Byzantine Emperor facts

While investigating facts about Byzantine Emperors and Byzantine Emperor Known As The Armenian, I found out little known, but curios details like:

During a game of backgammon in the year 480, the Byzantine Emperor Zeno had a dice roll that was so unlucky that he had it recorded and we still know of it to this day.

how many byzantine emperors were there?

After 2 years of using a Catalan mercenary company to fight the Turks, the Byzantine emperor betrayed the company and tried to wipe them out in 1305. The mercenaries went on a rampage so destructive that the monks of Mount Athos only lifted their ban of Catalan citizens in the year 2000.

What byzantine emperor was known as the armenian?

In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across answering what did the emperors of the byzantine empire was constantinople to be. Here are 45 of the best facts about Byzantine Emperor Called The Armenian and Byzantine Emperor Justinian I managed to collect.

what byzantine emperor embraced christianity?

In 859 a man named Basil arrived in Constantinople penniless. Within 8 years, he had begun an affair with the Byzantine Emperor Michael III, had married the emperor's mistress, and had been crowned co-emperor. In 867 Basil murdered Michael in his bedchambers after first cutting off his hands.
After winning the battle of Kleidion in 1014, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II took an estimated 14,000-15,000 prisoners, and punished them by sorting them into groups of a 100, then blinded 99 men in each one and left a single man in each with one eye so that he could lead the others home.
Once it was clear that Constantinople would fall to the Turks, Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor, tore of his imperial ornaments and led his soldiers on one last final charge against the invading Turks.
After the Ottomans entered Constantinople the Last Byzantine Emperor remarked that "The city is fallen and I am still alive." He tore off his imperial ornaments so to let nothing distinguish him from any other soldier and led his remaining soldiers into a last charge where he was killed
In 1071, the Byzantine Emperor was captured in battle by the Great Seljuk Empire. The Emperor was brought to the Sultan, Alp Arslan, and told him that had he won, he likely would have had him executed. Alp Arslan replied "My punishment is far heavier. I forgive you, and set you free."
Byzantine Emperor Justin I was born a peasant and a swineherd, but rose through the ranks of the army and ultimately became its emperor, in spite of the fact he was illiterate.
In c. 552 two Christian monks, after learning Chinese silkworm cultivation, smuggled silkworm eggs on behalf of Byzantine emperor Justinian, resulting in the Empire's monopoly over the European silk market and forming the foundations of its economy for the next 650 years (until its demise).
In 1014 byzantine emperor defeated bulgarian army and captured 15,000 prisoners. Instead of killing them, he blinded 99 out of every 100. The 100th was spared one eye and guided the rest back home. So emeror's enemies had to take care for cripples for the rest of their lives
Varangians' was an elite unit of the Byzantine Army (10c-14c), made up by Scandinavian 'Viking-mercenaries'. Serving as personal bodyguards to the Emperor, but also used in war, deployed at critical moments of a battle. Contemporary writings show a mix of terror and fascination for the Vikings.

byzantine emperor facts — What happened to the last byzantine emperor?

How did the byzantine emperors refer to themselves and why is this significant?

You can easily fact check why did the byzantine empire call themselves romans by examining the linked well-known sources.

Following a decisive battle, Byzantine Emperor Basil II ordered the blinding of 15,000 Bulgarian captives, while leaving 150 only partially blinded so they could guide the others to Tsar Samuil. On seeing this, the Tsar died of a stroke.

Byzantine Emperor Basil II once divided his 15,000 prisoners into groups of 100 men, blinded 99 men in each group and left one man in each with one eye so that he could lead the others home - source

From 537 - 752, popes were selected by the Byzantine emperor. Many hated the powerless job - Gregory I asked the emperor to reject his election, and the citizens of Rome wrote a petition to bring back their Gothic conquerors, as they preferred the German rulers to the Greeks. - source

The Byzantine Empire and Mongol Empire signed an alliance that held for over 60 years (1263-1328). Mongol leader Nogai Khan even married 2 daughters of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII.

Who was the byzantine empire when constantinople fell?

About the Greek Plan, advanced in the 1780s by Russian Empress Catherine the Great. It would partition the declining Ottoman Empire between Russia and the Habsburgs, then restore the Byzantine Empire. Her grandson (aptly named Constantine) would rule as the 1st Emperor of the restored empire.

How to become byzantine emperor ck2?

The brilliant general Bardas Phokas declared himself emperor of the Byzantine Empire, conquered most of Asia Minor, and then as he rode out for his final climactic battle against the real emperor, he had a seizure, fell off his horse, and died

Many Byzantine leaders mutilated their political rivals -- since the emperor was expected to be an example of divine perfection, any facial scars would disqualify a challenger from taking the throne

In Byzantine times, including in the official works of scholar-king Emperor Constantine VII, Hungary was simply known as "Western Turkey".

There was a running gag in Venice after the 4th crusade that the Doge was "more emperor than the emperor" because he owned more of the land than the Byzantine emperor. To which the Doge would respond "de jure and not de facto".

The last titular East Roman/"Byzantine" Emperor sold his imperial title to Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1502. Thus the Spanish Crown has had claim to the Roman Empire ever since.

The idea for the crusades was born when the byzantine emperor alexius?

Irene of Athens, the first woman to assume the title of Basileus of the Byzantine Empire. Originally only recognized as Empress Regent, after her son proved to be an unpopular ruler she ordered his eyes gouged out and assumed the title of Emperor herself.

In 1014 AD Byzantine Emperor Basil II the "Bulgar-Slayer" had 15,000 Bulgarian captives blinded. But he left one in every 100 with one eye so they could lead the rest back to Bulgaria.

The Fourth Crusade lead to the sacking of Constantinople by the Crusaders because the Byzantine Emperor refused to pay them for their military service

The Byzantine Emperor Alexander reigned for only 13 months before dying from exhaustion after a game of polo.

The last emperor of the Western Roman Empire was named Romulus Augustulus, after the founder of the city of Rome and the founder of the Roman Empire. The last ruler of the East, Constantine Palaiologos, was named after the founder of Constantinople and arguably the first Byzantine emperor.

How many emperors did the byzantine empire have?

In 1277 a Bulgarian peasant called Ivaylo "The Cabbage" defeated both the Mongols and the Byzantine armies to become Emperor of Bulgaria.

Byzantine Emperor John V during his 50 year reign (1341-1391) was thrice deposed (and reinstated), survived the Black Plague, served a sentence in a Venetian debtor's jail and taken prisoner in Bulgaria

The Roman Senate's last recorded act was to acclaim statues of Byzantine Emperor Phocas and his wife in 603.

A Byzantine Emperor's friend, who when asked whether Christ or Muhammad's religion would prove true in the Council of Florence, advocated for Zeus. His last work, hoping to return the Empire to Plato's teachings, was burned and exists only by summary.

The byzantines so were so impressed by emperor Contantine's khazar princess that they started naming girls after her and her wedding dress launched a new,male fashion trend with the design also carrying her name

When Byzantine emperor Anastasius I died, he left a treasury with over 23 million gold solidi, equivalent to 420 long tons of gold

Charlemagne was crowned "Roman Emperor" because the title was currently held by Empress Irene. Because she was a woman, the title was considered vacant in Western Europe. This led to the permanent split between the west and the "Byzantine" East Roman Empire.

Byzantine emperor Basil I died by a fever after having his belt caught by the antlers of a deer while hunting and being dragged 16 miles as a result. The emperor was eventually cut down by an attendant, but had him executed after believing the knife he took out was for assassination.

In 1400 Byzantine Emperor Basil II captured the main Bulgarian Army of around 14,000 men. Instead of killing them he had almost all of them blinded, but left one in every one hundred men with a good eye to serve as the guides.

Byzantine Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes was blinded after he got overthrown. Afterwards, this wound of his became infected and he died from it shortly afterwards.

In 1452 Transylvanian engineer Orban offered to build canons for emperor Constantine XI to defend Constantinople. He declined saying it cost too much. Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II took up the offer using the canons to bombard the city the following year, bringing an end to the 1000 year Byzantine Empire

75 years before Mehmed took Constantinople, his grandfather was invited to invade it in Emperor Andronikos IV's rebellion. This is considered the start of the Ottoman Empire as they ended up running the Byzantine bureaucracy. Briefly, Constantinople paid taxes to the new Ottoman Empire.

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