The Byzantine Empire emerged as the Eastern Roman Empire after Constantine renamed Byzantium as Constantinople in 330. It controlled important trade routes between Europe and Asia. Justinian was a notable Byzantine emperor from 527-565 who had Roman laws collected and organized, influencing laws in Western Europe. The Byzantine Empire preserved Roman heritage and split from the Western church, using Greek and allowing clergy to marry. Kiev emerged as a center of Russian state in the 9th century after Slavs migrated south. Mongol rule in the 13th century isolated Russia but also influenced the tradition of absolute rule that later Russian tsars would wield.

1. The Byzantine Empire and Russia
330-1613

2.  By 330 Constantine rebuilds Greek city
Byzantium
 He renames it Constantinople
 The surviving Eastern Roman Empire is known
as the Byzantine Empire
 Constantinople thrived and controlled key
trade routes that linked Europe and Asia

3.  Justinian is the most famous Byzantine
emperor 527-565
 He set up a commission to collect and organize
the laws of ancient Rome
 Justinian Code reached W. Europe influencing
laws and principles of the Roman Catholic
Church
 Preserved and spread the heritage of Roman
Law

4. Old Roman Empire Byzantine Empire
What part of Europe? Western Eastern
Leader of the Church Pope Emperor
Official Language Latin Greek
Right for Official to Clergy has no right Clergy has the right to
Marry marry
Religious Holidays Christmas and Easter Easter and less on
Christmas
Right to use Icons Religious Icons Limited to no icons
Official Name of Church Roman Catholic Church Greek Orthodox Church

5.  Early history begin in fertile area of present
day Ukraine
 Slavs move into southern Russia
 Vikings travel up Russian Rivers and trade
with Slavs
 Kiev became center of Russian state and served
as vital trade center
 Greek monks adapted the Greek Alphabet to
translate bible into Slavic languages

6.  Absolute power of the Mongols served as
models for later Russian rulers
 Mongols cut off Russia from Western Europe
when they made advances in art and science
 Ivan III was Russia’s first tsar, which means
Caesar in Russian – absolute rule
 Ivan the Great – brought much of northern Russia
under his rule
 Ivan IV centralized royal power and
introduced Russia to a tradition of extreme
absolute power (Ivan the Terrible)