The western view of Byzantium

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/06/western-view-byzantium/

What have the Byzantines ever done for us....! 

[Ian61]

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/06/western-view-byzantium/

What have the Byzantines ever done for us....! 

Given us the name Basil. 😁

[Martin Smith]

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/06/western-view-byzantium/

What have the Byzantines ever done for us....! 

Given us the name Basil. 😁

And a useful descriptive word for sneaky, underhand politics*...🙂

* which begs the question, is there any politics which isn't....🙃

[Nick Harbud]

Of course, one should always remember that history is written not so much by the victors as the literate who, at this time were largely associated with various ecclesiastical establishments.  In particular, western churchmen always had major differences of opinion with their eastern counterparts, both before and after the Great Schism.  This undoubtedly coloured their opinions.  I mean, look how ecclesiastic writers treated Reynald de Châtillon whose only crime was to hang the Archbishop of Antioch outside his castle window until the latter agreed to contribute towards fighting the Saracens.

 

[Jim Webster]

Of course, one should always remember that history is written not so much by the victors as the literate who, at this time were largely associated with various ecclesiastical establishments.  In particular, western churchmen always had major differences of opinion with their eastern counterparts, both before and after the Great Schism.  This undoubtedly coloured their opinions.  I mean, look how ecclesiastic writers treated Reynald de Châtillon whose only crime was to hang the Archbishop of Antioch outside his castle window until the latter agreed to contribute towards fighting the Saracens.

 

In the CofE hanging your Archbishop is considered an honest aspiration 

[Nick Harbud]

Do they call that retirement or martyrdom?

At least they've stopped burning them at the stake.   

[Jim Webster]

It's our Australian cousins who are big with the Barbie nowadays. We don't have the weather for it