Byzantine (Justinian The Great and the Eastern Roman Empire)

Justinian The Great was the most powerful and successful ruler in the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire, He ruled from 527 – 565AD

Justinian was a farm boy, until he studied under his uncle Justin at age 16, who was a general at the time, after the emperor died Justinian’s uncle turned into the Emperor, so it was excpected for Justinian to be the next king, when Justinians uncle died Justinian took the role of emperor.

Justinian expanded the Eastern Roman Empire to include North Africa, defeating the Vandal tribes living there, it would remain Roman until it fell to the Moors, at 532AD the city of Constantinople revolted against Justinian, but he successfully put down the revolt and remained emperor, Justinian made the first codified Roman Law, which was named the Code of Justinian, The Code became the basis of the imperial law in Byzantium until 1453AD, Justinian also help build a giant cathedral known as the Hagia Sophia at 537 AD

After Justinian death, the military ran to thin and the treasury ran low, which made the next emperor’s job a giant headache, for he had to focus the army around Constantinople and repelling invaders, the edges of the empire began to be lost, with the lost in size  the empire turned into a Eastern European country instead of a major empire, Christianity remained one of the most important influences on art and culture of the state