Byzantium (II): The Apogee

Norwich writes for the lay reader, but relies heavily on primary sources, often with intriguing quotes. Despite the potential for dry history, he instead presents a lively and fascinating account of the millennium of Byzantine history, starting with Constantine and ending with the Ottoman conquest. Beginning with a quote from W.E.H. Lecky, 1869, "Of that Byzantine empire the universal verdict of history is that it constitutes, without a single exception, the most thoroughly base and despicable form that civilisation has yet assumed.. ...The history of the Empire is a monotonous story of the intrigues of priests, eunuchs and women, of poisonings, of conspiracies, of uniform ingratitude of perpetual fratricides.", he comments, "This somewhat startling diatribe... although to modern ears it is perhaps not quite so effective as the author meant it to be -- his last sentence makes Byzantine history sound not so much monotonous as distinctly entertaining -- the fact remains that, for the past 200 years and more, what used to be known as the Later Roman Empire has had an atrocious press.  " Norwich proceeds to prove that point in 3 volumes of readable history filled with tales both heroic and despicable. The footnotes are as intriguing as the main text. After describing how "the soldiers everywhere proclaimed that they would accept on none but Constantine's sons, reigning jointly. With Crispus dead, that left the three sons born to Fausta; the Caesar in Gaul Constantine II, the Caesar in the East Constantius, and the Caesar in Italy Constans", he footnotes "The distressing lack of imagination shown by Constantine in the naming of his children has caused much confusion among past historians, to say nothing of their readers. The latter can take comfort in the knowledge that it lasts for a single generation only -- which, in a history such as this, is soon over" His style is brisk and interlocking, writing on the broader European history, he'll follow one thread for several years, then return to the main branch and continue on. The current year under discussion is always in the upper right corner of the page, making it easier to follow the twists and turns of the plot. The book is so well written that one can easily jump in anywhere and pick up the flow. One of the major benefits of this leisurely treatment is the ability to correct historic misunderstandings and mistakes. The first and most interesting is his emphasis on the fact that the 'barbarian' invasions of the 4th and 5th centuries were almost always led by christianized tribes (Goths, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Visigoths) looking for a land to settle their people. And in many cases, these were not invasions, but uprisings and revolts of peoples who had been promised land and security by the emperor(s) and then been ignored. The case of Alaric is of particular interest -- history books typically spend a paragraph at best and describe him as an invading brute, whose invasion of Italy is sto

The way Norwich writes is hilarious! He has such a dry sense of humor and is ultra witty. I would read this only if you have prior experience with Byzantine history because this will seem very jumpy to those who try to read it as their first book on Byzantium. If you love Byzantine and Orthodox Christian history, read it, but only after you have read other books on them so as to have a basis in what you are taking in which will help you fill in the blanks. He's doesn't talk too much about the Nestorian controversy which is something I would have liked very much to read about from his perspective. Over all, an excellent read, very funny, I highly recommend it.

This, the second volume of Norwich's Byzantine history, is the climactic center of the story. The book begins with Charlemagne's corronation in 800 -- an act that destroyed the idea of a universal Christendom -- and concludes with the battle of Manzikert in 1071 -- one of the most consequential and regrettable military losses in European history. In between we learn about the Viking impact on Byzantium, conflicts with Kievan Rus, the rise of the Bulgar Empire, and the growing and intensifying conflict between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Family and court intrigues are illuminated, while changes in religion, art, and leisure are explained. Norwich uses his amazing command of the English language to take us on a wild rollercoaster ride through the changing fortunes of Europe's chief protector, finally leaving us with a strong sense of the impending doom in store for both Byzantium and Europe as a whole.

This book was the first I read of Norwich's trilogy - by accident, of course. I didn't realize it was the second of three books until I started reading it. It is SUCH a fascinating account of an empire that is now gone. I became interested in reading about the history of the Turkish area when I visited Istanbul last summer, and am now very interested in the rich history of that city. The debt owed to Byzantium is more than most of us ever learn about. Byzantium's rich culture retained much ancient learning which served eventually to spur Europe out of the dark ages. It is impossible to read this book without becoming consumed with curiosity for the other two books of the trilogy. The reader gets a very good look at the inside of the empire, but also is given glimpses of other empires and peoples as they affected or interacted with the direction of Byzantium. Personalities, politics and intrigues; families, buildings and architecture; religion, government, and commerce; geography, weather, and natural disasters; armies, navies and strategy; invasions, skirmishes, disease, torture, destruction, death and birth; all are given in depth treatment by Norwich in order to show the meandering evolution of the Byzantium Empire and its interactions with Europe and the Middle East. The book is richly annotated, which adds greatly to the enjoyment, in my opinion.The beginning of the book sees religious dogma continuing to widen the schism between the Western and Eastern Empires and the end of the book sees the Byzantium facing its first major loss of land in military defeat to the Turks.I highly recommend the trilogy to all history buffs.

Norwich writes with passion and intelligence of a subject that has been near his heart. He lays out the stories and the facts with a style that is never boring or obtuse. After I read each volume I would take time out and read Ostrogorsky's History of Byzantine. Adding the latter's more politically oriented work to the mix made Norwich's work even more complete. If nothing else I had the chance to re-read Ostrogorsky. One does not need anything else to enjoy and learn from Norwich. With the excitement that Norwich created, I then took up Babinger's Mehmed the Conqueror. A wonderful way to continue. What makes these three authors work is their style and subtle sense of humour. Norwich brought me back to an intriging era of world history that we need to learn from in our present time. What makes it even better is that he levels the playing field. I am happy that I opted for the complete set and not the condensed version. This way I get the author's whole intent along with his wit and style. Well worth the time and money involved. This is a work that I will return again and again. A good friend!