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Post by Child of Immanuel on May 13, 2006 8:41:12 GMT -5
Curious about the twisted world of some of today's greatest novels? Want to know the history behind the story? Visit tomorrow at *whenever I come on* and view episode one, The Founding.
In other words, a history of Byzantium is finally almost at the top of the reading stack. If you're interested, I can put up summaries and salient bits for you-all.
Cheers,
~CoI
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Post by Dred on May 13, 2006 16:08:14 GMT -5
You've certainly got me interested.
I can't wait to see what you've got to share.
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Post by Child of Immanuel on May 13, 2006 17:54:03 GMT -5
I should start it tonight or tomorrow morning.  |
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Post by Dred on May 13, 2006 22:13:45 GMT -5
Awesome.
*gets comfortable for the details*
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Post by Child of Immanuel on May 14, 2006 15:55:25 GMT -5
K, I haven't yet gotten to where Rome falls, but it is a city of no importance except symbolic. Byzantium started as the capital with Constantine, the well-known "first Christian emperor". There was a tradition of delegating one emperor to the east and one to the west (occasionally). Byzantine politics got off to a roaring start with religious controversy, conspirations, and barbarian attacks. Emperors were getting away from the military coup to a more mystical installation.
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Post by Child of Immanuel on May 15, 2006 12:08:25 GMT -5
At about 1300 now. I read about our not-so-friendly friends Leo and Basil-- I think around the 700s. Basil murdered his predecessor, Michael, but he was a horrible emperor as well. It's thought that Leo may have killed him, as the official story (the stag impaling him) was full of holes. Later there was our other friend, Alexius Commenus, at the time of the Crusades. He was a pretty good emperor.
The First Crusade was the only time Byzantium was able to keep itself ahead politically of the Crusaders. For a short time it was taken over by the Latins, whose brutality deepened the rift between the two sects. There was an uprising (or almost) when an emperor tried to make the sects more compatible.
Byzantine politics continued full swing. Emperor's designated successors were often honored, but if he did not choose a successor, basically anyone could take the throne.
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