Christian and
Islamic Empires
I.
Byzantine Empire: Rome continued
A. Roman law,
languages and traditions
B. Theological state
1.
one emperor and one faith working together
2.
strengths and weaknesses
a. unity
b. division
--monophysites vs. duophysites
--iconoclastic controversy (later)
II.
Justinian and Theodora (527-565)
A. New height for
Rome
1.
Reconquest of Italy
2.
Constantinople rebuilt on grand scale
3.
Corpus Juris Civilis
B. Theodora saves the
day
1.
Nike riots
2.
Theodora is not afraid
C. Constantinople in
its glory
1.
600,000 people
2.
Great walls, baths, gardens, churches, hippodrome
3.
Hagia Sophia (537)
a. Roman art advanced
b. Christianity and
Byzantine culture spreads in Eastern Europe
c. Vladimir of Kiev's
ambassadors visit Constantinople, 987
III. Rise of new
religion and theological state
A. Muhammad
(570-632)
1. Family of caravan traders in
Mecca
2. Muhammad a new prophet
B. A new book
1. Muhammad is a
prophet, not son of God
a. final revelation of the God of Abraham
2. Clarity and
strictness in comparison to Christianity
a. Five
pillars
IV.
Theological state on a different model
A. Muhammad is both a religious and
political leader
B. Muslims united
by a practical religion
1. religion
of laws and practice rather than doctrine
2. Ulama,
but no real ecclesiastical hierarchy
3. Occasions when
politics create religious divide
a. dispute over
caliphate: Shi'ites vs. Sunnis
III.
Muslim Conquest
A.
From Mesopotamia to France (Battle of Poitiers, 732)
B.
Conquer much of Byzantine Empire
1. Monophysite split helps Muslim conquest
2.
Constantinople defended by "Greek Fire" (678, 718)
3. Byzantine
battles with Muslims trigger crusades in 1090s, when emperor asks for help
C.
Arab civilization at its height
1. incorporation
of Byzantine, Persian and Indian culture with Arab.
2. Umayyads (Damascus)
--Dome
of the Rock (691)
3. Abbasids (Baghdad)
4. Kingdom of Andalus
--major source of culture to Western Europe including
mathematics, philosophy,
chess and music