Constantine The Great

Many historians hail him as a good emperor because of his positive contributions to the Church. Before Constantine's reign the church was underground and was hardly recognized as a legitimate religion, in fact Christians were recognized as cannibals (because of the ordinance of the Lord's supper) or atheists because they didn't believe in Paganism. Christianity started off small, it was an offshoot of Judaism, but it slowly became bigger and bigger and when Constantine came to power it was the second biggest religion in the Roman empire. Christianity became so popular, even Constantine himself converted making the religion the religion of the state. This made Christianity very popular, suddenly high class people and the wealthy started converting,

This was a major change for the Empire and brought the power of the Emperor closer to the source of power for the Empire which had been in the East for some time. Constantanople was referred to as the Second Rome and was developed after the 14 Roman districts, Roman architecture and even had its own Senate. Constantine dissolved the Tetrarchy and proclaimed himself the sole ruler of Rome as a way to control the Empire as it was falling into disrepair in the west. He also gained favor from the Christians as he allowed them religious freedom with the “Edict of Milan” and created church building projects. Constantine took on a more autocratic position of power in order to gain control of the Empire and strongly establish the Empire in the East.

From uniting Rome under one single empire, legalizing Christianity, spreading and maintaining the Christian faith and dominance, and his military and economic tactics. However, aside from all his obvious victories and influences, what is so captivating about Constantine, is the man he was rather than his actions. It is entirely intriguing how a single man could manifest and hold such power in order to execute all these significant events in history, and it is this that strengthens his legacy (Odahl,

Once Constantine became Emperor, he created freedom of Religion. Constantine was an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan, partially because he had converted to Christianity a year before the Edict of Milan was signed and agreed to. The Edict of Milan was a document, created in 313, that granted tolerance toward Christianity. The document had benefits for Christians, which legalized their

Charlemagne In the mid 800’s Einhard wrote The Life of Charlemagne. It was an accurate portrayal of character as well as honesty during a period of time where distortion was a common theme. Einhard was extremely biased in his favor of the patron. He claimed that after the last Merovingian King fell, there was no more power within the dynasty.

In holding off the various attacks, the Byzantines kept Western Civilization Christian instead of it being converted to Muslim. The Christian Church of Constantinople and the Christian Church of Rome also split due to an argument over some spiritual interpretations of the Bible. If it was not for the Byzantines most of Western Civilization would be Muslim and not Christian.

In a way, Constantine was honoring the legacy of Cyrus the Great, following in his footsteps of religious tolerance. After such a decree, Christianity spread rapidly and monuments to Constantine were put up en masse. All of these monuments carried a heavy connotation to Christ. A great example of this is the Colossus of Constantine in which he held a spear with a cross fixed at the top5. By having such a Christian display in his monuments, Constantine ensured the establishment of his religion across the Roman Empire and increased the religion’s

GRQ 6 1. In what ways did Charlemagne link religion and governing? Was he successful in doing so? Be sure to defend your point of view with clear facts!

As centuries went on, more Roman emperors began to accept Christianity. Constantine, who incorporated into it several Greek philosophies, finally legalized it in 313 C.E. Christianity also connected the Romans and “barbarians”, leading it to become a highly positive change in the Roman

Diocletian tormented many of the Christians until they perished (Alchin). After about three hundred years, it became easier for the Christians. Constantine, the emperor of Rome at the time, converted to Christianity. This resulted in the end of the persecutions and the beginning of Christendom. In the year 313, Constantine issued to Edict of Milan.

It can be seen that Christianity had the most significant changes in Roman society compared to the other religions. Christianity improved the social, cultural and political way

Christianity began with Jesus, a member of a small Jewish sect, going on a mission to Jerusalem to spread the word of God’s love for humanity. While gaining a reputation for miracles and healing,

Although he was not necessarily a Christian himself (he wasn't baptized until he was on his deathbed), he gave Christians privileges and oversaw major Christian religious disputes. He may not have understood how the pagan cults, including those of the emperors,

Constantine Constantine, formerly known as Constantine the Great, was the first Catholic emperor of the Roman empire. He ruled from 306 to 337 A.D. During his reign, he contributed to crucial political and religious reform that continue to affect western society. Additionally, he is known for his accomplishments such as his support for Christianity, creating Constantinople, forming the Edict of Milian, and his religious policy. One significant period in Constantine’s life was the time he spent in Great Britain and Gaul.

The Church dominated politics throughout the Middle Ages. It is clear from reading numerous primary sources that the Church was the sole guidance of people throughout the Middle Ages. This essay will discuss the factors and events that led to the rise of the Church in the Middle Ages and the change in politics from this time. It is evident from reading various sources from the course that the Church and the State were closely linked and that this bond was formed from the early outset of the Middle Ages, at the time of the Roman Empire. The object of this essay is to research primary sources from this time to demonstrate the progression of the Church and politics in the Middle Ages.