What conflicts emerged between the Byzantines and the Islamic Empire?

How did
religion shape the Byzantine Empire in social and political structure? How and why did
the Crusades begin and what were the major issues that emerged throughout the major
series of Crusades? What was the final result and impact for both the Islamic and
Western European kingdoms?

The Creation of the Byzantine Empire is in part accredited to the transformation that
Constantine did at the end of the Roman Empire. He was able to intertwine religious
and political traditions to establish a society that would become completely
imbedded in it. He embedded Orthodox priciples that would later lead to the
creation of the Catholic Church, which was a huge mark in this empire. By
intertwining the two he was able to give the religious backing to the political sector
to create a divine justification in the power of the emperor later on in the Byzantine
Empire.
The emperors of this empire took the strides that Constantine was able to make and
push past it as they established the empire. For example, Justinian knew that in
order to gain permission to conquer Western Rome he had to denounce them as
hierarchal. HE did this because there was already a difference in churches from the
east to the west, and he knew that if he denounced them he would be justified in
conquering them. Thus gaining permission from the pope. However, it is important
to take note that this tension caused by him did lead to the split in the church which
would later be addressed with other emperors. The fall of Justiane would come after
the conquering of most of the western Rome empire, but after the push for Italy he
would leave the reign to Heraclius who would be left with a dismantled economy.
Heraclius is the undisputed start of the true Byzantine Empire because his rule
displays the true separation between the East and the West. When he entered reign
he was faced not only with the problems from the past rulers economic issues, but
also with the war at two fronts. On one front he was facing the Persians who had
been n a crusade to take over most of their territory including Jerlusam. On the west
they were fighting various tribes at their border. HE made the move to allow the
Huns to settle in the Balkans, so he could use it as a buffer zone and focus on the
other war front. HE was able to retain Jerlusam and get back their cross. However,
he would soon be faced with a new threat of the growing Islamic empire who was
moving in as they expanded their empire. The Arabs were able to conquer almost all
of the land that Heraclius had recaptured. The empire was forced to abandon the
west and focus on the east and the south. This made them a separate singular
identity that established the empire under Heraclius but it was created under the
knowledge it was not going to survive.
Leo entered into reign when the empire was on defense and shrinking. He was faced
with the Islam forces that threatened their capitol Constantinople. However,
Constable was unique because it was designed to be on the defense. It had two
separate seaport, so they were continuously available to supplies. But, they were
each defended because one was downright hard to attack because of the
surroundings and the other had a wall to protect it. In order to gain Constantinople
they would have to overcome major military wits but would gain political economic

power. Leo was able to hold them off by using the Greek fire technique. This was a
continuous burn even in water that was fixed to release controlled fire against the
Islamic. This proved to be effective in the crusades. However, it was apparent they
would never be free from attacks n Constantinople and they were always going to
be on defense or attempting to regain lost territory. Finally, they were not able to
hold them off any loner and they fell and the capitol was re named Istanbul.
What had been brewing with these emperors was the complete and divine control of
the emperors in the Byzantine Empire. Constantine had started their justification of
power put the political structure set this in stone. They were considered divine
appointed kings in the Byzantine era, as they were appointed by the pope and the
Church. This left little opportunity for opposition, unless the kings became corrupt
and violent. However this often did happen, which is why this period is known for a
scheming background for various people thirsty for power. The structure was also
Bureaucratic because of all of the wars the various emperors were facing, it kept
them on the constant defense. The society needed to be in order to support the
military. So naturally education religion and the economy were all set by the rulers.
This would not be disputed due to the justification of their religion backing up the
rulings of the Emperor.
The religion is best described through their artwork and architecture. They had
begun to build churches which became the hallmark stamp of this empire. They
were dome churches filled with mosaics on top that would depict various saints,
icons, and idols. Iconoclast were a group of people that oppressed this depiction
that had become so deeply embedded into the culture. They thought that no man
should worship something that another man created. Meaning that is was
sacrilegious to pray to human forms and pagan beliefs that they should be focusing
on god. It was argued against that these were meant to inspire similar devotion to
the faith, but this was not accepted. This is where the main difference with te
Islamic tension comes from. The Iconoclast were not the only ones who thought that
these were sacrilegious, the Islamic religion also thought it was as well. In the
Islamic faith they did not believe in the worship either of the symbols in fact they
were banned. In their faith there were predominantly shapes and collections of
such.
The first crusade started by the call to action by pope Urban. The request was sent
out by the Byzantine emperor to request knights to fight in Constantinople. Pope
Urban II responded not only to this plea but far above it. He initiated the crusades.
He was able to gain support because he granted those who die fighting in the
crusades would be guaranteed admission to heaven. However, Urban had goals of
his own other than just aiding Constantinople. He thought he could gain political
and cultural success and put a stop to the current issues. He did get a huge
response because after just one year over 100,000 people showed up ready to fight.
However these people were not your ideal fighters, they were the poor little class
looking for the guarantee into heaven. While it was thought to end to their certain
death. This mob, along with the knights, were able to capture Jerusalem in just a
year. They mercilessly slaughter any Muslim Jewish and Christian inhabitants. They
established a new kingship and they were able to establish a full Christian society.

However, this would lead to the second crusade because the loss of Jerusalem to
the Islamic was disastrous because it effected their economy. So immediately they
began to move to reconquer it. The mistakes of letting the knights stake a claim in
the conquered territory from the winnings of the first crusade would lead to
complications later on. The knights were independent meaning there was conflict
among them. This would lead to an open door for the unified Muslims as they did
not unite to fight but instead raced ahead for individual glory.
The problems that emerged out of the crusades started to make their appearance in
the third in fourth crusade. Churches were becoming required to pay taxes to fund
the crusades which made it harder for indivuals to go and fight in the crusades
themselves. The crusades quickly became a war between kingdoms to go and fight
to regain Jerusalem. This exhausted the resources at home as kings were often off
fighting in the crusades. At the end of the crusades Europe became full of weaker
countries that had resorted to feudal systems to solve the issues of exhausted
resources. The end of the crusades finally came with the victory of the Turks,
because of the failure to unite as one against the Islamic forces.