Religious Successors of Rome

The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean Sea for hundreds of years. People probably believed the empire would last forever. However, the empire declined and split into different parts.

Three new large societies emerged following Rome’s decline. Religion was central to the new communities. Followers of Islam established a caliphate. The caliphate later conquered a large portion of Roman territory. The other two societies were the Byzantine Empire in the east and many Roman Catholic states in the west.

The communities of Western Europe in this period are known as Latin Christendom. The eastern region of Europe formed a Christian state around the city of Byzantium (Constantinople). This is known as Byzantine Christendom. Christianity became a network that linked the entire region together. People traveled and traded across the region.

Latin Christendom and the Empire of Byzantium both followed Christianity. However, they developed different religious traditions and societies.

Byzantium and the beginnings of religious schism

Byzantium remained unified during most of this period. One of the most important early rulers of Byzantium was the emperor Justinian. He ruled from 527 to 565 CE. Theodora was Justinian’s wife and his most important advisor. Theodora and Justinian wanted the emperor to control all aspects of the state and the church.

Religious differences emerged between the Byzantine practice of Christianity and that of Latin Christendom. One of the most important disputes was about the nature of Jesus. The eastern church believed that Jesus was the son of God. Therefore, he had two natures—one godly and one human. The western church also believed that Jesus was the son of God. They believed that God and Jesus had existed for all of eternity. Therefore, both God and Jesus had a godly nature. Justinian called a council of church leaders together to resolve these differences, but they could not. There were also divisions based on language. Eastern Christians spoke Greek. Western Christians spoke Latin. The churches had different traditions about married priests. They also used different types of bread for the Eucharist, a Christian ceremony.

In the 700s, there was a dispute about icons. Icons are artistic images of Christ, Mary, and the saints. This division became known as the iconoclasm controversy. Leo III banned images of Christ or Mary in Byzantium. These images were very important to Eastern Orthodox Christians. At a time when many could not read, icons allowed people to participate in Christianity. The ban was eventually lifted, but not until the mid-800s. By that time, iconoclasm had created even more tension between the churches of the east and west.

Latin Christendom as a new community

Around 700 CE, a new dynasty arose. The new ruling family was the Carolingians. They mixed Germanic culture and Christian faith. But, the rulers did not control religious beliefs. That was the pope’s job. In the year 800 CE, Pope Leo III crowned the Carolingian ruler Charlemagne “emperor of the Romans.” This affirmed the pope’s authority to crown emperors. It also declared separation from Byzantine control. Tensions between the west and east were near a breaking point.

By the 1000s, Latin Christendom was experiencing a new wave of religious enthusiasm. Many new churches arose. People traveled a long way to visit shrines dedicated to Christian saints.

However, this religious passion endangered religious minority groups. Bursts of violence towards Jewish people erupted. Peaceful pilgrimages became armed crusades against “enemies of Christ.” These enemies included Jews and Muslims. Even members of the Byzantine church could be targeted. 

The Byzantium and Latin Christendom network splits

By the 1000s, Byzantine and Latin forms of Christianity were different. Both sides wanted to prevent the other form from spreading. The pope began closing churches in Italy that were close to the eastern faith. The Byzantine head of church responded by closing Roman churches in Byzantium. Each religious figure excommunicated the other.

In 1054 CE the two churches officially broke apart in what is known as the Great Schism. Now there were two Christian faiths: Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Religious and non-religious rulers all promoted the Crusades. These holy wars dominated the 1100s and 1200s. Thousands of people from Latin Christendom walked over 2,000 miles. They went through Europe and the Byzantine empire to reach the Holy Land. Many others traveled overseas. They were driven by religious enthusiasm and the promise of new land. This campaign united Latin Christendom. It even mended the division between eastern and western Christianity for a time. Yet the truce didn’t last long. During the fourth Crusade, Latin crusaders sacked the Eastern Orthodox city of Constantinople.