Part 21

The assault commenced at dawn; three main attacks and several secondary ones were directed against weak spots in the wall. But the chief stress was on the great breach by the gate of St. Romanus. There the Emperor himself and Giustiniani at his side stood in the midst of the yawning gap with their best men around them, and opposed a barrier of steel to the oncoming assailants. Twelve thousand Janissaries, sabre in hand, formed successive columns of attack; as soon as one was beaten off another delivered its assault. They fell by hundreds before the swords of the mailed men in the breach, for their felt caps and unarmoured bodies were easy marks for the ponderous weapons of the fifteenth century. But the ranks of the defenders grew thin and weary; Giustiniani was wounded in the face by an arrow, and taken on board his galley to die. Constantine at last stood almost alone in the breach, and a forlorn hope of Janissaries headed by one Hassan of Ulubad, whom Turkish chroniclers delight to honour, at last forced their way over the wall. The Emperor and his companions were trodden under foot, and the victorious army rushed into the desolate streets of Constantinople, seeking in vain for foes to fight. The Greeks, half expecting that God would interfere to save the queen of Christian cities by a miracle, had crowded into the churches, and were passing the fatal hour in frantic prayer! The shouts of the victorious enemy soon showed them how the day had gone, and the worshippers were dragged out in crowds, to be claimed as slaves and divided among the conquerors.

Mohammed II. rode through the breach after his men, and descended into the city, scanning from within the streets that so many Eastern conquerors had in vain desired to see. He bade his men search for the Emperor, and the corpse of Constantine was found at last beneath a heap of slain, so gashed and mauled that it was only identified by the golden eagles on his mail shoes. The Turk struck off his head, and sent it round their chief cities as a token of triumph. Riding through the hippodrome towards St. Sophia, Mohammed noted the Delphic tripod with its three snakes,(33) standing where Constantine the Great had placed it eleven hundred years before. Either because the menacing heads of the serpents provoked him, or merely because he wished to try the strength of his arm, the Sultan rose in his stirrups and smote away the jaws of the nearest snake with one blow of his mace. There was something typical in the deed though Mohammed knew it not. He had defaced the monument of the first great victory of the West over the East. He, the successor in spirit not only of Xerxes but of Chosroës and Moslemah and many another Oriental potentate, who had failed where he succeeded, could not better signalize the end of Greek freedom than by dealing a scornful blow at that ancient memorial, erected in the first days of Grecian greatness, to celebrate the turning back of the Persians on the field of Plataea.

At last the Sultan came to St. Sophia, where the crowd of wailing captives was being divided among his soldiery. He rode in at the eastern door, and bade a mollah ascend the pulpit and repeat there the formula of the Moslem faith. So the cry that God was great and Mohammed his prophet rang through the dome where thirty generations of patriarchs had celebrated the Holy Mysteries, and all Europe and Asia knew the end was come of the longest tale of Empire that Christendom has yet seen.

Finis.

TABLE OF EMPERORS.

Arcadius, 395-408 Theodosius II., 408-450 Marcianus, 450-457 Leo I., 457-474 Zeno, 474-491 Anastasius I., 491-518 Justinus I., 518-527 Justinianus I., 527-565 Justinus II., 565-578 Tiberius II., Constantinus, 578-582 Mauricius, 582-602 Phocas, 602-610 Heraclius, 610-641 Heraclius Constantinus and Heracleonas, 641-2 Constans II., 642-668 Constantine IV., 668-685 Justinian II., 685-695 Leontius, 695-697 Tiberius III., Apsimarus, 697-705 Justinian II. (restored), 705-711 Philippicus, 711-713 Anastasius II., Artemius, 713-715 Theodosius III., 715-717 Leo III., the Isaurian, 717-740 Constantine V., Copronymus, 740-775 Leo IV., 775-779 Constantine VI., 779-797 Irene, 797-802 Nicephorus I., 802-811 Stauracius, 811 Michael I., Rhangabe, 811-813 Leo V., the Armenian, 813-820 Michael II., the Amorian, 820-829 Theophilus, 829-842 Michael III., 842-867 Basil I., the Macedonian, 867-886 Leo VI., the Wise, 886-912 Constantine VII., Porphyrogenitus, 912-958 [Co-regent Emperors— Alexander, 912-913 Romanus I., Lecapenus, 919-945] Romanus II., 958-963 Basil II., Bulgaroktonos, 963-1025 [Co-regent Emperors— Nicephorus II., Phocas, 963-969 John I., Zimisces, 969-976] Constantine VIII., 1025-28 Romanus III., Argyrus, 1028-34 Michael IV., the Paphlagonian, 1034-42 Michael V., 1042 Constantine IX., Monomachus, 1042-55 Theodora, 1055-57 Michael VI., Stratioticus, 1056-57 Isaac I., Comnenus, 1057-59 Constantine X., Ducas, 1059-67 Michael VII., Ducas, 1067-78 [Co-regent Emperor— Romanus IV., Diogenes, 1067-71] Nicephorus III., Botaniates, 1078-81 Alexius I., Comnenus, 1081-1118 John II., Comnenus, 1118-43 Manuel I., Comnenus, 1143-80 Alexius II., Comnenus, 1180-83 Andronicus I., Comnenus, 1183-85 Isaac II., Angelus, 1185-95 Alexius III., Angelus, 1195-1203 Isaac II. (restored), 1203-4 Alexius V., Ducas, 1204

LATIN EMPERORS.

Baldwin I., 1204-5 Henry, 1205-16 Peter, 1217-19 Robert, 1219-28 Baldwin II., 1228-61

NICAEAN EMPERORS.

Theodore I., Lascaris, 1204-22 John III., Ducas, 1222-54 Theodore II., Ducas, 1254-59 John IV., Ducas, 1259-60

EMPIRE RESTORED.

Michael VIII., Paleologus, 1260-82 Andronicus II., Paleologus, 1282-1328 Andronicus III., Paleologus, 1328-41 John V., Paleologus, 1341-91 [Co-regent— John VI., Cantacuzenus, 1347-54] Manuel II., 1391-1425 John VII., 1425-48 Constantine XI., 1448-53

INDEX.

Abdalmelik, the Caliph, wars of, with Justinian II., 174-6

Abubekr, the Caliph, wars of, with Heraclius, 160

Achaia, Frank principality of, 296

Acroinon, battle of, 188

Adana, taken by Nicephorus Phocas, 230

Adrianople, battle of, 40; besieged by the Goths, 41; captured by the Turks, 329

Africa, conquered by Belisarius, 84-5; overrun by the Saracens, 176

Aijnadin, battle of, 162

Alaric the Goth, 47; wars with Stilicho, 48; departs to Italy, 49

Alaeddin, Sultan of the Seljouks, 322

Alboin the Lombard invades and conquers Italy, 116

Aleppo, Emirate of, 227; attacked by Nicephorus Phocas, 231; tributary to the empire, 270

Alexander, emperor-regent, 217

Alexandria, stormed by the Arabs, 166

Alexius I. (Comnenus), usurpation of, 257; wars with the Normans, 259; conquests of in Asia Minor, 205; commercial policy of, 268

Alexius II. (Comnenus), short reign and murder of, 272

Alexius III. (Angelus), usurpation of, 278; attacked by the Crusaders, 282; flies, 284

Alexius IV. (Angelus), takes refuge in Germany, 279; persuades the Crusaders, 280; made emperor, 284; murdered, 285

Alexius V. (Ducas), murders Alexius IV., 285; defends Constantinople, 287; slain, 293

Alexius Comnenus, emperor of Trebizond, 298

Alp Arslan, Sultan of the Seljouk Turks, attacks the empire, 252; defeats Romanus IV., 254

Amalasuntha, Gothic queen, murdered, 82

Amalphi, commerce of, 225

Amorium, stormed by the Saracens, 210

Amour, Turkish Emir, 327

Amrou conquers Egypt, 166

Anastasius I., reign of, 61

Anastasius II., usurpation of, 181

Anatolic theme, 167

Andreas murders Constans II., 169

Andronicus I. (Comnenus), crimes and fall of, 272-3

Andronicus II. (Paleologus), reign of, 315-20

Andronicus III. (Paleologus), reign of, 321-2

Angelus, house of, _see_ Isaac II. Alexius III. and Theodore of Epirus

Angora, battle of, 334

Ani, taken by the Turks, 251

Anthemius, prime minister of Theodosius II., 54-5

Anthemius, architect of St. Sophia, 107

Anne of Savoy, empress-regent, 326

Antioch, taken by the Persians, 99; taken a second time, 129; stormed by the Saracens, 163; retaken by Nicephorus Phocas, 231; lost to the Turks, 256; besieged by the Crusaders, 265; tributary to the Comneni, 270

Antioch-on-Maeander, battle of, 299.

Antonia, wife of Belisarius, 74

Apsimarus, Tiberius, emperor, 177; executed, 179

Arabs, _see_ Saracens

Arcadius, reign of, 47-54; his dealings with the Goths, 48; quarrels with Chrysostom, 52

Armenia, conquered by the Byzantines, 243; overrun by the Turks, 251

Army, reformed by Leo and Zeno, 61; description of, in tenth century, 218

Artemius Anastasius, reign of, 61

Art, decay and revival of, 222-4

Aspar, executed by Leo I., 60

Athalaric, Gothic king, 81

Athanarich, Gothic king, 42; visits Constantinople, 44

Athens, early Byzantines at war with, 6; schools of, closed by Justinian, 150; Frank duchy of, 297; conquered by the “Grand Company,” 319

Attila, king of the Huns, wars of with the empire, 57

Augustaeum, description of the, 19

Avars, invasions of, the 122; war of, with Heraclius, 134; besiege Constantinople, 137

Baanes, rebel in Syria, 163

Baduila, Gothic king, victories of, 92; takes Rome, 94; slain in battle, 95

Baldwin I., emperor, his character,281; crowned, 292; slain by the Bulgarians, 295

Baldwin II., reign of, 301; his travels, 305; expelled from Constantinople, 306

Bardas Caesar, 212; murdered by Michael III., 213

Bari, taken by the Normans, 259

Basil I., made Caesar, 213; assassinates Michael III., 213; laws of, 214

Basil II., ascends the throne, 229; assumes the full power, 240; his Bulgarian victories, 241-3; campaigns in Asia, 243; dies, 244

Bayezid, Turkish Sultan, 334

Belisarius, Persian victories of, 73; quells the _Nika_ riots, 79; conquers Africa, 84; takes Palermo, 88; takes Rome, 89; takes Ravenna, 91; recalled, 92; acts against Persia, 100; defeats the Huns, 104; disgraced, 105

Beneventum, Lombard duchy of, 117; wars of with Constans II., 169

Black Sea, Greek trade with, 2

“Blues and Greens,” Circus factions, 22, 75; great riot of, against Justinian, 76-7; armed by Maurice, 127

Bohemund the Norman, wars of with Alexius I., 267

Boniface of Montserrat, 281-2; made king of Thessalonica, 292; slain in battle, 296

Bosphorus, the, 1-2

Bostra, stormed by the Saracens, 162

Branas, Alexius, rebellion of, 277

Brienne, house of, at Athens, 308; expelled by the “Grand Company,” 319

Broussa, _see_ Prusa

Bucellarian Theme, 167-8

Buhawides, Persian dynasty, 226-7

Bulgarians, invade and settle in Moesia, 171; defeated by Justinian II., 173; aid Justinian, 179; defeat the Saracens, 187; at war with Constantine V., 196; defeat Constantine VI., 198; slay Nicephorus I., 203; besiege Constantinople, 204; routed by Leo V., 205; defeat Leo VI, 216; conquered by the Russians, 235; conquered by Basil II., 241-3; revolt against Isaac II., 276-7; slay Baldwin I., 295; conquests of, 308; subdued by the Turks, 330

Burtzes storms Antioch, 231

Byzantium, founded, 1; early history of, 2-8; under the Romans, 9-12; chosen as Constantine’s capital, 17; _see afterwards under_ Constantinople

Candia taken by Nicephorus Phocas, 228

Cantacuzenus, John, usurpation of, 325-8

Caracalla, grants privileges to Byzantium, 10

Carthage, taken by Belisarius, 85; taken by the Saracens, 176

Cassiodorus, his work in literary copying, 149

Chalcedon, founded. 3; taken by the Persians, 134

Champlitte, William of, founds principality of Achaia, 296

Charles the Great crowned emperor, 109

Cherson. Justinian II. at, 177; sacked, 180

Chosroës I., king of Persia, wars of, with Justinian, 72-4, 90-100

Chosroës II.. wars with Phocas and Heraclius, 120-135; death of, 138

Chosroantiocheia, foundation of, 72

Christianity, influence of, on the empire and society, 145-149

Chrysostom, _see under_ John Chrysostom

Cilicia, conquered by Nicephorus Phocas, 230; lost to the Turks, 236; reconquered by the Comneni, 270

Column, of the Hippodrome, 25; of Constantine, 25

Commerce, centralization of, at Constantinople, 224, 225; decline of, under the Comneni, 267; effects of Fourth Crusade on, 310

Comnena, Anna, writes her father’s life, 264

Comnenus, _see under_ Alexius, John, Andronicus, Manuel, David, Isaac

Conrad of Montserrat defeats Branas, 277

Constans II., reign of, 166; wars of with the Saracens, 167; murdered, 169

Constantine I., besieges Byzantium, 12; master of the world, 14; seeks a capital, 16; founds Constantinople, 18

Constantine III., defeated by the Saracens, 164; short reign of, 165

Constantine IV. (Pogonatus), wars of with the Saracens, 170; defeats Moawiah, 171; holds the Council of Constantinople, 172

Constantine V. (Copronymus), wars of, 196; persecutes the Image-worshippers, 197

Constantine VI., reign of, 198; blinded by his mother, 198

Constantine VII. (Porphyrogenitus), reign of, 216, 217; literary works of, 220, 221

Constantine VIII., reign of, 245

Constantine IX. (Monomachus), reign of, 247

Constantine X. (Ducas), reign of, 250, 251

Constantine XI. (Paleologus), accession of, 343; attacked by the Turks, 344; last hours of, 347; death of, 348

Constantinople founded by Constantine, 18; topography of, 19-29; besieged by the Goths, 41; street fighting in, 51; besieged by Avars and Persians, 136, 137; besieged for the first time by the Saracens, 170; besieged for the second time by the Saracens, 185, 186; besieged by Bulgarians, 205; commercial importance of, 224; riots in, 247; the Crusaders at, 264; taken by the Franks and Venetians, 284; stormed and sacked a second time, 287, 288; devastation of, by the Latins, 291; besieged by John Ducas, 301; recovered by the Greeks, 305; taken by John Paleologus, 329; besieged by Murad II., 337; last siege of, 346; taken by the Turks, 348

Corippus, poem of, 144

Council of Constantinople, under Constantine IV., 172; under Constantine V., 197; under Leo V., 206

Council of Florence, John VI. at, 341

Courtenay, house of at Constantinople, 300, 301

Crete, conquered by the Saracens, 208; recovered by Nicephorus Phocas, 228; taken by the Venetians, 292

Cross, the Holy, captured by the Persians, 132; recovered by Heraclius, 139; removed to Constantinople, 163

Crumn, king of Bulgaria, defeats Nicephorus I., 203; besieges Constantinople, 205

Crusaders, their dealings with Alexius I., 263, 264; enter Syria, 265; of the Fourth Crusade, 279; conquer Constantinople, 288

Ctesiphon, Heraclius at, 138

Cyprus, monks banished to, 197; recovered by Nicephorus Phocas, 230; seized by Isaac Comnenus, 277; taken by Richard I. of England, 278

Damascus, taken by the Persians, 131; taken by the Saracens, 163

Dandolo, Henry, doge of Venice, 280, 281; at the storm of Constantinople, 284, 288

Dara taken in the Persian wars, 136

Dastagerd taken by Heraclius, 138

David Comnenus defeated by Theodore I., 299

Delphic tripod, the, 24; mutilated by Mahomet II., 349

Delphic oracle, the, orders foundation of Byzantium, 3

Digenes Akritas, epic of, 222

Diocletian makes Nicomedia his capital, 15

Diogenes, Romanus, reign of, 251; defeated at Manzikert, 254; slain, 256

Ducas, _see under_ Constantine X., Michael VII., John III., Theodore II.

Durazzo, battle of, 260

Dushan, Stephen, king of Servia, conquests of, 327

Ecloga, the, Leo III.’s code of laws, 194

Eesa, Sultan, 334-5

Egypt, conquered by the Persians, 134; conquered by the Saracens, 164; separated from the Caliphate, 227

Eikasia, story of, 211

Emesa, taken by the Saracens, 163; taken by Nicephorus Phocas, 231

Epirus, the despotate of, 298, 301, 304, 327

Ertogrul, the Turk, 322

Eudocia (Athenaïs), wife of Theodosius II., her disgrace, 56

Eudocia, wife of Romanus Diogenes, 251

Eudoxia, Ælia, wife of Arcadius, 52

Eugenius IV., pope, treaty of, with John VI., 341

Euphrosyne, wife of Michael the Amorian, 207

Eutropius, minister of Arcadius, 47; protected by Chrysostom, 50

Euphemius, rebel in Sicily, 208

Exarchate, of Ravenna, 119; conquered by the Lombards, 196

Fatimite dynasty in Egypt, 243

Ferrara, John VI. at Council of, 341

Flaccilla, benevolence of, 156

Florence. Council of, 341

Franks, threaten Italy, 89; summoned by Witiges, 91; protect the Papacy, 196

Fritigern, Gothic ruler, 35-7; victory of over Valens, 40

Fravitta defeats Gainas, 31

Gainas, minister of Arcadius, 47; rebellion of, 50; slain, 51

Gallienus, Byzantium destroyed by, 10

Gallipoli seized by the Turks, 329

Ganzaca burnt by Heraclius, 136

Gelimer, king of the Vandals, 81; defeated and captured, 85

Genoa, rise of, 263; trade of, with the East, 267; allied to Michael Paleologus, 314; sends aid to Constantine XI., 344

George the Alan, 318

George of Pisidia, poems of, 221

Giustiniani, John, defends Constantinople, 344-8

Godfrey of Bouillon, 264

Goths, early history of, 32; cross the Danube, 37; defeat Valens, 39; besiege Constantinople, 41; submit to Theodosius, 42; the Visigoths under Alaric, 48; quit the East, 49; the Ostrogoths under Theodoric at war with Zeno, 62; invade Italy, 64; kingdom of, attacked by Belisarius, 86; wars of, with Justinian, 88-94; defeated and destroyed, 95

“Grand Company,” the, hired by Andronicus II., 317; ravage Thrace, 318; conquer Athens, 319

Greece, invaded by the Goths, 48; overrun by the Slavs, 125; conquered by the Crusaders, 296, 297

Greek fire, invented, 170; used by the Byzantine fleet, 220

Gregory the Great, Pope, 120, 121

Guiscard, Robert, wars of, with Alexius I., 259-61

Haroun-al-Raschid, wars of, with Nicephorus I., 203

Helena, mother of Constantine I., 19

Hellas, theme of, 168; revolts against Leo III., 193

Henry of Flanders, Emperor, 295-6

Henry VI. of Swabia, Emperor of the West, 278

Heracleonas, reign and fall of, 165-6

Heraclius the Elder, rebellion of, 130

Heraclius I., sails against Constantinople, 130; slays Phocas, 130; disasters of the Persian War, 132; his Crusade, 133; victorious campaign of, 135-7; his triumph, 139; attacked by the Saracens, 160; defeated, 163; last years of, 164

Heraclius Constantinus, son of Heraclius I., short reign of, 165

Hierapolis taken by Nicephorus Phocas, 231

Hieromax, battle of the, 162

Hilderic, Vandal king, deposed, 81

Hippodrome, the great, 22

Histiaeus holds Byzantium, 5

Honorius slays Stilicho, 49

Hungary, converted to Christianity, 262; invaded by Manuel I., 271; attacks the Ottoman Turks, 342

Huniades, John, 342

Huns, under Attila, 57; ravage Syria, 71; threaten Constantinople, 104; defeated by Belisarius, 105

Iconium, Sultanate of, _see under_ Seljouks

Iconoclasm, the movement, 188-9; vigorous under the Isaurian emperors, 192-7; in the ninth century, 203-10; ended by Michael III., 212

Iconodules, 202

Images, superstitions connected with, 190; removed by Leo III., 192; use of, ceases in the East, 212

Innocent III., sends out Fourth Crusade, 281; wrath of with the Crusaders, 290

Irene, the empress, regency of, 107; deposed, 198; blinds her son and seizes the throne, 199

Isaac I. (Comnenus), his short reign, 250

Isaac II. (Angelus), rebels, 273; his reign, 276; deposed by his brother, 278; restored, 284; dies, 285

Isaac Comnenus, of Cyprus, 277-8

Isaurians, the, enlisted by Leo and Zeno, 61; dynasty of the, 192-9

Isperich, king of Bulgaria, 172

Italy, conquered by Belisarius, 88-91; partly conquered by the Lombards, 116; Constans II. in, 169; central parts of, lost, 196; southern parts of, conquered by the Normans, 258

Jacobites, in Egypt and Syria, 161

Janissaries, the, 324

Jerusalem, Eudocia at, 57; taken by Persians, 132; Heraclius at, 139; taken by the Saracens, 163; taken by the Crusaders, 265

John I. (Zimisces), murders his uncle, 232; successful wars of, 234-7; dies, 239

John II. (Comnenus), reign and conquests of, 268-9

John III. (Ducas Vatatzes), 300; conquers Thrace and Macedonia, 301

John IV. (Ducas), dethroned by Michael Paleologus, 304

John V. (Paleologus), minority of, 325-8; expels John Cantacuzenus, 329; defeated by the Turks, 330; later years of, 333

John VI. (Paleologus), reign of, 339; embraces Catholicism, 341

John (Angelus), Emperor of Thessalonica, 300

John, King of Bulgaria, 276; conquers Baldwin I., 295

John the Cappadocian, finance minister, 76

John Chrysostom, patriarch, 52; exiled, 53

John Ducas, regent, 255

John the Faster, patriarch, 120

John the Grammarian, patriarch, 209, 212

John Huniades, general, 342

John Lydus, author, 143

Julian, reign of, 32

Justin I., reign of, 65

Justin II., reign and wars of, 117

Justinian I., character of, 65; marries Theodora, 66; first Persian war of, 71-4; Italian and African wars of, 83-93; recalls Belisarius, 91; his buildings, 106-9; his legal work, 112

Justinian II., misfortunes of, 172; banished, 175; reconquers his throne, 179; slain, 180

Kadesia, battle of, 164

Kaikhosru, Sultan, slain in battle, 299

Karasi, Emirs of, 319

Karl the Great, crowned emperor, 201

Kathisma, the, 24

Khaled, victories of, 162

Khazars, allied to Heraclius, 137; shelter Justinian II., 178

Kief, Russian capital, 234

Kobad, wars of, with Justinian, 71

Ladislas, king of Bulgaria, 243

Ladislas, king of Poland and Hungary, 342

Larissa, battle of, 261

Lascaris, _see under_ Theodore I.

Latin language, used in the Balkan Peninsula, 124; decay of the, 144

Law, Roman, codified by Justinian, 112; changes of Leo III., 194; of Basil I., 214

Lazarus the painter, 224

Lecky, Mr., views of, discussed, 153

Lazica, wars of Justinian and Chosroës about, 100

Leo I., reign of, 60

Leo III., the Isaurian, seizes the crown, 182; defends Constantinople, 184; religious reforms of, 192; political reforms of, 194

Leo IV., short reign of, 197

Leo V. (the Armenian) seizes the throne, 204; defeats the Bulgarians, 205; murdered, 206

Leo VI. (the Wise), reign of, 216; literary works of, 218

Leo the Deacon, 237

Leontius, usurpation and fall of, 175-7; slain, 179

Liberius conquers South Spain, 96-7

Licinius, wars of with Maximinus Daza, 11; dethroned by Constantine I., 12

Literature, 221-2

Lombards, the, leave Pannonia, 115; conquer North Italy, 117; defeated by Constans II., 169; subdue the Exarchate, 196

Louis IX., of France, gives money to Baldwin II., 305

Lupicinus, governor of Moesia, 37

Lydus, John, author, 143

Macedonia, overrun by Slavs, 125; in hands of Boniface of Montferrat, 292; conquered by Stephen Dushan, 327

Maeander, battle of the, 299

Mahomet, the prophet, rise of, 159

Mahomet I., Sultan, reunites the Ottoman Empire, 336

Mahomet II. conquers Constantinople, 343-50

Maniakes, wars of, 246

Manuel I. (Comnenus), reign and wars of, 271-2

Manuel II. (Paleologus), reign and misfortunes of, 336-9

Manzikert, battle of, 254

Marcianus, reign of, 59

Martina, niece and wife of Heraclius, 165; exiled, 166

Martyropolis, 121

Maurice, reign of, 120; Persian wars, 121; fall and death of, 127

Maximinus Daza takes Byzantium, 11

Melek-Adel, Sultan of Egypt, 279

Mesembria, taken by Bulgarians, 204; battle of, 205

Mesopotamia, conquered by Heraclius, 136; invaded by John Zimisces, 239

Michael I. (Rhangabe), short reign of, 204

Michael II. (the Amorian), conspiracy of, 206; ecclesiastical policy of, 207; wars of, 208

Michael III. (the Drunkard), minority of, 212; excesses and murder of, 213

Michael IV. (the Paphlagonian), reign and wars of, 246

Michael V., ephemeral power of, 247

Michael VI. (Stratioticus), short reign of, 248-9

Michael VII. (Ducas), minority of, 251; disastrous reign of, 256

Michael VIII. (Paleologus), usurpation of, 303-4; overthrows the Latin Empire, 305; disbands the Asiatic militia, 313; wars of, 304, 314