Byzantine Empire

Author: Ostrogorsky (South), translated by Chen Zhiqiang
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The Byzantine Empire, which inherited the political traditions of the Roman Empire and regarded itself as the successor of the Roman Empire, dominated European politics for over a thousand years. Marrying a princess born in the purple palace was a glory that rulers of European countries dreamed of but found difficult to attain. The bloody struggles in court politics, the obstinacy in religious debates, and the iron hooves of the Arabs could not shake the dominant position of the Byzantine Empire, but when faced with the siege of the Ottomans, the splendid civilization of the Byzantine Empire, the genius of Byzantine diplomacy, the spirit of European Crusaders, and the peculiar double-headed eagle no longer worked. The cannons rang the funeral bell for the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire perished, but its religious, cultural, and political traditions were not just fleeting clouds but became an important source of the rise of modern European civilization. We have finally obtained a truly worthy Byzantine studies guide, and it is truly fortunate. The author of this book possesses all the qualities required for it, with an absolutely clear way of thinking. Although full of original insights, he maintains an objectivity rarely seen in our time. — Professor Henry Gregoire (Henrigregoire) Ostrogorsky has summarized the thousand-year history of the Byzantine Empire in a masterpiece. According to common belief, the book begins with Diocletian and Constantine and ends with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The author provides a comprehensive description of the history of the Byzantine Empire, not only focusing on the actions and daily lives of the emperors but also paying attention to the cultural and religious development of the empire. The layout of the content is meticulously arranged. He treats the figures involved without any preconceived biases but handles them with a human touch. The panoramic account of the Byzantine Empire provided in this book surpasses similar works. — Professor Glenn McDorman (GlennMcDorman) The original title of this book is A History of the Byzantine State. After its publication in 1940, it immediately sparked great interest in academia and was unanimously recognized as a foundational work. The author traces the thread of the thousand-year history of the Byzantine Empire with a clear and highly logical narrative. While focusing on political development, he also pays special attention to opportunities, the economy, spiritual and religious life, and outlines the connections of this empire with classical culture, as well as its profound influence on the history of Europe and the Near East at the time and in later generations. The novelty of the author's perspective, the reasonable arrangement of the materials, the observation methods for the history of the development of the Byzantine state, and the examination of changes in economic, social, administrative, military, ecclesiastical, and ideological factors, as well as their external influences, are particularly praised. The author's accuracy in using materials, objectivity in introducing foreign scholars' views, the conciseness and elegance of his narration, and the refinement of his language are all highly commended.