Chronology

Byzantium endured from 324 to 1453. It began with the foundation of Constantinople by the emperor Constantine I in 324. It ended with the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks on 29 May 1453. Between those dates are many important events, undoubtedly more than can be fit into this brief chronology. Attempts at periodization are interpretative, the simplest being three basic phases: Early (324–ca. 650), Middle (ca. 650–1071), and Late (1071–1453). For 1071, the date of the Battle of Mantzikert, some might substitute 1204, the year the Fourth Crusade conquered Constantinople. A periodization subdivided into more phases is used in the introduction. Another periodization, with more subdivisions, is offered in section V of the bibliography.

324–337 Reign of Constantine I as sole ruler

324 Foundation of Constantinople

325 First Ecumenical Council (at Nicaea)

330 Dedication of Constantinople

337–361 Reign of Constantius II, with Constantine II (337–340) and Constans (337–350) as augusti

ca. 343 Council of Serdica

351 Constantius II makes Gallus caesar

353 Defeat of Magnentius

354 Constantius II executes Gallus

355 Constantius II makes Julian caesar

356 Constantius II orders pagan temples closed; pagan sacrifices prohibited

359 Persians capture Amida

361–363 Reign of Julian “The Apostate”

363–364 Reign of Jovian

364–378 Reign of Valens, with western emperors Valentinian I (364–375) and Gratian (375–383)

376 Visigoths cross the Danube

378 Battle of Adrianople

379–395 Reign of Theodosios I, with western emperor Valentinian II (ruled with Gratian 379–383; sole western emperor 383–392)

381 Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople

391 New laws prohibit pagan sacrifices; all temples ordered closed

395–408 Reigns of Arkadios in the East, with western emperor Honorius in the West (reigned 395–423)

400 Massacre of Goths in Constantinople

402 Honorius’s court retreats from Milan to Ravenna

403 John Chrysostom exiled

408–450 Reign of Theodosios II in the East, with western emperor Honorius (until 423) and Valentinian III (reigned 425–455)

408 Visigoths under Alaric invade Italy

410 Rome sacked by the Visigoths

413 Theodosian Land Walls completed at Constantinople

425 University of Constantinople reorganized

429 Vandals cross over to North Africa

431 Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus

438 Codex Theodosianus issued

439 Vandals capture Carthage

449 “Robber” Council at Ephesus

450–457 Reign of Marcian

451 Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon

452 Attila’s siege of Rome; Battle of Catalunian Fields

453 Death of Attila

455 Rome sacked by the Vandals

457–474 Reign of Leo I

468 Naval expedition against the Vandals fails

474 Reign of Leo II, with Zeno as co-emperor

474–491 Reign of Zeno

475–476 Basiliskos usurps power

476 Western emperor Romulus Augustulus overthrown by Odoacer

482 Henotikon issued

484–519 Akakian Schism

491–518 Reign of Anastasios I

493 Death of Odoacer

497 Isaurian revolt quelled; Theodoric ruler of Italy

505–507 War with Persia

513–515 Revolt of Vitalian

518–527 Reign of Justin I

527–565 Reign of Justinian I

529 Justinian closes the Academy in Athens

531 Chosroes II becomes king of Persia

532 Nika Revolt

532–540 Peace with Persia

533–534 Vandalic War

533 Belisarios captures Carthage

534 Corpus Juris Civilis issued

535–554 Ostrogothic War

536 Belisarios captures Palermo

537 Hagia Sophia dedicated

540 Belisarios captures Vittiges

540–545 War with Persia

540 Persians sack Antioch

540–548 John Troglita conquers the Moors

545–550 Five-year truce with Persia (renewed 551, 556)

ca. 550 Southeast Spain occupied by Byzantine forces

552 Narses defeats Totila at Busta Gallorum

553 Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople

558 Zabergan invades Thrace

562–572 Peace treaty with Persia

565–578 Reign of Justin II, with Tiberios as caesar (574–578)

568 Lombards invade Italy

572–591 War with Persia

578–582 Reign of Tiberios II

ca. 578–585 Slavs settle in Greece in great numbers

582–602 Reign of Maurice

586 First siege of Thessalonike by Avars and Slavs

590 Papal reign of Gregory I the Great

602–610 Reign of Phokas

603–628 War with Persia resumes

610–641 Reign of Herakleios

611–622 Persian attacks on Asia Minor

614 Persians capture Jerusalem

626 Avars and Persians besiege Constantinople

630 Byzantine victory over Persia

631 True Cross returned to Jerusalem

632 Death of Muhammad the Prophet

635 Arabs conquer Damascus

636 Battle of the Yarmuk River

638 Arabs conquer Jerusalem; Ekthesis issued

641 Reign of Herakleios Constantine and Heraklonas

641 Reign of Heraklonas, with Martina as regent

641–668 Reign of Constans II

642 Arabs conquer Alexandria

645 Revolt of Valentinos Arsakuni

646 First Arab raids into Asia Minor

647 First Arab attack on Cyprus

648 Typos of Constans II issued

656–661 Civil war in Caliphate

658 Slavs from sklavinia resettled in Asia Minor

661 Umayyad Caliphate founded

663–668 Constans II in Italy and Sicily

663–678 Annual Arab raids into Asia Minor

668–685 Reign of Constantine IV

674–678 First Arab siege of Constantinople

680–681 Sixth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople

681 First Bulgarian Empire established

685–695 Reign of Justinian II

695–698 Reign of Leontios

698 Arabs capture Carthage

698–705 Reign of Tiberios III

705–711 Reign of Justinian II (again)

711–713 Reign of Philippikos

713–715 Reign of Anastasios II

715–717 Reign of Theodosios III

717–741 Reign of Leo III

717–718 Second Arab siege of Constantinople

730 Leo III bans all religious images

740 Battle of Akroinon

741–775 Reign of Constantine V

742–743 Revolt of Artabasdos

750 Abbasid Caliphate founded

751 Lombards capture Ravenna

754 Iconoclastic Council of Hieria

775–780 Reign of Leo IV

780–797 Reign of Constantine VI

787 Seventh Ecumenical Council at Constantinople

789–809 Reign of Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid

797–802 Reign of Irene

800 Coronation of Charlemagne

802–811 Reign of Nikephoros I

811 Reign of Staurakios

811–813 Reign of Michael I Rangabe

812 Krum captures Mesembria

813–820 Reign of Leo V the Armenian

814 Death of Krum

815 Iconoclasm revived by Leo V

820–829 Reign of Michael II

826 First Arab assault on Sicily

829–842 Reign of Theophilos

834 Theophobos flees to Byzantium

838 Battle of Dazimon; Arabs conquer Amorion and Ankyra

842–867 Reign of Michael III

843 Restoration of icons

860 First Rus attack on Constantinople

863 Mission of Constantine and Methodios to Moravia

864 Baptism of Boris I of Bulgaria

867–886 Reign of Basil I

886–912 Reign of Leo VI

904 Arab pillage of Thessalonike

907 Prochiron issued

912–913 Reign of Alexander

913–959 Reign of Constantine VII, with Nicholas Mystikos (913–914) and Zoe Karbonopsina (914–920) as regents; Romanos I Lekapenos (920–944) and Romanos II (945–959) as co-emperors

954–958 John Tzimiskes and Nikephoros Phokas win victories across the Euphrates

959–963 Reign of Romanos II

961 Crete recaptured by Nikephoros II Phokas

963 Great Lavra monastery founded on Mount Athos

963–969 Reign of Nikephoros II Phokas

965 Arab forces ejected from Cyprus

969–976 Reign of John I Tzimiskes

976–1025 Reign of Basil II (with co-emperor Constantine VIII)

988 Conversion of Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev; defeat of Bardas Phokas

996 Legislation restricting acquisition of land by wealthy magnates from the poor

1014 Basil II defeats the Bulgars; death of Tsar Samuel

1025–1028 Reign of Constantine VIII

1028–1034 Reign of Romanos III Argyros

1034–1041 Reign of Michael IV Paphlagon

1040 George Maniakes captures Syracuse

1041 Revolt of Peter Deljan suppressed

1041–1042 Reign of Michael V Kalaphates

1042 Reign of Zoe and Theodora

1042–1055 Reign of Constantine IX Monomachos

1043 Rus attack Constantinople; rebellion of Maniakes

1045 Kingdom of Ani annexed

1046 University of Constantinople refounded

1047 Revolt of Leo Tornikos suppressed; Pechenegs cross the Danube and plunder Thrace

1054 Schism between the churches

1055–1056 Reign of Theodora (again)

1055 Seljuks conquer Baghdad

1056–1057 Reign of Michael VI Stratiotikos

1057–1059 Reign of Isaac I Komnenos

1059–1067 Reign of Constantine X Doukas

1060 Norman conquest of Sicily begins

1064 Seljuks capture Ani

1064–1065 Uzes cross the Danube and raid Thrace

1067 Seljuks pillage Caesarea in Asia Minor

1068–1071 Reign of Romanos IV Diogenes

1071 Normans capture Bari; Battle of Mantzikert

1071–1078 Reign of Michael VII Doukas

1072 Revolt of Constantine Bodin in Bulgaria

1073–1074 Revolt of Roussel de Bailleul

ca. 1078 Sultanate of Rum founded

1078–1081 Reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates

1081–1118 Reign of Alexios I Komnenos

1081 Nicaea becomes capital of the Sultanate of Rum

1081–1085 Alexios I Komnenos campaigns against the Normans

1082 Venice granted commercial privileges; trial of John Italos

1088–1093 Tzachas attacks islands in the Aegean

1091 Normans complete their conquest of Sicily; Pechenegs defeated at Mt. Lebounion

1092 Monetary reform of Alexios I

1095–1099 First Crusade

1097 Nicaea conquered by the First Crusade

1099 Jerusalem conquered by the First Crusade

1108 Treaty of Devol

1118–1143 Reign of John II Komnenos

1126 Venetian commercial privileges reaffirmed

1127–1129 Victories over the Serbs and the Hungarians

1132–1137 Victories over the Danishmends and the Rubenids in Asia Minor

1137 Antioch submits to John II

1143–1180 Reign of Manuel I Komnenos

1146 Zangi conquers Edessa

1147–1198 Second Crusade

1147 Normans seize Kerkyra (retaken in 1149) and plunder Corinth and Thebes

1171 Venetians arrested and their property seized; Ayyubid Dynasty founded

1176 Battle of Myriokephalon

1180–1183 Reign of Alexios II Komnenos

1182 Latins massacred in Constantinople

1183–1185 Reign of Andronikos I Komnenos

1184 Cyprus falls to Isaac Komnenos

1185 Normans capture Thessalonike

1185–1195 Reign of Isaac II Angelos

1186 Second Bulgarian Empire founded

1187 Revolt of Alexios Branas

1187–1191 Third Crusade

1191 Third Crusade conquers Cyprus

1195–1203 Reign of Alexios III Angelos

1197 Alamanikon tax levied

1203–1204 Reign of Isaac II (again) and Alexios IV Angelos. Reign of Alexios V Doukas (“Mourtzouphlos”); Fourth Crusade conquers Constantinople

1204 Partitio Romaniae

1204–1261 Latin Empire of Constantinople

1205 Baldwin of Flanders defeated at Adrianople

1205–1221 Reign of Theodore I Laskaris

1221–1254 Reign of John III Vatatzes

1230 Battle of Klokotnitza

1246 John III Vatatzes captures Thessalonike

1254–1258 Reign of Theodore II Laskaris

1258–1261 Reign of John IV Laskaris

1259 Battle of Pelagonia

1261 Reconquest of Constantinople

1261–1282 Reign of Michael VIII Palaiologos

1274 Council of Lyons; union of the churches

1282 Sicilian Vespers

1282–1328 Reign of Andronikos II Palaiologos

1302 Battle of Bapheus

1305 Roger de Flor assassinated

1311 Catalan Duchy of Athens and Thebes established

1313 Emirate of Saruhan conquers Magnesia

1321–1328 First civil war (between Andronikos II and Andronikos III)

1326 Ottomans conquer Prousa

1328–1341 Reign of Andronikos III Palaiologos

1330 Battle of Velbuzd

1331 Ottomans capture Nicaea

1341–1391 Reign of John V Palaiologos (overthrown by Andronikos IV Palaiologos from 1376 to 1379)

1341–1347 Second civil war (between John V and John Kantakouzenos)

1342–1350 Zealot revolt in Thessalonike

1347–1354 Reign of John VI Kantakouzenos

1348–1349 Black Death ravages Constantinople

1354 Ottomans occupy Gallipoli

1355 Death of Stefan Urosh IV Dushan

1366 Amadeo VI of Savoy recovers Gallipoli

1369 John V’s journey to Rome

1376–1379 Reign of Andronikos IV Palaiologos

1379–1391 John V Palaiologos (restored), though overthrown briefly in 1390 by John VII Palaiologos

1382 Ottomans conquer Serdica (Sofia)

1387 Ottomans conquer Thessalonike

1389 Battle of Kosovo Polje

1390 Reign of John VII Palaiologos

1391–1425 Reign of Manuel II Palaiologos

1393 Ottomans conquer Bulgaria

1394 Ottomans capture Thessalonike again

1399–1403 Manuel II’s journey to the West

1400 Battle of Ankyra

1403 Byzantine recovery of Thessalonike

1422 Murad II besieges Constantinople

1423 Thessalonike surrenders to Venice

1425–1448 Reign of John VIII Palaiologos

1430 Ottomans reconquer Thessalonike

1438–1439 Council of Ferrara-Florence

1444 Crusade of Varna; Hexamilion restored

1449–1453 Reign of Constantine XI Palaiologos

1451 Mehmed II becomes Ottoman sultan

1452 Constantine XI reaffirms the union of the churches; Rumeli Hisar constructed

1453 Ottomans conquer Constantinople

1456 Ottomans conquer Athens

1460 Ottomans conquer Mistra

1461 Ottomans conquer Trebizond