5 – Leadership & Religion
This may seem like an odd combination but in the Byzantine Empire, they went hand in hand. Emperor Constantine quickly learned about the power of Christianity and in 325, a standardized Christian religion was created at the first council of Nicaea. The emperor was seen as God’s representative on Earth and was often active in church affairs. Yet the clergy had its own autonomy and the Emperor did not impinge on the authority of the church. Instead, they worked together in harmony.
Since the emperor and church worked so closely together, the imperial leader could call upon the support of the clergy whenever his reign or the empire itself came under threat. This ensured stability at times when the empire needed it most.
As the emperor was practically deified, the people of the empire had complete faith in his abilities and in turn, Byzantine emperors proved their worth. Famous emperors included Justinian I who presided over a Golden Age and Leo III who skillfully led the defense of Constantinople and prevented it from falling during an Arab invasion in 717-718. Even when the city finally fell in 1453, Constantine XI refused to flee and fought to his death surrounded by his people.
The soldiers and citizens of the empire typically stood behind their emperor and would also use religion for motivation and comfort. The Byzantines truly believed that their capital was protected by the Virgin Mary and the myriad of religious relics stored in Constantinople. Whenever the city was under siege, they would display the icon of Mary and this could give the defenders a tremendous boost. Finally, they believed that God would decide who won or lost. This faith in God and their emperor ensured citizens generally remained loyal.