Intrigues of Istanbul

  In the 7th century Byzantium experienced the first Arab threat. When the Armenian governor Theodore Rshtuni submitted to Arabs, Constant II, the emperor of Constantinople, organized a campaign against Armenia. However, the Arabs conquered Armenia, and started to collaborate with the opposition of the emperor in Constantinople. His brother Theodosius organized a plot, using the money, received from the Arabs. Constant II executed him to sol… read more

  Irene the Isaurus   Byzantium never had similar ruthless, treacherous, cunning and clever emperor as this woman. Irene the Isaurus was one of empresses, who ruled independently, without hiding behind the backs of her husbands or children. She was very skillful in intrigues: her career started, when she cheated Emperor Leo, who fought with icon worship, and married him. Leo would have been extremely surprised, if he had known, that his… read more

The Turkish sultan Mehmed II Fatih was born in 1432 and lived 49 years. He managed to become famous during his lifetime, and nowadays his character of a severe and merciless ruler is known to every one, who is aware of the Turkish history, and his deeds allowed him to write his name down in the world history. It is by no means surprising, for Mehmed II conquered Byzantium, and made Constantinople the capital of the Ottoman Empire — Istanbul… read more

Emperor, sentenced to deathThis powerful ruler of Byzantium Mikhail II started his career in army, but he was not a commander, even an officer. In the beginning he was a simple soldier, but could not perform even this service good, and was frequently punished. Gradually, Mikhail became a guards officer, then was arrested for plots against the ruling emperor Leo V. After a short trial he was sentenced to death. However, a coup d'etat, when the emp… read more

AppearanceData, obtained by scientists, prove, that the first residents on the territory of modern Taksim appeared near 7 thousand years ago. Of course, it was not a town. Archaeologists suppose, that a part of the colony of farmers moved to the European shore of the Bosporus from the Asian shore because of an unknown reason. Some time they lived on the territory of the modern Sultanahmet, and later moved to Taksim. However, the district was real… read more

The Byzantine Empire had not felt itself like an empire for a long time. Nearly 100 years Constantinople was perceived like the Second Rome. The emperors interfered in the matters of Italy, and did not regard the local rulers. The Byzantine emperors thought, that they inherited the helm of Rome, and the change of the capital was not so important. Only in the 5th and 6th centuries Constantinople understood, that it was a new country on the politic… read more

Four interesting facts about the most influential intriguer of Istanbul. Count Ignatiev was one of the most influential grandees of Saint Petersburg. Many years he spent in expeditions, traveling in Asia. To the czarist government it seemed to be enough to send the count to Istanbul. In Turkey, the count, who did not speak Turkish, became close friends with the sultan, and one of the people, who defined the foreign policy of the Ottoman Empire. I… read more

As a result of intercepting palace intrigues the courtiers of the emperor of Constantinople not only overthrew their ruler, but ... destroyed the very empire itself.   The Byzantine palace intrigues entered the history of mankind as the most sophisticated and ingenious. The whole world knew that the great men of Byzantium are the most skillful schemers able to achieve their goals in any manner. However, often intriguers ruined not only thei… read more

Philosopher Michael Psellos left his trace in the world culture no less than the famous philosophers of ancient Rome and Greece.Nothing betokened world fame to Michael Psellos, the  humble son of ordinary parents from Byzantium. The time was troubled. It was the beginning of 11 century, the empire was shaking in the wars, campaigns, revolutions and conflicts. Michael became a scientist accidentally. His mother being devotee had a vision. An … read more