SOCIAL STUDIES STUDY GUIDE

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND RUSSIA

People and Group
Emperor Constantine: The first emperor to allow people in Rome to practice Christianity, he
was also the first emperor to convert to Christianity; he also moved the capital of Rome and
called it Constantinople.
Emperor Theodosius: he made Christianity the official religion in Rome, and he permanently
divided the Roman Empire into western and eastern halves.
Emperor Justinian: he was known as the last Roman emperor because he clean shaven and
because he was the last emperor to speak Latin. He also tried to reform the Roman Empire
by almost conquering all its previous land. He was also Christs co-ruler on earth.
Theodora: she was empress along side of Justinian. She demanded to stay in Constantinople
during the Nika riots and decided not to flee with Justinian. She also persuaded Justinian to
stay with her.
Muslims: followers of the prophet Mohammed. The Byzantines lost much of their territory
to the Muslims.
Basil II: Byzantine Emperor who is nicknamed as Bulgar-Slayer, he conquered modern day
Bulgaria and re-established the northern border of the empire, the Danube River.
Pope Urban II: he made a speech to crowd at Clermont in France to announce war against
the Muslims to re-capture Jerusalem.
Seljuk Turks: they were victorious in the Battle of Manzikert in which Emperor Romanos was
captured led to the Turkish takeover of Asia Minor.
Ottoman Turks: they were Arabs/Muslims that took over the Byzantine and re-named
Constantinople to Istanbul.
Kieven Rus: after Oleg of Novogard moves the capital to Kiev the people in the area were
called the Kieven Rus.
Muscovites: the people who live in Moscow.
Olga of Kiev: first Rus to convert to Byzantine Christianity.
Vladimir the Great: grandson of Olga of Kiev, he murders his brother and conquers the other
Rus principalities to become prince of Kiev.
Yaroslav the Wise: he ushers in a golden age of Rus civilization. He is known for organizing
marriages between his kids and the kids of other countries.
Mongols (golden horde): the Mongols control Moscow for about 240 years. In order to leave
the Muscovites alone the Mongols demand to get paid. Ivan the Great refuses to pay tribune
to Khan Ahmed of Golden Horde, effectively claiming independence and beginning a war.
Genghis Khan: ruler of the Mongol Empire. It would grow the largest land empire in to be
known.
Ivan III (the Great): he is ruler of Moscow. He referred to Moscow as the Third Rome. He
married Sophia, the niece of the last Byzantine Emperor; he also kicked out the Mongols
from Moscow.
Ivan IV (the terrible): grandson of Ivan III, he is the first czar of Russia; he takes lad away
from the boyars and gives it to the state. He is later on known as the terrible because he
kills his son because his son was protecting his pregnant wife.

Terms
Patriarch: highest church official in a major city (the Byzantine Empire)
Pope: head of the Roman Catholic Church)
Orthodox Christianity: it was the Byzantine Christianity: it was on the east
Hagia Sophia: a church built by Justinian, it would later on covert to a mosque by the
Ottomans
Czar: a Russian emperor
Boyars: the rich in Russia that owned land
Events
East-West Schism: in 1054 C.E the Catholic (west) and Orthodox (east) Christianity split. The
pope and patriarch excommunicated each other.
Nika riots: during a chariot race, the supporters of the two most popular teams (blues and
greens) started to chant Nika (conquer) in union. This was directed to Justinian. After
being persuaded by his wife Theodora to stay in the capitol, Justinian slaughtered 30,000
riots and strengthened his status as emperor.
Sack of Constantinople (Forth Crusade): the crusaders of the forth crusade who had set out
to capture Jerusalem instead sacked the city of Constantinople
Siege of Constantinople (1453): Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks who later on
renamed the city Istanbul
Concepts
1) Some of the accomplishments of Justinian were that he conquered Italy and some of
what used to be the Western Roman Empire. He also made a code of law inspired by
the Roman code of law. The empire declined after his death because he spent too
much money on expending the empire that after he died it started to shrink since the
rulers after couldnt keep up with it and the people were paying too much taxes.
2) Moscow was referred to as the Third Rome because Ivan the great called it the
third Rome, they were Christians, and because they kicked out the Mongols after
being controlled by them for about 240 years
3) Russian civilization was influenced by the Byzantines and the Mongols because it was
Christian and because Ivan the Great married Sophia, the niece of the last byzantine
emperor so Russia and the Byzantine made alliances. The Mongols influenced Russia
because it controlled it for around 240 years.