Fall+of+the+Byzantine+Empire+Essay

=**Essay**= by Ian Mahoney

Oooo The Byzantine Empire began its long fall after 1000 A.D (Treadgold//,// pg.5). This long decent was long foreseen and could have been easily avoided. The socio-political structure of the Byzantine was inherently flawed as a family based dictatorship (Treadgold). Combine this with a super weapon called “Greek fire” that inspires fear into the opposition ([|Greece], Greek Fire ). Unfortunately fear creates enemies, which is what ultimately brought the Byzantine Empire to the ground. **There are many specific lessons that countries today especially the U.S can learn from the fall of the Byzantine Empire.**

Oooo The Byzantine Empire's political system worked for over a thousand years (Treadgold//,// pg.60). This does not mean it was effective. The Byzantine Emperor had many enemies in his own house: army officials, royal families, church and his own officials ([|boisestate]). They all had the same goal: to be Emperor. This made the Emperor's average life span in power 5-10 years, due to daggers, poisons, and assassins (Treadgold//,// pg.165-167). To add to the problem many Emperors spent the money differently. Basil II spent the money going to war and conquering ([|Wiki], Basil II), while the ruler directly after him, Romanos III, spent the money frivolously on statues and temples ([|Wiki], Romanos III). This change in ideas every few years created huge fluctuations in actions, which meant more spending and ultimately bankruptcy. This was very similar to the U.S system of government, where leaders change every four to eight years and have greatly different ideas on how the country should be run, such as George Bush, who started a war in Iraq, and now eight years later Obama is now leaving Iraq. The failure of this war put the U.S in debt over eleven trillion dollars ([|brillg]). The U.S is following down the same path that the Byzantine Empire.

Oooo “Greek fire” was the Byzantine Empire's super weapon. It was invented by an engineer called Kallinikos in 673, and its ingredients were a closely guarded secret every since ([|Greece],Greek Fire). This weapon would stick to objects like glue and would burn even more when exposed to water ([|Middle-Ages], Greek Fire). An eyewitness account of a soldier shows the hopelessness of fighting this chemical:

 "Sirs, we are in the greatest peril that we have ever yet been in. For, if they set fire to our turrets and shelters, we are lost and burnt; and   if, again, we desert our defenses which have been entrusted to us, we are disgraced; so none can deliver us from this peril save God   alone. My opinion and advice therefor is: that every time they hurl the fire at us, we go down on our elbows and knees, and beseech   Our Lord to save us from this danger."([|stronghold], Greek Fire)

The weapon was so powerful that it created enemies who sought its secrets for themselves. These enemies, such as the Turks and the Church, led to their downfall. The U.S nuclear bombs inspire the same fear as Greek fire ([|Greece],Greek Fire). These exact same situations are happening with the U.S, such as the Cold War in the 1950s and the tensions between North Korea ([|ibiblio]).

Oooo The Byzantine Empire was surrounded by enemies on all fronts, slowly draining them of troops and resources. The Byzantines faced constant raids from the northern tribes, and were never able to stop them (Treadgold). Another toll on the Byzantines resources was the battle of Manzikert, which was a smashing defeat for the Byzantines against the Turks from the east and destroyed their main army ([|deremilitary]). Then again, in the fourth Crusade, the West betrayed them and sacked their capital Constantinople, further running the Byzantine Empire into the ground ([|boisestate]). It was no battle when the Turks finally defeated the Byzantines in 1453 ([|Wiki], Wars). The U.S has made many enemies all over the world, particularly in the Middle East and should take great care in not leading to the demise the Byzantines did.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oooo The Byzantine Empire was a huge force in the east for 1100 years. This was all undone by a variety of undermining factors, do to their political structure, their “great weapon” Greek fire, and the enemies they created. Today the U.S is falling for the exact same mistakes the Byzantine Empire fell for. The U.S needs to see the mistakes they made and change them, so they will not slowly collapse from the inside like the Byzantine Empire did. Hopefully it is not too late.


 * Citation**

Treadgold, Warren. __A Concise History of Byzantium__. Palgrave <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. 2001.

"Greek Fire".__Middle-ages__.date N/A <<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">__[]__ >

Nikolaos Provatas."Greek Fire".__Greece.org__.date N/A <<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">__[]__ >

"Structure of the Empire".The Byzantine Empire.__Boise State University__.2009 <[]>

“Romanos III”.__Wikipedia__.2009 <[]>

“Basil II”.__Wikipedia__.2009 <[]>

Ed Hall."U.S National Debt Clock".__brillg__. May 7, 2009 <[]>

"Stronghold Heaven: The History of Greek Fire." __Stronghold Heaven: Stronghold Heaven__. 10 May 2009 <[]>.

"Greek Fire".__Middle-ages__.date N/A <[]>

"Stronghold Heaven: The History of Greek Fire." __Stronghold Heaven: Stronghold Heaven__. 10 May 2009 <[]>

"The Battle of Manzikert." __De Re Militari: The Society for Medieval Military History__. 10 May 2009 <<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">__[]__ >

E. L. Skip Knox."The Fourth Crusade".__Boise State University__.date N/A <[]>

"Byzantine–Ottoman Wars -." __Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia__. 10 May 2009 <[]>