own people, but also in finding a common language with them. Moreover, the government was unable to restore unity even around itself. Therefore, at the time when the consolidation of all internal forces of the state was required to repulse the external enemy, hostility and schism, mutual suspicion and distrust reigned everywhere in Byzantium. The attempts of the last emperor, who (according to the chroniclers) was known as a brave and honest man, to rely on the inhabitants of the capital were belated.
The presence of strong external enemies
Byzantium fell due to not only internal but also external reasons. This was greatly facilitated by the mercenary policy of the papacy and many Western European states, which left it without help at the time of the threat from the Turks. A significant role was also played by the lack of goodwill of her long-standing enemies, of whom there were many among the Catholic prelates and sovereigns. All of them dreamed not about saving a huge empire, but only about capturing its rich inheritance. This can be called the main cause of the death of the Byzantine Empire. The absence of strong and reliable allies contributed much to the collapse of this country. Alliances with the Slavic states located on the Balkan Peninsula were sporadic and fragile. This took place both due to the lack of mutual trust on both sides, and as a result of internal disagreements.
The fall of the Byzantine Empire
The causes and consequences of the collapse of this once powerful civilized country are numerous. Clashes with the Seljuks greatly weakened her. There were also religious reasons for the fall of the Byzantine Empire. Having adopted Orthodoxy, she lost the support of the pope. Byzantium could disappear from the face of the earth before, even during the reign of the Seljuk Sultan Bayazid. However, Timur (the Central Asian emir) prevented this. He defeated the enemy forces, and Bayazid was captured.
After the fall of such a sufficiently powerful Armenian crusader state as Cilicia, the turn of Byzantium came. Many dreamed of capturing her, from bloodthirsty Ottomans to Egyptian Mamelukes. But they were all afraid to go against the Turkish Sultan. Not a single European state started a war against it for the interests of Christianity.
Effects
After the establishment of Turkish rule over Byzantium, a stubborn and prolonged struggle of the Slavic and other Balkan peoples against the foreign yoke began. In many countries of the Southeastern empire, a recession of the economy and social development followed, which led to a long regression of the development of productive forces. Although the Ottomans strengthened the economic position of some of the feudal lords who collaborated with the conquerors, expanding the domestic market for them, nevertheless, the peoples of the Balkans experienced severe oppression, including religious. The approval of the conquerors in Byzantine territory turned it into a bridgehead of Turkish aggression directed against Central and Eastern Europe, as well as against the Middle East.