Fall of an Empire. Byzantine lesson.

[Самвел]

I do not think that the blame for the collapse of the west, there is of course wine, but insignificant. Empire unraveled just a national issue, and indeed of the Soviet Union, and the topic, I personally interesting

[OTROK NIKODIM]

Samvel,
  Almost all of the way you write, dear Samvel. But what to do with the crusades against Byzantium, not to mention the systematic political intrigues against the State? It was.

In 395 the Roman Empire split into eastern (Byzantine) and Western. Very soon the West no longer exist under the blows of the Germanic peoples. At its fund any individual Romano-Germanic States in VIII-IX centuries were briefly united by Charlemagne.

So Byzantium considered itself the successor of Rome on the right. Constantinople was built in the Roman tradition. The Greeks called their country of novels, but myself - Romeo. When Western culture was in decline, in Constantinople seething public life, flourishing trade, industry, was introduced legal code of Justinian ...

On Byzantium with the light hand of the French Enlightenment XVIII century to talk about the country as a decaying, long-term aging. This attitude is reinforced hostility to Orthodoxy. In the West, relevant to the Byzantine general, colored light contempt. And she has a great strategic position of the bridge between Europe and Asia, remained 1100 years against the Persians, Goths, Avars, Huns, Slavs, Pechenegs Polovtsy, Normans, Arabs, Crusaders, Turks. And this was of enormous cultural significance. At the University of Constantinople taught Roman law, all legal citizens of Byzantium were equal before the law, educated people read all the ancient authors, while schools were taught to read the Bible and Homer. What would be the Italian Renaissance, based on the return from the barren scholasticism to the brilliance of ancient culture, if not permanent cultural contacts with Western Europeans in eastern neighbor, especially with the XIII century.

Since the XIII century star Byzantium gradually to decline. It was during her desperate struggle with the powerful dramatic rival - the Turks, energetic, violent, many people. The pressure was not abated, and kept Europe in terror to the XVIII century. By the XV century, the Turks created a strong army with the best at the time the infantry - janissaries, light cavalry and artillery. A whole series of outstanding (with rare exceptions) sultans, well-educated, intelligent, decisive, courageous, effective use of absolute power, pursued a policy of continued conquest of Byzantium. Slowly and inexorably captured by parts of the earth empire. At the end of XIV century, the Turks conquered Balkan Slavic countries, and the situation of Byzantium became critical.

Byzantium had fought stubbornly and courageously and imaginatively. The famous Byzantine diplomacy displayed the wonders of resourcefulness. But the combined efforts of the whole of Europe could not stop the Turkish expansion. European politicians did not manage to solve this problem, and one of the main reasons was the religious strife between Orthodox Byzantium and Catholic West. "
It is useful to read - Movses Kalankatuatsi "HISTORY OF COUNTRY aluank» (http://vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/kagantv/index.html),
FI Assumption "History of the Byzantine Empire" (you can find on the above resource, or on the Internet on request)
Best regards,
Nicodemus

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от OTROK NIKODIM

What would be the Italian Renaissance, based on the return from the barren scholasticism to the brilliance of ancient culture, if not permanent cultural contacts with Western Europeans in eastern neighbor, especially with the XIII century.

Where "Italian Renaissance", and where Byzantium? And what has this to another and especially with the XIII century "?

Сообщение от OTROK NIKODIM

Since the XIII century star Byzantium gradually to decline.

Italian Renaissance we know and what created the Byzantines, which "in Istanbul seething social life flourished in trade, industry, was introduced legal code of Justinian ..."?
Incidentally, the code-Corpus juris civilis-name set of the Roman civil law, compiled in 529-534 gg.pri Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great.
Since the dates you all right?

Added after 32 minutes

Сообщение от OTROK NIKODIM

But the combined efforts of the whole of Europe could not stop the Turkish expansion.

Yeah, in the 15 th century ...

Сообщение от OTROK NIKODIM

European politicians have not managed to solve this problem, and one of the main reasons was the religious strife between Orthodox Byzantium and Catholic West.

"European politicians". more say-EU and the OSCE ...

Added after 4 minutes 40 minutes

Сообщение от OTROK NIKODIM

one of the main reasons was the religious strife between Orthodox Byzantium and Catholic West.

Massacre Latins-one of the largest mass murder in history. The massacre took place in Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, in 1182, during the reign of Alexius II Comnenus *. Its initiator was the pretender to the throne of Andronicus, and the victims were "Latino-Catholic traders (mostly Italians) who lived with families in Constantinople, by the time powers in the hands of maritime trade (in fact, the blow was directed against the mother of the emperor, had supported the Catholic community ). Although the exact number of victims is unknown, the Catholic community, estimated at that time about 60 thousand people disappeared from the map of the city, perhaps part of the managed to escape. Particularly affected communities and the Genoese pizantsev. About 4000 survivors were sold into slavery to the Turks.

Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov):
Vengeful hatred of the West to Byzantium and its successors, it is inexplicable even to themselves, at some deepest genetic level, paradoxically, is still ongoing. Without an understanding of this amazing but undeniable fact, we risk not much can be understood not only in the long past history, but also in the history of XX and XXI century even.

* Alexei II ( ca. 1169-1183), the only son of Manuel I, became emperor after his father died in September 1080. Regent was appointed to the Virgin Mary mother of Alexei, who pushed the Byzantines scandalous connection with the nephew of her late husband (also Alexis), and the fact that the engagement of the Western advisers. Already in May 1081 in Constantinople, began a revolt, organized, probably a cousin of Manuel Comnenus Andronik. The presentations took place massacre people from Western Europe, many of whom were killed, their homes and churches destroyed, and ok. 4000 people were sold into slavery to the Turks. Authorities changed, Alex (nephew of Manuel) was reduced to standing near the capital Andronicus and blinded, and in April 1082 Andronicus came to Constantinople. Soon, Mary was executed, and the mother-son had to sign a death sentence. In September 1083 Andronicus proclaimed himself soimperatorom, and in October the young emperor was strangled.

Сообщение от Fed

A historical paraleli close to us are not interested in culture?

You mean these "paraleli close to us culture?

[Fed]

Сообщение от Cyril Syzransky

You mean these "paraleli close to us culture"?

And what if wiping cloths are not accustomed. Paraleli something out of it disappear.
   Although such scares around the world-complete.

[Кирилл Сызранский]

Сообщение от Fed

And what if wiping cloths are not accustomed.

What to do? Learn to use napkins, but not blow your nose in a fist and proudly declared at the same time : "And here we are!"

I am, incidentally, learned to use a napkin, and a handkerchief.
Try it, it is not difficult ...

[Самвел]

I am very interested in this topic in its time. not a historian, and just say my opinion, ie what I came to myself. The Armenians are always up to the tenth century, were very influential part of Byzantium. Ever since the days of Justinian the Great, ondnim of the most significant military leaders was Narses, he was a eunuch, broke not one mighty army. In the Arab chronicles in the tenth century Byzantium called Armenian Power. In 10 century (974g) In the reign of John Tzimisces from Rome to Byzantium fled, taking the papal treasury, Pope Boniface VII.U Greeks and Armenians, was kakoyto dispute, someone betrayed someone, I read the book from the Matenadaran but unfortunately I do not remember exactly because of what that book was in my little time, I was interested in another question, and that I read in gliding, as now, sorry. But this dispute is still ongoing. Here they are heirs of Byzantium. But remember that this dispute Yeshe was before Christ, or immediately after.